This isn't looking too good. The Braves completed their four-game sweep of the Mets tonight, or today, or whenever in God's time zone it was, 4-2. Even Johan Santana was not immune to the Turner Field mojo. The Mets had a 2-1 lead entering the 7th, but the Braves rallied for three run off The Johan, slapping five hits off him before he got an inning-ending double-play grounder from Jeff Franc(aeiou)r. The Mets managed to hit into two double-plays in their final two at-bats off starter Tim Hudson and closer Manny Acosta. The Braves improved their home record to an astounding 20-5 (still a half game worse than the Red Sox at Fenway - that's a lot of happy fans singing "Sweet Caroline").
Does it matter any more where we stand? We suck. Willie Randolph is about to get shit-canned, and for his sake, I hope he does. This team is morose, moribund, somnambulent, and not coincidentally, old and slow. Carlos Delgado is a husk of his former self. Carlos Beltran, while still a great centerfielder, looks lost at the plate, despite his homer today. David Wright cannot hit righties any more. Luis Castillo is HORRIBLE, and should be fired immediately. Jose Reyes is inconsistent and doesn't seem to really care that much. Only Ryan Church and Brian Schneider are playing up to or beyond what we thought they were capable of. Outside of John Maine, Johan Santana, and Billy Wagner, the pitchers are unreliable and more often maddeningly wild and awful. And none of this can be solved. Omar traded away every decent farm-hand aside from Fernando Martinez, and he isn't anywhere near ready to contribute. We're going to be this way all year - one three-game winning streak followed by four or five games where we can't score, can't pitch, or make bone-head plays.
Vaya con Dios, Willie. Let someone else take charge of this morass. You'd be much better off unemployed.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
THE HELLSCAPE THAT IS ATLANTA
I'm in Hawaii. Why? Because it's what I do.
Yesterday, the Mets played the role of Anna Kournikova (only not as hot) in an early '90's WTA tennis match, while the Braves were Monica Seles, with the Braves winning in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. We could go over the details, but it would depress me. Tom Glavine won game 1, to give you an idea of just how depressing it was. That's as far as we need to go.
Today, while I was luxuriating on board an 8 hour flight to Honolulu (well, luxuriating is a bit far, but they do give you hot fudge sundaes in BusinessFirst, so it wasn't bad), the Mets were getting pounded by Atlanta again, 11-4. As before, details would only serve as downers.
That puts our Metsies at 22-22, or .500 if you are math-challenged. We are squarely in fourth place, holding off the Nats by only four games. We aren't good. Even if by some chance Petey comes back, we're still not that good. Hey, what do you know, we're playing the Braves again tomorrow! Thank goodness I'll be at work while that happens.
Yesterday, the Mets played the role of Anna Kournikova (only not as hot) in an early '90's WTA tennis match, while the Braves were Monica Seles, with the Braves winning in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. We could go over the details, but it would depress me. Tom Glavine won game 1, to give you an idea of just how depressing it was. That's as far as we need to go.
Today, while I was luxuriating on board an 8 hour flight to Honolulu (well, luxuriating is a bit far, but they do give you hot fudge sundaes in BusinessFirst, so it wasn't bad), the Mets were getting pounded by Atlanta again, 11-4. As before, details would only serve as downers.
That puts our Metsies at 22-22, or .500 if you are math-challenged. We are squarely in fourth place, holding off the Nats by only four games. We aren't good. Even if by some chance Petey comes back, we're still not that good. Hey, what do you know, we're playing the Braves again tomorrow! Thank goodness I'll be at work while that happens.
Monday, May 19, 2008
DID I MISS ANYTHING?
I'm back from LA and Saratoga Springs. We had a wonderful time losing money at both the harness races and the Preakness, and regaling each other with stories about my late Uncle Joe, whose remains were interred at the Saratoga National Cemetery (he was a Navy man).
The Mets lost 3 of 4 to the pesky (G)Nats while I was away, which prompted a much-celebrated and profane diatribe from our closer, Mr. William Wagner. After the Mets 1-0 defeat in game four of the series, in which Billy did not appear, he was asked to comment on the team's fortunes. He mused on why he was being interrogated, since he didn't even play. He then asked, rhetorically, "Why don't you ask those guys?", pointing to the lockers of Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Luis Castillo, who had already left the stadium. "Oh, they aren't there," said Billy. "Big fucking surprise."
This led to a round of navel-gazing from the larger New York media about Latin players forming cliques and ducking interviews, using their limited knowledge of English as an excuse, which led to more introspection about racism and group dynamics and calling out one's teammates, which eventually resulted in the solving of everyone's problems and a peaceful, productive world. Ha! Well, at least we beat the fucking Yankees two out of two, so who cares about the rest of it?
I saw part of Game 1 at The Stadium Cafe in downtown Saratoga Springs. This was actually the scheduled Game 2, because Game 1 had been rained out. I believe they will end up playing Game 1 as part of a two-stadium, day-night doubleheader in June. Johan Santana started the game against Andy Pettitte, and was touched up for a Derek Jeter (Peter Eater) two-run homer in the first. Pettitte held the Mets scoreless until the 4th, when Ryan Church, Beltran, and David Wright all singled to start the inning, and then Brian Schneider walked home a run and Castillo hit one of his patented infield singles to give the Mets a lead they would not relinquish.
Jose Reyes and Wright hit Yankee Stadium short-porch homers in the 7th off million-dollar-arm-ten-cent-head reliever Kyle Farnsworth to make it 6-2, and then Santana gave up two more homers, to Giambi and Abreu before Wagner finished the game with a four-out save and a 7-4 final. So, how do you like him, now, NY media?
Game 2 was a Sunday night ESPN affair, which is probably why they didn't play a doubleheader yesterday. Gotta keep ESPN happy with well-rested players! I only caught the first couple innings, having just returned from New York State after an interminable 5 hour layover at Newark Liberty (oh, the irony) Airport. It was 0-0 at that point, with Chien Ming Wang looking unhittable and Joe Morgan prattling on that it was better to walk a guy with two outs than with none out (really, Joe? That's an amazing insight. You would think that Baseball Prospectus hadn't figured out the run expectancy of every possible baserunner/out situation and calculated that a man on first with none out resulted in an average of 0.783 runs while a runner on first with two outs resulted in an average of 0.209 runs, but they have in fact done that, and we all know that, so nice try!) I decided to catch up on my DVR recordings, and by the time I got back, the Mets led 4-2, with a couple of clutch two-out singles by Moises Alou and Delgado in the 4th. Oliver Perez immediately surrendered a two-run jack by Hideki Matsui in the bottom of the inning, but again, the Mets never trailed, as Ryan Church homered in the 6th and the Mets teed off on some guy who will be heading back to Scranton-Wilkes-Barre soon named Ross Ohlendorf for the final four runs of a six-run 8th to post an 11-2 drubbing of the last-place Yankees. "Last-place Yankees". Mmm, it sounds so sweet.
The Mets are now a game back of the Marlins, tied with the Phillies for second place in the NL East. The Fish are starting to return to at least near-Earth orbit, having lost five of six to the likes of the Reds and Royals. They move on to play the D-Backs and the Giants at home before traveling to play us and the Phillies. I suspect their grip on first place will relent by the weekend, and now it's up to us and the Phillies as to who will take over. We have a pretty tough schedule coming up, starting with the Braves in Atlanta followed by the Rockies in Denver, and then the Marlins and Dodgers at home. The Phillies have it easier, with Washington there, the Astros at Minute Maid, and then home for the Rockies and Marlins.
Can I say it again? "Laaaast-plaaaaace Yaaaaankeeeeeees." Gotta savor it!
The Mets lost 3 of 4 to the pesky (G)Nats while I was away, which prompted a much-celebrated and profane diatribe from our closer, Mr. William Wagner. After the Mets 1-0 defeat in game four of the series, in which Billy did not appear, he was asked to comment on the team's fortunes. He mused on why he was being interrogated, since he didn't even play. He then asked, rhetorically, "Why don't you ask those guys?", pointing to the lockers of Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Luis Castillo, who had already left the stadium. "Oh, they aren't there," said Billy. "Big fucking surprise."
This led to a round of navel-gazing from the larger New York media about Latin players forming cliques and ducking interviews, using their limited knowledge of English as an excuse, which led to more introspection about racism and group dynamics and calling out one's teammates, which eventually resulted in the solving of everyone's problems and a peaceful, productive world. Ha! Well, at least we beat the fucking Yankees two out of two, so who cares about the rest of it?
I saw part of Game 1 at The Stadium Cafe in downtown Saratoga Springs. This was actually the scheduled Game 2, because Game 1 had been rained out. I believe they will end up playing Game 1 as part of a two-stadium, day-night doubleheader in June. Johan Santana started the game against Andy Pettitte, and was touched up for a Derek Jeter (Peter Eater) two-run homer in the first. Pettitte held the Mets scoreless until the 4th, when Ryan Church, Beltran, and David Wright all singled to start the inning, and then Brian Schneider walked home a run and Castillo hit one of his patented infield singles to give the Mets a lead they would not relinquish.
Jose Reyes and Wright hit Yankee Stadium short-porch homers in the 7th off million-dollar-arm-ten-cent-head reliever Kyle Farnsworth to make it 6-2, and then Santana gave up two more homers, to Giambi and Abreu before Wagner finished the game with a four-out save and a 7-4 final. So, how do you like him, now, NY media?
