Daily Archives: July 1, 2009
Update, 11:57 pm:
Following yesterday’s game, David Wright told reporters:
“With all due respect to Johnny, he doesn’t know what’s going on in this clubhouse… I don’t feel the need to have to defend myself as a leader. If these guys in here respect me and think of me as a leader, that’s what I need… I don’t worry myself about outside people saying what they’re going to say. It doesn’t matter. What matters to me are these 24 guys in here and the coaching staff. Whatever anybody else wants to say, they can say whatever.”
Original Post:
John Franco was a guest on Inside Pitch on SIRIUS XM Radio yesterday, and had the following to say when asked about the Mets:
“You know, there’s still something missing there. I don’t know what it is the last couple of years. Watching them almost every day, there’s no leadership there. Nobody wants to step forward and be a leader. Something is missing and it’s hard to put your finger on it. They got some great, talented players - Reyes and Wright and Beltran, now Santana’s there – but I just can’t put my finger on it. It seems like, to me, they’re not having fun, even when they were winning. Playing in New York, the pressure cooker here, I’m sure there’s a lot of pressure on them, but they need to relax a little bit and look like they’re having fun. It kind of looks like they’re not having fun and everybody’s on their own page.”
Later, Franco was asked, “What kind of player does it take to really step up and push the guys and be a leader,” to which he responded:
“With the Mets, a guy like David Wright is a guy that I’m hoping – you know, I tried talking to him and tell him to come forward and be that guy, but I think David feels that being that he’s such a young player and you have the Delgados and Sheffields and veteran guys like that, he’s afraid that they’ll look at him like, ‘Be quiet and sit down.’ Gary’s here and Gary’s been great. Gary Sheffield’s been great, so I don’t have a bad thing to say about Gary, but I think you need a guy who the organization is building around and is going to be here for the next five, six years. David’s been here for five years already, and he’ll probably be here for another five years, him and Jose, so that’s the core of the team. One of those guys has to step forward and take charge.”
Inside Pitch airs weekdays at 1 pm exclusively on SIRIUS XM Radio’s MLB Home Plate channel.
Tagged News |
The Mets defeated the Brewers, 1–0, inn Miller Park this afternoon.
For a full recap and boxscore, click here.
The Least You Should Know:
Mike Pelfrey was brilliant this afternoon despite committing his fifth balk of the season, able to get his secondary pitches over for strikes, pitching efficiently over 7 2/3 innings.
Yovani Gallardo was almost as good for the Brewers, striking out 12 through 7 innings.
The Mets did not have much offense once again today but when they got their chance after a Luis Castillo leadoff double in the sixth inning, Ryan Church capitalized with an RBI single.
Despite two rockets hit by Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, Francisco Rodriguez rebounded to save his 21st game of the year.
Other Observations and Notes:
With the way the offense is built right now, the way Pelfrey was today is exactly how the starting pitching must perform until when and if the regulars start returning.
The one issue I have with Jerry Manuel removing Pelfrey when he did is that he put Sean Green in with runners at first and second in the eighth, and he had allowed seven of 15 inherited runners to score this season – fortunately the move worked out for the Mets, but by the same token, Pelfrey had pitched well enough, in my opinion, to earn at least another batter in the eighth inning.
That said, Green has been solid since the middle of May, so from that standpoint I can see why the decision was made – given everything that has gone on with the Mets and them in the midst of a five-game losing streak, that was the biggest out that Green has gotten this year.
No pain, no gain – Pelfrey considered having tightness in his lat muscle during the game a good sign.
David Wright‘s strikeouts are a major concern right now – he now has 79 strikeouts on the year.
I really appreciated Keith Hernandez announcing the pitch selection in the ninth inning.
The Mets will play Pirates tomorrow at 12:30 pm at PNC Park for a make-up game, with Tim Redding taking on Paul Maholm.
Tagged Michael Baron |
The third-place Mets went 9-18 in June, their worst month since September 2003, which, subsequently, is when I started MetsBlog.com. Hi, Art Howe?
Frankly, I will never understand why some fans are so eager to give up so early in the season. What’s the fun in that? I mean, we wait all winter, all spring, day-dream about baseballs return, only to, what, quit in July? Why?
I’m not saying the Mets are going to go 60–20 in the second half… It’s just, I find it more fun believing the team’s worst days are behind them, especially when there is more than half a season to be played.
I could be wrong, this team may tank and never win another game, who knows, but I’m going to keep hope and at least stick around to see how it all turns out.
