After Friday afternoon's thumping of the Yankees, the Mets failed to take advantage of the situation. They could have buried the evil empire and really thrown Hank into a tizzy, but Pedro couldn't get anyone out, and Santana wouldn't throw strikes.
In the Friday afternoon game Wright had 4 hits and 3RBI, Beltran had 3 RBI and Delgado had an out of body experience and had 9 RBI. In doing so, he broke Dave Kingman's club record of 8 RBI in a game. Pelfrey pitched ok but labored all day, and was lucky to get to thru the 5th inning. He worked out of jams all day, and showed his continued maturity on the mound. He is quickly turning into one of the more reliable starts for the Mets. The Yankees have a lot of left handed bats in their line-up and Pelfrey has trouble with lefties. I believe lefties are hitting over .350 and Big Pelf, so for him to survive and beat the Yankees is a good sign.
Unfortunately, Pedro needs to learn how to pitch again. For someone who's a future HOL pitcher, how can he do something as stupid as tip his pitches to the Yankees. No wonder they're his "Daddy". I have no problem with Pedro going out in the 6th inning, the game already was lost at that point. The 4 hour emotional marathon from earlier in the day seemed to have drained all the energy and fight out of the Mets. Delgado came back to earth and Beltran is sliding again into one of his slumps. Can someone throw batting practice to him and only throw breaking pitches? The man can't hit anything but fastballs.
In Saturday's game, once again the Mets bats were sleeping at the plate. I wonder if Johan was calling himself out of his pitching yesterday? In his last start, he took a backhanded swipe at David Wright because of an error by David. He said "we can make routine plays". Well Johan, don't walk people and they won't score any runs. 2 of the 3 Yankee runs were due to JOHAN WALKING THEM. I bet David didn't have any comments like " If we throw strikes we would have won this game". I thought Johan's comments in his last start were uncalled for, and now the shoe is on his foot. Besides Castro and David, were wasn't a whole lot of offense. Beltran struck out 4 times and Delgado was back to his normal self. Hitting weak grounders to 1st base and striking out of pitches off the plate. I found it curious that Castro was catching for the second game in a row. Was Schneider hurt, or does Johan not like Brian behind the plate? I'm certainly not impressed with Schneider behind the plate. I fail to see where he's a defensive improvement over Lo Duca. The only thing he does better is throw out base runners. He calls a lousy game, can't catch the ball, can't block anything in the dirt, and shows little ability to get to anything off the plate. I think we all can see why the Nationals traded him with Ryan Church. It almost seems like they wanted him gone anyway possible.
Today may bring a dramatic change to the Mets offense. Ryan Church, "The Minister of Offense" is scheduled to return to the line-up today. I think he should slide into the 4 spot and move Beltran down to 5th and Delgado the 6th. He was by far the most consistent bat in the line-up before he got hurt. With Ryan behind him, David should start to see better pitches and continue to raise his average and RBI totals. Beltran is not a clean-up hitter, and he's not the consistent threat needed in the 4th spot. He's too streaky and goes into prolonged slumps too often. With Ryan covering David's back, the Mets could have a NY version of Manny and Poppy. If one doesn't kill you, the other will.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Gary Cooper finds his Posse'
Earlier today I wondered if anyone would show up to support John in his game tonight. After last night's meltdown, I wondered what team would show up at the park. A team with something to prove, or the same old cowardly underachieving spoiled brats. As it turned out there was no need to worry.
David Wright came out smoking and John didn't allow the Mariner's off the ground. In the 1st inning, Jose' scored a Reyes run and David deposited a change-up into the left field bleachers. The Mets added 2 more runs in the 2nd inning on David's 2nd home run, and 4 more runs in the 3rd inning on the strength of Jose's 9th home run. Batista couldn't throw strikes, and when he did, Jose and David parked his pitches in the seats. The Mets continue to go into voids when it comes to hitting in the middle innings. After the 3rd inning, the bats went to sleep. With the pick-up of Phillips, Delgado playing full-time may soon be coming to an end. Maybe getting him a day or two off a week will wake his bat up. He's looked horrible for the last week.
During the game Keith and Gary talked to HoJo about the hitting and he had some interesting things to say. He and Jerry are trying to fix Delgado and others, but it's an uphill battle. He didn't come out and say as much, but you could hear the frustration in his voice. It sounded like they've been trying to get Carlos to correct his swing, but Carlos isn't following their game plan when he gets in the box. I guess you really can't teach an old dog new tricks. The old dog Delgado is going to play himself into a platoon situation if he doesn't wise up soon. If there is one thing we as fans has seen from Jerry so far is that he rewards success, and sits failure. Now with Phillips in the mix, he has someone to replace Carlos at 1st if Carlos doesn't hit. Phillips isn't a slugger, but he's a hell of a lot better around the bag than Carlos. That alone will save runs, and make the team better able to win games.
So once again John came up big when the team needed him the most. He now leads the team in wins, and has a chance of getting 10 wins before the break. If he can get into the 7th inning more frequently, he stands a good chance of winning 18+ games this season and solidifying his spot as the #2 starter on the team.
David Wright came out smoking and John didn't allow the Mariner's off the ground. In the 1st inning, Jose' scored a Reyes run and David deposited a change-up into the left field bleachers. The Mets added 2 more runs in the 2nd inning on David's 2nd home run, and 4 more runs in the 3rd inning on the strength of Jose's 9th home run. Batista couldn't throw strikes, and when he did, Jose and David parked his pitches in the seats. The Mets continue to go into voids when it comes to hitting in the middle innings. After the 3rd inning, the bats went to sleep. With the pick-up of Phillips, Delgado playing full-time may soon be coming to an end. Maybe getting him a day or two off a week will wake his bat up. He's looked horrible for the last week.
During the game Keith and Gary talked to HoJo about the hitting and he had some interesting things to say. He and Jerry are trying to fix Delgado and others, but it's an uphill battle. He didn't come out and say as much, but you could hear the frustration in his voice. It sounded like they've been trying to get Carlos to correct his swing, but Carlos isn't following their game plan when he gets in the box. I guess you really can't teach an old dog new tricks. The old dog Delgado is going to play himself into a platoon situation if he doesn't wise up soon. If there is one thing we as fans has seen from Jerry so far is that he rewards success, and sits failure. Now with Phillips in the mix, he has someone to replace Carlos at 1st if Carlos doesn't hit. Phillips isn't a slugger, but he's a hell of a lot better around the bag than Carlos. That alone will save runs, and make the team better able to win games.