Game 2 was a Sunday night ESPN affair, which is probably why they didn't play a doubleheader yesterday. Gotta keep ESPN happy with well-rested players! I only caught the first couple innings, having just returned from New York State after an interminable 5 hour layover at Newark Liberty (oh, the irony) Airport. It was 0-0 at that point, with Chien Ming Wang looking unhittable and Joe Morgan prattling on that it was better to walk a guy with two outs than with none out (really, Joe? That's an amazing insight. You would think that Baseball Prospectus hadn't figured out the run expectancy of every possible baserunner/out situation and calculated that a man on first with none out resulted in an average of 0.783 runs while a runner on first with two outs resulted in an average of 0.209 runs, but they have in fact done that, and we all know that, so nice try!) I decided to catch up on my DVR recordings, and by the time I got back, the Mets led 4-2, with a couple of clutch two-out singles by Moises Alou and Delgado in the 4th. Oliver Perez immediately surrendered a two-run jack by Hideki Matsui in the bottom of the inning, but again, the Mets never trailed, as Ryan Church homered in the 6th and the Mets teed off on some guy who will be heading back to Scranton-Wilkes-Barre soon named Ross Ohlendorf for the final four runs of a six-run 8th to post an 11-2 drubbing of the last-place Yankees. "Last-place Yankees". Mmm, it sounds so sweet.
The Mets are now a game back of the Marlins, tied with the Phillies for second place in the NL East. The Fish are starting to return to at least near-Earth orbit, having lost five of six to the likes of the Reds and Royals. They move on to play the D-Backs and the Giants at home before traveling to play us and the Phillies. I suspect their grip on first place will relent by the weekend, and now it's up to us and the Phillies as to who will take over. We have a pretty tough schedule coming up, starting with the Braves in Atlanta followed by the Rockies in Denver, and then the Marlins and Dodgers at home. The Phillies have it easier, with Washington there, the Astros at Minute Maid, and then home for the Rockies and Marlins.
Can I say it again? "Laaaast-plaaaaace Yaaaaankeeeeeees." Gotta savor it!
Monday, May 12, 2008
WHO'S UP, DUSTY?
I'm typing this on my BlackBerry while waiting for my LA flight. I have first class on this trip, which on an Embraer is indistiguishable from coach on a large jet, and I only paid 15,000 miles! Hey, it didn't cost me personally anything, so why not?
Needless to say, I will be dispensing with any exhaustive recaps on this weekend's games. The Mets won the day half of a day/night doubleheader on Saturday against the Reds behind a largely ineffective Johan Santana, who labored through six shaky innings. The Mets clubbed around Reds starter Matt Belisle and pretty much anybody else they brought in to win by a final of 12-6.
The night game wasn't as kind to the New Yorkers. The formerly hittable Bronson Arroyo, perhaps better known as the front man of The Bronson Arroyo Band, stymied the Mets with a nasty drop-down slider, and Mike Pelfrey, though better than usual, still wasn't good enough. Billy Wagner had his worst outing of the year, yielding three unearned runs in the 9th following an error by David Wright. The final was 7-1.
On Sunday, both teams broke out the newly-traditional pink bats (and less-traditional pink sweatbands) in honor of Mother's Day and breast cancer awareness. Pink or not, the ones the Mets got had plenty of life in them, as Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church went deep off Reds rookie Johnny Cueto. The Reds climbed back to make it 6-3 at one point before the Mets tacked on two insurance runs for the 8-3 final.
The notable part of this game involved the Reds batting out of order in the 9th inning. How does this happen in 2008? Reds skipper Dusty Baker double-switched a few too many times, confusing himself and his players, though not Willie Randolph or the umpires. I missed this whole debacle because I had to go to my rec league soccer game (more on that particular debacle later), but evidently, David Ross was supposed to be in the 9 hole and Corey Patterson was supposed to be hitting 8th. Ross led off the inning with Patterson on deck, and lined out. Patterson then came up, and as soon as he took a pitch, Willie came out of the dugout and pointed out the error, making Patterson out. Since Ross was batting out of order to start the inning, he had to bat again in his actual spot, and he singled. Ryan Freel and Joey Votto then finished the inning and the game with two groundouts. That inning more or less cemented the idea in Reds fans minds that their team is not merely dreadful, but a pathetic joke as well. The "Fire Dusty" web sites should be chewing up a lot of bandwidth this week.
Now on to rec league soccer. I checked the league web site several times on Sunday to make sure the game wasn't canceled for Cinco De Mayo, or winded out, or some other such nonsense, and as far as I could tell, it was still on. My wife and I showed up early, at about 3 pm for a 3:30 game. I looked around, but didn't see anybody familiar. We took a seat in our folding chairs along a random sideline until the team captain showed up. 3:15 passed by, then 3:20, then 3:25, still nobody. We saw the opponents arrive and start setting on the opposite sideline from where we were, so that looked encouraging. Finally, the ref asked me if I' m the captain, I say, "Uh, no." Now it's 3:30, and ABSOLUTELY NOBODY ELSE from my team is there. The ref asks, "Are you in the Army? Because you're an Army of one!" Since the ref's kid is on the other team, he decided that we would have a scrimmage. Oh great, six-on-six, on a full regulation soccer field, for 90 minutes. My life was flashing before my eyes. I'm hard-pressed to finish an 11-on-11 game with ample substitutions.
It wasn't that bad, since nobody tried very hard, and they were all pretty cool. I even scored a goal and got to play goalie for a while. Still, NOT ONE of my so-called teammates bothers to show up? What the hell is that? I mean, if they all decided to forfeit, why didn't they tell the league organizer, so she could update the web site, or tell me, or at least tell the other team so they could choose to show up or not. Bastards. Well, I'll be on a plane while next Sunday's game is going on, so they can drag their asses up and down the pitch without my help.
Needless to say, I will be dispensing with any exhaustive recaps on this weekend's games. The Mets won the day half of a day/night doubleheader on Saturday against the Reds behind a largely ineffective Johan Santana, who labored through six shaky innings. The Mets clubbed around Reds starter Matt Belisle and pretty much anybody else they brought in to win by a final of 12-6.
The night game wasn't as kind to the New Yorkers. The formerly hittable Bronson Arroyo, perhaps better known as the front man of The Bronson Arroyo Band, stymied the Mets with a nasty drop-down slider, and Mike Pelfrey, though better than usual, still wasn't good enough. Billy Wagner had his worst outing of the year, yielding three unearned runs in the 9th following an error by David Wright. The final was 7-1.
On Sunday, both teams broke out the newly-traditional pink bats (and less-traditional pink sweatbands) in honor of Mother's Day and breast cancer awareness. Pink or not, the ones the Mets got had plenty of life in them, as Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church went deep off Reds rookie Johnny Cueto. The Reds climbed back to make it 6-3 at one point before the Mets tacked on two insurance runs for the 8-3 final.
The notable part of this game involved the Reds batting out of order in the 9th inning. How does this happen in 2008? Reds skipper Dusty Baker double-switched a few too many times, confusing himself and his players, though not Willie Randolph or the umpires. I missed this whole debacle because I had to go to my rec league soccer game (more on that particular debacle later), but evidently, David Ross was supposed to be in the 9 hole and Corey Patterson was supposed to be hitting 8th. Ross led off the inning with Patterson on deck, and lined out. Patterson then came up, and as soon as he took a pitch, Willie came out of the dugout and pointed out the error, making Patterson out. Since Ross was batting out of order to start the inning, he had to bat again in his actual spot, and he singled. Ryan Freel and Joey Votto then finished the inning and the game with two groundouts. That inning more or less cemented the idea in Reds fans minds that their team is not merely dreadful, but a pathetic joke as well. The "Fire Dusty" web sites should be chewing up a lot of bandwidth this week.
Now on to rec league soccer. I checked the league web site several times on Sunday to make sure the game wasn't canceled for Cinco De Mayo, or winded out, or some other such nonsense, and as far as I could tell, it was still on. My wife and I showed up early, at about 3 pm for a 3:30 game. I looked around, but didn't see anybody familiar. We took a seat in our folding chairs along a random sideline until the team captain showed up. 3:15 passed by, then 3:20, then 3:25, still nobody. We saw the opponents arrive and start setting on the opposite sideline from where we were, so that looked encouraging. Finally, the ref asked me if I' m the captain, I say, "Uh, no." Now it's 3:30, and ABSOLUTELY NOBODY ELSE from my team is there. The ref asks, "Are you in the Army? Because you're an Army of one!" Since the ref's kid is on the other team, he decided that we would have a scrimmage. Oh great, six-on-six, on a full regulation soccer field, for 90 minutes. My life was flashing before my eyes. I'm hard-pressed to finish an 11-on-11 game with ample substitutions.
It wasn't that bad, since nobody tried very hard, and they were all pretty cool. I even scored a goal and got to play goalie for a while. Still, NOT ONE of my so-called teammates bothers to show up? What the hell is that? I mean, if they all decided to forfeit, why didn't they tell the league organizer, so she could update the web site, or tell me, or at least tell the other team so they could choose to show up or not. Bastards. Well, I'll be on a plane while next Sunday's game is going on, so they can drag their asses up and down the pitch without my help.
Friday, May 09, 2008
A PENNY BURNED
The Mets blew out the Dodgers 12-1 on getaway day, smacking Brad Penny around in the 2nd and 5th innings and saddling him with 10 earned runs by the time he was mercifully pulled. He had a 3.19 ERA coming in, and 4.79 going out. John Maine, conversely, lowered his ERA from 3.48 to 3.00, tossing 8 and a third innings before being relieved by Duaner Sanchez. Ryan Church hit his 6th homer, and second in the series (we won't mention the one he allowed by sitting on his ass on the warning track - oh, I guess we will).
Everybody else but the Nats won in the NL East, so nothing changed in the standings. The Reds bring their 4.59 team ERA to Shea for the weekend. We get Matt Belisle, Bronson Arroyo, and rookie Johnny Cueto, three of their least effective starters. Time to muscle up.
