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Prior to today’s game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that he will begin using Ryan Church every day in right field, meaning Daniel Murphy, Fernando Tatis and Nick Evans will split time in left.
Tonight, Tatis will start in left field, instead of Evans, against LHP Jaime Moyer, because, according to Manuel, Tatis is better suited to face the ‘crafty,’ veteran.
…in other words, while murphy will most certainly play every day against right-handed pitchers, against whom he is batting .321, manuel will consider the night’s left-handed starting pitcher when debating evans, who is batting .340 against lefties, and tatis, who is batting .316 against lefties…
…jeez, jerry, that’s a lot to keep track of…
Also, Damion Easley will start at second base tonight, instead of Luis Castillo, suggesting they, too, are in a lefty-righty platoon.
For what it’s worth, Castillo is hitting .268 against right-handed pitching, compared to .227 against lefties, while Easley is batting .271 against left-handed pitching and .257 against righties.
…Update…
Later, during his nightly interview during WFAN’s pre-game show, Manuel said, of the 30 games that are left, Castillo will start ‘the bulk’ of them.
According to Manuel, Castillo is simply getting tonight ‘off.’
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I think it’d be wiser to give Castillo some consecutive days of playing time.
only if you want to figure out if he is actually still able to contribute anything to the team. Gonna be hard to get in a groove playing every thrid day. And not like the other guys are lighting it up either.
I remember Jerry speaking on a topic similar to this last week. He basically said it is too late in the season to let guys ride out of a slump.
Anyways, thats why Castillo had rehab games, and he sucked in those.
Then why is he playing Easley?
But then, you can’t believe anything he says, because he rarely means it.
OPS:
Reyes….. 570
Easley…. 654
Castillo… 687
None very good. Castillo clearly the best of the three. I don’t get the hatred for Castillo.
Not a good contract, but not his fault, and the best of our current 2B choices.
I just don’t understand why Manuel is determined to bat either him or A. Reyes in the 2 hole.
I want my 2 hole hitter to be patient, see a lot of pitches and to move runners over. Castillo to me is the perfect 2-hole hitter.
And I agree, when healthy he is an all-star caliber player. Why is everyone so down on him? For the last two years he has been playing hurt, where most guys would have been DL’d a long time ago.
Take our 3 2B, and how is the best defensively?
Answer: Castillo
Thank you for injecting a rare bit of fact-based sanity into the Castillo debate. He may be past being an all-star, but he is so clearly better than our other options right now.
I don’t hate him, but I find his ‘game’ very hard to watch, he’s weak and ugly at the plate. Despite that, however, I agree with the ‘best of our current 2B choices’ if for no other reason than he’s the middle ground between a mostly unproven minor league free agent and an old former slugger.
Easley sticks b/c of his versatility. Castillo’s stats & experience keep him. A.Reyes is in the mix for the post-season roster, but battling guys like Nick Evans and a 12th pitcher.
It’s pretty clear that these 12 Mets will be on any October roster:
C: Schneider & Castro
OF: Beltran, Church, Tatis, Chavez, D. Murphy
IF: J. Reyes, Wright, Delgado, Easley & Castillo
I’d like to see 2 more bats (and only 11 pitchers), given the spacing of days off. I’d like Argenis, for speed; I’m not sure whether Nick Evans is useful enough (can he hit RHP? can he be trusted in the field), but I know I don’t want Marlon…
I’d rather Evans than Reyes by a long shot. I think I’d take the extra position player too, just b ecause you tend to make more pitching changes postseason and need more PHers. So far looks like Murphy sticks, but a sept call up could have a good sept and stick around too maybe.
Murphy now has 5 singles and 4 BB in his last 29 PA. Let’s not give him a postseason roster spot yet….
Who else would give it too?
Good question, and while I would not be enthusiastic about it, I think I would choose Evans (or a healthy Marlon) if I had to choose right now.
But I would love Murphy to hit .400 in September and prove me very wrong.
Castillo is garbage and should not be a starter for us. Trade him for prospects.
I’m sure teams are lining up to trade prospects for Castillo.
Calling Castillo garbage is childish and ridiculous. Look at his OBP and runs compared to Easley and Reyes. And as for what we would get for him, see Gina’s comment.
The Castillo hatred on this site is so irrational!!
Castillo World Series MVP!!! Curtain Call!!!!
It seemed upon Castillo’s arrival last year the team should’ve gotten an instant bump from this former all-star. In fact it seemed his lethargic play actually coincided with a teamwide malaise.
There’s something about Castillo that is painful to watch. He has simply looked overmatched at the plate and apathetic in the field numbers aside. If it is because he’s in chronic pain then that too bad.
Argenis Reyes and Easley each bring with them a certain intangible that helps create a winning atmosphere.
.It ain’t broke, don’t fix it Jerry….