So once again John came up big when the team needed him the most. He now leads the team in wins, and has a chance of getting 10 wins before the break. If he can get into the 7th inning more frequently, he stands a good chance of winning 18+ games this season and solidifying his spot as the #2 starter on the team.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Jerry Leads Mets out of Storm
Since Witless Willie's firing, I've been watching the Mets and playing attention to how Jerry Manuel conducts himself on the field and with the media. One thing is readily apparent to me. Jerry is no Willie Randolph. Jerry's at ease with the media and answers all their questions and explains his baseball philosophy to all who ask. He doesn't act insulted, and seems to understand what's needed from him. He's always smiling and is never at a loss for a joke or laugh. I think when the manager is at ease, the team seems to be at ease. That alone should win more games for the Mets this year.
All too often Willie seemed offended by reporter's questions about anything. He had the attitude of "how dare you question my decisions and choices". Jerry has shown none of that attitude and the team has responded so far. One of the players, I think it was Wright, mentioned all the things Jerry has become involved in since his elevation to manager. He's in the hitting meetings, the pitching meetings, he throws batting practice, and he's involved in the clubhouse. Evidently the Witless Wonder thought it was beneath him to be involved in these meetings and duties. I thought all these things were duties of the manager and coaches? If Willie had been doing these things, I doubt Jerry's involvement would have been mentioned. Jerry has also let the players know that results are what counts, not contracts. By sitting Castillo last night, he rewarded Easley for a good game, and set the future tone of this team. Play hard, play focused, have good results, and you'll play for him. If not, take a seat.
Jerry's involvement in these areas seems to be paying off. Players seem more focused and are having fun again. They don't seem to be just going through the motions. When they get behind in a game, they don't resign themselves to losing. Jose' seems to have found that "father figure" he so desperately needs. For all his years in the league, Jose' doesn't seem to be a very mature person between the ears. He needs someone to explain things to him in a certain way that isn't heavy handed, but is fair. I believe Jerry is doing that with the Jose' and other team members. When Jerry sat Jose' with the tight hammy, he let Jose' and the other players know that he's in charge, not the players. Jerry explained to Jose' that the team needs him healthy and thriving to be successful, and Jose' understood. Willie was great for saying things, but never followed through with them. David, Jose', and Beltran will be resting this year whether they want to or not. Jose' doesn't have the body to be effective for 160+ games a year. He needs rest and needs to understand that it's for the teams benefit as well as his.
Those ideas were on display in Denver last night. After John gave up the 2 runs in the 1st inning, he settled down and the bats went to work on Cook. The whole line-up contributed hits and the defense was superb once again. Jerry had the team take early batting practice, but it wasn't as long as normal. It seems to have been effective last night. Easley had 2 hits, Delgado hit a homer to the opposite field, Nixon crushed a homer against the 2nd tier facade, and even Maine had a hit. Every starter had at least 1 hit and they buried Cook under 5 runs in the 2nd inning. Chavez and Nixon made great catches, and the defense was stellar again.
If the Mets keep playing this focused fun style of baseball, they may win the division after all. While under the Cloud of Witless Willie's managing, I wrote them off due to their heartless, lifeless play. In a few short days Jerry Manuel has lifted that cloud and has started leading this team to a better outcome for the season. I'll say it now, that if the Mets win the division or even get to the playoffs, Jerry deserves a contract. I wouldn't go crazy with 4-5 years, but a 2 year contract with options would be well deserved. After the destruction of this teams confidence and soul by Witless Willie, Jerry has begun to repair the damage and show the way to the bright future we all expected this spring.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
My Impressions of Jerry Manuel
I was fortunate to be home in time today to hear the Press conference with Omar and Manuel this afternoon. Omar explained his reasoning for the timing of the firing, and take it for what it's worth, he was troubled in making the decision. He said that he didn't want to wait any longer because it was becoming a huge distraction, and he didn't want Willie hearing it from a reporter. So be it. Believe him or not, he did what was needed. Get a manager and new coaches to change the way of thinking in the clubhouse.
Jerry spoke after Omar had said some interesting things. Tell me if any of these things expressed by Jerry sound familiar.
1- "Just because a guy bats 4th one day, doesn't mean he'll bat 4th the next day."
2- "I would have reminded the team about last year, and used that as a springboard to motivate the team."
3- "I want our young pitchers to go longer in the games. I don't think 120-130 pitches is too many pitches. I want our starters to go 7-8 innings. We have young strong pitchers here. We don't want them getting hurt, but we shouldn't be looking at pitch counts so much." {or something to that effect}
4- "I think we need to define the 6-7 inning reliever's roles." All too often, they didn't know their responsibility's.
5- "I want to rest our star players. That means Wright, Reyes, Beltran will be rested." David came to Jerry today, and said he wanted to play today. Jerry told him " Your DHing tonight".
6- "I poured my heart and soul out to Willie about game situations. But it's his decision weather to use that advice or not"
7- "I'm a very good communicator. I can relate and get my point across to the players" This statement was confirmed by Jerry former boss with the WhiteSox. He said that Jerry is very good at making the verbal connections to each individual player. He knows what to say to get the most out of each player. Jerry knows what buttons to push to get the most from the players.
8- "I believe the #2 hole should be more of a run producing spot. We should have more pop in that spot."
9- "I don't believe in stealing a base just to steal a base. If it's beneficial to the team and the offense, then we should steal. But there is a time and a place to steal bases."
I don't know about any of you out there, but that sure sounds like a night and day difference from Willie. It doesn't sound like there will be anything taken for granted, and nobody should be getting too comfortable on the team. From what Jerry was saying, it sounded like Beltran had better start delivering, or he won't be hitting 4th. I also believe Castillo's days as the #2 hitter are over. Beltran, David, Ryan, ect could be seeing time in that spot. Sounds like my train of thought a few weeks ago when I was arguing that the team was better served with Ryan in the 2 hole, and not Castillo. Why should the 2 hole be an automatic out? I think I may get to like Jerry. He may not be a fire breathing Pinella type, but he definitely isn't a Witless Willie type.
Jerry spoke after Omar had said some interesting things. Tell me if any of these things expressed by Jerry sound familiar.
1- "Just because a guy bats 4th one day, doesn't mean he'll bat 4th the next day."
2- "I would have reminded the team about last year, and used that as a springboard to motivate the team."