Everybody else but the Nats won in the NL East, so nothing changed in the standings. The Reds bring their 4.59 team ERA to Shea for the weekend. We get Matt Belisle, Bronson Arroyo, and rookie Johnny Cueto, three of their least effective starters. Time to muscle up.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
A.B.B. - 189
REPUBLICANS - TCP calls the North Carolina and Indiana primaries for John McCain. I love going out on a limb like that. What an adrenaline rush! Ok, so Johnny Mac is waiting for his coronation in Minneapolis in September. He's been out making some speeches in mostly Democratic areas, like New Orleans and Memphis, screwing up the difference between Sunnis and Shi'ites, endorsing a gas tax holiday that everyone with any sense is excoriating, and denying affairs with lobbyists. Other than that, his campaign is catching fire. Well, he is pulling even with Obama and Clinton, but one gets the feeling this is because we still don't know who he's running against. Once that gets sorted out, those polls should probably drift back to the 8-10 point spread we had been seeing. I think in the end, he'll get trounced in the popular vote, by 10% or more, but narrowly lose or maybe even win the Electoral College. That should be interesting.
DEMOCRATS
Barack Obama - Everybody is saying he clinched it last night, so I will too. It's like chicken soup; it couldn't hurt. I pretty much just want this to be over, and since I can't see Obama conceding, that means I want Obama to win. I think he's earned it in a lot of ways, with pledged delegates, popular votes, grace under the fire of 100 million hits on Jeremiah Wright YouTube videos, etc. As I mentioned above, though, he'll be hard-pressed to sway any tossup or weak Republican states to his side. Hillary may be right that he can't win the Electoral College while she can.
Hillary Clinton - She might as well fight to the end. The Senate is not doing anything of substance other than contemplating more tax rebates during Bush's lame duck year, and she might even win. It would only take about 80 superdelegates to switch allegiances to turn the count around to her favor. She and Bill must have at least that many with skeletons in their closets.
DEMOCRATS
Barack Obama - Everybody is saying he clinched it last night, so I will too. It's like chicken soup; it couldn't hurt. I pretty much just want this to be over, and since I can't see Obama conceding, that means I want Obama to win. I think he's earned it in a lot of ways, with pledged delegates, popular votes, grace under the fire of 100 million hits on Jeremiah Wright YouTube videos, etc. As I mentioned above, though, he'll be hard-pressed to sway any tossup or weak Republican states to his side. Hillary may be right that he can't win the Electoral College while she can.
Hillary Clinton - She might as well fight to the end. The Senate is not doing anything of substance other than contemplating more tax rebates during Bush's lame duck year, and she might even win. It would only take about 80 superdelegates to switch allegiances to turn the count around to her favor. She and Bill must have at least that many with skeletons in their closets.
MMM, MMM, BAD
I went to bed at 7 pm last night due to an ailing stomach from eating bad Campbell's soup I bought at Wal-Mart (I hope Google gets all of that). Needless to say, I didn't watch MTV reality star Blake DeWitt's lumber around the bases while Ryan Church sat stunned on the warning track. I also missed Moises Alou stealing home. What, did he go in with his hands waving and Russell Martin didn't want to get urine all over himself? I'll have to check that one on video later. The Mets smacked around Hiroki Kuroda but couldn't touch Hong Chi-Kuoh or Takaishi Saito (the Dodgers will soon be known as the Los Angeles Toyota Four-Runner Dodgers). The final score was 5-4 thanks to DeWitt's inside-the-park job. If MTV had filmed that play, it would have been less exciting than most scenes in "The Hills", it took so long. Nelson Figueroa's ERA is settling out at replacement level, just as I suspected it would.
The Phillies lost, keeping the margin at 1-1/2 games, but the Mets record is now 16-15, and we are in fourth place, tied with Atlanta. We do have seven games with the Reds and Nats, though, and we need to get healthy in that stretch. Interleague starts after that with the Yankees at the Stadium, followed by Atlanta and Colorado on the road, then Florida and the Dodgers at home, and then another West Coast trip. The Mets have to make three separate California trips before the All-Star break because of the Angels being on the schedule. I'm only making two this year, and I don't have to exert myself, other than to eat vendor dinners. Hey, it's not easy downing a dessert after beer, appetizers, and a complete entree, you know! That has nothing to do with my stomach ache, yesterday, of course. That was all Campbell's and Wal-Mart (one more shot, Google, don't let me down).
The Phillies lost, keeping the margin at 1-1/2 games, but the Mets record is now 16-15, and we are in fourth place, tied with Atlanta. We do have seven games with the Reds and Nats, though, and we need to get healthy in that stretch. Interleague starts after that with the Yankees at the Stadium, followed by Atlanta and Colorado on the road, then Florida and the Dodgers at home, and then another West Coast trip. The Mets have to make three separate California trips before the All-Star break because of the Angels being on the schedule. I'm only making two this year, and I don't have to exert myself, other than to eat vendor dinners. Hey, it's not easy downing a dessert after beer, appetizers, and a complete entree, you know! That has nothing to do with my stomach ache, yesterday, of course. That was all Campbell's and Wal-Mart (one more shot, Google, don't let me down).
THE RAVINES
That sure wasn't worth staying up for. And I didn't. The Mets fell 5-1 at Dodger Stadium last night well after I was in bed. Oliver Perez eschewed the walk for the long ball, surrendering homers to Rafael Furcal, Matt Kemp, and some guy named Blake DeWitt, who sounds like he is starring on one of those faux reality shows on MTV in his spare time. The Amazins managed a run on five hits and four walks off the guy that I watched live, Chad Billingsley. Billingsley struck out 12 the night I was there, but only managed four K's last night. They aren't giving out any free pizza in either case, just so you know.
The Phillies manhandled the D-Backs and are now 1-1/2 games clear. We temporarily dropped behind the Marlins, who didn't play. Tonight, Blake DeWitt and his girlfriend Carly Haverford hang out at a restaurant and exchange monosyllabic conversation punctuated by awkward silences while eating spinach fettucine. Riveting television!
The Phillies manhandled the D-Backs and are now 1-1/2 games clear. We temporarily dropped behind the Marlins, who didn't play. Tonight, Blake DeWitt and his girlfriend Carly Haverford hang out at a restaurant and exchange monosyllabic conversation punctuated by awkward silences while eating spinach fettucine. Riveting television!
PLANE CRAZY
Well, maybe we'll school them. It was a pretty good weekend in the desert, as the Mets took two of three from the young and formidable Snakes. Game 1 was pretty much a laugher from the outset. Jose Reyes led off with a triple, and everything went downhill from there for would-be Rick Ankiel impersonator Micah Owings. The D-Backs got two runs back off John Maine in the second, but that was all they could muster for the whole game. Maine went six strong, and Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano and Duaner Sanchez were scoreless in the final three for a 7-2 final. I was in the Minneapolis Airport until about the 7th when my plane finally took off (my 7:11 pm flight left at 11 pm CDT!) I had to shut down my laptop at about 10 pm to make sure I didn't miss the boarding announcements. They bumped me to first class, so I officially cannot complain. I think that's in my frequent flyer contract somewhere, near where it says, "This airline makes no promises of actual transportation whatsoever."
Game 2 was a laugher in the other direction. The guffawing started as soon as Duaner Sanchez entered the game in the 8th with the Mets trailing 5-4. At least for once it wasn't Heilman! Carlos Delgado had only recently hit a three-run homer off Arizona ace Brandon Webb to put the Mets within hailing distance, but the usually reliable Sanchez had a major meltdown, giving up five singles, a walk, and a wild pitch in 1/3 of an inning before Scotty Schoeneweis finished the inning and allowed three more runners to score to give Arizona a 10-4 victory. I missed this entire game because of those wonderful MLB.TV blackout rules. They read like the frequent flyer contract; "MLB.TV makes no promise of actual entertainment delivered whatsoever." Well, I only would have been able to watch it on Fox on a tiny TV screen at Retama Park, where I was betting on (and losing my shirt on) the Kentucky Derby. Stupid chalk. RIP Eight Belles, you ran a hell of a race.
The rubber game (starring Royce Ring - that's an old joke from my Phillies blog a couple of years ago) featured Johan Santana and Danny Haren. The D-Backs have two aces, plus Randy Johnson, so we were bound to get at least one if not two of them. David Wright wasn't too impressed, hitting a massive homer to left to make it 2-0 in the 4th. Catcher Chris Snyder hit a (literally) ringing triple off the top of the fence in left to make the score 2-1, and then after a bases-loaded escape by Santana in the 6th, Joe Smith immediately surrendered the lead on a hit, a walk, and a broken-bat dunker by Mark Reynolds. I joined the game in progress right as Santana was getting out of the 6th, after buying some sweet new cross-trainers with the money I didn't win at the track.
The game stayed tied 2-2 until the 9th, and I was figuring the Mets bullpen would come up with another way to lose, especially after Chad Qualls and his 0.00 ERA made his appearance. Carlos Beltran and Moises Alou (looking pretty good for an old man) greeted Qualls with singles, and as Delgado was coming up, everyone in the known universe was thinking double play. Carlos tapped a roller to 1st, and Conor Jackson wheeled to throw to second. I was thinking, well, it was probably hit too slowly for a DP, so the worst we'll get is 1st and 3rd. How about 1st and 2nd and a run in? Jackson's throw zoomed over the head of Augie Ojeda into left field, scoring Beltran and sending about 10,000 people out into the 110 degree heat of their parked cars. Brian Schneider moved the runners up with a sac bunt, and then Bob Melvin elected to walk Luis Castillo to load the bases for another possible DP. Marlon Anderson would have none of it, smashing a first-pitch pinch-hit single (#67 of his career) to right for the fourth run, and Jose Reyes followed with a a sac fly for the final score of 5-2. Chad Qualls new ERA: 0.51.
