The need for another setup reliever appears to increase with each passing game. Aaron Heilman has pitched three and two innings in his two most recent appearances. Extending that level of workload would render him useless -- or at least ineffective -- before Sept. 1.
Joe Smith appears to have hit a wall of late. His three most recent appearances have produced six hits, three walks, five runs and five outs. Pedro Feliciano and Scott Schoeneweis are limited in what they can do effectively -- face left-handed batters; Sanchez has been removed from the eighth-inning role that had been his, partially by default; and Carlos Muniz is miscast in long relief.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Marty Noble sums up the bullpen problems
Trade deadline looms
I've heard we might be looking at Raul Ibanez and Jason Bay. Ibanez does very little to help us, unless we get him for Kyle Farnsworth or less.
Bay intrigues me, but realistically, with the way Tatis is hitting, I'm not sure it's an immediate upgrade (Bay could still have several good seasons in front of him, so it's not necessarily a bad idea). Whether that substantively improves our chances this is year is an open question. With F Mart only a season or two away from the bigs, I'm not sure we need another OF at this junction, unless we've determined that Church is done.
The one area where we could clearly use help is in the bullpen. Unfortunately, ditto that for just about every contending team. With the exception of Wagner, is there anyone you have confidence in to get the big out?
P.S. A great story on the danger of deadline trades, here. Only one Met entry. I would've expected worse.
Bay intrigues me, but realistically, with the way Tatis is hitting, I'm not sure it's an immediate upgrade (Bay could still have several good seasons in front of him, so it's not necessarily a bad idea). Whether that substantively improves our chances this is year is an open question. With F Mart only a season or two away from the bigs, I'm not sure we need another OF at this junction, unless we've determined that Church is done.
The one area where we could clearly use help is in the bullpen. Unfortunately, ditto that for just about every contending team. With the exception of Wagner, is there anyone you have confidence in to get the big out?
P.S. A great story on the danger of deadline trades, here. Only one Met entry. I would've expected worse.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Uh-oh
Maine's shoulder problem is a "mild strain" of the rotator cuff. I don't care what adjective the team uses, a rotator cuff problem is never good.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Now that's a win
If Johan's complete game (1st of the season for the Mets) wasn't enough to help you get over the hangover from Saturday's game, this should help even more. Beltran shows off "The Catch, part Deux".
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Ooooofff!!!
Wow.
Just got up after attending last night's debacle.
Showed up a little late after having to park at the marina clubhouse so when I got in Knight was down 1-0, bases loaded, 1 out--ouch. Panic immediately sets in. Final tally: 4 ER, 5 hits, 1 HBP. It's gonna be a loong night (boy, was I right...)
Metties come back strong with 2 in the bottom of the first (Wright get RBI but kills rally with another run-scoring groundout--this has to stop!)
Knight settles down nicely--goes 5 IP, holds Cards to 2 more hits over his next 4, racks up a few nice K's, shows the composure you expect from the elderly...
Delgado--FREAKIN' HUGE. 2 more dingers. Jose adds one that outdistances either of Carlos's shots. Mets get lead, things looking better...until the bullpen steps in...
Muniz gacks another one, bullpen stinks for an inning (as usual), fans killing Sanchez--at least he recorded 1 out tonight (Jerry must hate us to subject the fans to the nightly dose of Load-'em-up Duaner), Cards tack on another 4-spot. Feast or famine for the Redbirds offense.
Metties claw back again, a bit at a time. Tatis once again is clutch (although Ankiel just missed pulling an Endy).
Wags is a rock (guess we're not playing an important game)--2 perfect innings and was dominant.
After 16 innings and 16 runs, both O's go to sleep. Mets load bases in x-tree innings, don't score, leave runners left and right. Cards aren't even threatening--I've got a bad feeling about this...
Stupid vendors stopped coming around about 5 innings ago--starving and dehydrating...where are those neon-yellow/green shirts?!? No way am I leaving until this is over...
Never a good sign when you're there for the 7th inning stretch redeux (as an aside, during the 1st stretch a lovely lady sang "God Bless America." When are we going to make this a normal part of the stretch--almost every other team already does...)
My boy, Heilman, is entering his 3rd inning and looking solid(since we used everone in the 6th--again). Anyways, looks like my suffering is about to end--Pujols hit a ball so hard into the bleachers it tossed people aside when it landed. Oh, and there was a guy on, too--where did he come from? Had I nodded off? Oh, well...damn that Heilman--he stinks!
Wondering which would be worse, going down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 14th or plating 2 and continuing my agony...wow--before I can even come to a decision in my mind it's over. Top of the order goes down peacefully. Someone probably pointed out today's game (at this point it is well into Sunday) is a 1:10 start and sleep was needed by all.
Aargh--now I've gotta walk about 1 1/2 miles to go sit in traffic to get outta here.
Need sleep--review game in morning...zzzzz
Just got up after attending last night's debacle.
Showed up a little late after having to park at the marina clubhouse so when I got in Knight was down 1-0, bases loaded, 1 out--ouch. Panic immediately sets in. Final tally: 4 ER, 5 hits, 1 HBP. It's gonna be a loong night (boy, was I right...)
Metties come back strong with 2 in the bottom of the first (Wright get RBI but kills rally with another run-scoring groundout--this has to stop!)
Knight settles down nicely--goes 5 IP, holds Cards to 2 more hits over his next 4, racks up a few nice K's, shows the composure you expect from the elderly...
Delgado--FREAKIN' HUGE. 2 more dingers. Jose adds one that outdistances either of Carlos's shots. Mets get lead, things looking better...until the bullpen steps in...
Muniz gacks another one, bullpen stinks for an inning (as usual), fans killing Sanchez--at least he recorded 1 out tonight (Jerry must hate us to subject the fans to the nightly dose of Load-'em-up Duaner), Cards tack on another 4-spot. Feast or famine for the Redbirds offense.
Metties claw back again, a bit at a time. Tatis once again is clutch (although Ankiel just missed pulling an Endy).
Wags is a rock (guess we're not playing an important game)--2 perfect innings and was dominant.
After 16 innings and 16 runs, both O's go to sleep. Mets load bases in x-tree innings, don't score, leave runners left and right. Cards aren't even threatening--I've got a bad feeling about this...
Stupid vendors stopped coming around about 5 innings ago--starving and dehydrating...where are those neon-yellow/green shirts?!? No way am I leaving until this is over...
Never a good sign when you're there for the 7th inning stretch redeux (as an aside, during the 1st stretch a lovely lady sang "God Bless America." When are we going to make this a normal part of the stretch--almost every other team already does...)
My boy, Heilman, is entering his 3rd inning and looking solid(since we used everone in the 6th--again). Anyways, looks like my suffering is about to end--Pujols hit a ball so hard into the bleachers it tossed people aside when it landed. Oh, and there was a guy on, too--where did he come from? Had I nodded off? Oh, well...damn that Heilman--he stinks!
Wondering which would be worse, going down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 14th or plating 2 and continuing my agony...wow--before I can even come to a decision in my mind it's over. Top of the order goes down peacefully. Someone probably pointed out today's game (at this point it is well into Sunday) is a 1:10 start and sleep was needed by all.
