A Beautiful Day For a Ball Game- Lets Play One

And then one at night. Here’s an idea. We’ll call it a double header but we’ll make the people leave and come back so we can double the money we’d get for making it an old fashioned double header. Here’s an idea. How about next year the Mets keep Shea open, play half their home games there but sell tickets at both stadiums for every game. Don’t announce where each game will be played. That way not only would they double the revenue but also make it a fun game for the fans. Would they go to Shea and see a game or find a full stadium but have the game be at Citi field that day. But seriously, what happened to regular double headers, one ticket + two games= one good day.
Now on to the baseball. The first game was text- book offense with a decent performance by Santana (6 innings pitched -3 earned runs). And how about my man Carlos Delgado going 3 for 4 with one home run and one RBI. Carlos is showing signs over this past week of breaking out of his slump. I’m not saying it was because of me, but he really seemed to pick it up right after my post telling the Mets fans to stop booing him.

In the second game, Pelfrey pitched well (6 innings 2 earned runs) but who are we kidding. He’s no Bronson Arroyo who came into the game with an 8.63 ERA but went 8 innings and gave up 1earned run. Arroyo pitched very well including a streak of 13 runners retired in a row but he was also pretty lucky, considering the Mets and especially David Wright were hitting the ball hard but right at men in red jerseys. Not to mention the 2 errors the Mets committed in the 9th inning that could have gotten them out of the inning with a chance to win in the bottom half.

In the meantime the Florida Marlins continue to tear through the National League and they are not eeking out wins. They are blowing teams out, scoring 11 runs today and winning 11-0.

WHAT'S WITH THE BOOING

A good win on my first visit to Shea starting a new streak for me after my 4 game winning streak was broken up by the Cubbies last year. A solid game all around, from when I called the pitch and the spot Beltran's RBI double in the third. Not to mention the bullpen holding up, even with a Heilman appearance. But after this game I have two major bones to pick. The first and less serious is I did not realize the 8th inning sing-a-long is I’m a Believer by the Monkees, I assumed Springsteen’s Waitin’ on A Sunny Day would be chosen but apparently not. Also on a slightly more serious note, WHAT’S WITH THE BOOING!!!. It’s OK to boo Reyes, when he doesn’t run out a ground ball, or Benny Agbayani when he makes a bonehead play and gives the ball to a fan on the second out of the inning, but why boo Delgado a man who very clearly goes 100% every game and every work out but is just suffering the repercussions of a long career. And why boo Aaron Heilman who also has done nothing to deserve booing. Also by booing the fans are hurting the team, considering Delgado batted 63 points higher on the road than at home last year. Basically the fans are injuring Delgado, so if you want to keep hurting the team keep booing but if you want them to win I strongly suggest you stop.

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Where's The Book?

I’VE DONE IT. I have finally figured out the solution to all the Mets problems. Pitch Figueroa everyday and play Santana at first base, then bring him in for relief at which time Raul Casanova will come in at first. Just kidding, but as much as used to love watching Delgado make entries into his home-run journal, I now see that book about as often as the Professor Klump guide to weight loss. I have heard on the radio that Moises Alou is a potential first baseman, which would, if Moises Alou can stay healthy plug a huge hole at first base. Another bad game for the second coming of Armando Benitez retiring just one batter but giving up 2 runs including one homer and Jorge Sosa who got 3 WHOLE OUTS but still gave up a run. Call me an optimist but I am still not worried, If Joe Smith can come around like he has been doing and Sanchez can return to early 2006 form, Feliciano can continue his roll as lefty specialist and Wagner can close it up, the pen should be all right. The Mets start a series with the Braves tomorrow in which the Bullpen will be continue to be tested by the tough Braves line-up, let’s see if they can hold up.

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The Next Mike Hampton

Johan Santana must have missed the memo when he transferred from the AL to the NL that stated the fact that even though he will now TECHNICALLY have a spot in the order, the norm is that he never actually hit the ball. That’s the only explanation for this former Cy Young, future silver slugger, new found career as a batter (he went 2 for 2 today with a walk). Not to mention his 7 inning two run performance to improve to a 3 and 2 record with a 3.12 ERA. Showing exactly what the Mets, or any team, will need down the stretch this year, a stopper who after a losing steak can step up and single-handedly carry the Metropolitans to victory. An all around good game today, with the exception of David Wright who was 0 for 4 but when you win 7 to 2 who really cares?

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You Had to Have Figueroaed It

Well, you had to know it was too good to last. You had to know Nelson Figueroa was not the second coming of Cy Young. After a great pair of starts to begin his career as a major league New York Met you had to know that he couldn’t keep it up (a la Tyler Clippard). A man I still laugh about after watching him drop off the radar after one impressive start against the Mets. But, the Cubs also have a very, very good line up with a better heart of the order than most people give them credit for. But 5 innings 3 earned is not that bad but once again it is the bullpen who not only has proven their ability to lose leads but also proving their in-ability to keep the Metropolitans in game. This is potentially a bigger issue. And I have started to feel the same way about Aaron Heilman as I used to about Armando Benitez- a ton of talent but he just can’t put it together.
But, on a more positive note since my last post, the hitting has picked up and Reyes has retained that infectious smile and love of the game. All in all the Cubs are a good team so a two game sweep is not a disaster. Over the next three days the Mets will play the Nationals, a team they must beat 90% of the time if they want to be a World Series contender. Once again, I am not yet worried about the state of the bullpen but if they don’t pick it up panic may set in.