3- "I want our young pitchers to go longer in the games. I don't think 120-130 pitches is too many pitches. I want our starters to go 7-8 innings. We have young strong pitchers here. We don't want them getting hurt, but we shouldn't be looking at pitch counts so much." {or something to that effect}
4- "I think we need to define the 6-7 inning reliever's roles." All too often, they didn't know their responsibility's.
5- "I want to rest our star players. That means Wright, Reyes, Beltran will be rested." David came to Jerry today, and said he wanted to play today. Jerry told him " Your DHing tonight".
6- "I poured my heart and soul out to Willie about game situations. But it's his decision weather to use that advice or not"
7- "I'm a very good communicator. I can relate and get my point across to the players" This statement was confirmed by Jerry former boss with the WhiteSox. He said that Jerry is very good at making the verbal connections to each individual player. He knows what to say to get the most out of each player. Jerry knows what buttons to push to get the most from the players.
8- "I believe the #2 hole should be more of a run producing spot. We should have more pop in that spot."
9- "I don't believe in stealing a base just to steal a base. If it's beneficial to the team and the offense, then we should steal. But there is a time and a place to steal bases."
I don't know about any of you out there, but that sure sounds like a night and day difference from Willie. It doesn't sound like there will be anything taken for granted, and nobody should be getting too comfortable on the team. From what Jerry was saying, it sounded like Beltran had better start delivering, or he won't be hitting 4th. I also believe Castillo's days as the #2 hitter are over. Beltran, David, Ryan, ect could be seeing time in that spot. Sounds like my train of thought a few weeks ago when I was arguing that the team was better served with Ryan in the 2 hole, and not Castillo. Why should the 2 hole be an automatic out? I think I may get to like Jerry. He may not be a fire breathing Pinella type, but he definitely isn't a Witless Willie type.
The Sun has finally set For Willie Randolph
Early this morning my wishes were finally granted. Omar grew a spine and fired Witless Willie, Tom Nieto the 1st base coach, and Rick Peterson. Will this make a difference this year and wake this team up? Who knows, but the job wasn't getting done and something had to change.
Since last summer I've been calling for Witless Willie's head and Omar finally came to the realization that A change needed to be done. This team wasn't playing to it's potential, and Willie wasn't using all the weapon's at his disposal. Willie didn't manage with agressive style of baseball, he and Peterson worried too much about pitch counts, the fielding and baserunning was horrid this year, and there was no improvement seen. Jose' Reyes and others had tuned out Willie since last year, and Jose's problems with Willie were on full display on the field, on the bases, and at the plate. Manual may not be a fire breathing Pinella type of manager, but I bet he's more aggressive with the game, and the Umps. Oberkfell will be groomed for the manager's job if Manuel fails, and Warthen will try to repair the bull-pen before to melts down again.
Things couldn't get any worse than they were going, and now maybe things will get better. I doubt Manuel will just go thru the motions and except this season as lost. Maybe he can refocus this team and get them playing respectable baseball.
What do you all think about the firing? Will things improve? Or is this season already lost?
Since last summer I've been calling for Witless Willie's head and Omar finally came to the realization that A change needed to be done. This team wasn't playing to it's potential, and Willie wasn't using all the weapon's at his disposal. Willie didn't manage with agressive style of baseball, he and Peterson worried too much about pitch counts, the fielding and baserunning was horrid this year, and there was no improvement seen. Jose' Reyes and others had tuned out Willie since last year, and Jose's problems with Willie were on full display on the field, on the bases, and at the plate. Manual may not be a fire breathing Pinella type of manager, but I bet he's more aggressive with the game, and the Umps. Oberkfell will be groomed for the manager's job if Manuel fails, and Warthen will try to repair the bull-pen before to melts down again.
Things couldn't get any worse than they were going, and now maybe things will get better. I doubt Manuel will just go thru the motions and except this season as lost. Maybe he can refocus this team and get them playing respectable baseball.
What do you all think about the firing? Will things improve? Or is this season already lost?
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Mets Continue Slide Towards Obscurity
As I posted earlier this week, the Mets are done for this year. They have no heart. They have no pride. They have no stones. Worst of all, they have Owners who are asleep at the wheel, and a GM that must be on drugs. There is no other explanation for the continued failures to realize all the problems that exist with this team.
I'm fuming because of the utter lack of courage from the Wilpon's to do what's needed to wake this team up. FIRE OMAR THIS WEEK. The Wilpon's need to relive 2000. They cleaned house, and the Mets with Bobby Valentin went to the series that year. Willie has no spine and no brain for this job. The only reason he's still there is because Omar likes him. Since Omar won't fire Willie, the Wilpon's need to fire Omar and allow the new GM to hire his own manager. Omar has done once again what he did in Montreal. He's emptied the farm system of any players of any value, and continues to sign old worn out players for stupid money and long contracts. Just look at what he did to the Expos and now to the Mets. The Nationals/ Expos are still trying to recover from his "WONDERFUL BASEBALL INSIGHTS AND TRADES". In the upcoming ALL-STAR game, the rosters of the teams will be full of players traded away by OMAR when he was with Montreal and NY. I don't care that he's brought in Maine, Santana, Wagner, Pedro, Beltran, ect. He's also brought Alou', Castillo, Hernandez, Delgado, Wise, Mota, Vargus, Johnson, Eli Morrero, Adkins, Sosa, ect., ect., while dealing Banister, Nady, Bell, Jacobs, Linstrom, ect., ect., and not signing Lo Duca, Eickstien, Colon, ect., ect. I read today that he even managed to waste the three 1st round draft picks in this years draft. Where are the power hitting outfielders? The power Pitchers? The power hitting second basemen? They got drafted by other teams, and the Mets have more of the same old average at best players drafted. So once again the Mets will need to sign free-agents for stupid money and lose more draft picks because Omar is the Village Idiot. Once Omar is gone Willie's and Tony B.'s .safety net will be gone, and then they'll either straighten up or be fired too. No one as any grounds for defending Omar. He's a used car salesman at best. He takes in old players, cleans them up, and tries to sell them as great guys with low miles.