Aargh--now I've gotta walk about 1 1/2 miles to go sit in traffic to get outta here.
Need sleep--review game in morning...zzzzz
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Pick 'em
Which is more amazing: the sharp transition in pelf's game from bad to great; the tremendous resurgence of delgado; or sanchez falling off a cliff?
One thing not surprising to me: with Alou permanently out of the way, allowing Chavez to get into rhythm, he is batting far more productively. Players like Alou and Castillo are killers because their on-again-off-again pattern never allows the backups to get into a comfortable groove.
One thing not surprising to me: with Alou permanently out of the way, allowing Chavez to get into rhythm, he is batting far more productively. Players like Alou and Castillo are killers because their on-again-off-again pattern never allows the backups to get into a comfortable groove.
Friday, July 25, 2008
In last night's AA action,
F Mart had 2 hits (he's at .293), Carp hit a 3 run HR, and Niese threw 7 shutout innings.
Holt riding high
Looks like this year's 1st round pick is off to a dominating start in A ball:
Brad Holt is living up to his first-round pick expectations, much to the frustration of basically everyone not in a Brooklyn uniform this summer.
Holt (3-2) struck out a career-high 14 and allowed just two hits over six innings in his seventh career start to help the Brooklyn Cyclones rout the visiting Vermont Lake Monsters on Thursday, 8-1.
"Usually I don't [try for strikeouts], but there were a couple in a row and you start to realize it," said Holt, who struck out the side in each of his final three innings.
The Mets prospect walked two and hit a batter in the most dominating start of his professional career. He lowered his ERA to 1.57, fifth-best in the New York-Penn League.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
From our very own baseball sage,
the Dark Commenteer.
Good thing our starting position players average about 1000 rbi's each, or we'd be in trouble.
All these stats about absurd run scoring have me wondering, why didn't Vince McMahon create XLB, instead of XFL? Think of the possibities:
Catchers can attempt to tackle hitters once they leave the batters box.
Hitters are awarded first base if hit by the pitch, awarded second base if hit in the head, but are automatically out if hit in the solarplexus (First or third base ump have to make the call).
The batting team gets a "safety" who roams the outfield and is allowed to interfere with outfielders trying to play the ball.
Running out of the baseline is completely acceptable. If a baserunner wants to take the long way, be my guest. Slow infielders are just screwed.
Hitters are allowed to drop the bat and catch the pitch with their bare hands. If they pick it clean, they get first base automatically. If they don't catch it clean, they're automatically out. Even knuckleballers will have to fire one in their every now and then to keep the hitters off balance.
In bench clearing brawls, any player who gets his shoes removed is out of the game, even if it only leaves 5 guys to play the field. If a team doesn't have a lot of skilled players, but can goad the opponent into brawls, advantage to the enforcers. Think the bottom of a fumble pile gets rough in the NFL? Imagine what could've been in '86: Kevin Mitchell trying to restrain Eric Davis, so he doesn't get Carter's shoes off.
Managers are allowed two "challenges" per game, if they disagree with an umps call. Instead of the challenge going to the replay room, the outcome is determined on the field: if the manager is able to completely cover home plate with dirt before the four umpires are able to physically restrain him, the call gets overturned. Oh yeah, and the first base and third base coaches get to run interference.
On a Home run, the ball is still live. The batter gets to keep circling the bases for additional runs until the ball is returned to the field of play. Fielders need to hop the fence and go into the stands (that 'll put some teeth back into the green monster--do they get to have grappling hooks and rope?). If fans touch the ball, the umpire can award extra runs based on his own discretion.
Oh, and of course, 3 balls is a walk. Stop nibbling, pitchers. We have some four-platers to enjoy.
it's never easy to get through the bottom of an order without giving up 6 runs. That's why it happens all the time and all pitchers have an ERA around 54.
Good thing our starting position players average about 1000 rbi's each, or we'd be in trouble.
All these stats about absurd run scoring have me wondering, why didn't Vince McMahon create XLB, instead of XFL? Think of the possibities:
Catchers can attempt to tackle hitters once they leave the batters box.
Hitters are awarded first base if hit by the pitch, awarded second base if hit in the head, but are automatically out if hit in the solarplexus (First or third base ump have to make the call).
The batting team gets a "safety" who roams the outfield and is allowed to interfere with outfielders trying to play the ball.
Running out of the baseline is completely acceptable. If a baserunner wants to take the long way, be my guest. Slow infielders are just screwed.
Hitters are allowed to drop the bat and catch the pitch with their bare hands. If they pick it clean, they get first base automatically. If they don't catch it clean, they're automatically out. Even knuckleballers will have to fire one in their every now and then to keep the hitters off balance.
In bench clearing brawls, any player who gets his shoes removed is out of the game, even if it only leaves 5 guys to play the field. If a team doesn't have a lot of skilled players, but can goad the opponent into brawls, advantage to the enforcers. Think the bottom of a fumble pile gets rough in the NFL? Imagine what could've been in '86: Kevin Mitchell trying to restrain Eric Davis, so he doesn't get Carter's shoes off.
Managers are allowed two "challenges" per game, if they disagree with an umps call. Instead of the challenge going to the replay room, the outcome is determined on the field: if the manager is able to completely cover home plate with dirt before the four umpires are able to physically restrain him, the call gets overturned. Oh yeah, and the first base and third base coaches get to run interference.
On a Home run, the ball is still live. The batter gets to keep circling the bases for additional runs until the ball is returned to the field of play. Fielders need to hop the fence and go into the stands (that 'll put some teeth back into the green monster--do they get to have grappling hooks and rope?). If fans touch the ball, the umpire can award extra runs based on his own discretion.
Oh, and of course, 3 balls is a walk. Stop nibbling, pitchers. We have some four-platers to enjoy.
Jose Jose Jose
Clutch time for Mr. Reyes. I'm never thrilled with Jose when he's been hitting as many fly balls as he has recently, but every once in a while it works out. This time, very much so.
Speaking of which, I've been having a radical thought about our lineup. Tell me what you guys think of this:
1 A Reyes
2 Beltran
3 Reyes
4 Wright
5 Delgado
6 Tatis
7 Chavez
8 Schneider/Castro
I was just thinking, I'm so tired of being frustrated that Reyes doesn't hit like a prototypical lead off guy, showing a good eye and plate discipline. Instead, he's a free swinger who goes through long hot and cold streaks, which is more typical of a power/RBI guy. What if we had a high OBP guy at the top of the lineup, and dropped Reyes down to three hole. Hey, he's going to hit as many dingers this year as Mex did in a typical season in the Mets 3-hole. And while he's at 80 dingers in the lead off spot, that could easily be 90's or 100's in the 3 hole. In the 3 hole, he still wouldn't sacrifice that many AB's, but would be in the position to plate a lot more runners. With his good gap power and average HR power, along with his high BA, he could be an excellent 3 hitter, with the speed just being a big plus.
Beltran always said he was most comfortable in the 2-hole, and certainly loves to bunt guys over. And anyways, we need to get the guy back on track, and getting him up in the lineup for some extra AB's and less pressure-packed RBI spots could be good. And Carlos has the speed for the two hole.