With the Phillies and Marlins winning, the Phils maintained their half-game lead over us and Florida. The Braves are 11-4 at home, and 4-11 on the road! The Phils have to go in to Chase Field and try to beat these guys now, while we head off to LA, in between my trips there. A bunch of co-workers are going to the Tuesday game with tickets I bought for them. So cruel.
Game 2 was a laugher in the other direction. The guffawing started as soon as Duaner Sanchez entered the game in the 8th with the Mets trailing 5-4. At least for once it wasn't Heilman! Carlos Delgado had only recently hit a three-run homer off Arizona ace Brandon Webb to put the Mets within hailing distance, but the usually reliable Sanchez had a major meltdown, giving up five singles, a walk, and a wild pitch in 1/3 of an inning before Scotty Schoeneweis finished the inning and allowed three more runners to score to give Arizona a 10-4 victory. I missed this entire game because of those wonderful MLB.TV blackout rules. They read like the frequent flyer contract; "MLB.TV makes no promise of actual entertainment delivered whatsoever." Well, I only would have been able to watch it on Fox on a tiny TV screen at Retama Park, where I was betting on (and losing my shirt on) the Kentucky Derby. Stupid chalk. RIP Eight Belles, you ran a hell of a race.
The rubber game (starring Royce Ring - that's an old joke from my Phillies blog a couple of years ago) featured Johan Santana and Danny Haren. The D-Backs have two aces, plus Randy Johnson, so we were bound to get at least one if not two of them. David Wright wasn't too impressed, hitting a massive homer to left to make it 2-0 in the 4th. Catcher Chris Snyder hit a (literally) ringing triple off the top of the fence in left to make the score 2-1, and then after a bases-loaded escape by Santana in the 6th, Joe Smith immediately surrendered the lead on a hit, a walk, and a broken-bat dunker by Mark Reynolds. I joined the game in progress right as Santana was getting out of the 6th, after buying some sweet new cross-trainers with the money I didn't win at the track.
The game stayed tied 2-2 until the 9th, and I was figuring the Mets bullpen would come up with another way to lose, especially after Chad Qualls and his 0.00 ERA made his appearance. Carlos Beltran and Moises Alou (looking pretty good for an old man) greeted Qualls with singles, and as Delgado was coming up, everyone in the known universe was thinking double play. Carlos tapped a roller to 1st, and Conor Jackson wheeled to throw to second. I was thinking, well, it was probably hit too slowly for a DP, so the worst we'll get is 1st and 3rd. How about 1st and 2nd and a run in? Jackson's throw zoomed over the head of Augie Ojeda into left field, scoring Beltran and sending about 10,000 people out into the 110 degree heat of their parked cars. Brian Schneider moved the runners up with a sac bunt, and then Bob Melvin elected to walk Luis Castillo to load the bases for another possible DP. Marlon Anderson would have none of it, smashing a first-pitch pinch-hit single (#67 of his career) to right for the fourth run, and Jose Reyes followed with a a sac fly for the final score of 5-2. Chad Qualls new ERA: 0.51.
With the Phillies and Marlins winning, the Phils maintained their half-game lead over us and Florida. The Braves are 11-4 at home, and 4-11 on the road! The Phils have to go in to Chase Field and try to beat these guys now, while we head off to LA, in between my trips there. A bunch of co-workers are going to the Tuesday game with tickets I bought for them. So cruel.
Friday, May 02, 2008
SO MUCH FOR THAT IDEA
Yeah, "make it snappy". I knew that would come back to bite me in the ass.
I'm here in Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, or MSP as we cool kids call it. I may never leave again. The flight home was supposed to depart at 7:11. Then it was 8:33. Then it was 9:33. Then it was 9:43. Now it is 10:15. The last time I checked anyway. It's probably now being scheduled for sometime in 2012 (at 11:17 - love the exact minutes). At some point, Northwest needs to just come clean and admit that they were planning to abscond with the fares and jet off to Rio. On any other airline.
The Mets are about to get schooled by the blazing-hot Arizona Diamondbacks, a far superior team with several pitchers that are hitting better than Carlos Delgado. I'm hoping I don't get to watch much of it, but I could probably grab a flight to Arizona, catch the ending, fly back to MSP and make my flight home.
I'm paying $7.95 for this blog entry, so how about you reader(s) send me some cash? I take PayPal.
I'm here in Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, or MSP as we cool kids call it. I may never leave again. The flight home was supposed to depart at 7:11. Then it was 8:33. Then it was 9:33. Then it was 9:43. Now it is 10:15. The last time I checked anyway. It's probably now being scheduled for sometime in 2012 (at 11:17 - love the exact minutes). At some point, Northwest needs to just come clean and admit that they were planning to abscond with the fares and jet off to Rio. On any other airline.
The Mets are about to get schooled by the blazing-hot Arizona Diamondbacks, a far superior team with several pitchers that are hitting better than Carlos Delgado. I'm hoping I don't get to watch much of it, but I could probably grab a flight to Arizona, catch the ending, fly back to MSP and make my flight home.
I'm paying $7.95 for this blog entry, so how about you reader(s) send me some cash? I take PayPal.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
SHORT STOP
I'm heading home a day early! I have to catch a 6:40 am flight tomorrow morning, so I am no mood to write much. The Mets split with the Buc-os, winning a 5-4 game in 11 innings, and then losing an error-plagued Oliver Perez wild-o-thon 13-1. The second game was so bad, they had to use two starting pitchers. Nelson Figueroa came in to bail out Perez in the second and allowed two more of his runs to score, and then allowed another of his own before Jorge Sosa really put it out reach.
The Mets are still only a half-game behind the Phillies, who took over first place from the Marlins after Florida was swept by the Dodgers. This is looking like the order that we might be seeing for quite a while. The Nats plain old stink, and Atlanta's bullpen has been decimated; they are losing a ton of 1-run games on the road. The Marlins will probably settle out to fourth place eventually, unless we beat them there. We look pretty mediocre. We're a .500 team, and probably will be unless Petey gets healthy and contributes. Maybe Pagan can play first when Alou returns, because Delgado looks like he's lost it completely. I don't know. We look like the US economy, barely staying above water but with not much in the way of future prospects.
Home, Northwest, and make it snappy!
The Mets are still only a half-game behind the Phillies, who took over first place from the Marlins after Florida was swept by the Dodgers. This is looking like the order that we might be seeing for quite a while. The Nats plain old stink, and Atlanta's bullpen has been decimated; they are losing a ton of 1-run games on the road. The Marlins will probably settle out to fourth place eventually, unless we beat them there. We look pretty mediocre. We're a .500 team, and probably will be unless Petey gets healthy and contributes. Maybe Pagan can play first when Alou returns, because Delgado looks like he's lost it completely. I don't know. We look like the US economy, barely staying above water but with not much in the way of future prospects.
Home, Northwest, and make it snappy!
Monday, April 28, 2008
COME FOR THE BEAR ATTACKS, STAY FOR THE...OK, DON'T STAY
I'm in Kenai, AK, where one Marc Johnson was attacked by a brown bear the other day while jogging. If you read my travelogue, you'd know that jogging is not a great idea here. I cited moose or North Slopers as the enemy of the jogger, but brown bears will also suffice.
The Mets weren't exactly doing some mauling, but they did take two of three from the Braves. The Friday game was won 6-3 by Atlanta, as the comically named Jair Jurrjens combined with three relievers to toss a two-hitter. Jurrjens did his best to fritter away the game, walking in three consecutive runs in the third. Bobby Cox was thrown out of his record 18 jillionth game for arguing balls and (very few) strikes during this episode.
The following day, the Mets put up a four spot in the 3rd inning and made it stand up for John Maine to win 4-3. The inning featured a single by David Wright, a double by Carlos Beltran, and a triple by Ryan Church. Carlos Delgado didn't get the memo and merely grounded in the final run of the inning. Aaron Heilman has finally lost his eighth inning job, but did come in in the 6th to allow a run, so at least that stayed consistent.
On Sunday, Delgado found the memo, and decided to hit two homers to make up for it. The Mets got out to a 1-0 lead against John Smoltz on a typical Jose Reyes leg-it-around-the-bases inning. Reyes hit a double, moved to third on a grounder, and scored on a wild pitch. Raul Casanova and Delgado followed with homers in the 2nd and 3rd to make it 4-0. Smoltz didn't make it past four innings, and was obviously not himself. Nelson Figueroa, (The Kid from Brooklyn, as Gary Cohen called him - um, he's 33, Gary), was throwing blanks until the 6th, when it all fell apart quickly. Jeff Francoeur singled, Mark Teixeira doubled to score Francoeur, and Mark Kotsay singled to score Teixeira. Willie brought in Joe Smith, who nearly got Martin Prado to it into a double play as the third run of the inning scored. I was pretty much thinking a tie was inevitable the way things have been going lately, but Smith got Brian Pena to stifle the threat. After I left to go play in a soccer game that, unbeknownst to me had been canceled, Wright got an RBI single in the 7th, and Delgado hit his second homer of the day in the 8th to ice it. Billy Wagner allowed his first hit of the season in the 9th to Matt Diaz, but managed to get the easy save.
After my arduous journey to Alaska, via Minneapolis for some reason, I was all set to catch the Mets/Pirates game on MLB.TV, but then I saw that it was PPD. I have yet to watch a game on my work laptop this season, which pisses me off, because I could have bought Extra Innings and not have had to put up with the crappy picture of MLB.TV on my home set. Well, tomorrow is another day. The game should be in the 3rd inning or so when I get back to my swank digs in Kenai. They do have excellent wireless still, thank goodness.
The Mets weren't exactly doing some mauling, but they did take two of three from the Braves. The Friday game was won 6-3 by Atlanta, as the comically named Jair Jurrjens combined with three relievers to toss a two-hitter. Jurrjens did his best to fritter away the game, walking in three consecutive runs in the third. Bobby Cox was thrown out of his record 18 jillionth game for arguing balls and (very few) strikes during this episode.