The players have no heart and pride either. How can they allow runners to continually be stranded in scoring position? Can any of them hit a curve ball? Can any of them catch a ball? Why do they continue just go through the motions and not hustle for every ball and every play? They don't care about winning and appear to care more about collecting their fat paychecks. If this team continues to play like this, Citi-Field will be an easy ticket to buy next year. As bad as the Mets played in the late 70's and the early 90's, you expected that lousy play from those lousy teams. This team has too much talent to play this bad. they need a major attitude adjustment. Releasing a player or two would send a tidal wave through the clubhouse. Alou' needs to go. He can't stay healthy, and he's a drain on the team. They keep waiting for him to save them, but he can't get out of bed without hurting himself. Delgado also needs to go contract or not. He can't field his position, and he sucks at the plate. Bring up Carp and Murphy to replace the both of them. They play the outfield and 1st base, and are tearing up the minors. Time to see if they can play full time next year, or if the Mets need to try for Tiexeria and Holliday.
I'm done for now. I have to stop before I destroy my computer. I'm so disgusted, that it's hard to find anything to look forward to in the near future. Someone getting cut, or fired might turn things around for me, but I doubt it will happen. It makes too much sense, and the Wilpon's don't do anything that makes sense. We all know why Citi-field only seats 45,000 now. The Wilpon's figure the team will never be good enough for an extended period of time to sell out a 58,000 seat stadium like Shea. 15,000 fans looks a lot better in a small stadium, then in a large stadium.
I'm fuming because of the utter lack of courage from the Wilpon's to do what's needed to wake this team up. FIRE OMAR THIS WEEK. The Wilpon's need to relive 2000. They cleaned house, and the Mets with Bobby Valentin went to the series that year. Willie has no spine and no brain for this job. The only reason he's still there is because Omar likes him. Since Omar won't fire Willie, the Wilpon's need to fire Omar and allow the new GM to hire his own manager. Omar has done once again what he did in Montreal. He's emptied the farm system of any players of any value, and continues to sign old worn out players for stupid money and long contracts. Just look at what he did to the Expos and now to the Mets. The Nationals/ Expos are still trying to recover from his "WONDERFUL BASEBALL INSIGHTS AND TRADES". In the upcoming ALL-STAR game, the rosters of the teams will be full of players traded away by OMAR when he was with Montreal and NY. I don't care that he's brought in Maine, Santana, Wagner, Pedro, Beltran, ect. He's also brought Alou', Castillo, Hernandez, Delgado, Wise, Mota, Vargus, Johnson, Eli Morrero, Adkins, Sosa, ect., ect., while dealing Banister, Nady, Bell, Jacobs, Linstrom, ect., ect., and not signing Lo Duca, Eickstien, Colon, ect., ect. I read today that he even managed to waste the three 1st round draft picks in this years draft. Where are the power hitting outfielders? The power Pitchers? The power hitting second basemen? They got drafted by other teams, and the Mets have more of the same old average at best players drafted. So once again the Mets will need to sign free-agents for stupid money and lose more draft picks because Omar is the Village Idiot. Once Omar is gone Willie's and Tony B.'s .safety net will be gone, and then they'll either straighten up or be fired too. No one as any grounds for defending Omar. He's a used car salesman at best. He takes in old players, cleans them up, and tries to sell them as great guys with low miles.
The players have no heart and pride either. How can they allow runners to continually be stranded in scoring position? Can any of them hit a curve ball? Can any of them catch a ball? Why do they continue just go through the motions and not hustle for every ball and every play? They don't care about winning and appear to care more about collecting their fat paychecks. If this team continues to play like this, Citi-Field will be an easy ticket to buy next year. As bad as the Mets played in the late 70's and the early 90's, you expected that lousy play from those lousy teams. This team has too much talent to play this bad. they need a major attitude adjustment. Releasing a player or two would send a tidal wave through the clubhouse. Alou' needs to go. He can't stay healthy, and he's a drain on the team. They keep waiting for him to save them, but he can't get out of bed without hurting himself. Delgado also needs to go contract or not. He can't field his position, and he sucks at the plate. Bring up Carp and Murphy to replace the both of them. They play the outfield and 1st base, and are tearing up the minors. Time to see if they can play full time next year, or if the Mets need to try for Tiexeria and Holliday.
I'm done for now. I have to stop before I destroy my computer. I'm so disgusted, that it's hard to find anything to look forward to in the near future. Someone getting cut, or fired might turn things around for me, but I doubt it will happen. It makes too much sense, and the Wilpon's don't do anything that makes sense. We all know why Citi-field only seats 45,000 now. The Wilpon's figure the team will never be good enough for an extended period of time to sell out a 58,000 seat stadium like Shea. 15,000 fans looks a lot better in a small stadium, then in a large stadium.
Pelfrey Continues Journey Towards Stardome
As I had written before on this Blog, I believe Mike has finally turned the corner towards stardome. No longer is he the timid, scared, wide eyed youngster with the strong right arm. Now he's the determined warrior named Big Pelf that challenges hitters and shows no fear on the mound.
If last night hasn't convinced people out there in the Mets nation about Pelfrey's talent, nothing will. Using mostly fastballs with a few change-ups and sliders, Big Pelf matched Brandon Webb pitch for pitch and kept the Snakes off the board until Wagner's meltdown in the 9th. He was ahead in the counts all night, and moved the pitches thoughout the strikezone. Hitting as high as 96mph with the heat and then dropping 82 mph change-ups, he looked like a 25 year old right-handed Santana. He struck out 8 and only walked 2 while surrending 5 hits. Mike has been lights out his last 3 starts, and showing his ability to pitch with anyone in the game. Webb is now, what Mike should become in the near future. An innings eating monster that shatters bats and breaks the will of teams that face him. The only thing keeping him from winning games is a failing bull-pen, and a pathetic offense.
On a sour note, Alou' is once again going for an MRI on his calf. Does anyone out there really think he should even be on the team at this stage? Cut him loose, and find someone to replace him full-time in the field. Aguila is a start, but how about carp or Murphy? They can also rest Delgado at first when not playing left-field. I say good ridence Alou', don't let the door hit you in the butt as you hobble out of Shea and into retirement.
If last night hasn't convinced people out there in the Mets nation about Pelfrey's talent, nothing will. Using mostly fastballs with a few change-ups and sliders, Big Pelf matched Brandon Webb pitch for pitch and kept the Snakes off the board until Wagner's meltdown in the 9th. He was ahead in the counts all night, and moved the pitches thoughout the strikezone. Hitting as high as 96mph with the heat and then dropping 82 mph change-ups, he looked like a 25 year old right-handed Santana. He struck out 8 and only walked 2 while surrending 5 hits. Mike has been lights out his last 3 starts, and showing his ability to pitch with anyone in the game. Webb is now, what Mike should become in the near future. An innings eating monster that shatters bats and breaks the will of teams that face him. The only thing keeping him from winning games is a failing bull-pen, and a pathetic offense.
