Mets Game 90: Win Over Braves
Mets 5 Braves 1
It took them 90 games, but the Mets finally learned how to play small ball.
Johan Santana and Kenshin Kawakami engaged in a pitchers’ duel for the first five innings, before the Mets scratched out two runs on a bases-loaded walk and a groundout. Then, in the top of the ninth, the offense turned the clock back to 1910 — singling, tripling, walking, stealing, and suicide squeezing their way to three more insurance runs.
Santana shut out the Braves through seven innings of stellar spinning, allowing just five hits and two walks, striking out five. It took four relievers to get through the bottom of the eighth, and Frankie Rodriguez pitched a perfect ninth to not earn a save.
Notes
Angel Pagan went 3-for-4 out of the leadoff spot, including a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. Alex Cora went 2-for-4 with a run scored hitting in front of the pitcher. Who needs Jose Reyes?
Jeff Francoeur also had two hits, as well as an RBI.
Luis Castillo and Pagan executed a textbook suicide squeeze in the top of the ninth. Personally, I find the squeeze much more exciting than the homerun, and would like to see them more often.
Next Mets Game
The series concludes in Atlanta on Sunday night at 6pm. Fernando Nieve faces Javier Vazquez. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
The only thing I forsee happening that I don’t like about adding Lugo is that Jerry will undoubtedly bat him 2nd and bury Castillo and his .386 OBP in the 8 hole once again. But I guess that’s still better than having Cora play everyday.
Now when will the Mets wise up and release Tim Redding already and call up Jon Niese? Hasn’t it already been about 3 weeks overdue?
I don’t because A). I don’ think we would get anyone decent for our “trade bait” B.) This club is barely above a AAA team now and subtracting the good parts to make it an AAA would be even more unwatchable than it is now.
Castillo, Feliciano, and Sheffield. I think other bullpen guy could go to but i’d like green to stay.
I think Lugo will actually replace Castillo at 2nd, eventually.
Santana was good yesterday, but i still dont think he is 100%. I was also miffed by the inability to score runs…muted is the 3-14 w/RISP yesterday.
Mic: If Lugo couldn’t wrestle playing time away from Nick Green and Jed Lowrie in Boston, what makes you think he can supplant Luis Castillo? With Jose Reyes’ latest setback, it’s very likely Lugo will get the rest of ’09 to show the Mets (and the rest of the league) what he can do at SS…because the alternative is shifting Lugo to a position he’s done notoriously worse at defensively in 2B, and then playing Cora everyday at SS. That is not a good plan. So unless Castillo gets hurt or Omar is able to find a taker that will unload his salary, he is going to be the starting 2B. I’m AM interested to see who is on the hook for Lugo’s $9-million for next season. I pray it’s not the Mets, because we don’t need another over-the-hill, over-priced middle infielder who stiffles the roster flexibility.