Daily Archives: September 16, 2009
Brian Costa, in a post to his blog for the Star Ledger, is reporting that Carlos Delgado is not close to returning to the Mets, despite Jerry Manuel suggesting last week that he could return for the final two weeks of the season.
Delgado, who is currently recovering from hip surgery and a strained oblique muscle, did take batting practice indoors yesterday at Turner Field.
In addition, Costa is reporting that Jose Reyes, who said last week that he would soon test his injured hamstring, is still only receiving massages on his leg.
The Mets will play the second game of their three game series against the Braves tonight at Turner Field.
Luis Castillo will lead off, followed in order by Josh Thole, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Daniel Murphy, Jeff Francoeur, Jeremy Reed, and Wilson Valdez.
Bobby Parnell (3-8, 5.49 ERA) will start for the Mets. After a great outing against the Cubs on September 4, Parnell struggled mightily against the Marlins last week, allowing five earned runs and 12 total baserunners in just five innings. His last start against the Braves was not a good one either, allowing nine earned runs in just three innings on August 19.
Derek Lowe (14-9, 4.47 ERA) will start for the Braves. Despite a 4.63 ERA in his last ten starts, Lowe has won six of his last eight decisions as he strives towards a 200 inning season. He got lit up by the Mets on August 18, allowing eight runs in just 3 2/3 innings.
Vegas Rich of Mets Police explains why Omar Minaya should learn from his mistakes and re-sign Carlos Delgado.
Greg Pomes of Mets Fans Forever thinks 
the core should stay in Flushing.
In a video for On the Black, Kerel Copper recommends five books that the Mets should read before the off-season begins.
To learn why Darryl Strawberry’s home run record for the Mets seems safe, read Mets Walkoffs.
…speaking of Mets Walkoffs, if you’re on Twitter, follow him here, as he sends out pretty cool, random stats about the Mets…
…also, you can follow me on Twitter here…
In a post to his blog for the Bergen Record, Steve Popper wonders who will be assigned blame for 2009, “Doctors? Strength and conditioning staff? Coaches?”
…by the way, i think it’s worth noting the Mets have one of the best team batting averages in the league, so i’m not sure Howard Johnson should be let go… instead, it might be wise to get him some hitters who can do more than hit singles…
Tagged News |In a post to MLB Trade Rumors, Ben Nicholson-Smith picks over reports suggesting the Giants might need to trade a pitcher like Matt Cain to get Prince Fielder from the Brewers.
Buster Olney of ESPN.com believes soon-to-be free agent 3B Chone Figgins could get a three- or four-year deal, worth as much as $12 million per season.
The 31–year-old Figgins is hitting .299, with a .400 OBP, 37 extra base hits and 41 stolen bases this season for the Angels, while playing second base, third and left field.
Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest believes Carlos Zambrano is a ticking timebomb.
Lastly, Lynn Henning of the Detroit News wonders if the Tigers may soon look to trade OF Curtis Granderson, ‘whose stock might be slipping.’
The 28–year-old Granderson is guaranteed $23 million through 2012, and a team option for 2013, after which he can be a free agent.
He is batting just .247 with a .332 OBP, 27 home runs, and 20 stolen bases, while playing center field, this season for Detroit.
Tagged News |In case you were wondering, if the season ended today, the Mets would have the sixth overall pick in next summer’s MLB Draft.
| MLB Draft | W | L | LB |
| Nationals | 50 | 94 | — |
| Pirates | 55 | 98 | 4 |
| Royals | 58 | 86 | 6 |
| Orioles | 59 | 85 | 9 |
| Indians | 61 | 83 | 11 |
| Mets | 63 | 82 | 12 |
| D-Backs | 64 | 82 | 12 |
Carlos Beltran is batting .250 in six games since returning from DL.
In a report for Newsday, David Lennon talks to Beltran, who says he is using this season to ‘find himself,’ and work on his timing at the plate, among other things.
“This is helping a lot,” Lennon quotes Beltran as 
saying. “If I were to go home without coming back, it would have been something very difficult for me.”
Beltran will earn $18.5 million each of the next two seasons, after which he will be a free agent.
