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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