Daily Archives: September 15, 2009
The Mets were shutout by the Braves tonight by the score of 6-0 at Turner Field.
For a full recap and box score, click here.
The Least You Should Know:
The Mets had no answer for Tommy Hanson who completely dominated the Mets for seven innings.
Pat Misch looked good early but he quickly fizzled, allowing three runs in the fourth inning thanks to a run scoring double from Adam LaRoche and a two run single by Nate McClouth.
LaRoche added a solo home run against Elmer Dessens in the sixth inning.
Daniel Murphy provided the only offensive spark for the Mets with a 2 for 4 effort including his 33rd double of the season.
The two strikeouts for David Wright tonight raised his season total to 124.
Other Observations and Notes:
Braves reliever Eric O’Flaherty needed just six pitches to dispose of the Mets in the ninth inning.
I was amazed with Hanson’s curve ball tonight – it had a ton of movement.
The Mets clinched their first losing since since 2004, when they lost 91 games under Art Howe.
Up Next:
The Mets look to even their series against the Braves tomorrow night, with Bobby Parnell facing Derek Lowe.
The Mets open a three game series tonight against the Braves at Turner Field.
As Adam Rubin in a post to twitter points out, this is the first game where nothing is at stake for the Mets since the end of the 2005 season.
…oh, what a feeling that is…
Francisco Rodriguez will not be available tonight due to the birth of his twins in New York.
Luis Castillo will lead off, followed in order by Cory Sullivan, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Daniel Murphy, Jeff Francoeur, Josh Thole, and Anderson Hernandez.
Pat Misch (1-2, 3.86 ERA) will start for the Mets. After two good outings against Colorado and Chicago, Misch struggled against Florida last week, allowing two home runs and five total earned runs in a loss on September 9.
Tommy Hanson (9-3, 2.83 ERA) will start for the Braves. Hanson has been nothing short of spectacular since his call up for the Braves, and he has been a big part of the Braves resurgence in 2009. He has allowed five earned runs in his last 22 innings, including eight innings of shut out ball in Houston on September 9.
Doug Branch of Mets Merized says the Mets are a ‘rudderless organization,’ and need to clean house, top to bottom, in order to revamp their ‘decision-making process.’
…maybe, maybe not… who knows… either way, that is just a reaction to the problems of the past…
…to find real direction, you can’t just bring in a new driver… you MUST have a map, a final destination, and a plan to get you where you want to go… otherwise, new driver, old driver, whatever, you’ll just be wondering around in circles…
Tagged News |
Ben Testa, a reader of MetsBlog.com, sent in the following e-mail, which I invited Shannon Shark of Mets Police to also weigh in on:
“I think it is easy for a big market team to make the playoffs in the current format if you have a solid foundation. The numbers reflect that. And for a big market team, the Mets, to go through playoff appearance droughts is appalling and embarrassing, as the Mets ownership should be. They are entering their third rebuilding process in the 15–year period. When the wildcard started in 1995 they were rebuilding; at the end of 2004 they started another rebuilding; and now, again, it begins anew… and it looks like they are going to stay status quo with this management team. The Wilpons don’t have a plan or a clue.”
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com: This is interesting. But, in their defense, one game here or there over the last two seasons, and they could easily have been in playoffs three years in a row. Regardless, you are still correct, it does feel like ownership lacks a plan or concrete direction.
Ben Testa: One game here or there is exactly what Omar would say. And that just isn’t good enough. This is New York, and as you know, expectations are super high. As Bill Parcells likes to
say, ‘You are what your record says you are.’
Matthew Cerrone: Well, just because Omar would say it doesn’t make it less true. I mean, the fact is, a win here or there and things would have been different. In the same way that dozens of wins here or there for the Nationals would have made a different. You can say this about every team, not just the Mets. The difference is, for the Mets, you’re talking one win each season… The realty is, despite those missing wins, every fan knows things have not been right since the middle of 2007.
Shannon Shark: I think Matt’s right, we really are two wins away from having had three playoff runs in a row – and once you get there who knows what happens. I think had the Mets gone to, say, the NLCS two of three years, there would have been even bigger expectations on this 2009 crew… Don’t forget, that one win each season didn’t have to come on the final Sunday. If you look back I’m sure there’s a bad loss, bad pitching change, awful error, bad umpire call – one small thing each season that could have changed the fate of the franchise. However, ‘slow roller to first, Buckner picks it up and steps on the bag for the third out,’ and maybe we don’t even get 1986… As frustrated as we all are, the ‘lack of a plan’ wasn’t talked about on September 10th 2007 or 2008, and we weren’t talking about in April 2009. It’s the losses that get to everyone, and this season has just been cursed.
Ben Testa: Sorry guys, I have to disagree. Ten-to-twenty years down the road, you will see no playoffs in the record books. No one will think about games that got away. As my stats state the Mets rank below all other big market teams in playoff appearances since wild card baseball. That speaks volumes of mismanagement (McLvaine, Phillips, Duquette and Minaya). Besides, why take anything away from the Brewers because they got in last year by one game. But that is the eternal optimistic Mets fan.