That said, here’s why I am skeptical and hopeful about the rest of the season:
According to an MLB executive familiar with the team’s thinking, ‘The Mets have no plans to make any major trades right now,” writes Andrew Marchand, in a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio.
…i do not doubt this… like i have been saying, they’re caught between a rock and a hard place… they’re desperate, and so teams are asking for the moon… at the same time, no one player will make up for losing three All-Star caliber hitters… yet, they need help… to trade top prospects for a knee patch would be foolish, but if they wait too long, the season could slip away…
Marchand also blogs about how other teams view Fernando Martinez and Bobby Parnell, and how the current roster of injured players will impact their decision at the trade deadline.
According to a poll in the Baltimore Sun, 80 percent of 14,000 voters say Mets fans are the most obnoxious fans in baseball.
…thanks to our old friend Elliot S for the link…
Meanwhile, six percent voted for the Yankees, five percent voted for the Red Sox and just one percent voted for the Phillies.
…look, i’m no peach, and i know my blue-and-orange brother and sisters can be a bit rough from time to time as well, but 80 percent… really… 80… how can that be possible… frankly, i think our biggest crime is self loathing… but, in terms of external obnoxious behavior, gloating, etc., come on, Phillies fans and Yankees fans have to take the prize…
…jeez, you’d think Mike Francesa and Wallace Matthews would have better things to do with their day than vote 10,000 times in an online poll… oh, i kid, i kid…
Tagged Poll |Update, 12:17 pm:
In a post to Twitter, the Star-Ledger’s Brian Costa writes:
“Two hours before first pitch, and the Mets clubhouse is empty… and as i typed that, everyone just walked in off the bus.”
To follow Costa on Twitter, click here.
Original Post:
Yesterday, Jerry Manuel told reporters David Wright and Gary Sheffield would not start in today’s game at 2:05 EST against Yovani Gallardo and the Brewers.
However, Manuel wisely changed his mind, as Wright will start at third base today and bat third.
Sheffield will still get the day off.
Alex Cora will leadoff, followed in order by Luis Castillo, Wright, Ryan Church, Nick Evans in left field, Daniel Murphy at first base, Fernando Martinez in center and Brian Schneider behind the plate.
In his last three games, the 20–year-old Martinez has four hits, including a double and a home run, and two RBI.
Mike Pelfrey (5–3, 4.67 ERA) will start for the Mets. Pelfrey has allowed just 25 home runs since 2006, which is the fewest in the major leagues among pitchers with 60 starts. Opponents are batting just .201 against him when he gets a first-pitch strike, otherwise they’re batting .361. Pelfrey last faced the Brewers in 2007, when he allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.
The Mets are 19–12 in games when they do not allow a home run.
Gallardo (8–4, 2.99 ERA) will start for the Brewers. He has 102 strikeouts in 97 innings this season, during which opponents are batting .193 against him. Gallardo allowed no runs and five hits in six innings against the Mets in Citi Field during April.
Mets assistant GM John Ricco told reporters yesterday that the Mets did have interest in Mark DeRosa, who was eventually traded to the Cardinals, but the price was too steep.
However, Ricco said the Mets did not try to acquire Eric Hinske, who was traded to the Yankees, or Nyjer Morgan, who was traded 
to the Pirates.
Ricco was later asked if not knowing when certain players will return from injury is impacting how the team approaches the trade deadline, to which he said:
“Well, clarity would certainly help. But, we’re being aggressive, working the phones and looking to improve this club as it is… We have plenty of holes to fill. I know Omar is making a lot of calls, I’m making calls, and, from that stand point, I don’t think we could be any more aggressive… We’re always going to do what’s in the best interest of the club, short-term and long-term.”
There are fans who are demanding the Mets make a deal. But, I just don’t know what deal they’re demanding.
From what I can tell, the magic-bullet deal isn’t there.
Sure, I believe the Mets could get Adam Dunn, but the Red Sox and other teams are interested as well. And so, given how desperate the Mets are, given the other interested teams, and given how the Nationals do not need to move him, believe me, Dunn is going to cost a too much talent in return.
It’s funny, I hear from people all day who complain on one hand that the farm system is too weak, they say the Mets have nothing to deal and no players in house to rely on when people go on the disabled list. Then, in the very next breath, they demand trading the few prospects the team has for a player like Dunn.
In case you missed it, from yesterday…
The Mets announced Carlos Beltran will not need surgery on his bruised right knee – instead, he will get treatment in New York, rest for two weeks, and then begin a rehab program.
…to me, it sounded like the team hopes he can be back around August 1, but they are not setting any sort of timetable…
Meanwhile, Jose Reyes is in St. Lucie and is scheduled to begin running the bases later this week.