…i look at beltran’s deal, and i can’t help but think of his agent, Scott Boras, and Alex Rodriguez, who, at 32 years old, and with three years left on his previous contract, opted out to re-sign a contract extension with the Yankees… beltran cannot opt out, but, i wonder if he and boras will soon approach the Mets about a similar extension, which would cover the remaining two years of his deal, and beyond - especially when you consider beltran’s knees… i mean, now, at 32 years old, would be the perfect time to talk extension, to give himself some assurances going in to the next phase of his career… right now, beltran is technically signed to a two-year, $37 million deal, which is a bargain… and, it’s not like boras to let anyone get away with a bargain, even if they’re technically under contract… if there’s money to be made, he’ll find it…
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I do not have the patience for Sabermetrics. I wish I did. I find it fascinating, and I know it is useful. The thing is, I just can’t focus on any sort of math for more than 60 seconds.
And so, the DiamondView Composite Player Evaluation from Beyond the Boxscore is quite intriguing to me.
Basically, they have created a quick, visual, one-stop matrix for telling me how a player performs when with regards OBP, power, fielding and base-running.
In short, I can look at the matrix for Mariners OF Franklyn Gutierrez and know, immediately, that he’s runs the bases well, hits for little power, doesn’t get on base much, but he plays one hell-of-a center field.
…ByB does not feature any Mets in their initial post, but i look forward to what i hope will be a forthcoming database…
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Yesterday, Jerry Manuel suggested to reporters that Bobby Parnell could be bumped from the starting rotation, and returned to the bullpen, after the next turn through the rotation.
Parnell will start tonight against the Braves.
In seven starts, Parnell is 1-5 with a 7.91 ERA.
He is 2–3 with a 3.75 ERA in 45 innings as a relief pitcher, during which he struck out 38 batters.
“The pitch count, the high volume of pitches concerns me,” Manuel told reporters. “That tells me there are some command issues that need to be addressed.”
…it was a good experiment… i’m sure he’ll pitch in Winter Ball, and he’ll probably be used as a starter… plus, he can work as a starting pitcher in the spring as well… all this, plus his eight starts from this season, should give the Mets a decent idea of what he can and cannot do for next season… in the end, it’s obvious he is more than capable of pitching from the bullpen… i worry, though, that he’s the second-coming of Aaron Heilman, i.e., enough of a history as a starter to be tempting, but some success as a reliever, and too limited of a repertoire for consistent success…
…in the end, i need to remember he’s a young 25 years old, and has pitched in just 67 games in his short career, so he’s still figuring it out, and the Mets are clearly using this opportunity to figure him out as well…
For more from Manuel, regarding Parnell’s future, check out Brian Costa’s report for the Star-Ledger, as well as Anthony Di Como on MLB.com.
Tagged News |In a post to Hot Foot, Andrew Beaton looks at starting pitchers who could eventually be available in trade.
Greg of Faith and Fear in Flushing considers ‘four things to think about as the quest for next-to-last continues.’
Toby Hyde of Mets Minor League Blog looks in to Mets players who will suit up in the Arizona Fall League, including 19–year-old Jenrry Mejia, who, according to Hyde, had a groundball percentage this season on the level of major leaguers Joel Pineiro and Derek Lowe.
In a post to Mets Fever, Ed Ryan wonders if the Mets should consider using John Maine in the bullpen.
Lou Di Falco of Never Forget ‘69 says he’s a ‘fan without a country.’
In a post for Remembering Shea, DyHardMET gives a review of Citizen’s Bank Park.
The Mets are selling an Italian Heritage version on their hat, according to Shannon of Mets Police.
Joe Janish of Mets Today looks out the Mets lack of power, noting the team hit more home runs in Citi Field than when away.
Tagged News |Adam Rubin of the Daily News explains why Pedro Feliciano believes he should get a multi-year deal from the Mets.
Feliciano is eligible for arbitration next season, after which he can be a free agent.
…feliciano probably should get it… i mean, he’d cost such a deal if the Mets were trying to sign someone just like him, and, so, there you have it…
Feliciano is on pace to break the team’s single-season record for appearances by a pitcher, and he’s just eight appearances behind Braves reliever Peter Moylan for this season’s major-league lead.
…in short, the Mets should probably give him a three-year deal, i.e., money to avoid arbitration this off season, plus a two-year extension, so to speak…
Left-handed hitters are batting .232 against him this season.
He has allowed just 21 percent of inherited runners to score; he did not allow a run in Citi Field until early August; and he has retired the first batter to face him in 75 percent of his appearances.
During his seven-year career, Ryan Howard, Rual Ibanez, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino are batting a combined .191 against Feliciano.
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