Daily Archives: May 15, 2009
Tonight’s Game:
The Mets (19-15, 7-7 Road) continue their four-game series versus the Giants (18-16, 12-6 Home) tonight at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California, starting at 10:15 p.m. EDT.
On The Mound:
- RHP Livan Hernandez (3-1, 5.08 ERA) starts for the Mets. Hernandez picked up the win in his last start on may 10 versus the Pirates, allowing two runs over 6.0 IP. In 59 career starts at AT&T Park, he is 27-23 with a 3.95 ERA. He is 4-5 with a 3.40 ERA in 15 career starts versus the Giants.
- RHP Tim Lincecum (3-1, 3.25 ERA) takes the hill for the Giants. In his last start on May 10 versus the Dodgers, a no-decision, Lincecum allowed four runs, three earned, over 6.0 IP, while striking out eight. He is allowed just one homerun in 44.1 innings this season. Lincecum is 0-1 with a 4.85 ERA in two career starts versus the Mets.
The Lineup:
- Alex Cora, SS
- Luis Castillo, 2B
- Carlos Beltran, CF
- Gary Sheffield, LF
- David Wright, 3B
- Ryan Church, RF
- Jeremy Reed, 1B
- Omir Santos, C
- Livan Hernandez, P
The Notes:
- In case you missed it, Jose Reyes will miss his second consecutive game due to a stiff right calf.
- Carlos Beltran has 16 RBI and scored 19 runs in his last 20 games. He is 3-for-5 with a homerun and 4 RBI versus Lincecum.
- The Mets lead the National League with 36 stolen bases this season.
- David Wright is hitting .417 (20-for-48) this month. He has struck out three times in five career at-bats against Lincecum.
- The Giants are hitting .298 and averaging 6.7 runs per game at home this season.
- Bengie Molina is batting .292 with 3 HR and 5 RBI in 24 career at-bats versus Hernandez.
Random Thoughts:
- I understand Jerry Manuel’s desire to get everyone on the roster at-bats, but with the reigning CY Young award winner on the mound I would have preferred Fernando Tatis than Reed in the lineup. With Carlos Delgado on the shelf, Tatis and Sheffield need to play everyday.
Tonight’s Broadcast:
- Tonight’s broadcast can be seen locally on SNY and head on WFAN.
Update, 8:13 pm:
According to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, Tim Redding will join the Mets on Monday to be the team’s starting pitcher against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Additionally, Jerry Manuel told reporters the team will soon decide if Carlos Delgado will need to be put on the disabled list.
Manuel would still not say he is optimistic about Delgado’s condition.
Murphy, who took ground balls at first base last Wednesday and before today’s game, will likely start at first base on this current road trip, according to Manuel.
Original Post:
Jose Reyes will miss his second consecutive game due to a calf injury, while Jeremy Reed starts at first base and bats seventh.
Alex Cora, who will leadoff and play short, will be followed by Luis Castillo, Carlos Beltran, Gary Sheffield, David Wright, Ryan Church, Reed, Omir Santos and Livan Hernandez.
…surprising to see reed at first, especially since i don’t think the Mets can afford to have Fernando Tatis out of the lineup with Carlos Delgado missing time due to injury…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
The Mets just sent out an online 
survey via e-mail to a select group of fans, which asks a variety of questions about the current uniform scheme, including, “Which Mets game jersey is your favorite,” “Do you think the Mets should wear the pinstripes jersey more often,” and, “Why do you think the Mets should not keep the black jersey?”
The also asks for feedback on a verity of jersey combinations, from the current black and 
blues to the all whites, from the traditional pinstripes to a new sleeveless version with a large NY on the chest.
The 1986 Racing Stripes were not featured in any selection.
The final question asks if the Mets should name the bridge in Citi Field, with options such as Amazin’ Alley, Casey’s Crossing, Gil Hodges Bridge, Piazza Path and others.
Ted Berg and Mike Salfino of SNY.tv debate whether or not it is time to promote Fernando Martinez to the majors.
…the number of options i am hearing to fix the Mets is “mind-bottling” as will ferrell would say…
Adam Rubin of the Daily News forwards along a picture of the “oldest balldude” in baseball.
The ‘Ropolitans have a funny graph depicting Bengie Molina‘s walk total.