…i actually expect reyes to be back around the same time as beltran, but, again, the team is not projecting any sort of timetable, because they do not know exactly what he’s about until he turns on the afterburners…
Oliver Perez will pitch in a minor-league game this Friday, and could be activated towards the end of next week.
…however, i can’t help but wonder if they’ll skip him one more time through, and bring him back immediately following the all-star break on the road in Atlanta, away from Mets fans, and where he’s had some decent success…
…lastly, from what i can gather, J.J. Putz is finally able to straighten his elbow for the first time in a year; Carlos Delgado is able to grip a bat, but has yet to swing at live pitching; and Billy Wagner may be ready to rejoin the Mets in early August, as opposed to later in the month as the team had been saying…
Following last night’s loss to the Brewers, Jerry Manuel held a 28–minute, closed-door meeting with his team, which he simply described as a ‘family talk.’
According to Manuel, he was the only person to speak.
Manuel later talked to reporters, and explained:
“It was just to get things in order… We talked about a lot of things, private things, some things we saw that were out of order… I’ll give you this, the whole was to say that we have enough, we have enough, we’ve got enough in here to do what we need to get done, so let’s get it done… I think, if we play the game consistently, competing in the right way, executing the little things, it gives us a chance… I just don’t want us to feel sorry for ourselves. That’s the bottom line. You know, we gotta do what we’ve gotta do, we are who we are… I just don’t want us to feel sorry for ourselves…
“It’s hard not to (let the losing and negative outlook seep in), because that’s what we’re based on, the wins and losses. So when you lose as many as we have, in a row, in tough month, you have to check that negativity at the door. Sometimes that seeps in and then you have to address it… Again, the whole key to that is that when that seeps in, individualism seeps in, and we can ill afford that as a group. How we are designed now, we can ill afford individual things to seep in. Period.”
…from what i can gather, manuel basically told his team he does not want them to retreat, give up hope, shrug off teammates and start playing only for their own stats, while not working together as a team in an effort to win as the Mets… essentially, his talk to the team was to say stay positive, focus on what the team is able to do well, focus on the little things, work together, pick eachother up, and move forward as a team…
Manuel also said he will have the entire team travel together on an 11 a.m. bus to the stadium today.
In an interesting post to his blog for Newsday, David Lennon explains, “Barely anyone takes the bus, except for maybe the broadcast crew and support staff. Players usually like to get to the ballpark early — even for day games. Symbolism aside, it’s a bit extreme, but the Mets are in a tough spot”
Later in the night, David Wright was asked if he agrees with Manuel, in that the team has enough talent to ‘get it done,’ which he responded to by saying:
“I do. Hopefully everyone in here feels the same way, because, if they don’t, we don’t want them here. So, I think we have enough, but we have to do little things right, prepare the right way… We have to really do things and win based on preparation, based on doing the small things right. We can’t go out there and beat people purely with talent. We have to be aggressive and do things the right way… When things aren’t going right, obviously people look for reasons why. When you win, there’s no problems, there’s smiles on everyone’s faces. When you lose, you try to pinpoint different things. Like I said, just have to prohibit the individualism Jerry was talking about and go pick each other up… We have to try to have each other’s back, because it’s unrealistic to think we’re going to go out there and play perfect baseball every day.”
…it all sounds great, but it only matters what they do between the white lines… and, of course, i’ll be watching… Lets’ Go Mets…
Ed Ryan of Mets Fever posts a photo from a long time ago… a long, long time ago.
In a post to Faith and Fear in Flushing, Jason Fry looks back at this season’s horrifying, stomach-punch, throw-the-beer-at-the-set, call-the-FAN-in-a-lather, kick-the-dog, bag-on-the-head losses.
Caryn Rose, of Mets Grrl, does her best to keep morale up.
The writer of Flushing Faithful already considers today a loss, and the game has yet to even be played.
Brian Moritz of the Press & Sun Bulletin looks in to who from the B-Mets could make the Double-A All-Star team.
Bill Price of the Daily News writes, ‘The Mets have No Future,’ while looking BACK to their failed prospects of the past.
…i will never understand this logic… what does a failed prospect from the 1984 draft have to do with, say, Josh Thole…
Speaking of Thole, according to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, Thole suffered a dislocated left thumb during last night’s game.
…of course he did… i mean, the minor leagues is technically a training ground for the major leagues, right…
Lastly, Jack Clark hates the Mets, according to the New York Times.
…no worries, jack, i’m the sure the feeling is mutual…
Tagged News | ← Older posts