The only real drawback is, do we really have a high OBP guy who could leadoff in lieu of Jose? Argenis is just up there b/c I couldn't think of anyone else. But there's got to be someone out there we could get relatively cheap. It seems like there are plenty of high average/low power 2B's in the league. I can't really think of one off the top of my head, but...oh wait--I can think of one: Jeff Keppinger. Wonder what he'd look like in a Mets uniform?
Keppinger
Beltran
Reyes
Wright
Delgado
Tatis
Chavez/F Mart
Schneider/Castro
I like it.
Speaking of which, I've been having a radical thought about our lineup. Tell me what you guys think of this:
1 A Reyes
2 Beltran
3 Reyes
4 Wright
5 Delgado
6 Tatis
7 Chavez
8 Schneider/Castro
I was just thinking, I'm so tired of being frustrated that Reyes doesn't hit like a prototypical lead off guy, showing a good eye and plate discipline. Instead, he's a free swinger who goes through long hot and cold streaks, which is more typical of a power/RBI guy. What if we had a high OBP guy at the top of the lineup, and dropped Reyes down to three hole. Hey, he's going to hit as many dingers this year as Mex did in a typical season in the Mets 3-hole. And while he's at 80 dingers in the lead off spot, that could easily be 90's or 100's in the 3 hole. In the 3 hole, he still wouldn't sacrifice that many AB's, but would be in the position to plate a lot more runners. With his good gap power and average HR power, along with his high BA, he could be an excellent 3 hitter, with the speed just being a big plus.
Beltran always said he was most comfortable in the 2-hole, and certainly loves to bunt guys over. And anyways, we need to get the guy back on track, and getting him up in the lineup for some extra AB's and less pressure-packed RBI spots could be good. And Carlos has the speed for the two hole.
The only real drawback is, do we really have a high OBP guy who could leadoff in lieu of Jose? Argenis is just up there b/c I couldn't think of anyone else. But there's got to be someone out there we could get relatively cheap. It seems like there are plenty of high average/low power 2B's in the league. I can't really think of one off the top of my head, but...oh wait--I can think of one: Jeff Keppinger. Wonder what he'd look like in a Mets uniform?
Keppinger
Beltran
Reyes
Wright
Delgado
Tatis
Chavez/F Mart
Schneider/Castro
I like it.
Fredo reads the MetsGeek open thread
so you don't have to. And there were some gems. First, right as duaner was melting down in the 9th:
After So Taguchi's double off of Feliciano:
In the game's aftermath:
No joke. Way to get Chavez thrown out at the plate *twice* last night. But we were up by 3 in the 9th, so those runs couldn't have been important.
Llamas? Really?
Finally, from the, "it's never as bad as it seems" camp:
Comment posted by 7up17togo on July 22, 2008 at 9:50 pm (#775915)
Monday morning quarterbacking but why was Santana taken out?
Comment posted by wallace on July 22, 2008 at 9:50 pm (#775916)
Manuel needs to pull DS here. This is ridiculous.
Comment posted by Dep on July 22, 2008 at 9:50 pm (#775917)
i’m taking bong hits for this game right now n smitty
After So Taguchi's double off of Feliciano:
Comment posted by Mak on July 22, 2008 at 10:00 pm (#775983)
epic fail.
I hope Santana resigns tomorrow after taking a gigantic dump in the bullpen.
In the game's aftermath:
Comment posted by 7up17togo on July 22, 2008 at 10:37 pm (#776225)
“Let him loose Louie”, is “still learning” as a 3rd base coach. Let him learn in Binghamton
No joke. Way to get Chavez thrown out at the plate *twice* last night. But we were up by 3 in the 9th, so those runs couldn't have been important.
Comment posted by Bob Loblaw on July 22, 2008 at 10:38 pm (#776230)
OMG THIS IS WORSE THAN A TESTICULAR RUPTURE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER TESTICULAR RUPTURE!
Comment posted by Mak on July 22, 2008 at 10:40 pm (#776241)
How about a Kaz Matsui style Anal Fissure?
I wasn’t gonna drink tonight, but I feel like shotgunning a 12-pack after witnessing that bs in the 9th.
TO THE BODEGA.
Comment posted by bcuster on July 22, 2008 at 10:40 pm (#776238)
we’ll we have gone ahead and given the philthes the confidence boost they needed. as “ronnie” would have said; waggerdoodles should have manned up & charged out there.
he is a sissy boy llama farker.
Llamas? Really?
Comment posted by rye jones on July 22, 2008 at 10:04 pm (#776018)
I want to die.
Finally, from the, "it's never as bad as it seems" camp:
Comment posted by Dep on July 22, 2008 at 10:53 pm (#776283)
i just ate so much food and smoked so much pot lol
i bring good news geeks!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Bring it
Tonight is the exact reason we went after Santana: a critical game, tied for first, we need to set the tone for this series starting with tonight's game. Johan needs to shut down the Phils, despite playing in a little league park.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Jayson Stark calls the NL East
Here's his synopsis:
If I line up the Mets and Phillies, I'm hard-pressed to find an area in which I think the Mets are substantially better. The Phillies have outscored them, outpitched them and outfielded them. And you can look that up. I'd take the Phillies' lineup and bullpen over the Mets' lineup and 'pen. And while the Mets may have better starting pitching, the Blanton trade and those never-ending Pedro Martinez questions have narrowed that margin considerably. The Phillies haven't played well for a month now. But the Mets have enough age, health and chemistry issues that I'm still picking the Phillies to win the East.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Wags
"We've been taking such a beating all year long for how we play the game and what we've done wrong and what little we've done right," Mets closer Billy Wagner said. "I love seeing guys who told us two weeks ago how bad we stunk, and now they're going, 'Well, you're in first place.' Yeah."
Yeah.
Yeah.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Are you kidding me?
I'm so disgusted right now.
1. The NL is a joke of a league. A complete farce. They are owned by AL in every way, whether interleague play, All-Star game (12 in a row now), or World Series.
2. Billy Wagner is a joke. I only watched the first few innings of this game but I KNEW he would blow it for NL, just like last year. Who voted him in anyway? You just knew, with 100% certainty, that he was going to come up in a big spot in the game where he could shut it down and he would choke. Total. Complete. Choke.
3. All-star game continues to prove what our recent winning streak also proves and we've known all along: good pitching trumps good hitting. You had the absolute best batters last night, for contact and power, yet the run production was non-existent. So to Omar I continue to say: pitching, pitching, pitching. Our ERA over recent win streak is 0.67, that's why we're winning. Any move he considers should look to bolster pitching.
1. The NL is a joke of a league. A complete farce. They are owned by AL in every way, whether interleague play, All-Star game (12 in a row now), or World Series.
2. Billy Wagner is a joke. I only watched the first few innings of this game but I KNEW he would blow it for NL, just like last year. Who voted him in anyway? You just knew, with 100% certainty, that he was going to come up in a big spot in the game where he could shut it down and he would choke. Total. Complete. Choke.
3. All-star game continues to prove what our recent winning streak also proves and we've known all along: good pitching trumps good hitting. You had the absolute best batters last night, for contact and power, yet the run production was non-existent. So to Omar I continue to say: pitching, pitching, pitching. Our ERA over recent win streak is 0.67, that's why we're winning. Any move he considers should look to bolster pitching.
