Daily Archives: August 21, 2009
The Mets defeated the Phillies by the score of 4-2 tonight at Citi Field.
For a full recap and box score, click here.
The Least You Should Know:
Mike Pelfrey got off to a shaky start in the first, allowing an RBI single to Ryan Howard, but settled down nicely and got through six innings.
Pelfrey appeared to have a lot of movement on his sinker moving away from the left handed hitter.
Daniel Murphy had two hits, and also stole third base in the eighth inning.
The bullpen was stellar tonight, with Pedro Feliciano and Brian Stokes striking out the side in the seventh inning, and Francisco Rodriguez earning his 27th save of the year after dancing out of a first and third situation in the ninth inning.
Other Observations and Notes:
The Mets showed some life on the field tonight, as Jerry Manuel was ejected when he argued a caught stealing call on Jeff Francoeur, and Gary Sheffield was ejected arguing balls and strikes.
It does seem that as each game goes by, the umpiring is getting worse and worse all across Major League Baseball.
I never want to see anyone get hurt, but as angry as Pelfrey appeared to get when Cole Hamels hit him with a pitch in the second inning, I would have liked to have seen him at least brush Hamels back when he came up in the third inning.
Feliciano has become a premier setup man in the National League – his changeup was filthy tonight on the strikeouts to Shane Victorino and Howard.
The Mets continue their series with the Phillies tomorrow night at Citi Field, with Tim Redding facing JA Happ.
In Addition:
For photo highlights from tonight’s game, click here.
…from what i can gather, there is a good chance the Sox put in the claim on Billy Wagner, as they’ve been talking with the Mets since the trade deadline about acquiring him, and since wagner will need to approve the deal… which he will, assuming one can be worked out…
…this is cool… i can handle rooting for the Red Sox to get billy a ring… though, my Yankee-fan wife may have a problem with this…
Update, 6:57 pm:
According to the Boston Globe, if the Red Sox are the team who claimed Billy Wagner, it is because they’d like to work out a deal with the Mets to acquire him.
…i.e., the Sox didn’t claim him to block the Yankees… they actually want to bring him to Boston… good luck, omar…
Original Post, 3:42 pm:
Jon Heyman of SI.com believes Billy Wagner has been claimed on trade waivers, meaning the Mets now have three days to work out a deal.
Earlier today, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com said the Rays and Marlins have interest in acquiring Wagner.
However, according to Stark, if the Mets want to get a decent prospect in return, they will likely need to pay most of the $3.5 million left on his contract.
Update, 4:15 pm:
…in a quick of poll of people who might know, early money is on either the Rays or Red Sox as teams who might have claimed wagner, but that’s just a guess… i hope it’s the Rays… i rather cheer for them then Boston… sorry, greg…
Tagged News |Gary Sheffield talked to reporters earlier today in Citi Field, and said he never asked the Mets for a contract extension.
Sheffield said he was most disappointed to learn 
of his status on waivers from reporters, as opposed to from Omar Minaya directly, because, as he put it, “I thought our relationship was good enough that he could’ve called me.”
Minaya later told reporters essentially the same, saying Sheffield never asked for a contract extension, despite reports suggesting otherwise.
He said he did not trade Sheffield to the team who claimed him on waivers because the offer was not enough in return.
In the end, Minaya said he expects Sheffield to finish the season the Mets.
…the way i understand, sheffield didn’t necessarily ask for an official extension, though he did ask about his future with the team during a meeting, because, get this, he is his own agent… yikes… anyway, the Mets told him these things would be discussed in the off season, which he was not happy about… the Mets discussed releasing him, allowing him to be a free agent, but, while some people in management advocated for his release, other, more powerful people, including Jerry Manuel, felt otherwise…
…also, the buzz from SF is that the Giants simply blocked sheffield from going to another team, and never really had interest in acquiring him, which might be why minaya was dissatisfied with a potential trade…
Tagged News |
Speaking to reporters before today’s game, with the Mets back-drop behind him, Phillies RHP Pedro Martinez told reporters he is happy to be back in New York, to see some old friends, and to be back ‘home.’
Martinez said, in an emotional way:
“I left this place last year… well, not this one… Shea… Shea Stadium… my beloved Shea… in a sad way, you know. Not only we lost, but we lost in a bad way, and I didn’t perform like I wanted to for the Mets. And, it wasn’t kind of like the way a pitcher like me should have gone away. I didn’t think that, after going through so much, after working so hard to regain my health, it was fair to me, to my Dad’s wishes, and to anybody on such a sad note… I thought about it, and the more better I felt, the more committed I felt to actually making it back.”
Martinez said he talked to Omar Minaya during the winter, but he never got an official offer from the Mets.
He said he stopped expecting an offer from the Mets in the days following the World Baseball Classic, and though teams expressed interest, he wanted to wait for the right team to make an offer.
