Daily Archives: April 7, 2009
K McCarthy: Matt, I’m not one to complain on how a webpage is laid out, but you really had a good thing going with the old style. The feel of this 
new site is too corporate and not enough amature, or fan friendly. I miss the old look.
Matthew Cerrone: Actually, I think you are one to complain, seeing as you sent the e-mail. Right? And that’s good, you should complain. There is nothing wrong with that. I love good, honest, constructive feedback. The thing is, all I essentially did was flip the text column with the most left sidebar. That’s it. A simple flip of two columns and suddenly the site is too corporate? Interesting. Also, I will eventually add a Citi Field inspired header, but I have yet to be there for a game, with fans in the stands, so I went with the generic blue until then.
P Money: Why did you lose the new comments section. Two people complain and you give in. Sucker. Your such a jerk.
Matthew Cerrone: In case you missed it, yesterday I wrote, “I had to temporarily revert back to the old comment style for a variety of technical reasons. I will do my best tomorrow to bring back Intense Debate.”
Devin: Obama has taught me the importance of 
persistence. In his honor I will be sending this same email twice a day until I receive a response… I think we should take a note from the cards and bat Luis Castillo ninth. It gives him protection to bat in front of Jose Reyes. Essentially giving the Mets another lead off man the second time around. This is at least worth discussing.
Matthew Cerrone: For those unaware, Devin sent this to me nearly 10 times, and in some cases lectured me on how I do a poor job responding to people’s e-mails. Sorry, Devin, it’s been a hectic time of year, with the whole re-design, comments thing, and Opening Day. Sorry for the delayed response, and, truthfully, I admire your persistent way, and I apologize for not responding sooner… That said, I am not a fan of batting the pitcher any place other than ninth, because I see no advantage to exposing him to more at bats than needed, though I realize he is eventually pinch hit for at some point in the game anyway. The thing is, I actually like the idea of Castillo’s controlled bat hitting in front of the pitcher, who can bunt him over for the top of the order. For that hitter-batting-eighth scenario to pay off, the moon and stars need to align in a specific way. I’d rather construct the lineup for the most likely scenario and work it out that way.
No Hot: In a post last week, you wrote, “I freaked out a bit when I looked at the box score and saw that Pelfrey was pulled from the game following just one inning… thankfully, it was due to rain… but, I feared the worst.” Come on. Matt, you have to learn to report like a real serious reporter.
Matthew Cerrone: But, I’m not a ‘real serious reporter.’ I’m a Mets fan, who writes a blog. Here’s the thing, though, I did freak out. So, why should I not write that? I’m just being honest, which is all I have ever been on this blog, for better or worse. If you want to read an independent, objective reporter, read David Lennon, Adam Rubin, and the other beat writers who do an amazing job at being just that, independent and objective. I’m a Mets fan, and I’m proud to be a Mets fan, and I’m going to write as an honest, in-the-moment Mets fan, who sometimes is angry, sometimes is overly confident, and who sometimes is freaking out, because that’s who I am, and that’s what I have fun doing.
FOX has an exclusive window for all Saturday games taking place prior to 7 pm, meaning only FOX and the local channel can broadcast during that window.
Meanwhile, the Marlins scheduled this Saturday’s game against the Mets for 6 pm, one hour early, to accommodate a post-game concert by Flo Rida.
In other words, from 6 pm to 7 pm on Saturday, the Mets-Marlins game will not be broadcast on SNY; thanks to FOX, MLB, the Marlins, and, apparently, Flo Rida.
The minute the clock strikes 7 pm, SNY will begin broadcasting from whatever inning the Mets and Marlins are in.
Tagged SNY |
The Florida Marlins got off to a fast start against Washington yesterday behind big offensive days from Emilio Bonifacio and Hanley Ramirez to double up the Nationals, 12-6.
Bonifacio went 4-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run, 3 stolen bases, and 4 runs scored. Ramirez did his best to keep pace, hitting a double and a grand slam while driving in 5.
Ricky Nolasco picked up the win. John Lannan took the loss.
Adam Dunn doubled, homered, and drove in 4 runs in his debut for Washington.
In other news, Florida’s Scott Proctor has been cleared to throw again. He’s targeting May 1 as his return date.
Later today, the Phillies and Jamie Moyer host the Braves and Jair Jurrjens at Citizens Bank Park; while the Nationals and Marlins go at it again in Florida. Washington’s Scott Olsen faces his former team, and Josh Johnson takes the hill for Florida.
For more news, notes, analysis and statistics from around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit Baseball Daily Digest.
Tagged MetsBlog |
On February 12th, I posted about my campaign to raise money this season for the American Cancer Society in honor of the five year anniversary of my father’s passing due to Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
For every home run the New York Mets hit this season, I will be donating $5 to the ACS.
I have already raised nearly $2,000, due mostly in part to members of the Metsblog community, and for that I am extremely grateful.
I have an overall goal of raising $5,000, but I can’t reach it alone.
Please help me ‘Knock Cancer Outta Here!,’ and reach my goal before season’s end on October 4th. All contributions go to the ACS and will help to fund cancer research.