Monday, July 14, 2008
An intriguing comment by Manuel
On Pelfrey,
That sounds like a big warning shot to Pedro, Ollie, and Maine.
Needling his players via the press. Interesting to see how that one 'll play out.
"Before this season's over," Manuel said, "he's got a chance to leapfrog over some people on our staff."
That sounds like a big warning shot to Pedro, Ollie, and Maine.
Needling his players via the press. Interesting to see how that one 'll play out.
Pelfreyized
While the numbers speak for themselves, I had to like this quote from today's NY Post article:
Heh.
"The few guys that made it to first [base] said this guy's absolutely nasty," Carlos Delgado said with a smile.
Heh.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Manuel
Who knows how this season will end; hopefully the Metties continue their recent tear and go all the way. I don't know if Manuel's a better manager than Willie or a product of an inevitable run of good luck, but I can say he does at least two things differently that I think are important. First, he argues a lot more and shows a lot more life. Where Willie was a lamb and completely unwilling to ever go toe-to-toe with umps, Manuel's already been tossed twice. The players definitely notice and appreciate this support.
Second, he is clearly very cautious about player health and energy. He pulled Jose in that first game, Pedro yesterday, and immediately moved to get some rest for Wright early on. I think this is critical, and it definitely irritated me that Wright and Reyes got so overworked in previous seasons under Willie.
All in all, so far I give positive marks to Manuel. He has definitely addressed many of my criticisms of Willie.
Second, he is clearly very cautious about player health and energy. He pulled Jose in that first game, Pedro yesterday, and immediately moved to get some rest for Wright early on. I think this is critical, and it definitely irritated me that Wright and Reyes got so overworked in previous seasons under Willie.
All in all, so far I give positive marks to Manuel. He has definitely addressed many of my criticisms of Willie.
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Strictly Positive Mets Post
Everyone's picked it up in our shiny new Manuel-mobile.
Lets take stock of everyone who is doing his job well:
1) Pelfrey: First he found his four-seamer, and then he found his confidence. Now he's gone 8 starts without a loss, has won five straight, has an ERA under 4.00, has gone 7 IP his last two, has outdueled one of the NL's best in Lincecum his last time out, is #2 in the league in fewest HR's allowed, and has gone more starts w/o giving up a HR than any Met starter since El Sid. This kid's now looking like the 1st round pick he was, and it only took him 26 mediocre starts (4 in '06, 13 in '07, and 9 this year) to get him there. That's basically 3/4 of a season.
Pelf will probably hit the wall around 175 IP, as so many pitchers do the first time they get there in the majors, but he's a piece of the puzzle that you can have confidence in now for the long term. And from the GM's perspective, he's locked up and cheap, as any home-grown talent is. And let us not forget, Pelf got turned around when Petersen was still here. A nice good-by kiss from Rick P to the Mets from a classy guy and good coach.
2) Beltran: Even though over the past 9 his July average is kind of soft, he's still plated 50 ribeyes since May 1. That's about a 128 RBI per year pace. Plus, he's pulled up his RISP to a respectable .280, which is a huge improvement over where it was earlier this year.
3) Wright: Currently tied for 3rd in the league with 70 RBI. That's pretty respectable and speaks for itself, despite the fact it's been a quiet year and he's probably capable of a lot more.
4) Reyes: .316 in May, .305 in June, and .364 so far in July. Jose Jose Jose has turned it on, and he's scoring runs by the bushel. He's back to being the straw that stirs the drink.
5) Chavez: After a much improved .286 in June, he's hitting .351 so far in July. The two hole agrees with him, and with his patient contact hitting and bunting prowess it's not hard to see why. As always "everyday" Endy seems to come through when the team really needs him.
6) Tatis: I'm eating crow on this one for now. Tatis has been everything you can ask from a fill-in player who you've got out of position. He's played a respectable LF, can spell Delgado at first, is hitting over .300, and has multiple game winning hits. Every winning team needs a b-tier player to step up with some timely big hits, and F Tat's been doing that so far this year.
7) Santana: OK, one could've expected the guy to be better. But let's face it, he's doing his job well. His ERA is under 3 and the Mets still can't buy the guy a win. The run support totals have been embarrasing. He leads the starters in ERA, WHIP, and innings (saving the pen), as an ace should.
Lets take stock of everyone who is doing his job well:
1) Pelfrey: First he found his four-seamer, and then he found his confidence. Now he's gone 8 starts without a loss, has won five straight, has an ERA under 4.00, has gone 7 IP his last two, has outdueled one of the NL's best in Lincecum his last time out, is #2 in the league in fewest HR's allowed, and has gone more starts w/o giving up a HR than any Met starter since El Sid. This kid's now looking like the 1st round pick he was, and it only took him 26 mediocre starts (4 in '06, 13 in '07, and 9 this year) to get him there. That's basically 3/4 of a season.
Pelf will probably hit the wall around 175 IP, as so many pitchers do the first time they get there in the majors, but he's a piece of the puzzle that you can have confidence in now for the long term. And from the GM's perspective, he's locked up and cheap, as any home-grown talent is. And let us not forget, Pelf got turned around when Petersen was still here. A nice good-by kiss from Rick P to the Mets from a classy guy and good coach.
2) Beltran: Even though over the past 9 his July average is kind of soft, he's still plated 50 ribeyes since May 1. That's about a 128 RBI per year pace. Plus, he's pulled up his RISP to a respectable .280, which is a huge improvement over where it was earlier this year.
3) Wright: Currently tied for 3rd in the league with 70 RBI. That's pretty respectable and speaks for itself, despite the fact it's been a quiet year and he's probably capable of a lot more.
4) Reyes: .316 in May, .305 in June, and .364 so far in July. Jose Jose Jose has turned it on, and he's scoring runs by the bushel. He's back to being the straw that stirs the drink.
5) Chavez: After a much improved .286 in June, he's hitting .351 so far in July. The two hole agrees with him, and with his patient contact hitting and bunting prowess it's not hard to see why. As always "everyday" Endy seems to come through when the team really needs him.
6) Tatis: I'm eating crow on this one for now. Tatis has been everything you can ask from a fill-in player who you've got out of position. He's played a respectable LF, can spell Delgado at first, is hitting over .300, and has multiple game winning hits. Every winning team needs a b-tier player to step up with some timely big hits, and F Tat's been doing that so far this year.
7) Santana: OK, one could've expected the guy to be better. But let's face it, he's doing his job well. His ERA is under 3 and the Mets still can't buy the guy a win. The run support totals have been embarrasing. He leads the starters in ERA, WHIP, and innings (saving the pen), as an ace should.
Nice sweep
After brooming the New York Gothams San Francisco Giants out of town, the Mets are now at 4 over .500. That matches their high-water mark of the season under Willie.
I think this is an important moment for the squad. You only get the "new manager bounce" for about a month or two, before the "new car smell" goes away. We need to take advantage of it while it's here, and break out of the "around .500 level" we've been at.