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Enter Blandman

The only question that honestly remains in my mind after this debacle of a game is, whether the Mets bullpen can retire the Mets one through 4 batters. Over the last two games the starters, Santana and Perez have pitched a combined 12 and two-thirds innings and given up one run giving them and ERA of .7. In those same games, the bullpen has pitched 5.1 innings and given up 7 earned runs, giving them an ERA of 12.3. In my opinion, this game lays 100% on the shoulders of the men in the pen. However, the 1 through 4 batters do not get a free pass. Over these same last two pitiful losses they have gone a combined 2 for 28 given them a batting average of 71. Just to put it in perspective, Al Leiter had a career batting average of 85, 14 points better than the Mets one through 4 hitters have done over these last two games. But if the starters keep giving up 0 or 1 run a game the 1-4 hitters shouldn’t have to go crazy. But, it's a long season and I'm not worried yet.

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Not What He Had In MInd

Lets go through the line up shall we.

Jose Reyes- All Star
Louis Castillo- Former All Star
David Wright- All Star
Carlos Beltran- All Star
Carlos Delgado- Former All Star
Ryan Church
Angel Pagan
Brian Schneider

The last 3 are all not expected to hit be big run producers and Delgado had a good day but it will be difficult to win if the first 4 hitters in the order go a combined 0 for 13. Not to mention I can’http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gift remember the last time Louis Castillo got up to the plate and didn’t
A-Hit a one bouncer to the second or first baseman
B-Bunt
C-Strikeout

Reyes, Castillo, Wright and Beltran should all apologize to Johan Santana because you can’t pitch much better than he did today and get a loss. (7 innings pitched one run earned, ERA of 1.4). Also, it seems unfair to give him a loss when he had one earned run and the Mets scored one run. The loss SHOULD go to Aaron Heilman who gave up two runs on a two run shot of Teixeira in the 8th. Well tomorrow the Mets second ace (Oliver Perez) goes and maybe the Mets 1 through 4 hitters can, maybe, just maybe scratch across one measly hit and lead the Mets to their third victory.

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And The Oscar Goes To...Shaq???

What if Shaq had been a good actor? He would have received Oscars for rolls in Kazaam and Blue Chips and went on to a career as a famous actor, never playing basketball again the Lakers would have never won a championship and the sports world would be a totally different place. In years to come we may look back on the call, originally butchered call by second base umpire Brian Gorman in today’s game. On a ball roped out to center by Jose Reyes Gorman claimed the ball was caught when in actuality in dropped in for what would have been a base hit. Later this call was reversed and the Mets ended up scoring two in the inning. However, if this call corrected originally the Mets score two on this play and possibly open up a lead and go on to win the game. However, this was not to be and the Braves were able to retain a 4-3 lead coming out of the fifth inning. Only to set up for Jorge Sosa to play the roll of Armando Benitez later in the 7th inning giving up a grand slam to Kelly Johnson and give the Mets no chance of winning the game. I’m not trying to blame this one on the umps, Hudson tossed a gem and the Braves bats were alive but, that’s why they play 162.

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Pedro WHO?

Pedro WHO? That is all I could think as I watched Oliver Perez mow down Marlin hitter after Marlin hitter. Now of course, typical Mets when they need 5 runs in a game they score 4 but when they need 1 they score 13 the bakers dozen, but how can you complain after a 13-0 win. Also Ryan Church really shoved it in the face of the fan at a spring training game I attended in which after a weak Tim Hudson ground ball the fan yeld out “Hey Church, he hits like you”, dropping two bombs and leading the Mets to a 2-0 win. Now all Church has to do is teach himself to hit righty, you know, just to balance out the order a little. My only question after this game is why uses Wagner? It’s not like he’s in mid-season form and you don’t want him to cool off or get stale. He hadn’t thrown a pitch yet.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif Why not save him so he’s at 100% for the Braves series? Given, he will probably be back to snuff by then anyway but the whole move doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me. But a win is a win is a win. Now if we can finally win a series against the Braves before August we might be in better shape down the stretch. Series starts on Friday with John Maine against Tim Hudson.

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Less Happy Hammy Day

What a coincidence that my second post of both seasons is relating to injured hamstrings of ace quality pitchers. You may recall that last year my second post was entitled Happy Hammy Day and poked fun at the injured Yankee pitching staff and their new up and coming "aces". However, this year it is a much more somber post, due to the fact that Pedro Martinez has injured his hammy and may be out of the staff for a while. Now to add insult to injury the Mets could not even come up with a victory after battling with the Marlins for 10 innings Matt Wise gave up a round tripper to Matt Andino. Furthermore the Mets made me want to VandenHURL after they did not absolutely wreck this Dutch Marlins pitcher Rick VandenHurk. You know who the last decent Dutch Pitcher was,Sidney Ponson
who had just short of an embarrassing Major League career. As frustrated as I am I know we still got 160 more.

Adios Profesor, Hola Ganador

Finally back, after typing a few practice posts about the for the New Orleans Zephyrs I am no back and ready to cover the big show. And I must say what a way to start the Johan Santana era, a big win over the Fish. After being nervous all day after being nervous about whether the Mets would show shades of last seasons collapse, (which was mostly due to poor play against the Marlins). The new, less eccentric Mets came out and played a near perfect game. And as excited as I was for the win I must say I was a little upset when I read the article in Sports Illustrated about Reyes toning it down a notch, cutting the Professor Reyes routine and the post dinger 3 and a half minute hand shakes but hey, YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME and that is just what the boys did today.

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