The following day, the Mets put up a four spot in the 3rd inning and made it stand up for John Maine to win 4-3. The inning featured a single by David Wright, a double by Carlos Beltran, and a triple by Ryan Church. Carlos Delgado didn't get the memo and merely grounded in the final run of the inning. Aaron Heilman has finally lost his eighth inning job, but did come in in the 6th to allow a run, so at least that stayed consistent.
On Sunday, Delgado found the memo, and decided to hit two homers to make up for it. The Mets got out to a 1-0 lead against John Smoltz on a typical Jose Reyes leg-it-around-the-bases inning. Reyes hit a double, moved to third on a grounder, and scored on a wild pitch. Raul Casanova and Delgado followed with homers in the 2nd and 3rd to make it 4-0. Smoltz didn't make it past four innings, and was obviously not himself. Nelson Figueroa, (The Kid from Brooklyn, as Gary Cohen called him - um, he's 33, Gary), was throwing blanks until the 6th, when it all fell apart quickly. Jeff Francoeur singled, Mark Teixeira doubled to score Francoeur, and Mark Kotsay singled to score Teixeira. Willie brought in Joe Smith, who nearly got Martin Prado to it into a double play as the third run of the inning scored. I was pretty much thinking a tie was inevitable the way things have been going lately, but Smith got Brian Pena to stifle the threat. After I left to go play in a soccer game that, unbeknownst to me had been canceled, Wright got an RBI single in the 7th, and Delgado hit his second homer of the day in the 8th to ice it. Billy Wagner allowed his first hit of the season in the 9th to Matt Diaz, but managed to get the easy save.
After my arduous journey to Alaska, via Minneapolis for some reason, I was all set to catch the Mets/Pirates game on MLB.TV, but then I saw that it was PPD. I have yet to watch a game on my work laptop this season, which pisses me off, because I could have bought Extra Innings and not have had to put up with the crappy picture of MLB.TV on my home set. Well, tomorrow is another day. The game should be in the 3rd inning or so when I get back to my swank digs in Kenai. They do have excellent wireless still, thank goodness.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS @ LA DODGERS - LIVE BLOG
I'm at Dodger Stadium! For reals! I'll be live-blogging the game tonight between Arizona and LA, at least until the battery runs out on my BlackBerry. It's pre-game and the D'Backs just finished BP and now the grounds crew is out. I love to watch the dude with the groovy groove thing behind his little ATV. It's mesmerizing.
Chavez Ravine is resplendant tonight, just as I thought it would be. This stadium is...old. I knew that intellectually, but it seems older up close. Like Sarah Jessica Parker, I imagine. They kept the '60s style scoreboard, just like at Shea. This one looks even more retro.
The Mets game has been playing on the Jumbotron. Aaron Heilman just gave up a granny. What a bum. I think it may be time to give Duaner Sanchez his 8th inning job back.
Some soap guy did the Anthem. Nice job!
Top 1st
Chad Billingsley upped his 6.17 ERA by giving up an RBI single to Conor Jackson. The late-arriving crowd is living up to its name.
ARI 1, LA coming up.
Bottom 1st
Edgar Gonzalez got the first two but then Nomah singled and Jeff Kent doubled him home. I thought Garciaparra was out but I'm way up here. Some lady spilled her beer down about five rows. Andruw Jones has seen 4.5 pitches per at-bat, and has grounded many of them weakly to short, apparently.
ARI 1, LA 1
Top 2nd
After Matt Kemp botched a fly for a double, Jeff "Who Dat" Salazar went Ravine to make it 3-1. Billingsley's ERA is making like George W. Bush's disapproval ratings. All the beer stayed within proper containers this half inning.
ARI 3, LA 1
Bottom 2nd
Three up, three down. I was beginning to doubt I would see one of those tonight. The Mets lost 10-5.
ARI 3, LA 1
Top 3rd
Billingsley whiffed all three to give him seven for the game. We're all getting some California Pizza Kitchen pizza! Well, if the D'Backs don't smack him around first before he gets 10 K's.
ARI 3, LA 1
Bottom 3rd
Another 1-2-3 for Gonzalez. They're not booing, they're saying "Andruuuuuuuw...youuuuuu suck!"
ARI 3, LA 1
Top 4th
Two more strikeouts for Billingsley, Mmmm, I can taste that wood-fired goodness. Sandy Koufax struck out 18 on this date. Maybe we're seeing history. Or not.
ARI 3, LA 1
Bottom 4th
The Dodgers tied it up on hits by Nomah and Loney and a sac fly by Ethier. Billingsley had a chance to help his own cause but grounded out to end the inning. Isn't every player trying to help his own cause all the time?
ARI 3, LA 3
Top 5th
The good news for Billingsley was two more K's. The bad news was the single by Young, the double by Drew, the wild pitch, and the non-double play that looked like a bad call to me. The bad news for me is that I appear to be misinformed about that free CPK pizza. I should have figured in this economy.
ARI 5, LA 3
Bottom 5th
A web gem by Stephen Drew ended Nomah's bid for a third hit, and also the inning after the D'Backs completed the 6-4-3 double play. I think almost half the crowd has made it through the traffic and is on the way to their seats.
ARI 5, LA 3
Top 6th
In order for Billingsley, but only one strikeout. I think Pete Rose should be re-instated, and The Wave, the YMCA dance, and beach balls should receive a lifetime ban. This I Believe.
ARI 5, LA 3
Bottom 6th
Pitching change - Juan Cruz relieved Edgar Gonzalez after Russell Martin singled James Loney to third. Cruz plunked Ethier, but struck out Kemp flailing on a slider and got pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney to sky out to center. I managed to escape Kiss Cam. I would have had to kiss my BlackBerry.
ARI 5, LA 3
Top 7th
New pitcher Scott Proctor gets them in order. And we got our first "Yankees Suck" chant of the night. Even in LA they know.
ARI 5, LA 3
Bottom 7th
Chad Qualls should have had an easy inning, but he had a brain fart with Furcal on second and one out. Nomah hit a come-backer, and Qualls eschewed the easy out at first and tried to get Furcal, who wasn't really trying to advance to third. Third baseman Mark Reynolds threw back to second and hit Furcal in the head for an error. Kent singled in Furcal for one run, but Qualls got a 4-6-3 DP to end the rally. Now I am missing the top of the 8th explaining all this.
ARI 5, LA 4
Top 8th
Joe Beimel relieved Proctor with two outs and a run in. The Dodgers got screwed when a routine fielder's choice to Nomah turned into run. Garciaparra's throw was a little wide to Kent, and the ump called Conor Jackson safe at second. He was out. They never call that play safe ever. After Proctor threw a wild pitch, Upton hit a sac fly to score Jackson. Beimel got Salazar looking to end the inning, but the lead is back to two. I am now officially cold.
ARI 6, LA 4
Bottom 8th
Three up, three down for Tony Pena (not junior). Now 2/3 of the crowd is heading to their cars so they can clog up the freeways on the way home.
ARI 6, LA 4
Top 9th
The inning began with Kent saying the magic word to the ump and getting tossed, undoubtedly still arguing about the bad call in the 8th. The funny part was, somebody in the Dodger dugout had sent Chin Lung Hu out to take grounders while Kent was still arguing and had not yet been ejected. They must have known he would eventually say the word and/or phrase that would get the deed done. Meanwhile Cory Wade made his major league debut with a scoreless inning.
ARI 6, LA 4
Bottom 9th
A very quick 1-2-3 for Brandon Lyon, and now all I have to do is find my rental car. It's kinda gray, and I think it's a GM product.
FINAL SCORE - ARI 6, LA 4
Chavez Ravine is resplendant tonight, just as I thought it would be. This stadium is...old. I knew that intellectually, but it seems older up close. Like Sarah Jessica Parker, I imagine. They kept the '60s style scoreboard, just like at Shea. This one looks even more retro.
The Mets game has been playing on the Jumbotron. Aaron Heilman just gave up a granny. What a bum. I think it may be time to give Duaner Sanchez his 8th inning job back.
Some soap guy did the Anthem. Nice job!
Top 1st
Chad Billingsley upped his 6.17 ERA by giving up an RBI single to Conor Jackson. The late-arriving crowd is living up to its name.
ARI 1, LA coming up.
Bottom 1st
Edgar Gonzalez got the first two but then Nomah singled and Jeff Kent doubled him home. I thought Garciaparra was out but I'm way up here. Some lady spilled her beer down about five rows. Andruw Jones has seen 4.5 pitches per at-bat, and has grounded many of them weakly to short, apparently.
ARI 1, LA 1
Top 2nd
After Matt Kemp botched a fly for a double, Jeff "Who Dat" Salazar went Ravine to make it 3-1. Billingsley's ERA is making like George W. Bush's disapproval ratings. All the beer stayed within proper containers this half inning.
ARI 3, LA 1
Bottom 2nd
Three up, three down. I was beginning to doubt I would see one of those tonight. The Mets lost 10-5.
ARI 3, LA 1
Top 3rd
Billingsley whiffed all three to give him seven for the game. We're all getting some California Pizza Kitchen pizza! Well, if the D'Backs don't smack him around first before he gets 10 K's.
ARI 3, LA 1
Bottom 3rd
Another 1-2-3 for Gonzalez. They're not booing, they're saying "Andruuuuuuuw...youuuuuu suck!"
ARI 3, LA 1
Top 4th
Two more strikeouts for Billingsley, Mmmm, I can taste that wood-fired goodness. Sandy Koufax struck out 18 on this date. Maybe we're seeing history. Or not.
ARI 3, LA 1
Bottom 4th
The Dodgers tied it up on hits by Nomah and Loney and a sac fly by Ethier. Billingsley had a chance to help his own cause but grounded out to end the inning. Isn't every player trying to help his own cause all the time?