Win the series against the Rox, and we're at a new high-water mark for the year, and Manuel's clearly got the team sailing in the right direction at the break. Lose the series against the Rox, and we're still in the same range of win % that we had with Willie, and we'll go into the break feeling trapped in the never-ending game of one step forward, two steps back.
Notice to the squad: keep your focus. Don't start imagining your vacations or golf outings just yet. Keep the mo' going, and beat a team you should beat at home.
These are challenging circumstances for a manager, so Jerry 'll have his hands full the next 3 days to keep the team on point.
I think this is an important moment for the squad. You only get the "new manager bounce" for about a month or two, before the "new car smell" goes away. We need to take advantage of it while it's here, and break out of the "around .500 level" we've been at.
Win the series against the Rox, and we're at a new high-water mark for the year, and Manuel's clearly got the team sailing in the right direction at the break. Lose the series against the Rox, and we're still in the same range of win % that we had with Willie, and we'll go into the break feeling trapped in the never-ending game of one step forward, two steps back.
Notice to the squad: keep your focus. Don't start imagining your vacations or golf outings just yet. Keep the mo' going, and beat a team you should beat at home.
These are challenging circumstances for a manager, so Jerry 'll have his hands full the next 3 days to keep the team on point.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
No Gnus is Good Gnus
Several days have ellapsed since the last post. That can only mean one thing:
winning streak, baby!
Lets all just maintain blogging silence and maybe we'll continue to close on the Philthies.
winning streak, baby!
Lets all just maintain blogging silence and maybe we'll continue to close on the Philthies.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Something to chew on
At the All-Star break we're only 3.5 games back. Not bad, but more a product of how poor the NL East is. Consider this: if we were in the AL Central we'd be 7 games back; in the NL Central or AL West we'd be ~9 games back; and in the AL East a whopping 11.5 games back.
At the same time, we'd be in first place by 0.5 game in the NL West. That division is a disgrace.
At the same time, we'd be in first place by 0.5 game in the NL West. That division is a disgrace.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Mets-Phils, game 3, Liveblogged!
You know you wanted it. Liveblog baby!
An Interesting 1st:
Perez kicks things off in typical Ollie fashion, walking the leadoff hitter.
Luckily, he made up for it by picking Werth off 1st base. Too bad Delgado couldn't get the ball out of his mitt and Werth took 2nd anyway.
Then you have Wright and Reyes staring each other down after Wright caught Utley's infield pop. What the heck was that about? Will this team every be able to get in order with Jose and Wright both with a claim to the "franchise player?"
Schneider tries to throw behind Werth at 3rd base allowing Rollins to move into scoring position. Odd play.
Perez then comes back to K Howard. Perez is so good at getting into and getting out of trouble, that it's tough to figure whether Burrell will knock in the two ducks on the pond.
Ollie gets ahead 0-2. Nice work.
Ollie gets it done, inducing Burrell to foul out to Delgado. Nice work by Ollie to gut through some bad fielding, and Rollins shot off of his calf.
Top 2:
Delgado blows. Easley, Anderson, and Schneider get 3 straight hits to load the bases. Pitcher pops to 3rd.
Jose Jose Jose with one of those game-chaning early game at bats. Do Mets give their pitcher a nice 2 or 3 run lead to start the game with?
3 ducks on the pond, c'mon Jose.
Meek fly out. Nice work.
Bottom 2:
Ollie needed 29 pitches to get through the 1st. Guess the pen better be ready, as usual.
More atrocious fielding. Marlon Anderson just flat missed a fly ball to left-center. Good thing he waved off Beltran. 2-base error to kick things off, putting Feliz in scoring position. What the heck is going on today?
Nice play by Jose to run down a fly ball a good ways down the left field line. One down.
Ump's got a weird strike zone.
HOLY COW! What a crazy catch Endy Chavez just made in right. Run saver, lead saver, maybe a game saver (if any 2nd inning play can qualify as such).
K to end the inning. Once again, Ollie works around a RISP.
BTW, anyone else wondering what happened to Angel Pagan? Just b/c he wasn't the everyday solution for LF, I'd rather have him fielding out there than career infielders like Easley or Anderson, or Chris "Who?" Aguila?
Top 3:
Endy goes quietly, 4-to-3. Wright just gets under one, and pops to left.
Beltran sends a line drive rocket over the fence for a lead. Key. Way to get out in front.
Delgado works a single. Nice to see the team still pushing for a rally and not being satisfied after taking the lead.
Easley goes to a full count, after the 3-0 pitch looked high for ball four, just like Chavez earlier this inning. Easley smokes one to center but it hangs up for Victorino.
Those navy blue stars-and-stripes hats the Metties have been wearing this series have really grown on me.
Hey, looks like the Wimbledon final is turning into a real barn burner. Federer comes back from 2 sets down, by way of two tiebreakers, to force a 5th and deciding set. Might have to flip for the next few minutes.
Top 4:
Ollie seems to have settled in. Easy bottom half last inning. Nice what a lead can do.
Marlon grounds out.
4 pitch walk to Schneider.
Nice work by Ollie bunting Schneider to 2nd.
Reyes up with RISP and 2 outs. Line single to left. Nice work. Unfortunately, too hard hit for lumbering Brian Schneider to come in. He's held at 3rd.
Big spot for Endy.
And...
a dribbler back to the pitcher. 3rd time in three innings we've stranded RISP.
In the words of Teddy K, "Hanging around, hanging around."
Bottom 4:
Once again the Phils have a RISP. Burrell got on with a broken bat liner, and a WP moved him to second with 1 out.
Ollie just dialed it up to 97 MPH to K Feliz. In the word of Ben Stein, "wow."
Jumped ahead 0-2 on Victorino, pegging the outside corner and then the inside corner with ole #1. Cohen says Ollie's "dealing." Is that going to be a problem with management?
Popped him up to foul ground, chased down by Delgado. Ollie's on a roll.
Top 5:
Wright lines a single. Beltran hits into a FC. One out, one on.
Delgado takes the count full. Nice K for Car-lost. Beltran swipes 2nd on the K. So RISP with two outs. Here we go again. Easley up. He's smoked two so far today. One more would be nice.
Beltran swipes 3rd without a throw. Interesting. Easley gets ahead in the count, 3-1. This guy keeps trying to nibble. Outside corner coming here, no doubt. Indeed it was. But he missed low. 1st and 2nd, 2 outs.
OK, Marlon, two ducks on the pond. Beltran at 3rd, Easley at 1st. Lets make up for your embarrasing play in the 2nd. Nibble, nibble, nibble. Kendrick ties up Marlon on an inside slider. Then goes back to well and misses inside. Now he misses off the inside corner with a fastball. This guy is scard to challenge. Two seamer drops down low. OK, Marlon, you're in the catbird seat now, 3-1. Here comes the inside corner fastball. Nope. He goes outside corner, and Marlon turns it over gently to Utley at second. 4-to-3.
Hanging around. Hanging around.
Bottom 5:
Ollie looking to strand a runner at 1st with 2 outs and Utley up. Be nice to face Howard next inning as a lead-off guy, no one on base.
Induces the ground out off his hands to first.
Looks like we're getting the Olde-New-Old-Ollie today, the dominant one. I like this one much better than the New-Old-Ollie.