On a sour note, Alou' is once again going for an MRI on his calf. Does anyone out there really think he should even be on the team at this stage? Cut him loose, and find someone to replace him full-time in the field. Aguila is a start, but how about carp or Murphy? They can also rest Delgado at first when not playing left-field. I say good ridence Alou', don't let the door hit you in the butt as you hobble out of Shea and into retirement.
Monday, June 9, 2008
West Coast Trip Ends Mets' Hopes for Postseason
Think I'm jumping the gun a little? I don't. Have you looked at the standings lately? With Phillie surging ahead and a 2-5 record against two of the worst teams in the NL, I'd say I'm correct. Unless the Wilpon's do what should have been done weeks ago, this season is history. Until Witless Willie and Omar the Village Idiot are fired, there is little hope of the Mets even finishing with a winning record.
Back in late April-early May, I was screaming that the Mets needed to wake up and play like there was no tomorrow. Everyone on TV, Radio, in the papers, on the blogs, said "it's early, no one's doing any better". Guess what. Howard and Rollins are starting to hit, and Utley hasn't stopped hitting, and the Mets are falling faster and further in the standings. They now sit 7.5 games out of 1st place, and have little chance to catch the Phillies without some drastic changes.
First thing that needs to be done is fire Omar. He built this old, brittle, lazy, team and cost the Mets numerous 1st round draft picks by signing worthless free-agents. He's also stuck by Witless Willie Randumb when he should have been fired last year. I swear the only reason Willie is still in NY is because firing him would prove that Omar was wrong to hire him. Omar never likes to admit his mistakes, and firing Witless Willie would be admitting to a huge mistake in 2005.
Once Omar is gone, then the New GM can hire a manager that actually knows the game of baseball. If Bobby Valentin won't come back as a manager, how about as a GM? He knows baseball talent as well as anyone, and he wouldn't hire a spineless wimp for a manager. He also wouldn't go around the MLB and bring in all his favorite worn out buddies to play critical positions on the team. Alou' is no more than a bench player at this stage of his career. Only Omar and Witless Willie think of him as an everyday player. I bet Bobby V. also wouldn't be jerking Ryan Church in and out of the line-up. Ryan should have been on the DL from day one, and certainly shouldn't be making any cross-country trips. It's just another example of Omar and Willie being clueless. Instead of sitting Ryan and getting him healthy, they continue to hinder his recovery and cost the Mets one of their biggest offensive weapons.
When a new GM and Manager get put into place they can start getting rid of the dead weight on the team. New players from the minors need to come up and get a taste and a try out. Send Heilman to AAA and bring Muniz back. Get rid of Castillo, bench Alou', dump Anderson, bring up Carp or Murphy, platoon Schneider and Delgado, and get Nady back in NY. Those are just a few things that can be done. For all the lack of hitting and defense at second base, why not bring up someone from the minors who can actually get to a ball or two?
No matter what happens the rest of the year, the season is probably already lost. Unless drastic changes are made this week, nothing is going to get this team to 1st place. Granted, Omar getting fired and changing the players on the field probably won't happen, but something needs to be done. Willie has done nothing to deserve he continued employment, and he's the easiest to replace at this time. Once he's gone, then the next steps can be taken to fix the Mets. Until the first step is taken, nothing will change and the Mets will continue to be the laughing stock of the league. I wonder if Beltran wishes to retract his boast yet?
Back in late April-early May, I was screaming that the Mets needed to wake up and play like there was no tomorrow. Everyone on TV, Radio, in the papers, on the blogs, said "it's early, no one's doing any better". Guess what. Howard and Rollins are starting to hit, and Utley hasn't stopped hitting, and the Mets are falling faster and further in the standings. They now sit 7.5 games out of 1st place, and have little chance to catch the Phillies without some drastic changes.
First thing that needs to be done is fire Omar. He built this old, brittle, lazy, team and cost the Mets numerous 1st round draft picks by signing worthless free-agents. He's also stuck by Witless Willie Randumb when he should have been fired last year. I swear the only reason Willie is still in NY is because firing him would prove that Omar was wrong to hire him. Omar never likes to admit his mistakes, and firing Witless Willie would be admitting to a huge mistake in 2005.
Once Omar is gone, then the New GM can hire a manager that actually knows the game of baseball. If Bobby Valentin won't come back as a manager, how about as a GM? He knows baseball talent as well as anyone, and he wouldn't hire a spineless wimp for a manager. He also wouldn't go around the MLB and bring in all his favorite worn out buddies to play critical positions on the team. Alou' is no more than a bench player at this stage of his career. Only Omar and Witless Willie think of him as an everyday player. I bet Bobby V. also wouldn't be jerking Ryan Church in and out of the line-up. Ryan should have been on the DL from day one, and certainly shouldn't be making any cross-country trips. It's just another example of Omar and Willie being clueless. Instead of sitting Ryan and getting him healthy, they continue to hinder his recovery and cost the Mets one of their biggest offensive weapons.
When a new GM and Manager get put into place they can start getting rid of the dead weight on the team. New players from the minors need to come up and get a taste and a try out. Send Heilman to AAA and bring Muniz back. Get rid of Castillo, bench Alou', dump Anderson, bring up Carp or Murphy, platoon Schneider and Delgado, and get Nady back in NY. Those are just a few things that can be done. For all the lack of hitting and defense at second base, why not bring up someone from the minors who can actually get to a ball or two?
No matter what happens the rest of the year, the season is probably already lost. Unless drastic changes are made this week, nothing is going to get this team to 1st place. Granted, Omar getting fired and changing the players on the field probably won't happen, but something needs to be done. Willie has done nothing to deserve he continued employment, and he's the easiest to replace at this time. Once he's gone, then the next steps can be taken to fix the Mets. Until the first step is taken, nothing will change and the Mets will continue to be the laughing stock of the league. I wonder if Beltran wishes to retract his boast yet?
Friday, June 6, 2008
Has Pelfrey Started his Rise Towards Stardom?
That's a question that should be on the mind of all Mets Fans these days. Despite Mike's record, he's become a different pitcher in recent starts. Against the Dodgers, he went 7 innings and only allowed 2 runs while retiring the last 12 batters he faced. Last night against the Padre's, he went 6 innings, threw a career high 112 pitches, and only allowed 1 run. While working in and out of jams, he never seemed rattled.