At Newsday, David Lennon explores the increased usage of energy drinks in clubhouses around the league.
…i just use them before a long night out on the town…
Lastly, at Mets Walkoffs, they offer more stats on last night’s win in San Francisco, including:
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |“That’s the 134th time the Mets have won a road game by scoring the go-ahead run(s) in the ninth inning, the first time they’ve done so this season.”
Tomorrow on SNY’s Mets Weekly, I will talk with fans and reporters about the idea of playing with ‘grit.’
Also, Julie Alexandria will get a tour of the suites in Citi Field, and Keith Hernandez will give a lesson how left-handed hitters approach left-handed pitchers.
Mets Weekly will air on SNY on Saturday at 12:30 pm.
Tagged SNY |
WFAN’s Mike Francesa said on air the Mets are meeting to talk about what to do with Carlos Delgado, discussing whether to put him on the 15–day disabled list, to doing nothing, to seeing if he may require surgery, which could keep him out of the lineup over an extended-period of time.
Francesa believes the Mets could realistically acquire Nationals 1B Nick Johnson or White Sox OF Jermaine Dye, ‘for cheap,’ or trade high-priced talent to get A’s Matt Holliday, Astros OF Carlos Lee or Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez.
…i would add O’s 1B Aubrey Huff to that list, who could play first base and left field, and who is a free agent at the of this season, and playing for a team with zero chance of making the playoffs…
…the way i understand this, there are a lot of moving parts here, though…
…first, the team needs to decide delgado’s future, while also being honest about whether Daniel Murphy is ready to be a starting first baseman on a contending team… if delgado is out, francesa’s right, Omar Minaya will need to acquire a bat, though i believe they’ll go slow and wait out Fernando Tatis and Gary Sheffield for a week or so… if murphy is first base material, it will be easier to put him there and acquire a guy like dye, or wait a month later and make a move for holliday, which i bet could end up costing Jon Niese… if murphy isn’t ready, he’ll need to remain in left field, at which point minaya will need to find a first baseman better than tatis or Jeremy Reed…
…i would love to see them acquire Adrian Gonzalez, who is strong on defense and steady at the plate… but, a) i can’t see the Padres making such a trade so soon, and b) gonzalez is affordable and under contract through 2011, and this would 
mean blocking first base from murphy, who the team views as the long-term solution post-delgado…
…the problem is, a team like the A’s, while five games under .500, are also just four losses back of first place… which is not to say they’ll win the division, but it could still be too early to expect them to cut bait on holliday, when there is still money to made in attendance… also, any deal for holliday will have to be weighed against beane’s other option, which is keeping holliday and getting two draft picks when he walks via free agency at the end of the season…
Jose Reyes did not play last night due to a stiff right calf.
However, WFAN’s Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts continue to push the idea on air that Reyes was benched last night, as punishment for sloppy base running during the last few games.
In the Daily News, though, Adam Rubin writes, “Manuel insisted Reyes sitting wasn’t a smoke screen to bench the shortstop for sloppy baserunning in Wednesday’s home-stand finale.”
Nevertheless, Benigno and Roberts believe Manuel and the Mets fabricated the calf injury to not embarrass Reyes, who told reporters prior to yesterday’s game that he could have played last night, though he felt the pain in his calf as early as Wednesday afternoon.
What’s more, the two radio hosts feel Manuel forced his team to steal seven bases last night to send a further message to Reyes that the team is capable of speed without him in the lineup.
…well, if this is the case, and manuel has some magic button that can make his team do special things on demand, can he use it more often, please… thanks…
…here’s the thing, when reyes talked to reporters yesterday, he pointed out the injury, and showed them the area near his shin that was hurting… according to eyewitnesses, he was walking gingerly at times, though he wasn’t so far as limping on every step… also, from what i understand, the Mets took an X-Ray, and even considered keeping him back to take an MRI, but chose not to…
…isn’t this a lot to go through in an effort to protect jose’s ego…
…plus, if you’re going to punish jose, why hide the reason… isn’t the whole point to call him out on his mistakes…
For more on Reyes, read John Harper in the Daily News, who wonders if the player’s lack of instincts will force Omar Minaya to consider trading him one day.
Chad Billingsley put together 7 brilliant innings, and Russell Martin and Matt Kemp hit RBI doubles in the 10th inning to help the Dodgers overcome a blown save by Jonathan Broxton and defeat the Phillies, 5-3.