He's in line for the W as of now.
Top 6
Schneider lines a rope to Howard at first for an out. He's had a few hard hit balls today. I've like what I've seen with Manuel going to more of a platoon behind the plate to get the best hitting matchups for his catchers.
With one out in the 6th and the pitcher up for the Mets, the Phils have the first bullpen activity of the day. Odd.
Perez strikes out, missing on a fastball that was way high and out of the strike zone. Would've been ball four. BTW, button your uniform Ollie! You look horrible.
Kendrick back to nibbling away with Jose up. 2-0.
Drops a little slider at the knees down the middle. Jose's just looking. 2--1.
Good eye. Kendrick nibbles inside and misses. A little homer coming up?
Nope. Just a tapper foul. Full count.
Jose protects, fouling off a low fastball. Probably a ball but you can't take it with this ump calling low strikes.
Nice! Jose stings a grounder over the 3rd base bag for a stand-up double.
Guess what? RISP with 2 outs, just like every inning but one (the 3rd, IIRC). We've yet to convert. Here's Endy's chance.
1-1. Why were they warming up if they're letting Kendrick stay in here? There's that quirky strike zone. Pitch looked low AND inside, but they call it strike 2.
Bounces a breaking pitch in the dirt. 2-2.
Fastball away? Yup. Endy fouls it off, staying alive.
Kendrick comes back in, and Chavez rolls it over to Howard at first, who takes it to the bag himself. 5 times in this game we've stranded runners in scoring position, and we've yet to drive any runners in.
Top 7:
Guess what? RISP with two outs. Easley up again. Beltran on second.
Chopper to Utley. Makes it 6 out of 7 innings we've stranded a RISP.
Bottom 7:
Tremendous play up the middle by Jose to get Victorino at first. Keeping the leadoff hitter off the bases, and a speedy runner at that, definitely huge.
Perez holds 'em scoreless through 7. That's just tremendous.
8th:
Can we hold on? Looks like we're entering pen time.
Tatis PH's for Marlon and grounds out. Same for Schneider, who was looking fastball and topped Romero's slider out to second. Two outs.
Well, the upside of a 1-2-3 inning is that we won't strand any runners. With Chris "who?" aguila pinch hitting, I'm guessing 1-2-3 looks pretty likely.
Full count. Romero out of the stretch. Lost the fastball outside. Aguila walks. One on, two out, Jose coming up.
Romero picks "who" off of first base. Nice work, big guy.
Well, no one got stranded in the 8th!
I guess we'll get Duaner, who will be looking to make amends for Friday night.
8th:
Sanchez gets one of three hitters he faces. 1st and 2nd, one out, Feliciano coming in to face Howard, and we're on rain delay.
This live blog is over, but this game ain't. Will all the missed chances cost the Metties?
An Interesting 1st:
Perez kicks things off in typical Ollie fashion, walking the leadoff hitter.
Luckily, he made up for it by picking Werth off 1st base. Too bad Delgado couldn't get the ball out of his mitt and Werth took 2nd anyway.
Then you have Wright and Reyes staring each other down after Wright caught Utley's infield pop. What the heck was that about? Will this team every be able to get in order with Jose and Wright both with a claim to the "franchise player?"
Schneider tries to throw behind Werth at 3rd base allowing Rollins to move into scoring position. Odd play.
Perez then comes back to K Howard. Perez is so good at getting into and getting out of trouble, that it's tough to figure whether Burrell will knock in the two ducks on the pond.
Ollie gets ahead 0-2. Nice work.
Ollie gets it done, inducing Burrell to foul out to Delgado. Nice work by Ollie to gut through some bad fielding, and Rollins shot off of his calf.
Top 2:
Delgado blows. Easley, Anderson, and Schneider get 3 straight hits to load the bases. Pitcher pops to 3rd.
Jose Jose Jose with one of those game-chaning early game at bats. Do Mets give their pitcher a nice 2 or 3 run lead to start the game with?
3 ducks on the pond, c'mon Jose.
Meek fly out. Nice work.
Bottom 2:
Ollie needed 29 pitches to get through the 1st. Guess the pen better be ready, as usual.
More atrocious fielding. Marlon Anderson just flat missed a fly ball to left-center. Good thing he waved off Beltran. 2-base error to kick things off, putting Feliz in scoring position. What the heck is going on today?
Nice play by Jose to run down a fly ball a good ways down the left field line. One down.
Ump's got a weird strike zone.
HOLY COW! What a crazy catch Endy Chavez just made in right. Run saver, lead saver, maybe a game saver (if any 2nd inning play can qualify as such).
K to end the inning. Once again, Ollie works around a RISP.
BTW, anyone else wondering what happened to Angel Pagan? Just b/c he wasn't the everyday solution for LF, I'd rather have him fielding out there than career infielders like Easley or Anderson, or Chris "Who?" Aguila?
Top 3:
Endy goes quietly, 4-to-3. Wright just gets under one, and pops to left.
Beltran sends a line drive rocket over the fence for a lead. Key. Way to get out in front.
Delgado works a single. Nice to see the team still pushing for a rally and not being satisfied after taking the lead.
Easley goes to a full count, after the 3-0 pitch looked high for ball four, just like Chavez earlier this inning. Easley smokes one to center but it hangs up for Victorino.
Those navy blue stars-and-stripes hats the Metties have been wearing this series have really grown on me.
Hey, looks like the Wimbledon final is turning into a real barn burner. Federer comes back from 2 sets down, by way of two tiebreakers, to force a 5th and deciding set. Might have to flip for the next few minutes.
Top 4:
Ollie seems to have settled in. Easy bottom half last inning. Nice what a lead can do.
Marlon grounds out.
4 pitch walk to Schneider.
Nice work by Ollie bunting Schneider to 2nd.
Reyes up with RISP and 2 outs. Line single to left. Nice work. Unfortunately, too hard hit for lumbering Brian Schneider to come in. He's held at 3rd.
Big spot for Endy.
And...
a dribbler back to the pitcher. 3rd time in three innings we've stranded RISP.
In the words of Teddy K, "Hanging around, hanging around."
Bottom 4:
Once again the Phils have a RISP. Burrell got on with a broken bat liner, and a WP moved him to second with 1 out.
Ollie just dialed it up to 97 MPH to K Feliz. In the word of Ben Stein, "wow."
Jumped ahead 0-2 on Victorino, pegging the outside corner and then the inside corner with ole #1. Cohen says Ollie's "dealing." Is that going to be a problem with management?
Popped him up to foul ground, chased down by Delgado. Ollie's on a roll.
Top 5:
Wright lines a single. Beltran hits into a FC. One out, one on.
Delgado takes the count full. Nice K for Car-lost. Beltran swipes 2nd on the K. So RISP with two outs. Here we go again. Easley up. He's smoked two so far today. One more would be nice.
Beltran swipes 3rd without a throw. Interesting. Easley gets ahead in the count, 3-1. This guy keeps trying to nibble. Outside corner coming here, no doubt. Indeed it was. But he missed low. 1st and 2nd, 2 outs.