ARI 3, LA 3
Top 5th
The good news for Billingsley was two more K's. The bad news was the single by Young, the double by Drew, the wild pitch, and the non-double play that looked like a bad call to me. The bad news for me is that I appear to be misinformed about that free CPK pizza. I should have figured in this economy.
ARI 5, LA 3
Bottom 5th
A web gem by Stephen Drew ended Nomah's bid for a third hit, and also the inning after the D'Backs completed the 6-4-3 double play. I think almost half the crowd has made it through the traffic and is on the way to their seats.
ARI 5, LA 3
Top 6th
In order for Billingsley, but only one strikeout. I think Pete Rose should be re-instated, and The Wave, the YMCA dance, and beach balls should receive a lifetime ban. This I Believe.
ARI 5, LA 3
Bottom 6th
Pitching change - Juan Cruz relieved Edgar Gonzalez after Russell Martin singled James Loney to third. Cruz plunked Ethier, but struck out Kemp flailing on a slider and got pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney to sky out to center. I managed to escape Kiss Cam. I would have had to kiss my BlackBerry.
ARI 5, LA 3
Top 7th
New pitcher Scott Proctor gets them in order. And we got our first "Yankees Suck" chant of the night. Even in LA they know.
ARI 5, LA 3
Bottom 7th
Chad Qualls should have had an easy inning, but he had a brain fart with Furcal on second and one out. Nomah hit a come-backer, and Qualls eschewed the easy out at first and tried to get Furcal, who wasn't really trying to advance to third. Third baseman Mark Reynolds threw back to second and hit Furcal in the head for an error. Kent singled in Furcal for one run, but Qualls got a 4-6-3 DP to end the rally. Now I am missing the top of the 8th explaining all this.
ARI 5, LA 4
Top 8th
Joe Beimel relieved Proctor with two outs and a run in. The Dodgers got screwed when a routine fielder's choice to Nomah turned into run. Garciaparra's throw was a little wide to Kent, and the ump called Conor Jackson safe at second. He was out. They never call that play safe ever. After Proctor threw a wild pitch, Upton hit a sac fly to score Jackson. Beimel got Salazar looking to end the inning, but the lead is back to two. I am now officially cold.
ARI 6, LA 4
Bottom 8th
Three up, three down for Tony Pena (not junior). Now 2/3 of the crowd is heading to their cars so they can clog up the freeways on the way home.
ARI 6, LA 4
Top 9th
The inning began with Kent saying the magic word to the ump and getting tossed, undoubtedly still arguing about the bad call in the 8th. The funny part was, somebody in the Dodger dugout had sent Chin Lung Hu out to take grounders while Kent was still arguing and had not yet been ejected. They must have known he would eventually say the word and/or phrase that would get the deed done. Meanwhile Cory Wade made his major league debut with a scoreless inning.
ARI 6, LA 4
Bottom 9th
A very quick 1-2-3 for Brandon Lyon, and now all I have to do is find my rental car. It's kinda gray, and I think it's a GM product.
FINAL SCORE - ARI 6, LA 4
NAT KING COLD
I'm still in chilly LA, sitting in a cramped room with a bunch of other computer geeks, while workers in the next room loudly install cabinets. At least they aren't blasting Tejano music.
I "watched" most of last night's Mets game on my BlackBerry on MLB.com's Live Pitch-By-Pitch service. It was 1-0 Mets when I tuned in in the Nationals half of the 4th, with Johan Santana cruising and two outs. Then Wily Mo Pena and Juan Nieves singled, and pitcher Tim Redding doubled them in. You know something bad happened on Pitch-By-Pitch when it says "Pitch in play, no out(s)".
In the top of the 5th, the Mets tied it off of Redding, who was walking the planet, and then the Nats brought in lefty Ray King to get Ryan Church. That didn't go so well, and by the time the inning was over, the Mets had four runs and led 5-2. The BlackBerry said that Church hit a slow roller to 3rd, and that Carlos Beltran managed to score from first on Ryan Zimmerman's throwing error. I figured that had to be a transcription problem, but I read in the paper this morning and that is precisely what happened. That's what I'd call a bad throw. Santana eventually doubled in the same inning, which also didn't look right on the BlackBerry. The Mets went on to record an easy 7-2 victory, and the Nats continued their slide into the murky abyss of the Anacostia River. Not much changed in the NL East. Florida beat Atlanta again, and the Phillies lost, leaving the Mets deficit at 1-1/2 games.
Alas, I will not be going to Dodger Stadium to watch the Mets. The project I am working on was delayed a week, and the Mets will be elsewhere by the time I get back here. I'm thinking I might head out there tonight on my own. The stands look pretty empty on the highlights.
I "watched" most of last night's Mets game on my BlackBerry on MLB.com's Live Pitch-By-Pitch service. It was 1-0 Mets when I tuned in in the Nationals half of the 4th, with Johan Santana cruising and two outs. Then Wily Mo Pena and Juan Nieves singled, and pitcher Tim Redding doubled them in. You know something bad happened on Pitch-By-Pitch when it says "Pitch in play, no out(s)".
In the top of the 5th, the Mets tied it off of Redding, who was walking the planet, and then the Nats brought in lefty Ray King to get Ryan Church. That didn't go so well, and by the time the inning was over, the Mets had four runs and led 5-2. The BlackBerry said that Church hit a slow roller to 3rd, and that Carlos Beltran managed to score from first on Ryan Zimmerman's throwing error. I figured that had to be a transcription problem, but I read in the paper this morning and that is precisely what happened. That's what I'd call a bad throw. Santana eventually doubled in the same inning, which also didn't look right on the BlackBerry. The Mets went on to record an easy 7-2 victory, and the Nats continued their slide into the murky abyss of the Anacostia River. Not much changed in the NL East. Florida beat Atlanta again, and the Phillies lost, leaving the Mets deficit at 1-1/2 games.
Alas, I will not be going to Dodger Stadium to watch the Mets. The project I am working on was delayed a week, and the Mets will be elsewhere by the time I get back here. I'm thinking I might head out there tonight on my own. The stands look pretty empty on the highlights.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
L.A. STORY
I'm on the west coast this week on business, so we'll dispense with the last few games quickly:
Friday, April 18th: Mets 6, Phillies 4. Santana beats Hamels as both bullpens get shelled. Heilman gives up another homer. He is a mess.
Saturday, April 19th: Mets 4, Phillies 2. Oliver Perez returns to form, at least until the next game. No one will be stopping Chase Utley in his rampage through the pitching staffs of the National League this year.
Sunday, April 20th: Phillies 5, Mets 4. The Mets erased a 4-0 deficit before Pedro Feliz homered off Pedro Feliciano. So, Pete Happy hits a homer off Pete Happy Person. And I am not happy. Nor am I Pete. But I am a person, as far as I know. Oh, and Utley hits two more homers, just for the hell of it.
Monday, April 21st: Cubs 7, Mets 1. Willie goes to the Heilman well again, and gets as much good water as usual. The Cubs blow open a 2-1 lead in the 8th with a 5-run inning off Aaron The Terrible. Felix Pie (Spanish for Felix Foot) uses his hands to bash a three-run homer.
Tuesday, April 22nd: Cubs 8, Mets 1. Joe Smith and Jorge Sosa were the guilty parties in this one. Nelson Figueroa left with a 3-1 deficit. The Mets get all of two runs and ten hits at Wrigley.
The Marlins have kept on crushing bad teams (I thought they were one, but maybe not), and have their 1-1/2 game lead back, with Atlanta and Philly a half game back of us. Now it's on to Washington. You think the pope left any chaw in the locker room?
Friday, April 18th: Mets 6, Phillies 4. Santana beats Hamels as both bullpens get shelled. Heilman gives up another homer. He is a mess.
Saturday, April 19th: Mets 4, Phillies 2. Oliver Perez returns to form, at least until the next game. No one will be stopping Chase Utley in his rampage through the pitching staffs of the National League this year.
Sunday, April 20th: Phillies 5, Mets 4. The Mets erased a 4-0 deficit before Pedro Feliz homered off Pedro Feliciano. So, Pete Happy hits a homer off Pete Happy Person. And I am not happy. Nor am I Pete. But I am a person, as far as I know. Oh, and Utley hits two more homers, just for the hell of it.
Monday, April 21st: Cubs 7, Mets 1. Willie goes to the Heilman well again, and gets as much good water as usual. The Cubs blow open a 2-1 lead in the 8th with a 5-run inning off Aaron The Terrible. Felix Pie (Spanish for Felix Foot) uses his hands to bash a three-run homer.
Tuesday, April 22nd: Cubs 8, Mets 1. Joe Smith and Jorge Sosa were the guilty parties in this one. Nelson Figueroa left with a 3-1 deficit. The Mets get all of two runs and ten hits at Wrigley.
The Marlins have kept on crushing bad teams (I thought they were one, but maybe not), and have their 1-1/2 game lead back, with Atlanta and Philly a half game back of us. Now it's on to Washington. You think the pope left any chaw in the locker room?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
ONLY 14 INNINGS? PFFFT!
I missed it of course, but the Mets scratched home a run in the 14th inning on a leadoff single by Damion Easley and two wild pitches and a throwing error by Joel "That Pederast" Hanrahan (who'll get a demotion if he keeps this up) to complete a sweep of the Nats by a 3-2 score. The Mets and Nats got no sympathy from the Rockies and Padres, who played a 22-inning yawnfest that only recently ended.