Tagged News |
The Mets will open their 2010 season at Citi Field on Monday, April 5, against the Marlins at 1:10 p.m, after which they will play the Nationals, also in Citi Field.
The Mets will host the Tigers and Twins and travel to Baltimore, the Bronx and Cleveland in June for Interleague Play, while hosting the Yankees in Citi Field during late May.
The 2010 schedule concludes with a seven-game homestand against the Brewers and Nationals, ending on October 3.
To download a copy of the tentative schedule, click here.
Tagged News |Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune believes the Cubs plan to shop Carlos Zambrano this off season.
According to Sullivan, “While he has won only eight games this season, been on the disabled list twice and was suspended six 
games for ‘inappropriate and violent actions,’ the Cubs think they can find a taker, shed the contract and get some quality players in return.”
The 28–year-old Zambrano is just 8–6 in 24 starts this season for the Cubs, but with a 3.77 ERA in 143 innings, during which he has struck out 123 batters.
Zambrano has not ended a season with an ERA over 4.00 since his rookie year in 2001.
He is is due roughly $17 million each of the next three seasons, with a vesting-player option for 2013.
…he’s been more injured and less consistent than he had been earlier in his career… but, he’s only 28 years old… he’s also crazy… which, like i said yesterday, could be a bad thing, but it could also be a good thing… i mean, the Mets could benefit from his aggressiveness and win-no-matter-what mentality… or, he could be a huge distraction, especially to the New York media…
…in either case, given that Roy Halladay and Javier Vazquez are said to be on the block, as well as a large crop of free-agent pitchers, competition for zambrano and his $50 million contract could be limited, and so the Mets should certainly consider him to be Johan Santana’s right-hand man next season…
Tagged News |Let’s be clear, I do not want the Mets to trade Jose Reyes.
Let me put it another way, I want Jose Reyes on the Mets.
I say this, because, judging by my e-mail inbox, Instant Messages, my Twitter feed, and the comment section on this site, I must have mistakenly suggested otherwise 
during the last week.
Even more to the point, like I have said before, regardless of stats, wins and loses, I’d be very disappointed to see Reyes on another team because, simply put, I enjoy watching him play… hell, even his mistakes tend to be entertaining.
Last week on MetsBlog, I asked, ‘Will Reyes ever reach his true potential?’ This is an impossible question to answer, of course, which is probably why some people interpreted it to mean I question whether Reyes will ever be good. Actually, I already think he’s a good player… I just think can be better.
Like I said at the end of 2007, and again at the end of 2008, the Mets need to cut ties with older players like Brian Schneider, Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo, and then pass the leadership torch to Reyes and Wright – building a team in their shadow, not their wake.
Delgado, Castillo and Carlos Beltran have a major influence on Reyes, in good ways and in bad ways, from what I can gather.
And so, I contend that, if allowed to finally leave Delgado’s wing, Beltran’s wing, Castillo’s wing, etc., Reyes will step up, ‘mature,’ and grow in to his ultimate potential. He’s very good now, but I believe he can be great, while playing shortstop for the Mets.
Tagged News |
Kid Carter at Oh Murph has started a petition to bring Julie Alexandria back to Beer Money.
…the question is: does julie want to be back…
In a post to Brooklyn Met Fan, Adam explains why he would root for the Phillies against the Yankees in the World Series.
According to Coop, from My Summer Family, because they’ve been so bad, the 2009 Mets have allowed her to eat better, drink less and, generally, take better care of herself.
Kingman of the Real Dirty discusses whether to keep Luis Castillo as the team’s second baseman next season.
…the other side of this debate is, what team in MLB will be willing to acquire castillo and his two-year, $12 million contract…
In a post to Pick Me Up Some Mets, Zoe Rice presents three new banners for the outfield wall at Citi Field to commemorate the painful 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest looks back at five memorable September Call Ups for the Mets.
…i still can’t believe Bobby Valentine was able to get to the World Series with an outfield of Timo Perez, Jay Payton and Benny Agbayani…
In a report for SNY.TV, Howard Megdal explains how the 2009 Phillies are playing like the 2008 Mets.
…if only the 2009 Mets were playing like the 2008 Phillies…
In a post to his Mets Report, John Delcos looks at the key issues remaining for the Mets this season.
Lastly, don’t forget, the final Amazin Tuesday is coming to Two Boots in NYC tonight, which you can learn more about here.
Tagged News |…it’s no secret, the Mets have been playing sloppy baseball all season… during their last 
game, on Sunday, Daniel Murphy had an outstanding at bat in the eighth inning, digging out a two-out double, only to end the inning by getting caught trying to steal third base…
…i have been picking a lot on Angel Pagan of late, because, while he’s an influential hitter in the lineup, it seems he’s a loose canon on the basepaths…
In a report for the Daily News, Adam Rubin provides several quotes from Jerry Manuel, who would like to see each individual player focus on being both smart and aggressive.
…as fans, we talk a lot about wanting young players to be promoted, to have young players on the roster, to win with home-grown talent, etc., but part of that experience is inexperience and living with sorts of growing pains and mistakes…
For more from Manuel, as well as the team’s baserunning in the remaining 18 games, read David Lennon’s report for Newsday.
Tagged News |