OK, Marlon, two ducks on the pond. Beltran at 3rd, Easley at 1st. Lets make up for your embarrasing play in the 2nd. Nibble, nibble, nibble. Kendrick ties up Marlon on an inside slider. Then goes back to well and misses inside. Now he misses off the inside corner with a fastball. This guy is scard to challenge. Two seamer drops down low. OK, Marlon, you're in the catbird seat now, 3-1. Here comes the inside corner fastball. Nope. He goes outside corner, and Marlon turns it over gently to Utley at second. 4-to-3.
Hanging around. Hanging around.
Bottom 5:
Ollie looking to strand a runner at 1st with 2 outs and Utley up. Be nice to face Howard next inning as a lead-off guy, no one on base.
Induces the ground out off his hands to first.
Looks like we're getting the Olde-New-Old-Ollie today, the dominant one. I like this one much better than the New-Old-Ollie.
He's in line for the W as of now.
Top 6
Schneider lines a rope to Howard at first for an out. He's had a few hard hit balls today. I've like what I've seen with Manuel going to more of a platoon behind the plate to get the best hitting matchups for his catchers.
With one out in the 6th and the pitcher up for the Mets, the Phils have the first bullpen activity of the day. Odd.
Perez strikes out, missing on a fastball that was way high and out of the strike zone. Would've been ball four. BTW, button your uniform Ollie! You look horrible.
Kendrick back to nibbling away with Jose up. 2-0.
Drops a little slider at the knees down the middle. Jose's just looking. 2--1.
Good eye. Kendrick nibbles inside and misses. A little homer coming up?
Nope. Just a tapper foul. Full count.
Jose protects, fouling off a low fastball. Probably a ball but you can't take it with this ump calling low strikes.
Nice! Jose stings a grounder over the 3rd base bag for a stand-up double.
Guess what? RISP with 2 outs, just like every inning but one (the 3rd, IIRC). We've yet to convert. Here's Endy's chance.
1-1. Why were they warming up if they're letting Kendrick stay in here? There's that quirky strike zone. Pitch looked low AND inside, but they call it strike 2.
Bounces a breaking pitch in the dirt. 2-2.
Fastball away? Yup. Endy fouls it off, staying alive.
Kendrick comes back in, and Chavez rolls it over to Howard at first, who takes it to the bag himself. 5 times in this game we've stranded runners in scoring position, and we've yet to drive any runners in.
Top 7:
Guess what? RISP with two outs. Easley up again. Beltran on second.
Chopper to Utley. Makes it 6 out of 7 innings we've stranded a RISP.
Bottom 7:
Tremendous play up the middle by Jose to get Victorino at first. Keeping the leadoff hitter off the bases, and a speedy runner at that, definitely huge.
Perez holds 'em scoreless through 7. That's just tremendous.
8th:
Can we hold on? Looks like we're entering pen time.
Tatis PH's for Marlon and grounds out. Same for Schneider, who was looking fastball and topped Romero's slider out to second. Two outs.
Well, the upside of a 1-2-3 inning is that we won't strand any runners. With Chris "who?" aguila pinch hitting, I'm guessing 1-2-3 looks pretty likely.
Full count. Romero out of the stretch. Lost the fastball outside. Aguila walks. One on, two out, Jose coming up.
Romero picks "who" off of first base. Nice work, big guy.
Well, no one got stranded in the 8th!
I guess we'll get Duaner, who will be looking to make amends for Friday night.
8th:
Sanchez gets one of three hitters he faces. 1st and 2nd, one out, Feliciano coming in to face Howard, and we're on rain delay.
This live blog is over, but this game ain't. Will all the missed chances cost the Metties?
Not Too Shabby
Last night was an interesting game to watch for a few reasons. The Mets seem to have addressed most of their shortcomings in one game.
Not scoring early runs? Notched one in the first (despite Davey's rally-killer dp).
Giving up after losing said lead? Not last night. Rally enforced.
Giving the opposing defense a break by not punishing them for their mistakes? No breaks here--the Phills paid for their errors.
Lame offense with ducks on the pond? Again, last night they came through.
Terrified when the bullpen gets the call? Solid, if not spectacular.
Now don't get me wrong--I'm not saying that they're gonna go on a tear and win the Series but they did pretty much everything right last night (especially after doing something wrong...). They took an early lead, not by being solid but by taking advantage of miscues. Maine was outstanding, with the exception of one pitch to Howard (how he can can throw 103 pitches in 5 2/3 and only give up one hit and two walks still confounds me--never seen so many foul balls). After giving up the lead, the immediately came back. And best of all, they didn't seem to be content with just getting a one-run lead back--they stepped on the Phills collective throats and choked the life outta them.
This game was a morale-crusher for Philly. They looked helpless in the late innings and clearly wanted to just go home (for which the weather was also a factor, I'm sure). We've seen this from our own squad waaaay too many times this season so it's easy to recognize.
It'll be interesting to see how both teams respond today. The early start after a late finish could be a big factor--will the Phills have a chance to clear their heads? Will the Mets carry momentum for once? Can Ollie beat down anyone other than the Yanks?
I know one thing--I'll be watching the CW at 1p to find out (or tuned in to the FAN if I've gotta go out--but you get the point...).
Let's turn this ship around!!!
Not scoring early runs? Notched one in the first (despite Davey's rally-killer dp).
Giving up after losing said lead? Not last night. Rally enforced.
Giving the opposing defense a break by not punishing them for their mistakes? No breaks here--the Phills paid for their errors.
Lame offense with ducks on the pond? Again, last night they came through.
Terrified when the bullpen gets the call? Solid, if not spectacular.
Now don't get me wrong--I'm not saying that they're gonna go on a tear and win the Series but they did pretty much everything right last night (especially after doing something wrong...). They took an early lead, not by being solid but by taking advantage of miscues. Maine was outstanding, with the exception of one pitch to Howard (how he can can throw 103 pitches in 5 2/3 and only give up one hit and two walks still confounds me--never seen so many foul balls). After giving up the lead, the immediately came back. And best of all, they didn't seem to be content with just getting a one-run lead back--they stepped on the Phills collective throats and choked the life outta them.
This game was a morale-crusher for Philly. They looked helpless in the late innings and clearly wanted to just go home (for which the weather was also a factor, I'm sure). We've seen this from our own squad waaaay too many times this season so it's easy to recognize.
It'll be interesting to see how both teams respond today. The early start after a late finish could be a big factor--will the Phills have a chance to clear their heads? Will the Mets carry momentum for once? Can Ollie beat down anyone other than the Yanks?
I know one thing--I'll be watching the CW at 1p to find out (or tuned in to the FAN if I've gotta go out--but you get the point...).
Let's turn this ship around!!!
Friday, July 04, 2008
Phils 3, Mutts 2
I tuned into this gem right after the Mets took the 2-0 lead, so I saw zero Mets offense. And when I say zero, I mean less than zero.
Durbin comes into the game, relieving the immortal J.A. Happ (who, BTW, blanked us through 4), and gets 7 in a row, with 6 K's. Madsen pitches a scoreless 8th. Lidge gets 'em 1-2-3 in the 9th on a grand total of 5 pitches. 5 effin pitches. With some legendeary efforts like Church popping to the pitching mound and Marlon Anderson rolling a swinging bunt to Howard standing on the bag at first.
