Daily Archives: May 21, 2009
The Mets started May 12–3, winning 
seven in a row, including winning three of four games against the Giants in San Francisco to begin a West Coast road trip.
However, the Mets were swept by the Dodgers, dropping them to just two games over .500 and two losses behind the Phillies for first place in the NL East.
It’s amazing how quickly things can change…
“We did not play well, and the Dodgers certainly did,” David Wright told reporters following last night’s loss. “We knew from the start of this road trip that it wasn’t going to be easy, and it hasn’t been.”
Here’s the thing, like I always try to remind myself, things are never as great as they seem during a winning streak, and they’re never as bad as they seem during a losing streak, they’re realistically some place in between.
The truth is, the Dodgers are currently the best team in baseball, they are a franchise-best 17–3 at home. During the three-game set, the Mets put Carlos Delgado on the disabled list, they had Jose Reyes at half-speed for only 12 innings, Johan Santana did not pitch, and a variety of players were out of position making 
mistakes, mostly because utility-man Alex Cora was out of action as well. In the grand scheme of things, though disappointing, a three-game sweep should not be much a surprise.
The problem, however, is much of what plagued them in Los Angeles is not going away any time soon: Delgado will be out for a while, I bet Reyes ends up on the disabled list as well, Santana can still only pitch every five days, and the easiest part of their schedule is behind them.
In other words, while I do not expect them to be swept and make six errors in every three-game series, I am a bit concerned with the road ahead, especially since the Phillies are playing a much-more even-keel brand of baseball of late.
…like i said last night, J.J. Putz has not looked good for a while now…
Last night, pitching in a tie game in the eighth inning, he let up a hit, walked a batter, and surrendered a hit to left field to Russell Martin that trickled through the infield, which Jeremy Reed chucked home in hopes of pegging Orlando Hudson.
However, Wright intercepted Reed’s throw 
to the plate, throwing out the lead runner headed to third, but it appears he did so because Hudson was going to score either way.
Last week, on WFAN, Putz said he is having a difficult time finding adrenaline pitching in the eighth inning, instead of the ninth, then missed two games with a bone spur in his right elbow, which he told reporters has not been issue since receiving an anti-inflammatory shot.
Last night, Putz told reporters he is now dealing with a stiff neck, which he described as a ‘nagging thing,’ according at the Daily News.
…whatever it is, whether adrenaline, his elbow, his neck, whatever, something is off, and he’s not been right for a while…
In his last seven outings, Putz has allowed 10 hits and walked six batters in seven innings pitched, during which four runs scored.
Here is SNY.tv’s Post Game Extra, from last night’s loss to the Dodgers, featuring clips from the game; quotes from Jerry Manuel, Livan Hernandez, David Wright and Jose Reyes; as well as analysis from Ron Darling and Gary Cohen:
Jose Reyes left the game in the third inning tonight, after he aggravated his right calf again during an at bat.
He limped down the dugout steps, after running out a ground ball.
He was replaced by Ramon Martinez.
Following the game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that Reyes and the team’s trainer will likely fly to New York tomorrow to have his leg examined by doctors.
The Dodgers won, 2–1, tonight in Los Angeles, completing a three-game sweep of the Mets, who have now lost four in a row and five of their last eight games.
The Least You Should Know:
- Jose Reyes left the game in the third inning, after he aggravated his right calf again. He limped down the dugout steps.
- Livan Hernandez pitched to contact all night, looking very efficient, allowing just one run and seven hits to 28 batters through seven innings.
- The Mets left eight men on base, including second and third in each the first and eighth innings.
- The Dodgers scored one run on a sac fly off Hernandez, then sent six men to the plate in the eighth inning against J.J. Putz, to score the go-ahead run on a ground ball to left field from Russell Martin.
- The Mets roster is a total mess, and they scored just six runs during the three-game series.
Other Observations from the Game:
- The Dodgers were hitting the ball hard against Hernandez all night, who, while he was very economical with his pitches, was also a bit lucky they were hit right to his defense all night.
- I first think of David Palmer, then Pedro Cerano, when I see Dennis Haysbert, who was in attendance tonight in Dodger Stadium.
- Reyes was replaced by Ramon Martinez, who looks totally overmatched in the batter’s box. Seriously, if Reyes ends up on the disabled list, and if Manuel does not trust Fernando Tatis to play shortstop, which must be the case, the Mets need to either promote a player to pick up short, or make a trade to acquire someone.
- Jonathan Malo, please dust off your best pair of cleats, please?
- Jerry Manuel may be addicted to pinch hitting.
- That said, in the ninth inning, Manuel had no choice but to let Ramon Martinez hit with two outs and the tying run on first, while Gary Sheffield watched from the dugout, because he already used Fernando Tatis for Church earlier in the game, and had nobody else could slot in at shortstop.
- For what it’s worth, Church missed hitting a home run by literally 16 inches.
- Daniel Murphy looked outstanding on defense while playing first base for the first time in his major-league career. He made a handful of impressive stops on ground balls hit in the hole and down the line, flipping the ball like an old pro to Hernandez for outs. He also made a goalie-like, leaping grab on a hot line drive to end the fifth inning.
- Putz has not looked good for a while now. Tonight, he let up a hit, walked a batter, and surrendered a hit to left field from Russell Martin that trickled through the infield, which Jeremy Reed chucked home in hopes of pegging Orlando Hudson. Wright intercepted Pagan’s throw to the plate, pegging the lead runner headed to third, but it appears he did so because Hudson was going to score either way.
- I know it is of no comfort, but the Dodgers are 17–3 at home this season, and hold the best record in the National League – additionally, the Mets played the bulk of this three-game series without Reyes and Carlos Delgado, and Johan Santana did not pitch. That said, these problems are not going away, and the schedule will only get more difficult.
The Mets are off tomorrow – thankfully.
The team is now 21–19, but head to Boston on Friday for the start of a three-game series in Fenway Park, where the Red Sox are 14–4.
In an unrelated note, I wish the best for D’Backs RHP Scott Schoeneweis, whose wife was found dead at their home in Arizona earlier tonight. Schoeneweis is the father of four children. I cannot even imagine what he’s going through; but if any one has the emotional and mental strength to pull through this, he does.