While I was awake, Nelson Figueroa was strong again. He only faltered for three batters in the 4th, giving up a single off his glove to Ryan Zimmerman followed by a no-doubter home run into the Mets bullpen by Nick Johnson and another single by Lastings Milledge. He finished with 7 IP and 2 ER on 3 hits. The Mets couldn't touch Nats starter John Lannan, who retired 16 batters in a row at one point after giving up a quick first-inning run on a Ryan Church RBI double. It looked the 2-1 lead might hold up with two outs in the eighth, when Church hit an easy roller to Ronnie Belliard. As often happens to bad teams, though, Belliard nonchalanted it off his glove for an error, and the game turned around completely for the Mets. After Luis Ayala relieved Saul Rivera and walked David Wright, Jon Rauch came in to face Carlos Delgado. Why the Nats didn't bring in their only lefty, Ray King, was not explained on the telecast nor could I find any
other explanation on-line. King did appear in the 12th and gave up a hit and made an error, so we was healthy. In any event, Rauch left a fastball up to Delgado, who ripped it into right to score Church with the tying run. Then they played and played and played.
Wright hit into a crushing double play with runners on first and second and one out in the 12th, which must have made the few remaining idiots at Shea lose some hope of ever going home. The Nats got two on in the 13th off Jorge Sosa but couldn't score, and didn't threaten in the 14th. Finally, the weirdness that usually occurs in a game like this made its presence known, as Hanrahan wild pitched Easley to second, threw a ball into center field to send Easley to third, and after walking the bases loaded intentionally, wild-pitched again for the game-winner.
Atlanta finally beat the Marlins, and the Phillies won big over Houston, so the contenders all moved up a game. Tonight, after a very late flight to Philadelphia (14-inning games only happen on getaway days, that's a rule), the Mets start a three-game set with the Phillies. Aces Santana and Hamels go tonight.
While I was awake, Nelson Figueroa was strong again. He only faltered for three batters in the 4th, giving up a single off his glove to Ryan Zimmerman followed by a no-doubter home run into the Mets bullpen by Nick Johnson and another single by Lastings Milledge. He finished with 7 IP and 2 ER on 3 hits. The Mets couldn't touch Nats starter John Lannan, who retired 16 batters in a row at one point after giving up a quick first-inning run on a Ryan Church RBI double. It looked the 2-1 lead might hold up with two outs in the eighth, when Church hit an easy roller to Ronnie Belliard. As often happens to bad teams, though, Belliard nonchalanted it off his glove for an error, and the game turned around completely for the Mets. After Luis Ayala relieved Saul Rivera and walked David Wright, Jon Rauch came in to face Carlos Delgado. Why the Nats didn't bring in their only lefty, Ray King, was not explained on the telecast nor could I find any
other explanation on-line. King did appear in the 12th and gave up a hit and made an error, so we was healthy. In any event, Rauch left a fastball up to Delgado, who ripped it into right to score Church with the tying run. Then they played and played and played.
Wright hit into a crushing double play with runners on first and second and one out in the 12th, which must have made the few remaining idiots at Shea lose some hope of ever going home. The Nats got two on in the 13th off Jorge Sosa but couldn't score, and didn't threaten in the 14th. Finally, the weirdness that usually occurs in a game like this made its presence known, as Hanrahan wild pitched Easley to second, threw a ball into center field to send Easley to third, and after walking the bases loaded intentionally, wild-pitched again for the game-winner.
Atlanta finally beat the Marlins, and the Phillies won big over Houston, so the contenders all moved up a game. Tonight, after a very late flight to Philadelphia (14-inning games only happen on getaway days, that's a rule), the Mets start a three-game set with the Phillies. Aces Santana and Hamels go tonight.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
CHICO AND THE MAINE
That would be Matt Chico and John Maine. Maine got the better of Chico last night, something Jack Albertson rarely did to Freddie Prinze back in the 70's, tossing six and two-thirds strong innings before walking Christian Guzman and Ronnie Belliard and yelling an expletive that would not have made it past the NBC censors as Willie Randolph (who was playing the role of Scatman Crothers) came out to get him. Joe Smith finished the inning and the 8th, and Billy Wagner had a 1-2-3 ninth to close out a 5-2 Mets victory.
Both team scored a single run in the 1st, as Maine walked two and looked generally shaky. Ryan Church's homer in the bottom of the inning tied it, and then Austin Kearns homered in the 4th to untie it. The Mets took the lead they would never relinquish in the 5th on a solo shot by Jose Reyes, and a three-run smash by Carlos Beltran, both their first dingers of the season.
There was a Chad Cordero sighting for the Nats, but his fastball was a no-show. The flat-brimmed one clearly still has a bum shoulder, and could not break 81 mph with his heater. He was good enough to retire the side in order, but what was he doing out there? The guy needs to go back on the Disabled List. It's not like the Nats will sniff a pennant race this season, and he's only 26. Baseball GM's befuddle me sometimes.
The Mets are now 7-6, still a game and a half behind Florida, who beat Atlanta for the second straight time, and a game ahead of Philadelphia, who failed to mount a second consecutive 9th inning comeback at home against Houston. Florida's cupcake April schedule continues with another game against Atlanta followed by three home games against the Nats before heading to Atlanta for three. Finally they'll play a team with a winning record (maybe) when they travel to Milwaukee on April 25th. Don't worry, the Fish will start stinking it up before too long.
Both team scored a single run in the 1st, as Maine walked two and looked generally shaky. Ryan Church's homer in the bottom of the inning tied it, and then Austin Kearns homered in the 4th to untie it. The Mets took the lead they would never relinquish in the 5th on a solo shot by Jose Reyes, and a three-run smash by Carlos Beltran, both their first dingers of the season.
There was a Chad Cordero sighting for the Nats, but his fastball was a no-show. The flat-brimmed one clearly still has a bum shoulder, and could not break 81 mph with his heater. He was good enough to retire the side in order, but what was he doing out there? The guy needs to go back on the Disabled List. It's not like the Nats will sniff a pennant race this season, and he's only 26. Baseball GM's befuddle me sometimes.
The Mets are now 7-6, still a game and a half behind Florida, who beat Atlanta for the second straight time, and a game ahead of Philadelphia, who failed to mount a second consecutive 9th inning comeback at home against Houston. Florida's cupcake April schedule continues with another game against Atlanta followed by three home games against the Nats before heading to Atlanta for three. Finally they'll play a team with a winning record (maybe) when they travel to Milwaukee on April 25th. Don't worry, the Fish will start stinking it up before too long.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
BATS NOT HITTING THE PELFREY
It was Jackie Robinson Night all around baseball, and the Mets player with the same first and last initials and the most similar playing style as #42 had his first big night of the year as New York blanked the Nats 6-0. Jose Reyes had four hits, including a double and triple, and showed no signs of a bad hammy. David Wright did his best Dixie Walker impression, bashing another homer and doubling twice, and driving in five of the six Met runs. I'm not sure which 1947 Brooklyn Dodger he was supposed to be (Ervin Martin Palica, maybe?), but Mike Pelfrey threw a stellar seven innings of shutout ball, walking two and striking out four. Aaron Heilman worked out of a jam of his own making in the 8th, and noted reckless cab passenger Duaner Sanchez made his 2008 debut with a one-hit ninth.
This was the best the Mets have looked all year, but you have to consider the competition. The Nationals are about as sorry a collection of ballplayers as the Mets will see this year, and they are in a particularly bad stretch of what should be a dismal season. Still, it was a very good night on one of the best commemorative days of the year. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda at CitiField was also dedicated yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing it when I make my pilgrimage next year. I'm still trying to figure out what game I'd like to go to. I'm thinking I'll time it with the US Open across the street so I can also watch the several hundred Russian girls with -ova at the end of their name play tennis in frightfully skimpy outfits.
While the Nats are away, Pope Benedict XVI is saying Mass at their new stadium this morning. HOLY WATER!! ICE COLD HOLY WATER HERE!! FOUR DOLLARS!! VOTIVE CANDLES!! GET 'EM WHILE THEIR HOT!! HYMNALS! CAN'T TELL THE HYMNS WITHOUT A HYMNAL!!
I'm going straight to hell.
This was the best the Mets have looked all year, but you have to consider the competition. The Nationals are about as sorry a collection of ballplayers as the Mets will see this year, and they are in a particularly bad stretch of what should be a dismal season. Still, it was a very good night on one of the best commemorative days of the year. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda at CitiField was also dedicated yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing it when I make my pilgrimage next year. I'm still trying to figure out what game I'd like to go to. I'm thinking I'll time it with the US Open across the street so I can also watch the several hundred Russian girls with -ova at the end of their name play tennis in frightfully skimpy outfits.
While the Nats are away, Pope Benedict XVI is saying Mass at their new stadium this morning. HOLY WATER!! ICE COLD HOLY WATER HERE!! FOUR DOLLARS!! VOTIVE CANDLES!! GET 'EM WHILE THEIR HOT!! HYMNALS! CAN'T TELL THE HYMNS WITHOUT A HYMNAL!!
I'm going straight to hell.
Monday, April 14, 2008
MILWAUKEE'S FINEST
It started out well. With most of Brooklyn in his player's box, Nelson Figueroa made his debut as a Mets starter by allowing only two hits in six innings. The Mets offense strung together a three-run 4th inning, which was enough to get Figgy the win, even after his 87 mph fastball started getting timed by the Brewers' many sluggers. Aaron Heilman (gasp!) and Billy Wagner both delivered perfect innings to sew up the 4-2 victory.
Game two of the series on Saturday was a different beast altogether, with Johan Santana, a man with expectations set far higher than they were for a guy who hadn't started a game since 2004, facing his counterpart ace, Ben Sheets. Neither pitcher was sharp early, with the Mets taking an early 2-0 lead punctuated by a Carlos Delgado near-homer double off the right field wall. The Brewers got a run back in the 2nd on a safety squeeze by Sheets, and then Big Ben settled in. Johan, not so much. While Sheets was retiring the next 19 batters in a row, Santana was giving up enormous home runs to Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks, and the crushing blow by Gabe Kapler that knocked him out of the game. David Wright hit one out to the picnic pavilion in left in the 8th to end Sheets' streak, but the Mets couldn't dent the shaky Brewer pen, and lost it 5-3.