Cole Hamels did his part to lead Philly, tossing 7 strong innings and striking out 9.
…That’s 2 straight quality starts now for Hamels who finally appears to be healthy.
Catcher Carlos Ruiz produced a 2-run double in the 9th inning to tie the game, but Chad Durbin allowed the Dodgers to score twice in the 10th to win the game and take the series from the Phillies, 2 games to 1.
Next up for the Philadelphia is a 4 game set in Washington against the Nationals, highlighted by a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.
…But before Friday night’s game, the Phillies will visit the White House to celebrate their 2008 World Series championship with President Barack Obama!
In Milwaukee, the Brewers completed a 3 game sweep of the Marlins, winning 5-3 behind another strong performance from starter Dave Bush.
Bill Hall hit a 2-run homer, and Prince Fielder added a solo shot to lead the Brewers offensive attack.
Florida returns to Miami on Friday to open a 10-game homestand against the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Rays.
The Braves, who were off on Thursday, are back at Turner Field to host the Diamondbacks this weekend.
For more news, notes, analysis and statistics from around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit Baseball Daily Digest.
Tagged MetsBlog, News |
Last night, John Maine allowed two runs in the first inning, but then held the Giants scoreless from that point on. On the night, Maine threw 6 and 2/3 innings, walked and struck out four, and allowed seven hits.
He also threw a season high 118 pitches.
Later, Bobby Parnell would come in and allow the Giants to tie the game, which would eventually earn Maine the no-decision.
In a post to his blog for the New York Post, Joel Sherman writes:
“If Maine gets removed quickly, the bullpen would have had to be overused right at the start of this journey. This would have been a horrible first step.”
“But working against a poor-hitting team, Maine righted himself. He ended up carrying the ball two outs into the seventh. Maine did not get the win, but this was a victorious outing.”
…parnell would get the win by the way…a stat that needs an overhaul and means less and less to me for reasons like this…johan would agree…
After the game, Maine spoke with reporters:
“There always seems to be one inning when I kind of lack focus and it does me in. Tonight it was the first inning, but I adjusted, I settled down and did alright.”
“I don’t know what it is, it happens, and it seems to be early in the game and I start to rely on my fastball too much and I can’t do that. What can I do? I’m trying to work on it.”
Maine also had two hits, a perfect bunt and a drive to rightfield, in the first multi-hit game of his career.
…to me, maine seems like such a perfectionist out there, and it probably makes him a better pitcher…i find myself pulling for him more than any other starter, maybe so that he doesn’t get disappointed, if that’s even possible…for what it’s worth, last night was a strong outing, and it was good to see the Mets not let up late in the game…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |Mets manager Jerry Manuel talked with reporters after last night’s win against the 
Giants, and had the following to say about:
His team coming from behind to win ballgames of late, when they struggled to do so earlier in the season:
“I think once you comeback, you have the confidence that the game is never over and I think that was the next phase we had to go through. We scored runs early, then all of a sudden we didn’t score in those innings and once we got down late we never seemed to mount any type of comeback. But, once you do it one or two times you feel confident you can get it done and there’s a different spirit about the team late. It’s like, ‘OK, as long as we’re not too far back we think we have a shot.’”
John Maine, who allowed two runs seven hits, throwing 118 pitches in to the seventh inning:
“It was time to see what John Maine could do with a few more pitches, than take him out. I wanted to see how he would do and handle that last inning, and he pitches very well. His pitch count was up early, he got back in to it and I thought he pitched very well.”
David Wright, who was 3 for 3 with four stolen bases, including a game-winning RBI in the ninth inning:
“I thought David had some big at bats for us tonight. It was good to see him up in that situation, first and third, he struggled in that spot for a number of times, but to hit the ball in the manner in which he hit, against a good pitcher throwing hard, I thought that was impressive, I thought that was biggest hit for us tonight… I’m not too concerned about him stealing bases. I’m concerned with him driving in runs, if he’s gonna be sitting in that fifth spot.”
His team stealing seven bases tonight:
← Older posts“Seven steals without Jose running, that’s good. That says we can play a different kind of game, which is good, which is what we’ll need to do when lacking the power of Delgado, so that’s good to see.”
