Daily Archives: May 21, 2009
Brian Schneider caught five innings from Oliver Perez in an extended spring training game in St. Lucie today.
…i actually like knowing the team’s starting catcher is down there working with perez, as he tries to right himself…
Tagged Oliver Perez |
Earlier this week, I was forced to temporarily shut down the comment section on MetsBlog.com.
According to traffic history and old and recent surveys, less and less people are reading my blog’s comment section, and more and more people feel the current level of discourse reflects poorly on the overall blog.
The thing is, during much of the first four years of MetsBlog.com, long before my affiliation with SNY, and long before site-wide sponsors, the comment section had been a place where Mets fans would respond to me and my work with intelligent, relevant statements and criticism about what had been written in that specific post. I enjoyed the feedback, as it was respectful and thoughtful, and I often received compliments from other readers and other blogs about the insight people gained from peeking in on this section of the blog.
In the last year, however, the comment section has changed in to a place where only a small, inclusive group of 30 or so readers mostly speak to and among themselves, often creating their own discussion, separate from the topic at hand. In other words, the comment section has become a message board. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a message board, but it is different from 
a blog. They are two totally different forms of communication, and serve different purposes.
As a result, old school, original readers of MetsBlog.com, who were once very engaged years ago, eventually turned away from the comment section, only reading what I write to the main page, which is a shame.
So, I am now working to create a parallel space on MetsBlog.com that can serve as a more relaxed, open environment for fans to vent, discuss topics and exchange ideas among themselves, while returning the official comment section to a special location where only a trusted group of readers can respond to one another, me and the topic at hand.
I believe this change will help realign the public comment section with my blog’s overall brand, while also creating a new location for fans to have an open and honest discussion about the team we all love.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, as I work to make these necessary adjustments to MetsBlog.com,
The Marlins and Diamondbacks played a doubleheader in south Florida on Wednesday, and the result was a split.
In game one, Florida’s Cody Ross was on base 4 times, and Dan Uggla homered and drove in 4 to lead the Fish to an 8-6 win.
Game 2 took 13 innings and a second home run by Arizona’s Justin Upton to propel the D-Backs to an 11-9 victory. It was a big night for Upton who went 4-7 with 2 HRs, 6 RBI, and 3 runs scored.
Dan Uggla was on base 5 times and hit his second homer of the day for Florida.
Aaron Harang struck out 9 while allowing just one run on 4 hits over 7 innings to pitch the Reds past the Phillies, 5-1. The Philadelphia loss snaps their 5 game win streak.
Brandon Phillips had 2 hits and 3 RBI for Cincinnati. Raul Ibanez hit his 14th home run for the Phillies.
In Atlanta, the Braves got a terrific outing from Javier Vazquez (5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 6K), and the offense exploded for 12 runs on 14 hits and 6 walks on the way to pummeling the Rockies, 12-4.
Matt Diaz went 3-for-4 with 4 runs, and Yunel Escobar had 2 hits, a walk, and smacked a 3-run homer.
…Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins get all the publicity, but Yunel Escobar may be the best overall steady (and injury-free) player of the three right now. Then there’s Hanley Ramirez who’s just in an entirely different stratosphere.
And the more things change, the more they stay the same. Washington’s John Lannon tossed 7 strong innings on Wednesday only to see Joel Hanrahan uncork a a basees loaded wild pitch in the top of the 9th to allow the Pirates to emerge victorious over the Nationals, 2-1.
All four of the Mets NL East foes are in action again on Thursday to play the finale of their current series.
For more news, notes, analysis and statistics from around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit Baseball Daily Digest.
Tagged MetsBlog, News |According to a team spokesman, Jose Reyes had an MRI in New York today, he has tendinitis behind his right calf, and he remains day-to-day.
He has not been put on the disabled list, and will travel back to Boston to be with the team tomorrow night.
…so, basically, more of the same, i.e., confusion, back and forth, and more instability and unknowns on the roster…
Update, 2:10 pm:
According to ESPN, the agent for Jake Peavy expressed doubt Thursday that his client is ready to sign 
off on a proposed trade to the White Sox because he prefers to stay in the National League.
Peavy’s agent told ESPN there are three or four teams he is willing to pitch for, while telling SI.com he would only accept a deal to a team in ‘Middle America.’