So the O was just pitiful.
Then there was the D.
I witnessed the Phillies rally in the 6th. A couple of clutch rbi singles for Howard (through the hole vacated by the shift) and Burrell, but let's be honest--the inning only happened because Chris Aguila (who? who-the-ef is this guy that Manuel started in LF against the Phillies in a crucial game?) decided not to take two steps in to field Werth's lazy liner to left. Nope. Playing it on a hop was effort enough, thank you very much. And not for nothing, but the same scrub should have been able to make the play close on Utley (the tying run) at the plate--he fielded the ball before Utley had even gotten to third. And Utley scored easily.
Well, at least I saw Santana pitch a dominant game. No joke. Aside for a couple of punch singles that ignited a rally, he was retiring everyone and making them look silly. Before that 6th inning rally, he had a 1-2-3 fifth. He came back from that 6th inning rally to retire the next 7. He pitched 8 inning, 2 run ball, in only 95 pitches. That's under 12 pitches an inning, and that's despite throwing well over 20 in the 6th.
Which leads me to the big WTF question of the night. Why not pitch Santana in the 9th? He didn't come to bat in the 8th, wasn't pinch hit for. At 12 pitches per inning, what was Manuel scared Johan's pitch count would get up to 107? Santana had retired 7 in a row when they pulled him, and had been absolutely dominant all game but for one inning. Let your ace do his job, and give him a chance to win the game.
Instead, we come back with Duaner, who pukes it up immediately. And BTW, this ain't Monday Morning QB'ing. I was annoyed the minute I saw Sanchez on the mound, as was everyone else--SNY ran a text message poll if pulling Santana was the right move: 84% said no.
Well, it's a darn good thing we got rid Randolph. Now we get to have our cake and eat it too: the .471 baseball we crave, AND a "gangsta" running the club.
Durbin comes into the game, relieving the immortal J.A. Happ (who, BTW, blanked us through 4), and gets 7 in a row, with 6 K's. Madsen pitches a scoreless 8th. Lidge gets 'em 1-2-3 in the 9th on a grand total of 5 pitches. 5 effin pitches. With some legendeary efforts like Church popping to the pitching mound and Marlon Anderson rolling a swinging bunt to Howard standing on the bag at first.
So the O was just pitiful.
Then there was the D.
I witnessed the Phillies rally in the 6th. A couple of clutch rbi singles for Howard (through the hole vacated by the shift) and Burrell, but let's be honest--the inning only happened because Chris Aguila (who? who-the-ef is this guy that Manuel started in LF against the Phillies in a crucial game?) decided not to take two steps in to field Werth's lazy liner to left. Nope. Playing it on a hop was effort enough, thank you very much. And not for nothing, but the same scrub should have been able to make the play close on Utley (the tying run) at the plate--he fielded the ball before Utley had even gotten to third. And Utley scored easily.
Well, at least I saw Santana pitch a dominant game. No joke. Aside for a couple of punch singles that ignited a rally, he was retiring everyone and making them look silly. Before that 6th inning rally, he had a 1-2-3 fifth. He came back from that 6th inning rally to retire the next 7. He pitched 8 inning, 2 run ball, in only 95 pitches. That's under 12 pitches an inning, and that's despite throwing well over 20 in the 6th.
Which leads me to the big WTF question of the night. Why not pitch Santana in the 9th? He didn't come to bat in the 8th, wasn't pinch hit for. At 12 pitches per inning, what was Manuel scared Johan's pitch count would get up to 107? Santana had retired 7 in a row when they pulled him, and had been absolutely dominant all game but for one inning. Let your ace do his job, and give him a chance to win the game.
Instead, we come back with Duaner, who pukes it up immediately. And BTW, this ain't Monday Morning QB'ing. I was annoyed the minute I saw Sanchez on the mound, as was everyone else--SNY ran a text message poll if pulling Santana was the right move: 84% said no.
Well, it's a darn good thing we got rid Randolph. Now we get to have our cake and eat it too: the .471 baseball we crave, AND a "gangsta" running the club.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
One up, one down
One up: is it possible that Pedro's suck-itude this year is because of tipped pitches? Possibly:
As he suspected, Pedro Martinez determined he was tipping his pitches in his past two starts - both lopsided losses.
Martinez makes his first start tonight since getting tagged by the Yankees last Friday, and new pitching coach Dan Warthen is predicting a Pedro rebirth.
"His stuff is better than it has been in two years," Warthen said yesterday. "He's in the low 90s, and all of his pitches are in order. He still has pinpoint control. I'm telling you, he's about to take off."
I'll see it when I believe it, but it would be good to sort out whether he's stunk this year due to (a) residual injury he's not disclosing, (b) just getting old and no longer good, or (c) tipped pitches.
One down: After causing alarms to go off Monday by citing "dead arm" as a reason for his awful showing in a 7-1 loss to the Cardinals, John Maine wondered yesterday what all fuss was about.
"It's no big deal," he said. "It's just a little fatigue."
Hmmm, no big deal? If Maine were older and/or had pitched more innings, I'd agree, it's expected and no big deal. When you're only 27 and have thrown as few innings as he has this year (only 98 so far, 29th in NL, averaging just under 6 IP per outing), I'd say fatigue showing up this early IS a concern.
As he suspected, Pedro Martinez determined he was tipping his pitches in his past two starts - both lopsided losses.
Martinez makes his first start tonight since getting tagged by the Yankees last Friday, and new pitching coach Dan Warthen is predicting a Pedro rebirth.
"His stuff is better than it has been in two years," Warthen said yesterday. "He's in the low 90s, and all of his pitches are in order. He still has pinpoint control. I'm telling you, he's about to take off."
I'll see it when I believe it, but it would be good to sort out whether he's stunk this year due to (a) residual injury he's not disclosing, (b) just getting old and no longer good, or (c) tipped pitches.
One down: After causing alarms to go off Monday by citing "dead arm" as a reason for his awful showing in a 7-1 loss to the Cardinals, John Maine wondered yesterday what all fuss was about.
"It's no big deal," he said. "It's just a little fatigue."
Hmmm, no big deal? If Maine were older and/or had pitched more innings, I'd agree, it's expected and no big deal. When you're only 27 and have thrown as few innings as he has this year (only 98 so far, 29th in NL, averaging just under 6 IP per outing), I'd say fatigue showing up this early IS a concern.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Something to think about
When a career .276 batter comes back after suffering two concussions in the same season, hasn't played in weeks, and is STILL a better batter than you, it might be time to step back and wonder why you suck so hard. Or maybe you could just ponder Ryan Church's awesomeness. Either way.
Another game...
...another loss.
Another pathetic fielding effort.
Another pathetic pitching effort.
Another pathetic batting effort.
Cost to own and operate a 40-42 team in 3rd place that is a perennial underperformer: $137 M.
Cost to own and operate a 50-32 team with the best record in baseball: $43 M.
Another pathetic fielding effort.
Another pathetic pitching effort.
Another pathetic batting effort.
Cost to own and operate a 40-42 team in 3rd place that is a perennial underperformer: $137 M.
Cost to own and operate a 50-32 team with the best record in baseball: $43 M.
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