Daily Archives: August 22, 2008
So far today, several people have e-mailed me to point out that Carlos Delgado‘s team option for 2009 is worth $16 million, not $12 million, as I wrote earlier today.
According to published reports, Delgado’s option jumps from $12 million to $16 million only if he finishes in the top tier of the National League MVP voting, and/or if he wins the NLCS MVP and World Series MVP.
I wrote $12 million, because I think it is fair to assume he will not finish among the top candidates in the NL MVP voting, as he is 13th in home runs in the National League, ninth in RBI, and around 80th in batting average.
I suppose, assuming the Mets end up in the post-season, that Delgado could win a post-season honor, but I am not sure that will be enough on its own, based on the complicated point-structure in his contract, to bump up his option value.
As noted yesterday…
On Tuesday, August 26, SNY will host a Mets Viewing Party at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone on 7th Ave and 49th Street in New York City, for the first of two games between the Mets and Phillies.
In addition to televising the game, SNY will be giving away 1,000 Mets tickets during the event.
The next night, Wednesday, August 27, for Game 2, I’ll be hosting a MetsBlog Night at Butterfield 8 in Manhattan, located at 5 E. 38th Street, between Fifth and Madison.
Butterfield 8 will be offering a $30 drink special, which includes an open bar of beer, wine and house mix drinks from first pitch to last pitch.
Tagged MetsBlog |
Prior to the game on Sunday, Keith Hernandez will be revealing 
No. 17 on the wall of Shea Stadium during the Lincoln Mercury Countdown.
In case you missed it during Wednesday night’s game, Gary Cohen asked Hernandez how he beat out Dae Sung Koo for the great honor, in which Keith responded with silence – then jokes that it was a toss up between him and Josa Lima.
I always find it hilarious how upset Hernandez gets when someone else is wearing No. 17, especially pitchers.
According to my wife, Hernandez would eliminate 17 from the numerical system if it was possible.
As noted last night, Jerry Manuel told reporters yesterday that Ryan Church 
will likely return to the Mets for tonight’s game.
According to Manuel, Church could start in right field tonight and Saturday, while getting a day off on Sunday.
Manuel explained that Fernando Tatis will see less playing time, given Church’s pending return, while Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans will continue to split time in left field.
Manuel, speaking about Church, to reporters, yesterday afternoon, said:
“He was a very good player for us for a while. Probably our best player for a period of time. So I’d
like to see him get back to that level…(Murphy and Evans) will stay in left field and Tatis will probably spell Ryan in right field against left-handed pitchers to keep him sharp. You’ll have two or three ways to choose from, depending on who gets hot or who has a good matchup.”
Tatis, who is batting .246 in his last 70 at bats, later told reporters that he is fine with whatever way Manuel chooses to make out the lineup, adding, “Whatever is good for Church is good for me.”
I like this, because, out of all the players in this scenario, Tatis has shown the ability to hit from the bench, which is not as easy as most people would like to think it is.
In 15 pinch-hit at bats this year, Tatis is hitting .333 with two RBI.
Tagged Ryan Church |
Last night against the Braves, Pedro Martinez pitched in to the eighth inning for the first time this season, while letting up four runs and seven hits.
Jerry Manuel, regarding Martinez, while speaking to reporters before last night’s win:
“I think Pedro has the gift of instincts, probably the greatest instincts of any pitcher in our era…Knowing how, when and what to do outweighs talent at times, but eventually talent catches up…When Bobby Cox had Greg Maddux, he’d throw 80-something pitches and go pretty deep – but then he didn’t want to send him through the lineup another time. Pedro is getting there. At some point, where does his trickology go from there?”
Since returning from the disabled list on August 1, Martinez has a 3.16 ERA in five starts, during which the Mets are 2–3.
He has pitched at least seven innings in each of last two starts.
Tagged Pedro Martinez |
Carlos Delgado had five hits in five at bats with three RBI.
In the ninth, with the game tied, and David Wright on second, the Braves walked Carlos Beltran to face Delgado, who slapped a line drive in to left field.
However, with several players on the Mets bench wearing inside-out rally caps, Omar Infante lost the ball in the lights, the ball bounced off of his glove, rolled in to center field. Wright rounded third and slide – head first, as though he were on a slip-n-slide – in to home plate for the win.
Delgado, regarding the win, talking to reporters last night, said:
“We’ve been able to find ways to win ballgame, and that’s something we didn’t do earlier in the year. And, good teams do that – they find a way to win those close ones…When you do that, it’s great for the atmosphere, it’s great for the ball club, it’s great for every one, every one’s feeling confident about themselves. We feel like we can do it. We don’t want to get behind, but we feel like even if we do we can come back and win it.”
For more on last night’s walk-off win, the team’s seventh of the season, check out MetsWalkoffs.com, where you’ll learn, among other interesting facts, ‘Last night was the first time that a Mets player had five hits, including a walk-off hit in the same game.’
Speaking of Delgado, read Barbara Barker, in Newsday, who explains how Delgado has clearly become the leader of his team.
Mark Teixeira will be the top free-agent first baseman this off-season, followed by players such as Kevin Millar, Richie Sexson, Jason Giambi and Sean Casey.
The Mets will have the option to retain Delgado for one more season, at the cost of $12 million. Or, they can buy out his option for $4 million. Meaning, essentially, keeping him will cost the team $8 million, since they’ll be paying the $4 million either way.
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To watch 
‘s exclusive Post Game Extra, hosted by Gary, Keith and Ron, including highlights and quotes from last night’s win against the Braves, click below:
