Daily Archives: September 22, 2008
This season, Daniel Murphy is batting .343 in 108 at bats.
However, he is 0 for his last nine, with three strike outs, since getting a pinch-hit RBI double on Friday night.
I have noticed several fans referring to Murphy as ‘D-Rex,’ while writing in MetsBlog’s comments section and on message boards around the Internet.
In an e-mail sent to me over the weekend, Geoff M explains, “He looks like a T-Rex with his tiny arms pulled back and his hulking legs taking big strides. That, with the tenacious attitude, made us name him D-Rex.”
That’s pretty funny. I think I like it.
Hanely Ramirez winning the Marlins MVP generated some controversy. Some of his teammates thought Jorge Cantu deserved the award. Ramirez posted superior OBA and slugging numbers while playing a more demanding defensive position. However, Cantu replaced Miguel Cabrera better than anyone expected, which is probably why his teammates feel he should get the nod.
Kelly Johnson tries to extend his hit streak to 20 games against the Phillies tonight. He’s batting .405 with 13 extra-base hits during the streak.
Chase Utley ended a streak of 27 games without a home run Sunday. The Phillies second baseman hit ten home runs in his first 27 games this season.
Even after suffering a sweep by the Padres over the weekend, the Nationals are still in second place in the first draft pick sweepstakes. Seattle is on an even worse run than Washington.
For more real-time information, news, links and stats from around MLB, check out Baseball Musings.
In case you missed it, on Sunday, Pedro Martinez told the Daily News that he is willing to pitch out of the bullpen during the playoffs.
However, as Kevin E wrote in an e-mail to me earlier today, Martinez has pitched in 19 games this season and given up 18 first inning runs.
In fact, he has allowed 28 percent of his runs in the first inning, during which the opposition is hitting .347 against him.
By the way, this is not a new discussion.
In a post to Gets by Buckner, from 2006, Don wrote about this exact-same topic.
Tagged Pedro Martinez |The Mets have officially announced that their Triple-A affiliate will move from New Orleans to Buffalo, NY, and be called the Bisons.
Bob Rich Jr., President and owner of the Bisons, said in a press conference today:
“We, as an organization and as part of the Western New York baseball community, could not be happier today as we forge this new partnership with the New York Mets. The Mets are one of the most highly recognizable franchises in all of sports and have a well-established tradition of winning and excellence, which makes them a perfect fit for the Buffalo Bisons.”
This means one thing, road trip to upstate New York next summer to see the Binghamton Mets, the Bisons and, most importantly, the Southern Tier Brewery.
JG, are you with me?
Tagged Minors |
In a Q&A at MetsGeek, Aaron Dorman asks me about my thoughts on the end of Shea Stadium.
Doorman and I speak about the Home Run Apple, my favorite moment at Shea, Willet’s Point and what I look most forward to at Citi Field.
Later this week, Doorman will speak with Adam Rubin from the Daily News and Marty Noble from MLB.com, among others.
Tagged Shea Stadium |In a loss to the Braves yesterday, 
Mike Pelfrey let up three runs and six hits, while walking three and striking out two, in six innings, before the bullpen went on to blow their 29th save of the season.
He let up one run in the first, and one in the second, then got it together, but began to run out of gas in the start of seventh, walking the lead-off hitter, and was removed from the game after having thrown 106 pitches.
The thing is, there are times when a tired Pelfrey, or a tired Johan Santana, in the seventh, at, say, 50 percent, may be a better option than a 100 percent Aaron Heilman.
Look, this is it, folks. I mean, it doesn’t get any more dire than right now. This situation with the bullpen can now be considered a ‘crisis,’ since there are just seven games left in the season.
And so, the Mets may need to consider using starting pitchers, like Pelfrey and Santana, in relief for one inning on the day they are scheduled to throw their bullpen session – either that, or it’s time for them to start on short rest.
Pedro Martinez recently told the Daily News that he is willing to pitch out of the bullpen during the playoffs.
Great, except you’re not in the playoffs yet, Pedro.
Instead, I’m thinking the Mets may need to put Martinez in the bullpen now and pitch Santana or Pelfrey on short rest, like 
the Blue Jays did last week with Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett when facing the Red Sox.
The point is, something has to change.
I am tired of watching two teams. There is the offense, the defense and the starting pitchers, and then there is the bullpen. Frankly, they should be wearing a different hat and uniform at this point.
Yes, they need to execute, ‘make their pitches,’ etc., which is what we’ve been hearing for the last few months. Again, though, there are only seven games left. If the idea is to make better pitches, well, they’re running out of time.
There are major flaws in every solution I just outlined, no question, but, if it is truly an ‘all-hands-on-deck situation,’ like Jerry Manuel has said, then when is he going to start acting like it.
Tagged Mike Pelfrey |
In his lead for the Associated Press, Tom Saladino says it best, writing, “Another late lead and another bullpen meltdown for the New York Mets.”
In yesterday’s loss, Mike Pelfrey handed off a two-run lead to his team’s bullpen, but Brian Stokes let up one run in the seventh, after which Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman combined to let up four runs in the eighth inning.
Schoeneweis, speaking to reporters after the game, said:
“There’s no explanation anymore. I just don’t know what to say…I just don’t know what to say.
“We’re not consistently making big pitches at big times. We do it one night, we don’t do it the next night. There’s really nothing more to say or explain or philosophize about. We’ve just got to get it done, somehow.”
David Wright, talking to reporters after the game, said:
“It was one of the games where you could feel, as the game went on, the momentum kind of slipped away.”
…in other words, eventually, they always know that the bullpen must enter the game…ugh…we feel you, david…
“If the season ended today, we’re going to the playoffs,” Joe Smith is quoted as saying in Newsday.
…that’s the problem, though, the season doesn’t end today…
For more on the team’s bullpen, check out Howard Megdal’s column in the New York Observer.
Tagged Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoeneweis | Newer posts →