One of the hardest things for young inexperienced pitchers to learn is how to stay in the game when things get sticky. All too often young pitchers have a habit of digging themselves into a deeper hole. They lack the confidence and mental toughness to settle down and make their pitches. They get that "deer in the headlights" look about them. Mike was no different earlier this year. Young pitchers start gripping the ball harder, muscling up, trying to get too fine with their pitches, and trying to throw the best breaking ball ever thrown.
Mike has seemed to finally realized that his stuff is good, and to trust it and his defenders. He seems to have learned that not every pitch has to be perfect, or thrown 96MPH. Earlier this year he had a no-hitter going into the 7th inning against the Nationals, and his last 2 starts he's only allowed 3 runs. He was asked during the Dodgers' game by Schneider why he wasn't throwing the ball 95+mph. Mike told Brian he wanted to dial it back a bit so he could control his pitches better. That right there shows that he gets it. If he had been given some run support, his record could very well be 5-4, not 2-6. The light has gone on in Mike's head and he's taken the first steps towards stardom. He may never be a 200 game winner, or the ACE of the staff, but he could be a consistent 13-17 game winner in the future. He has the arm, and the build to be a durable starter for years to come.
People tend to forget that Mike had very few innings in MLB coming into 2007. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he only had about 150 innings in the minors before making the team last year. Growing pains are to be expected, but progress has been visible. It has come and gone in fleeting glimpses over the last year or so, but they are becoming more common than not. Now those glimmering hints of big league bravado and talent are growing with every start. Mike seems like a nice guy with a good and humble attitude. I hope he continues to improve, and shows all his fans the true talent that resides inside that strong right arm and the desire that beats in that kingsized heart.
One of the hardest things for young inexperienced pitchers to learn is how to stay in the game when things get sticky. All too often young pitchers have a habit of digging themselves into a deeper hole. They lack the confidence and mental toughness to settle down and make their pitches. They get that "deer in the headlights" look about them. Mike was no different earlier this year. Young pitchers start gripping the ball harder, muscling up, trying to get too fine with their pitches, and trying to throw the best breaking ball ever thrown.
Mike has seemed to finally realized that his stuff is good, and to trust it and his defenders. He seems to have learned that not every pitch has to be perfect, or thrown 96MPH. Earlier this year he had a no-hitter going into the 7th inning against the Nationals, and his last 2 starts he's only allowed 3 runs. He was asked during the Dodgers' game by Schneider why he wasn't throwing the ball 95+mph. Mike told Brian he wanted to dial it back a bit so he could control his pitches better. That right there shows that he gets it. If he had been given some run support, his record could very well be 5-4, not 2-6. The light has gone on in Mike's head and he's taken the first steps towards stardom. He may never be a 200 game winner, or the ACE of the staff, but he could be a consistent 13-17 game winner in the future. He has the arm, and the build to be a durable starter for years to come.
People tend to forget that Mike had very few innings in MLB coming into 2007. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he only had about 150 innings in the minors before making the team last year. Growing pains are to be expected, but progress has been visible. It has come and gone in fleeting glimpses over the last year or so, but they are becoming more common than not. Now those glimmering hints of big league bravado and talent are growing with every start. Mike seems like a nice guy with a good and humble attitude. I hope he continues to improve, and shows all his fans the true talent that resides inside that strong right arm and the desire that beats in that kingsized heart.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Maine Shows Maturity in Mets Win
John Maine's afternoon pitching performance wasn't perfect, but it was good enough to earn him his 6th win and to send the Mets into San Diego on a winning note. In windy, cool conditions Maine overcame Delgado's lazy play and another error from Reyes to pitch 6 innings of 2 run baseball. Delgado failed to follow a foul ball to the dugout and extended the inning, and Jose's error cost him a run. Reyes made up for his error with his 8th homerun of the season. It was a long high shot into the right centerfield seats and plated 2 runs.
John was getting his fastball to 95-96 mph and his change-up was working at 82-83 mph. That's a pretty good differential that should serve John well if he can consistently throw it for strikes. I don't think Jose's error rattled John, I think the cold conditions just made it hard to grip the breaking pitches. His wild pitch came on a hard slider in the dirt. He said in the post game interview that he had problems with his grip. When pitchers can't grip a ball well, they tend to overthrow it and try to snap the pitch off. Quite frequently this causes the pitches to bounce in the dirt and get past the catcher.
Unlike last year, John has learned how to pitch his way thru bad innings and bad situations. It's not too often that John gets himself into an inning that he can't get out of. He may give up runs, but he never seems to lose his cool and bury the team or himself. Unlike Ollie, John will make the pitches needed to end the inning. That is the biggest improvement from last year with John. He's becoming more of a pitcher, and less of a thrower. Perez hasn't seem to grasp that concept yet, and it will cost him millions of dollars. Every time Ollie has an outing like Monday, he and Boras lose another Million off Ollie's next contract. Every time John has a game like today, he gets one step closer to getting the contract that a #2 starter like John deserves. Make no mistake about it, Johan and John are the top 2 starters on this team. [SNY had this interesting fact during the game today. John Maine is the #1 starter in METS HISTORY going by team winning percentage. Comparing pitchers with at least 50 starts, The Mets have won almost 65% of John's starts. That's better than Seaver, Gooden, Darling, Koosman, and anybody else].Pedro is too brittle and Pelfrey isn't in the conversation yet. Until Pedro stays healthy and starts piling up the victories, he's #3 in the rotation. I really think that before the season is over, the Wilpon's and Omar will offer John a multi-year contract. He's not due one for a few more years, but I believe he's going to be treated like Wright and Reyes were. I say a 5 year $50-60 Million would be about right. John's certainly worth more than Perez, and talk has Perez wanting a 5 year $50 million deal. With the way Ollie is pitching, the only contract he'll be getting is a yearly contract from Seattle, Texas, or Baltimore. All teams desperate for pitching and in smaller markets.
As you all know, I've been a big supporter of John's since he was called up in July of '06. I really enjoy watching him grow as a pitcher and learning how to be a dominating starter the Mets so dearly need. I really think we as fans will see John and Johan be 2 of the most dominating starters in MLB for many years to come. If Pelfrey learns to be a steady #3 starter, the Mets could have their own 21st century version of Gooden, Darling, and Fernandez.
What do you all think? Will Santana and Maine be the cornerstones of the pitching for years to come? Will Big Pelf be part of the equation too? Will Ollie get any kind of contract offer from the Mets? Will John get his money before the year ends?
