Daily Archives: August 6, 2009
Update, 9:30 pm:
Mike Pelfrey‘s new son, Chase Michael Pelfrey was born at 7:42 pm and weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces.
…Great news, Mike…congrats to the Pelfrey’s on their new arrival…
Update, 8:37 pm:
Both Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon will join the team on this road trip.
Wilpon is with the team now, and Omar Minaya is on his way to San Diego.
…Minaya often travels with the team on road trips, especially to the West Coast as we all know, but Wilpon going is definitely peculiar…
Original Post:
The Mets (51-56) open a four game series tonight against the Padres (44-65) at Petco Park.
Gary Sheffield is not in the starting lineup due to his sore hamstring that he aggravated during yesterday’s game.
Fernando Tatis will start in his place in left field and will bat fifth.
Angel Pagan will lead off, followed in order by Alex Cora at second base, David Wright, Jeff Francoeur, Tatis, Daniel Murphy, Omir Santos, and Angel Berroa at shortstop.
Livan Hernandez (7-5, 4.77 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Clayton Richard (0-0, 1.59 ERA) will start for the Padres.
Bobby Parnell has been moved to the starting rotation and will start Saturday against the Padres.
In addition, Mike Pelfrey will start Monday in Arizona.
…as Matt reported earlier, it had been speculated that Parnell would take over for Jon Niese and i think that they have nothing to lose at this point by seeing what he has to offer as a starter…they need to explore all options at this point…
Tagged Mike Pelfrey, News, Robert Parnell |
In a report for the New York Times, Ken Belson spent time with Triple-A Buffalo and Double-A Binghamton, and writes, “The future is cloudy.”
…during the trade deadline, i talked with a handful of people in baseball, and nobody was impressed with the current state of the Mets minor league system, though people seem to very impressed with Jennry Mejia… i did find most were intrigued by Ike Davis, Wilmer Flores, Brad Holt, and Josh Thole… these guys are young, just breaking in to Double-A, and so i suspect they’ll rise on lists over the next year or so…
Tagged Minors |In a detailed, stats-oriented post for Fan Graphs, Brian Joura explains, “In a season where everything has gone wrong on the major league level, the Mets can at least take solace in the development 
of Ike Davis.”
In 40 games since being promoted to Double-A, the 22–year-old Davis is hitting .299 with 18 extra base hits and a .379 OBP this season.
Last week, Baseball America put Davis on their Prospect Hot Sheet, writing, “Davis has clubbed more home runs this season and compiled a higher slugging percentage than any of the other four first-round first basemen from the 2008 draft.”
Update, 3:15 pm:
In a post NY Baseball Digest, Mike Silva talks about Davis with Toby Hyde of Mets Minor League Blog, as well as Brian Moritz of the Press & Sun Bulletin.
The Mets announced that Mike Pelfrey did not travel with the team to San Diego, as his wife is giving birth to their first child today.
He will miss his scheduled start on Saturday.
…the Mets have yet to annouce who will pitch in his place… but, i wonder if they’ll go with Bobby Parnell on Saturday, and bump pelfrey to Monday…
Tagged News |
The bad news is, it looks like the Mets will miss the playoffs again… for the third-consecutive season.
The good news is, it gives them an opportunity to begin working on a new plan for the future.
The problem is, I am not sure the Mets have a plan.
The sense I get, from talking to people around, in, and connected to the team, is that ownership and Omar Minaya lack a definitive road map for where this organization is going, though they all believe there is the need for major change.
This may not be a bad thing, though. I mean, a blank slate by choice can mean new opportunities.
Frankly, I believe blame is overrated. Trying to assign blame or punish people for what happened in the past, in my view, is wasted energy.
Instead, Mets ownership would be better suited looking forward, while creating a goal for where this organization is headed.
What does it take to be successful in New York sports? How does a team best balance entertainment, ticket sales and wins? What is the team’s brand? Who are the best people available to answer these questions, and get things done?
Is Minaya the man with answers and a plan? If so, keep him.
If he is not the right person for the job, and someone else is, move on, and go get the best person available… and so on.
Hopefully, the Mets will take advantage of this opportunity to address these questions, and then act before the off season gets cooking.
The Mets have put Jon Niese on the 60–day disabled list, and replaced him on the roster with RHP Elmer Dessens.
The 38–year-old Dessens allowed five runs and nine hits in 12 innings pitched for the Mets earlier this season.
In a post to his blog for the Daily News, Adam Rubin explains why being promoted is extra special for Dessens and his family.
The Mets have traded minor-league infielder Greg Veloz to the Nationals for infielder Anderson Hernandez.
Hernandez is expected to join the Mets 
tomorrow in San Diego.
…i’m going to assume this means bad news for Luis Castillo, who twisted his ankle falling down the dugout steps the other day…
Hernandez, 26, hit .251 with 12 extra base hits and 23 RBI in 77 games with the Nationals.
…anderson has already been on the disabled list this season, so at least he got it out of the way…
The 21–year-old Veloz had been hitting .232 with 18 stolen bases in 91 games in Single-A.
Tagged News |
The black cat from Opening Night cursed the Mets, Ed Leyro jokes in a post to Mets Merized Online.
According to Sam Page, of Amazin’ Avenue, his video game is smarter than the Mets front office.
In a post to Faith and Fear in Flushing, Greg Prince explains how Citi Field embraced its inner Shea Stadium.
Steve Keane from the Eddie Kranepool Society is starting to wonder about David Wright.
To learn of many ways why yesterday’s win over the Cardinals was unique, check out Mets Walkoffs.
In a post to his blog, DanaBrand.com, Dana explains why baseball is about how we can dupe ourselves into hoping.
Lastly, the following is from Gary, Keith & Ron, the net profits of which go to their favorite charities:
“This will be Our 2nd annual, fantastic end of
the year GKR event at Citi Field’s “Big Apple” seating area, for 800 of our devoted supporters. Anyone who attended our Picnic Area day at the end of last season knows that this will be one of our greatest events of the season! Gift baskets and raffles and EVERYONE on the field to sing the anthem.
“Tickets to this amazing event are only $120.00 per person. Space is limited to 800 people, and tickets will be sold on a first-come first-served basis. Includes a ticket, a 2 hour pre game unlimited buffet of snacks and appetizers, and includes a swipe card worth $15.00 good in any area of the ballpark and lots more!”
For more information, click here:
This year, in Citi Field’s debut season, the Mets have lost Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, John Maine, 
Jon Niese and J.J. Putz to major injuries, while Oliver Perez, Brian Schneider, Fernando Martinez, Ryan Church, Gary Sheffield and Alex Cora all spent time on the disabled list, and Luis Castillo twisted his ankle falling down the dugout steps.
“Maybe it is the ghost of Shea,” Alex Cora told Joel Sherman of the New York Post, in what is a sarcastic, but interesting and funny review of the injury-plagued season.
…sure, why not… or, perhaps it’s the medical staff… or, maybe it’s just really bad luck… who knows… like i suggested a few weeks ago, there are people who believe the Mets training staff may give too much slack to players, who they let dictate how they’re feeling, how they’re progressing, etc., instead of the team just telling the player how it is… i do know the team’s doctors are well respected around the game… i believe the Mets were willing to accept this all is a freakish accident, but i think this recent run, losing niese, shffield and castillo, may force them to overhaul the training staff, if for no other reason than to give confidence to new players… i mean, be it superstition, or a bad rep, if you’re a free agent, do you want to walk in to that clubhouse right now… hell, i’m just a blogger, albeit an injury prone blogger, and and i’m paranoid of walking within 10 feet of that place…
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