Tag Archives: Michael Baron

The Mets (39-39) open a three game series tonight against the Phillies (39-37) at Citizens Bank Park tonight.

Alex Cora will lead off tonight followed by Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Gary Sheffield in right field, Ryan Church in center field, Fernando Tatis at second base, Nick Evans in left field, and Brian Schneider.

Livan Hernandez (5-3, 4.04 ERA) will start tonight for the Mets. Hernandez is coming off another fine outing against the Yankees despite losing his second consecutive outing, and he has gone atleast seven innings in six of his last eight starts. Lifetime he is 10-8 with a 3.36 ERA in 24 career starts against the Phillies.

Rodrigo Lopez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start tonight for the Phillies. Lopez is making his first Major League appearance since 2007 when he was with the Rockies. Lopez is 65-65 with a 4.80 ERA lifetime with the Padres, Orioles and the Rockies and he is making his first career start against the Mets tonight.

Tagged Michael Baron |

Tonight the Mets will play the Phillies in Philadelphia, their third consecutive game in as many days in a different road city.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is only the second time in franchise history that this has happened to the Mets, the last time from July 23-25, 1995 when they were in Colorado, Chicago, and St. Louis.

Tagged Michael Baron, Notebook |

Steve Popper of the Bergen Record is reporting that team doctors have yet to determine when Carlos Beltran will begin working out again.

In addition, Popper reports that John Maine is still resting and has yet to resume throwing and Jose Reyes has not begun to run while he rehabs in Port St. Lucie.

Tagged Michael Baron |

After yesterday’s game, Francisco Rodriguez told reporters that he would be available for tonight’s game against the Phillies, despite matching a career high 46 pitches thrown.

Jerry Manuel knew that sending Rodriguez out for a second inning might jeopardize his availability for tonight, but Rodriguez asked Manuel to let him back out for the tenth, telling reporters:

“I’m the kind of guy if I make a mess, I clean it up. I felt really frustrated because I didn’t get the job done in the ninth.”

…i just hope that if he is available and needed that he can be effective…he has thrown 93 pitches since Sunday night which has become a lot for a starter, let alone a closer…

Tagged Michael Baron |

Tim Redding‘s poor start can be attributed to the Anthrocon 2009 conference at the team hotel in Pittsburgh, according to Metstradamus.

At Faith and Fear in Flushing, Greg reminisces about the trade that sent Roger McDowell and Lenny Dykstra to the Phillies for Juan Samuel and admits he was wrong to think it was a good trade.

…yeah Greg, that was a bad trade. I was actually at that game in Philadelphia that day and I remember being so upset afterward when that trade was announced. I was in the car and I asked my dad if they had traded McDowell because he made too many “hot foots”…

Meanwhile, Ed Leyro of Mets Merized Online says that PNC Park has become a “house of horrors” for the Mets.

Finally, for more on yesterday’s game, check out Brooklyn Met Fan, Mets Fans Forever, and Mets Today.

Tagged Michael Baron, News |

Jerry Manuel was asked by reporters if this game was so important that he needed Francisco Rodriguez to pitch a second inning, to which he said:

“…Actually, I didn’t feel that way. He came in (to the dugout) and said ‘if we score, I need to go back for myself’, and when one of your players of that stature and what he means to us, I knew that even if we came back, and he didn’t go back (out for the next inning) that he would carry that for a few days.”

…i wonder if the decision to send him out there also had something to do with the fact that he had used all of his relievers except for Bobby Parnell…

…at the same time, the only issue i have with Rodriguez pitching the tenth inning is that he threw 46 pitches the day before he might be needed against the Phillies…

Manuel was then asked what it meant to overcome a poor start by Tim Redding, and the blown save by Rodriguez, to which he said:

“…It was big for us. Everybody played a role. I mean everybody chipped in. All the relievers, all the guys off the bench…those are the things we need to do in order to keep playing well…”

Tagged Michael Baron |

The Mets defeated the Pirates by the score of 9-to-8 this afternoon.

For a full recap and box score, click here.

The Least You Should Know:

Tim Redding was ineffective this afternoon allowing five runs on six hits in just 2 1/3 innings. He threw a ton of breaking pitches and could not throw them consistently for strikes.

The Mets overcame Redding’s poor performance with two runs in the fourth inning, four runs in the fifth, and two runs in the sixth.

However, Francisco Rodriguez blew his third save of the season after allowing a two run home run to Adam LaRoche in the bottom of the ninth inning.

But Ryan Church saved the day with a game winning RBI single in the top of the tenth to score Fernando Tatis, who had a big day with three hits, scoring four runs including his third home run of the year – his first since May 13.

Omir Santos broke his 0 for 19 streak with a long double to center field in the 9th inning.

Everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit.

Other Observations and Notes:

The game was delayed at the start for 30 minutes, and then again three batters into the game for 43 more minutes due to rain.

I felt like I was on a roller coaster at Six Flags today, but “resiliency” was a major theme this afternoon.

The team showed a lot of character today – I have to admit that I thought the Mets were going down that familiar path, falling way behind early and going through the motions, but they overcame their first five run deficit of the season today and also overcame a blown save by Rodriguez.

There were encouraging signs offensively today as there was good situational hitting up and down the lineup – something that the team has lacked for most of the year – including opposite field hits by Tatis and Church and a big sacrifice fly to left field by Jeremy Reed.

Francisco Rodriguez’s control has become a major problem, and it almost cost the Mets a huge victory.

A win is a win no matter who the Mets play and no matter how they get it, and this was a big one.

The Mets open a three game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia tomorrow night at 7:05 pm with Livan Hernandez facing Rodrigo Lopez.

Tagged Michael Baron |

Ryan Church will start in center field today, and David Wright is once again in the starting lineup.

Luis Castillo will lead off followed by Alex Cora, Wright, Gary Sheffield in right field, Fernando Tatis in left field, Church, Nick Evans at first base, and Omir Santos.

Tim Redding (1-3, 6.35 ERA) will start for the Mets. Redding pitched well into the sixth inning against the Yankees last Saturday, but he allowed four runs in the sixth and took the loss. He has allowed five home runs in his last 17 2/3 innings pitched.

Paul Maholm (5-4, 4.35 ERA) will start for the Pirates. Maholm rebounded well in his last outing against the Royals after two very rough outings against the Rockies and Twins in which he allowed 13 runs and 22 hits in just 10 innings over those two starts.

The tarp is on the field at PNC Park.

Tagged Michael Baron |

Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus is reporting that the Mets have signed left handed pitcher Juan Urbina, the son of former Major Leaguer Ugueth Urbina.

Urbina will receive a bonus of over $1 million.

Tagged Michael Baron, News |

Prior to yesterday’s game, Jerry Manuel had offered David Wright the day off against the Brewers.

Wright declined that offer, to which he told reporters:

“He knows that I’d rather play than not play. He kind of knows how I felt. We talked a little bit [Tuesday]. He knew I wanted to play.”

Prior to yesterday’s 0 for 4 at the plate, Wright had hit .351 (13 for 37) with three doubles, one home run and three RBI in his ten prior games.

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