John was getting his fastball to 95-96 mph and his change-up was working at 82-83 mph. That's a pretty good differential that should serve John well if he can consistently throw it for strikes. I don't think Jose's error rattled John, I think the cold conditions just made it hard to grip the breaking pitches. His wild pitch came on a hard slider in the dirt. He said in the post game interview that he had problems with his grip. When pitchers can't grip a ball well, they tend to overthrow it and try to snap the pitch off. Quite frequently this causes the pitches to bounce in the dirt and get past the catcher.
Unlike last year, John has learned how to pitch his way thru bad innings and bad situations. It's not too often that John gets himself into an inning that he can't get out of. He may give up runs, but he never seems to lose his cool and bury the team or himself. Unlike Ollie, John will make the pitches needed to end the inning. That is the biggest improvement from last year with John. He's becoming more of a pitcher, and less of a thrower. Perez hasn't seem to grasp that concept yet, and it will cost him millions of dollars. Every time Ollie has an outing like Monday, he and Boras lose another Million off Ollie's next contract. Every time John has a game like today, he gets one step closer to getting the contract that a #2 starter like John deserves. Make no mistake about it, Johan and John are the top 2 starters on this team. [SNY had this interesting fact during the game today. John Maine is the #1 starter in METS HISTORY going by team winning percentage. Comparing pitchers with at least 50 starts, The Mets have won almost 65% of John's starts. That's better than Seaver, Gooden, Darling, Koosman, and anybody else].Pedro is too brittle and Pelfrey isn't in the conversation yet. Until Pedro stays healthy and starts piling up the victories, he's #3 in the rotation. I really think that before the season is over, the Wilpon's and Omar will offer John a multi-year contract. He's not due one for a few more years, but I believe he's going to be treated like Wright and Reyes were. I say a 5 year $50-60 Million would be about right. John's certainly worth more than Perez, and talk has Perez wanting a 5 year $50 million deal. With the way Ollie is pitching, the only contract he'll be getting is a yearly contract from Seattle, Texas, or Baltimore. All teams desperate for pitching and in smaller markets.
As you all know, I've been a big supporter of John's since he was called up in July of '06. I really enjoy watching him grow as a pitcher and learning how to be a dominating starter the Mets so dearly need. I really think we as fans will see John and Johan be 2 of the most dominating starters in MLB for many years to come. If Pelfrey learns to be a steady #3 starter, the Mets could have their own 21st century version of Gooden, Darling, and Fernandez.
What do you all think? Will Santana and Maine be the cornerstones of the pitching for years to come? Will Big Pelf be part of the equation too? Will Ollie get any kind of contract offer from the Mets? Will John get his money before the year ends?
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Return of the "Minister of Offense"
In my visit to Shea Stadium Saturday I saw Ryan Church running though some drills on the field, and hoped to see him play that day. Well, it didn't happen Saturday, but Ryan returned to the line-up Sunday with a bang, a boom and a bloop. He made his return to the line-up and didn't skip a beat. He had a double, single, and 2 run homerun as he helped the Mets put some power into the offense.
All year this team has suffered from a wimpy offense. Pelfrey was the latest to suffer from no run support. If the offense from last nights game could be relied upon to make an appearance every night, the Mets would soon be headed for the top of the standings. But all too often Beltran has been MIA this season. Saturday I wanted him to blast 2 monster homeruns off the scoreboard. Well, I got one Saturday, and one last night. Although the one Sunday wasn't as far up the scoreboard, it still hit it. Delgado was been a shell of his reputation since the fall of '06, but Beltran is the one really hurting the team this season. A clean-up hitter's job is to drive in runs, not just get on base. Hopefully Beltran gets on a long tear and starts doing what we all know he's capable of. This team needs those 35 homeruns and 100+ RBI from him. In all respects, Ryan should be batting clean-up and Beltran 5th. Ryan has been the steadiest hitter all season, and has the power to drive runs in consistently.
Lost in the Mets early season power outage is the fact that David Wright is on a pace to hit 33 homeruns and drive in over 120 RBI. Both would be career highs, and his early season production is surprising considering the lack of protection in the line-up for him. With the return of Ryan and the hopeful resurgence of Beltran, David should continue to see his production increase. His Average is climbing towards .300, and he's looking more comfortable at the plate too. On the afternoon SNY show ,"LoudMouths", Chris Carlon had a surprising stat. Everyone always says that "as Reyes goes, so goes the Mets", but they're wrong. Carlon showed the stats for the 1st 52 games this year, and David is the force that makes the Mets successful, not Jose'. In the 26 wins for the Mets, David hit .380. In the 26 loses, he hit .117. Bottom line, if David isn't hitting and driving in runs, it doesn't matter what Jose' does, the Mets lose.
If Reyes and Castillo continue to get on base, the 3-5 hitters should be feasting on the opposing pitchers on a regular basis. Alou', if he ever returns, and Delgado should be 6th and 7th in the order. They can't be relied upon to stay healthy or produce when needed, so they don't deserve to hit higher than that. If the 1-5 positions can be kept intact, the Mets run production should become more consistent from game to game. And that is something that hasn't happened often enough this year.
Santana won his 100th game last night, but I was having Deja Vu' from Saturday's game. Just like Pelfrey on Saturday, Johan allowed a hit to Pierre and he quickly scored. And just like Saturday, Johan settled down and the Dodgers were losers in the end. The major difference was the offense gave Johan runs, and left Pelfrey hanging in the breeze. Starting Pitching so far this season is not the reason for the Mets troubles. As long as Heilman stays out of games, the bull-pen is doing it's job too. LOL.
What do all of you out there think? Should Ryan be batting Clean-up? Should David be hitting Clean-up? Will this power surge continue, or are we just being set up again for heartbreak?
I'm hoping for a successful road trip and the Phillies doing some stumbling in the standings. With any luck, maybe the Mets can move up in the standing this week.
All year this team has suffered from a wimpy offense. Pelfrey was the latest to suffer from no run support. If the offense from last nights game could be relied upon to make an appearance every night, the Mets would soon be headed for the top of the standings. But all too often Beltran has been MIA this season. Saturday I wanted him to blast 2 monster homeruns off the scoreboard. Well, I got one Saturday, and one last night. Although the one Sunday wasn't as far up the scoreboard, it still hit it. Delgado was been a shell of his reputation since the fall of '06, but Beltran is the one really hurting the team this season. A clean-up hitter's job is to drive in runs, not just get on base. Hopefully Beltran gets on a long tear and starts doing what we all know he's capable of. This team needs those 35 homeruns and 100+ RBI from him. In all respects, Ryan should be batting clean-up and Beltran 5th. Ryan has been the steadiest hitter all season, and has the power to drive runs in consistently.