The finale on Sunday was a tedious, sloppy, and ultimately dispiriting 9-7 defeat. The Mets trailed early, on another Gabe Kapler homer (I really think you should go back to managing, Gabe. Please.), but re-took the lead on Wright's third HR of the season in the 1st and a two-run bottom-of-the-order rally in the 2nd. New York appeared to start to pull away in the 3rd when Carlos Beltran and Brian Schneider each had RBI hits to make the score 6-2. Pitcher Oliver Perez barely missed an extra-base hit to the right field corner off Brewer starter Jeff Suppan, and then struck out to end the inning, or the Mets might really have put it away. I don't know if it was the near miss at bat, or the fact that the Brewers can flat out rake, but Perez fell completely apart in the top of the 4th, allowing Milwaukee to tie the game on two 2-run singles by Jason Kendall and Ryan Braun.
The score remained tied until the 6th, when reliever Jorge Sosa gave up another towering drive to Weeks, and then nearly wriggled out of a jam before Corey Hart ripped a single to left to score Kapler to make it 8-6. The Brewers hitters just keep coming in waves. If these guys can keep their pitching healthy, which is a huge if, they can hang with anybody.
Kapler added another RBI double off Joe Smith, and the Mets got a Damion Easley RBI single in the 7th, and then continued hitting into more double plays in more varied and interesting ways than had ever been seen by most of the patrons present (starting in the 4th inning, it was 3-unassisted, 4-6-3, 1-6-3, 4-6-3, 3-2). Old friend and boo-receiver Guillermo Mota and former and current bullpen mate Eric Gagne finished up with two shutout innings.
Obviously, the encouraging aspect of the weekend, perhaps the only one, was Nelson Figueroa. It'll be interesting to see how he does on the road when only maybe his wife is there to cheer for him, as opposed to the better part of a borough. He was not at all overpowering, but he changed speeds, had good command, and was poised and confident. He was kind of like, well, El Duque, although we can probably find Figueroa's birth certificate. As I mentioned, the Brewers bats caught up the third time around, which will probably be a recurrent theme in Figueroa's tenure on the staff.
Nobody took charge in the NL East this weekend, with Florida maintaining their tenuous 1-1/2 game edge over us and the Phillies. The Nats finally won after nine straight losses, defeating the Braves on Sunday, which put Atlanta two games back. The Mets get an off day today, and then we try to start another losing streak for the Nationals.
Game two of the series on Saturday was a different beast altogether, with Johan Santana, a man with expectations set far higher than they were for a guy who hadn't started a game since 2004, facing his counterpart ace, Ben Sheets. Neither pitcher was sharp early, with the Mets taking an early 2-0 lead punctuated by a Carlos Delgado near-homer double off the right field wall. The Brewers got a run back in the 2nd on a safety squeeze by Sheets, and then Big Ben settled in. Johan, not so much. While Sheets was retiring the next 19 batters in a row, Santana was giving up enormous home runs to Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks, and the crushing blow by Gabe Kapler that knocked him out of the game. David Wright hit one out to the picnic pavilion in left in the 8th to end Sheets' streak, but the Mets couldn't dent the shaky Brewer pen, and lost it 5-3.
The finale on Sunday was a tedious, sloppy, and ultimately dispiriting 9-7 defeat. The Mets trailed early, on another Gabe Kapler homer (I really think you should go back to managing, Gabe. Please.), but re-took the lead on Wright's third HR of the season in the 1st and a two-run bottom-of-the-order rally in the 2nd. New York appeared to start to pull away in the 3rd when Carlos Beltran and Brian Schneider each had RBI hits to make the score 6-2. Pitcher Oliver Perez barely missed an extra-base hit to the right field corner off Brewer starter Jeff Suppan, and then struck out to end the inning, or the Mets might really have put it away. I don't know if it was the near miss at bat, or the fact that the Brewers can flat out rake, but Perez fell completely apart in the top of the 4th, allowing Milwaukee to tie the game on two 2-run singles by Jason Kendall and Ryan Braun.
The score remained tied until the 6th, when reliever Jorge Sosa gave up another towering drive to Weeks, and then nearly wriggled out of a jam before Corey Hart ripped a single to left to score Kapler to make it 8-6. The Brewers hitters just keep coming in waves. If these guys can keep their pitching healthy, which is a huge if, they can hang with anybody.
Kapler added another RBI double off Joe Smith, and the Mets got a Damion Easley RBI single in the 7th, and then continued hitting into more double plays in more varied and interesting ways than had ever been seen by most of the patrons present (starting in the 4th inning, it was 3-unassisted, 4-6-3, 1-6-3, 4-6-3, 3-2). Old friend and boo-receiver Guillermo Mota and former and current bullpen mate Eric Gagne finished up with two shutout innings.
Obviously, the encouraging aspect of the weekend, perhaps the only one, was Nelson Figueroa. It'll be interesting to see how he does on the road when only maybe his wife is there to cheer for him, as opposed to the better part of a borough. He was not at all overpowering, but he changed speeds, had good command, and was poised and confident. He was kind of like, well, El Duque, although we can probably find Figueroa's birth certificate. As I mentioned, the Brewers bats caught up the third time around, which will probably be a recurrent theme in Figueroa's tenure on the staff.
Nobody took charge in the NL East this weekend, with Florida maintaining their tenuous 1-1/2 game edge over us and the Phillies. The Nats finally won after nine straight losses, defeating the Braves on Sunday, which put Atlanta two games back. The Mets get an off day today, and then we try to start another losing streak for the Nationals.
Friday, April 11, 2008
ANGEL OF THE (ALMOST) MORNING
Long after I went to sleep, Angel Pagan hit a game-winning single up the middle, scoring Jose Reyes to give the Mets a 4-3 victory in the 12th at about 11:10 PM EDT (less than an hour from the morning). Jorge Sosa vultured the win, finishing up the top of the 12th for Scott Schoeneweis. Scotty finally contributed positively, getting Chase Utley to ground into a DP to end the 11th. Starter John Maine went six plus strong innings, leaving in the 7th after a Pedro Feliz homer was followed by a Chris Coste double.
It looks like the Mets caught a break on the game-winning play, as Reyes may have been tagged out after a strong throw by mid-game replacement centerfielder Jayson Werth. I haven't seen it yet. Who cares? The call was made, so let's move on. We could use some breaks against the Phils, who suddenly started getting all the bounces last year after Jimmy Rollins proclaimed them the team to beat.
New York built a 3-0 lead, on a two-run single by Ryan Church in the 4th and an RBI single by Carlos Beltran in the 6th, both off starter Adam Eaton. After Feliz's homer, Pedro Feliciano finished the seventh, and then Aaron Heilman entered in his customary 8th inning slot. Don't get too comfy, Aaron. For the third time this season, Heilman surrendered two runs in an appearance, starting with a frightening blast by Ryan Howard, followed by a walk to Pat Burrell, a Geoff Jenkins single, and a So Taguchi RBI grounder.
Billy Wagner came in to pitch the ninth, and I'm a bit concerned about his velocity. It's April, only his second appearance, he's pitching from the full windup, and he was still only able to hit 95 on his fastball. That could be down to 92 by Summer, and maybe in the 80's by September. The slider looked great, but he tends to get wilder with that pitch as the season progresses. In this outing, the only blemish was a two-out walk to Utley, but if both the fastball and slider decline even a little bit off what they were last night, the hits might not stop coming.
At 4-4, we're still a game and a half behind Florida. Hey, Marlins, play some real teams, already! The Braves were snowed out in Colorado, which allowed them to avoid a four game sweep. Nelson Figueroa makes his first start in the bigs since 2004 tonight vs. the Brewers and Manny Parra. As I've been saying in the comments, Figueroa figures to be a replacement-level starter. Anything better will be a bonus, and we start finding out tonight if he can provide it.
It looks like the Mets caught a break on the game-winning play, as Reyes may have been tagged out after a strong throw by mid-game replacement centerfielder Jayson Werth. I haven't seen it yet. Who cares? The call was made, so let's move on. We could use some breaks against the Phils, who suddenly started getting all the bounces last year after Jimmy Rollins proclaimed them the team to beat.
New York built a 3-0 lead, on a two-run single by Ryan Church in the 4th and an RBI single by Carlos Beltran in the 6th, both off starter Adam Eaton. After Feliz's homer, Pedro Feliciano finished the seventh, and then Aaron Heilman entered in his customary 8th inning slot. Don't get too comfy, Aaron. For the third time this season, Heilman surrendered two runs in an appearance, starting with a frightening blast by Ryan Howard, followed by a walk to Pat Burrell, a Geoff Jenkins single, and a So Taguchi RBI grounder.
Billy Wagner came in to pitch the ninth, and I'm a bit concerned about his velocity. It's April, only his second appearance, he's pitching from the full windup, and he was still only able to hit 95 on his fastball. That could be down to 92 by Summer, and maybe in the 80's by September. The slider looked great, but he tends to get wilder with that pitch as the season progresses. In this outing, the only blemish was a two-out walk to Utley, but if both the fastball and slider decline even a little bit off what they were last night, the hits might not stop coming.
At 4-4, we're still a game and a half behind Florida. Hey, Marlins, play some real teams, already! The Braves were snowed out in Colorado, which allowed them to avoid a four game sweep. Nelson Figueroa makes his first start in the bigs since 2004 tonight vs. the Brewers and Manny Parra. As I've been saying in the comments, Figueroa figures to be a replacement-level starter. Anything better will be a bonus, and we start finding out tonight if he can provide it.
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