Daily Archives: July 29, 2009
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have traded SS Jack Wilson and RHP Ian Snell to the Mariners for C Jeff Clement, infielder Ronny Cedeno, and additional prospects.
…there was some buzz earlier that any deal involving the M’s and clement might be a three-way deal… but, it doesn’t appear this is the case… or, maybe a follow-up deal is in the works some place…
In a post to Mets Police, Shannon asks, “So, Where’s All The Mets Stuff We Were Promised?”
Earlier this month, Mark Herrmann in Newsday:
“The Mets received permission from Major League Baseball to show the live feed on video screens the instant the ball is in play, allowing fans to follow action they might not see live. Also, an additional video board will be installed in the rightfield corner after the All-Star break… more Mets memories will be reflected with displays in the park this summer, and that there are bigger long-term plans to give the place a Mets atmosphere.”
…i was there yesterday, did a lot of walking around, and didn’t notice much difference from before the break… that said, i never got the impression, be it from the Mets, nor from herrmann’s report, that sudden changes would occur for the first game back home… i understood this to mean the team has plans, and will slowly roll things out as they get to it…
The Mets have won four games in a row, they’re three games below .500, and five losses back of the Wild Card with 62 games left.
Frankly, it’s not rocket science: they’re making contact with the bats, running and driving in runs, they’re playing tight defense and pitching well… that’s it… it’s not complicated.
“Even before today, everybody was thinking that we’re going to make a run at this thing,” Pelfrey explained. “Everybody is pretty confident that after Oct. 4, we’ll still be playing… We’re just playing better baseball right now. We keep this up and we get those guys back, you watch out. We’re going to make a run at this.”
The team looks confident.
I was on field yesterday, before the game, and they all looked comfortable, there were lots of smiles, they had their kids around, the players looked relaxed and focused, they took early infield practice, the team stretched together, and there was lots of work going on, such as Carlos Delgado working with Daniel Murphy on defense out at first base. Talking with people around the water 
cooler, I sense this the team is confident and comfortable with where they’re at, and, most important, they’re starting to settle in to roles, while knowing who they are, and what they’re about… dare I say, they have a little swagger. Good timing, since, this is basically it, these next 26 games will make or break the season.
By the way, it appears several players are doing the Playoff Beard thing, such as Omir Santos, Brian Schneider, Angel Pagan, David Wright and Jeff Francoeur, among others. Yikes, there are 62 games left, so, these guys will be approaching 2004 Johnny Damon territory if they keep it up through September… should be interesting.
The Hat Junkie posts of a Mets picture of a Velcro hat, on which you can change the logo, patches, etc.
Speaking of clothes, Daniel Murphy, Bobby Parnell, J.J. Putz, and others, unveiled The Players Choice Signature Series, featuring jerseys, T-shirts and hats they designed exclusively for fans, which 
you can check out at the Biz of Baseball.
In the middle of a four-game winning streak, Michael Ganci of the Daily Stache looks back at the 10 Most Embarrassing Mets Moments this season.
The Dugout is back on AOL Fanhouse, this time with a mock IM conversation between Jeff Wilpon, Omar Minaya, Tony Bernazard, Francisco Rodriguez and Mr. Met, among others.
Rob Harding of Hot Foot says Mets baseball is ‘once again tolerable.’
For more on last night’s win against the Rockies, check out post-game write ups from Brooklyn Met Fan, Faith and Fear, Amazin Avenue, Mets Merized Online and the Real Dirty.
Luis Castillo had one hit, a walk and a run scored last night.
He has been involved in roughly 40 percent of 
the team’s runs during the current four-game winning streak.