All the details are on my ACS sponsored site, so please go there for more information.
Several of you have also asked how you can follow along with my campaign by donating various amounts of money for every Mets home run as well. If you are interested in doing so, even if it’s just 25 cents per homer, please email me at metsheads at yahoo dot com for more info.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and Let’s Go Mets!
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |David Wright’s former high school baseball team is raffling off a trip to New 
York City to see the Mets play the Rays in Citi Field on June 20, including two round trip plane tickets to New York, two tickets to the game, one night at the Waldorf Astoria and $250.00 Visa Expense Card.
To enter and learn more, go here.
Meanwhile, Zoe Rice from Pick Me Up Some Mets posts photographs from the MetsBlog.com Get-Together at Public House, while writing a review of Opening Day.
…it was fun… i was pretty focused on the game, but it seemed like a good turn out… i think the rain kept some people away, plus the space was way too big for the 100 or so people who were there…
To learn some interesting tidbits about Opening Day games, home runs and one-run wins and losses, check out Mets Walkoffs.
Danielle from the Wright Stuff posts a pretty intricate Fan Guide to Citi Field, for those who still have questions.
Prior to yesterday’s game, SNY captured video of Johan Santana, before his Opening Day start, walking up and down the dugout greeting his teammates, each of whom he had a unique, personalized handshake for.
…i didn’t notice this in too much detail when it happened, but was dumbfounded and laughing when i watched it when SNY re-aired the game later in the day…
…i mean, i would think santana would be ultra-focused, speaking to nobody, thinking only about the game… yet, he’s all smiles, totally comfortable, and having fun, and he still went out and pitched a very good game, keeping the opposition hitless through the first three innings…
To watch Santana’s 90–second Handshake Parade, click play below:
Despite yesterday’s win, the Mets were 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, continuing a troublesome trend from last season.
Jerry Manuel, speaking about the offense, after yesterday’s game, said:
“It still seems like we could have put a few more runs on the board to be more comfortable… Obviously, I’d like to still see us do some other things offensively… We left a lot of lot of runners on base, we have to make sure we address that situation.”
…the Mets offense can thank their defense, which saved a few runs yesterday, like Ryan Church’s sliding catch, or David Wright’s quick, back-handed grab…
Daniel Murphy was 1 for 5 with a strike out and a solo home run during yesterday’s win.
…and i bet he is more focused on the four hitless at bats than he is with the home run…
…he should be proud of the home run, though, since he started down 0–2, fought back seven more pitches, then ripped the home run… impressive at bat…
Following the game, Jerry Manuel compared Murphy’s at bat to those of Frank Thomas, who Manuel managed in Chicago.
According to Manuel, ‘Murphy is a tremendous young hitter, who makes adjustments during the at bat, which is very rare.’
David Wright, speaking about Murphy, as quoted by Newsday:
“He’s got a tremendous idea of what he wants to do when he gets up to the plate… I like how he went up there with a plan, staying under control. When he needs to get into one, he can do it.”
…i think wright may have a bigger man crush on murphy than i do…
…by the way, i was sent several e-mails yesterday from people watching the Reds broadcast who said the Cincinnati announcers repeatedly referred to him as Dennis Murphy, while also calling jerry Charlie Manuel…
…i bet they call him Daniel on Wednesday, when the Mets return to action against the Reds at 7 pm, and face Edinson Volquez….
To hear from hitting coach Howard Johnson, speaking about Murphy, read Marty Noble’s report for MLB.com.
Yesterday, during a win against the Reds on Opening Day, Sean Green, J.J. Putz and Frankie Rodriguez pitched 3.1 innings and allowed no runs and no hits for two holds and a save.
…Omar Minaya had to be smiling yesterday, since this is exactly what he and his team had been projecting all season… green comes in with runners on, gets out of the inning, then eventually passes the ball to putz, who passes it off to rodriguez, turning it in to a six-inning game…
J.J. Putz, following yesterday’s game, said:
“If we can get 161 more of these kinds of games, I think everybody is going to be really happy.”
…nice… exactly… he knows us well already… because, if the bullpen blows the next two games, let’s say, the paranoia will again set it…
Jerry Manuel, speaking about the bullpen, following yesterday’s win, said:
“I think it’s very important that the guys we acquired come in and produce right away… To get into a close game and perform on Opening Day, I think that says a lot about the guys we acquired.”
According to the Elias Sports Beruea, “Last season, Mets relievers blew a major-league-high seven potential wins for Santana, who had won just one game in each of the last three seasons in which he pitched less than six innings.”
Johan Santana, speaking about the bullpen, said:
“If we’re able to do that throughout the whole season, we’re going to be in pretty good shape…. To see that, and get it out of the way in the first game, is definitely great for us. It brings our comfort level up.”
…getting to see the bullpen in action, and do well, i wonder how that will help to inspire the starting rotation, like santana, who can now be a bit more risky in situations, and not feel they must do it all themselves…
For more on the bullpen, read Filip Bondy’s op-ed for the Daily News.
Tagged Sean Green |