…so, i’m thinking, the Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs…
Original Post, 10:42 am:
“The White Sox have reached agreement with the Padres on a trade for Jake Peavy but are awaiting Peavy’s approval,” Jon Heyman reports on SI.com.
Update, 2:13 pm:
Ed Price from AOL Fanhouse writes, “The Mets had been talking with the Indians about acquiring Mark DeRosa,” according to an official from one of the teams.
…he can actually solve a few holes, first 
by playing shortstop for Jose Reyes, then playing first base and left field until Carlos Delgado gets back, at which point he can team up with Alex Cora to be the entire bench, basically…
…by the way, why does AOL call itself Fanhouse when it has established, long-time, mainstream reporters…
Original Post, 11:03 am:
In the New York Post, Joel Sherman suggests the Mets trade J.J. Putz to the Indians, who are looking for pitching, in a deal for either DeRosa or Jamey Carroll.
Last night, David Wright was 1 for 2 with two walks.
Wright has a 12–game hitting streak, during which he has risen his batting average from .306 to .362, which is fourth-best in the National League.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, courtesy of ESPN.com, “Wright has reached base at least three times in each of his last seven games, the longest such single-season streak in Mets history and the longest in the majors since Chase Utley had a seven-game streak at the end of the 2005 season.”
…wright is using a more level swing of late, but more than anything, he seems to have slowed things down, he looks more calm, he’s going the other way, and looks like the potential batting champion we all know he can be, instead of a HR-hitting power machine, which it seemed like he was trying to be…
Apparently, Keith Hernandez was running late for his plane according to Chicago Mets Fan.
…maybe it was a different keith…nah…
Zoe of Pick Me Up Some Mets recaps the Gary, Keith, and Ron event on Mother’s Day.
Metstradamus thinks us fans need cortisone shots as well.
On that note, John Harper of the Daily News writes, “They have enough talent. But the more you watch them the more you wonder if they’ll ever stop getting in their own way.”
…injuries, errors, and, well injuries…those things always hinder a team’s chances of winning obviously, and when playing quality clubs such as the dodgers, sweeps will occur…the roller coaster ride continues with this team…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |Daniel Murphy made his first major-league start at first base last night, making four nice plays in the field, including a goalie-like, leaping grab on a hot line drive to end the fifth inning.
Prior to last night’s game, Jerry Manuel told reporters Murphy will not play the outfield again, admitting the entire experiment may have been a mistake from the start.
Instead, Murphy will start at first base each of the three games in Boston, at which point the team will evaluate his progress.
Manuel told reporters Murphy was elated and released by news that he would be giving up the outfield for first base, saying, “His reaction surprised me… He just lit up, and had a big smile on his face.”
According to the Daily News, Murphy responded by saying he will only be relieved when the team wins a pennant.
…excellent response… in other words, he means business…
However, Murphy was hitless in four at bats, including two strike outs, which dropped his batting average to .263.
“My night was incomplete,” said Murphy, who hit in to an inning-ending double play with two men on in the third. “There’s no excuses.”
By the way, Oh Murph is giving away an autographed baseball signed by Murphy, see their sidebar for details.
Jose Reyes left last night’s game after he aggravated his right calf again during an at bat.
He limped down the dugout steps, and into the clubhouse, after running out a ground ball in the third inning.
Following the game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that Reyes and the team’s trainer will fly to New York today from Boston to have his leg examined by doctors.
“It’s the same problem I’ve been having for the last couple of days,” Reyes explained to reporters from his locker following last night’s game. “It’s still bothering me. It’s still painful… I’m just playing because I want to play. That thing doesn’t feel right at all… It’s painful.”
…i have a bad feeling about this… any time one of these guys says, ‘It doesn’t feel right,’ that’s a huge statement, because they typically downplay everything when it comes injuries… and, there’s a difference between pain, and not being right… that’s the sort of thing you say when you know it’s worse than it is, based on your gut… hopefully, it’s nothing but a muscle strain… but, in either case, the Mets cannot keep playing short-handed, especially with so many guys playing out of position…
…this roster is in need of some order, structure, and sound talent on the edges… this has been the case for years, actually, but it will be more evident if reyes ends up on the disabled list…