…in listening to pedro, it sounded like he hoped the Mets would bring him back, because he loved the city and fans… but, admittedly, he was not willing to budge from his contract demands, and had no interest in signing a ‘Tom Glavine like contract,’ as he put it…
To watch video of Martinez’s news conference, use the video player in the sidebar or MetsBlog.com.
Tagged News |
The Mets begin a three-game series with the Phillies tonight, with Mike Pelfrey taking on Cole Hamels.
Hamels is 1-3 with a 4.19 ERA in seven starts against the Mets.
Pelfrey is 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA in four starts versus the Phillies.
For now, Gary Sheffield is in tonight’s lineup, starting in left field.
Angel Pagan will hit leadoff tonight, followed in order by Luis Castillo, Sheffield, Jeff Francoeur in right, Fernando Tatis at third base, Daniel Murphy, Omir Santos, and Anderson Hernandez at shortstop.
Update, 3:40 pm:
Sheffield is scheduled to speak to reporters from Citi Field before today’s game.
…from what i can gather, there are people in management who suggested sheffield be released, and others who disagreed… for now, he stays… but, i can’t help but wonder how long…
…what would Adam Rubin do…
Tagged News |
Richard G: I personally don’t get all the nostalgia around Pedro Martinez. He came here because the Mets blew him away with money and he basically got paid millions of dollars for two seasons of work. I don’t consider him in anyway at all a Met. Seeing him at Citi Field will have about the same affect on me as seeing Eddie Murray or Bernard Gilkey come back to play the Mets. I hope they absolutely shell him… though I won’t be holding my breath for that.
Matthew Cerrone: I think it has less to do with the Mets, and more to do with him, as a pitcher, because he was so awesome back in the day… plus, he helped usher in a more respectable time in team history, albeit a brief one. I go back and forth. On one hand, I love Pedro Martinez, the guy from the 90s, and I appreciate the name credibility he brought to the Mets. But, I can’t also help but think of him crying in the dugout, and the failure he embodied form the last two seasons.
Tagged News |Mike C: You mentioned Billy Wagner could replace J.J. Putz. What is Putz’s contract situation? Is he a free agent at the end of the year?
Matthew Cerrone: Last week I said, if the Mets do not trade Wagner, which seems unlikely today – but, if he is not traded – and they end up offering him arbitration and he accepts, he could make for a great replacement for Putz, since there would likely be a slight cost savings as well.
That said, from what I understand, the initial plan when acquiring Putz last off season was to get in him a dominant set-up man for 2009, who the Mets could later deal to a team like, say, the Indians or Rays, who might need a bonafide closer.
Putz has an $8.6 million team option for 2010, with a $1 million buyout… they could offer to pick up a portion of his salary, in return for better quality prospects.
However, at this point, assuming they look to trim payroll, plus Putz missing much of this season, it is difficult to say how the Mets will handle his contract.
By the way, Putz is expected to throw a simulated game at Citi Field this weekend, then begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Brooklyn a few days later.
Tagged News |
In a post to his Twitter page, which you can sign up for here, Newsday’s David Lennon writes:
“Does it ever end with the Mets? They’re like baseball’s version of a Volkswagen stuffed with clowns.”
…this made me laugh out loud, dave, thanks… sad, but true… also, that’s a hilarious image… question: who’s driving the car…
To read Lennon’s blog for Newsday, click here.
Speaking of cars…
Steve is setting up a website for his Mets car, called, MyMetCar.com.
Tagged News |Pedro Martinez will speak with reporters today at 3:30 pm, as the Phillies arrive to take on the Mets in Citi Field.
SNY will air Martinez’s news conference live.
Martinez is scheduled to start Sunday against the Mets and Oliver Perez.
Speaking of Perez…
He tested his sore left knee in a bullpen session yesterday, and told reporters he will be ready for Sunday’s start.
…i watched part of the bullpen session, and he looked fine… he even jogged from the bullpen across the outfield and infield and in to the dugout…
…he’s still rocking the mohawk, by the way…
Tagged News |Eric Simon of Amazin Avenue builds a post around, “You Know Things Are Rough For The Mets When.”
In advance of tomorrow night’s 1969 Celebration, Ron Swoboda stopped by to sign autographs and talk baseball with the Daily News.
Billy Wagner warms the heart of Adam, the Brooklyn Met Fan.
Dominic of Pessimets explains why tonight will be the last game he goes to this season.
Michael Ganci of the Daily Stache says, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ to Gary Sheffield.
Speaking of which, Johanna Wagner of Love my Team discusses why the Mets can’t trade Sheffield.
Lastly, in a report for the Star-Ledger, Brian Costa explains how the Mets are still learning how to deal with concussions.
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