Lost in the Mets early season power outage is the fact that David Wright is on a pace to hit 33 homeruns and drive in over 120 RBI. Both would be career highs, and his early season production is surprising considering the lack of protection in the line-up for him. With the return of Ryan and the hopeful resurgence of Beltran, David should continue to see his production increase. His Average is climbing towards .300, and he's looking more comfortable at the plate too. On the afternoon SNY show ,"LoudMouths", Chris Carlon had a surprising stat. Everyone always says that "as Reyes goes, so goes the Mets", but they're wrong. Carlon showed the stats for the 1st 52 games this year, and David is the force that makes the Mets successful, not Jose'. In the 26 wins for the Mets, David hit .380. In the 26 loses, he hit .117. Bottom line, if David isn't hitting and driving in runs, it doesn't matter what Jose' does, the Mets lose.
If Reyes and Castillo continue to get on base, the 3-5 hitters should be feasting on the opposing pitchers on a regular basis. Alou', if he ever returns, and Delgado should be 6th and 7th in the order. They can't be relied upon to stay healthy or produce when needed, so they don't deserve to hit higher than that. If the 1-5 positions can be kept intact, the Mets run production should become more consistent from game to game. And that is something that hasn't happened often enough this year.
Santana won his 100th game last night, but I was having Deja Vu' from Saturday's game. Just like Pelfrey on Saturday, Johan allowed a hit to Pierre and he quickly scored. And just like Saturday, Johan settled down and the Dodgers were losers in the end. The major difference was the offense gave Johan runs, and left Pelfrey hanging in the breeze. Starting Pitching so far this season is not the reason for the Mets troubles. As long as Heilman stays out of games, the bull-pen is doing it's job too. LOL.
What do all of you out there think? Should Ryan be batting Clean-up? Should David be hitting Clean-up? Will this power surge continue, or are we just being set up again for heartbreak?
I'm hoping for a successful road trip and the Phillies doing some stumbling in the standings. With any luck, maybe the Mets can move up in the standing this week.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Random Thoughts on a Trip to Shea
As you've seen I was at the game yesterday in Shea Stadium. As I hoped, the game had a good ending and the bad weather stayed away. We arrived about 1.5 hours before the game and I got a chance to check a few things out.
While waiting for the game to start, I got a chance to see Ryan Church going thru some drills under the watchful eye of Jerry Manuel and one of the trainers. He was simulating a plate appearance, running to first base, taking a lead off first, and then running to 3rd base. He also did the same drill but simulating a double, and then going home on a hit. I was hoping to see him play, but I have a feeling he's going to be in the line-up for Sunday's game. Ryan was also in the field shagging throws from the trainer as he ran away from Jerry and the Trainer. It looked like a drill from a football practice. Ryan was simulating going back on fly balls as they head for the wall. He seemed to handle everything fine.
As much as Shea Stadium means to so many people, it is a cramped environment. The Stadium is smaller than it appears on TV, and the seat have little room between them. It's hard to get out of your seat and get to the aisle without feeling like you may go for a fly. LOL. Getting out of the stadium requires you to file out and down narrow corridors no wider than 20'. While everything moved along at a decent pace, stopping in the line of traffic wasn't a good idea. If you wanted a souvenirs or something else on the way out, it was a chore to get to where you needed to go. Maybe it's just me, but I can see were Citi-Field will be much more fan friendly before, during, and after the game.
Of course when you go to a game you have to eat some food and have a drink or two. Hotdogs at $4.75-$5.00, sausage and peppers sandwiches for $7.50 and Bud Light in a Shea Stadium bottle for $8.00 were all on the menu. The beer was for my Dad, but I had both the hotdogs and sausage. Both were good, if not a little pricey. I'm used to getting 2 dogs for $1.50 around here, and Sausage and peppers goes for $5.00 at the fair. But everyone was nice and the food tasted good.
All and all it was a good day. I wish I could go back down to the Yankee- Mets game on the 28th of June. But My brother from Ohio is coming into town that weekend, so I guess I'll have to wait for a game next year in Citi-Field to see the Mets pummel the Yankees.
A Great Ending to a Great day at Shea Stadium.
Yesterday afternoon, [5/31], I had the pleasure of attending my first Mets game. The weather was our major concern as my Father and I traveled from Albany to the Big City with a bus load of very enthusiastic fans. The weather turned out perfect and the day was perfect. No rain, a slight breeze and comfortable temps. Manoj, the trip director, did a great job and every one had a great time. Except for one gentleman name John, who was leery of the heights, everyone was excited and yelling for all 9 innings. John and his son watched the game from different areas and levels and had a great time roaming the stadium. Our seats were in the upper deck between the Dodger dugout and home plate. The view was grand and everything was easy to see. I took plenty of pictures and was to the point of losing my voice by the end of the game.Here's one of David as he was hitting the double off Broxton in the 8th inning.
Here's Beltran as he drills his 2 run home run off the scoreboard to get the Mets even.
Here's Sanchez on the mound mowing down the Dodgers. We has impressive with his velocity and control. He only needed a few pitches to get the Dodgers out of the 8th inning.
And What would any Mets victory be without the blaring of Metallica's "Sandman" as Wagner runs in from the bullpen and takes the mound.
Here's a few pictures of Billy doing what Billy does best. Blowing 95+ MPH fastballs past hitters and making them look silly. He was throwing the hitters some sliders to keep them honest, and killing them with his
fastball.
The most disturbing thing of the day was the wasted effort of Mike Pelfrey. He pitched his butt off today, and got nothing but a no-decision for his efforts. The Mets have had a nasty habit of stranding runners in scoring position. All too often that is the main reason for Mets loses this season. The pitching has been better than expected, but Pelfrey proved today that even 2 runs is some times too many runs to to give up if the starters are expecting to win games.
Now we go into the last game of the series hoping Santana will get some run support and keep the ball in the park on Sunday night. I doubt anyone on the Mets is looking forward to playing a long game Sunday night. Thanks to ESPN, the Mets get to play at 8pm, and then board a flight to San Fransisco to face the Giants. Thanks MLB for once again giving the Mets the short end of the stick.
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