…he’s all over the place… it’s like he’s back with the Marlins… he looks lighter on his feet, he’s bouncing around, making athletic plays, hustling down the line, he’s taking pitches, but not too many pitches, suggesting he’s feeling confident and in control at the plate… i’m happy for him… he’s a good example of shaking off negativity and charging forward… from a business point of view, should the Mets decide to trade him this off season, if he keeps this up, it will be a lot easier, that’s for sure… for now, though, run luis, run…
Castillo is batting .400 with a .500 OBP in his last 70 at bats, raising his average to .306 on the season.
Jerry Manuel, speaking about Castillo last night, said:
“The thing about Luis, we have found a way to fit his game in to what we’re doing and we’ve kind of worked around him as well. He’s been very good, a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm, he’s playing tremendous baseball… When he’s batting eighth, he’s not the same as when he’s batting second. When he’s batting second, he’s in his game-mode of taking pitches, seeing pitches, moving runners, running the bases well.”
Castillo is batting .361 with a .459 OBP with seven extra base hits in 285 at bats hitting second this season.
Mets manager Jerry Manuel talked to reporters after last night’s game, and had the following to say regarding:
The off-field ‘circus,’ and whether it’s affecting the team:
“I never feared that that would be a factor, in how we are doing and how we are playing. I think to some degree it is entertaining, to some degree. But, for the most part, it’s not a factor. Once the opposition takes the field you compete.”
Confidence, and winning four in a row:
“We still have to pitch very well. This is a very dangerous Colorado team… But, if we pitch well, and play good defense, with the amount of speed and contact hitters that we have we can manufacture runs, and with Francoeur and David Wright in the middle and they’re getting hits here and there it makes us an interesting team.”
Improved defense, especially the double play:
“I think our infield people, Sandy Alomar Sr. and Luis Alicea, have spent an amount of extra time in perfecting the double play. They were out here earlier today with the infielders, and they’ve done a tremendous job of getting us to execute those plays… When you have guys like Cora and Castillo up the middle and they’re training in that fashion it’ll eventually happen for us and that’s what’s going on right now.”
…i said yesterday on Twitter, while watching these guys work, it was confidence-inspiring… it was super hot, hazy, humid, they were sweating and working hard, barking at each other, talking, and working on infield defense like it was spring training… hopefully this continues…
Last night, Mike Pelfrey allowed seven hits and walked three, but let up zero runs in 6.1 innings pitched for a win against the Rockies.
Pelfrey, speaking to reporters after the game, said of his start:
“I felt good. I told you I felt good in my last start. For me, I felt better today, I felt stronger, and hopefully that carries over in to my next couple of starts… I got in to some bases-loaded jams, and luckily I was able to get Barmes to pop up twice. I might have had too much adrenaline going, I walked three guys, which I’d like to get better at, but I felt like when I got in to a jam I made a pitch when I had to.”
He has not allowed a run to the Rockies in his last 20 pitched.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, courtesy of ESPN.com, Pelfrey is the first pitcher ever to hold the Rockies scoreless in three consecutive starts.
“I thought he and Brian Schneider worked well together tonight,” Jerry Manuel said after the game. “Again, when Mike starts out in the mid-90s, it’s gonna make it difficult for them the rest of the night, especially if he has command… His history is, as the season goes along, he gets stronger, and that seems to be where he’s at.”
…pelfrey’s learning… he didn’t have his best stuff out of the gate, and must not have had anything on his off speed pitches in pre game, because he was all inside-fastball to start, and it worked well, because, wow, that fastball was cooking… he got himself into and out of jams all night… actually, he looks to be pitching better out of the stretch of late, which was a problem for him earlier in the year as you remember… when runners were on, he kept the ball down… he pitched inside, and have the opposition’s feet shifting in the box… best part, SNY showing pelfrey entering dugout after getting out of a jam in the sixth inning and holding up one finger to Jerry Manuel, while nodding his head, as if to say, ‘send me out for one more inning, i’ve got one more inning,’ which is always nice to see…
“Pelfrey is throwing the ball about as well as I’ve seen Mike Pelfrey throw,” David Wright said, following last night’s win.
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