Mets Game 47: Win Over Phillies
Mets 5 Phillies 0
Who are these Mets? Who are those Phillies?
The Mets won their fourth in a row — beating the Yankees and Phillies — and their fifth of their last six. They’ve shut out the Phillies in back-to-back games using fill-in starters. Is it because they’re that good? Is it because Jerry Manuel knows exactly what buttons to press, and when? Now that they’ve crawled out of the cellar, should we expect the Mets to start mashing their way to the top of the division?
Time will tell.
Game Notes
Hisanori “Don’t Call Me Ken” Takahashi spun another brilliant start, stupefying the Phillies through six innings of shutout ball. He allowed 5 hits, walked none, and struck out 6. The Phillies truly looked befuddled against him — I guess that’s what happens when they aren’t told what’s coming.
Takahashi is now tied with Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey for the team lead in wins (4). He’s posted a 0.81 ERA over his last 8 appearances, going back to Cinco de Mayo.
Is it a coincidence that Takahashi, Raul Valdes, Jennry Mejia, and R.A. Dickey have been the biggest surprises on the staff, and none were exposed to Dan Warthen until very recently? Probably.
Jose Reyes blasted his first homer of the year, a 400-foot laser over the right field wall. He’s just getting warmed up, folks.
Rod Barajas — a.k.a., “Lord of the (High) Flies” — drove in 3 more runs with a double and a long fly. He’s hitting .533 with 8 RBI in 4 games vs. the Phillies this year. Clearly, NL teams do not archive their scouting reports, or Hot Rod would not continually get pitches low and in — pretty much the only spot his bat swings through. Let’s hope no one catches on.
Similarly, I hope the Mets continue to throw pitches — of any variety — down and away to Ryan Howard. Change-ups, fastballs, breaking pitches — it doesn’t matter what — if the pitch is below his knees, and off the outside corner, he’s swinging and missing. Those breezes must have been welcome in the 95+ degree heat during the game.
Angel Pagan was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored, and his push bunt in the sixth helped ignite a three-run rally. He’s quietly turning into a solid offensive force at the bottom half of the lineup. Carlos Who?
Speaking of steals, the Mets are 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts in this series, and are second in the NL in both total steals (43) and SB percentage (83%).
Fernando Nieve did make an appearance, tossing 14 pitches in a perfect ninth. But this outing was PLANNED, as he was “getting his work in” in preparation for a spot start this coming weekend. Really? He needs to get work in? It will take a minor miracle to keep his right arm from detaching from his body before the end of the season.
The Mets are now 18-9 at home, and beginning to resemble the 1987 Twins, minus the dome.
The Phillies have scored a scant 15 runs in their past 8 games. The’ve scored 4 runs in their last 45 innings. The pitchers on the end of the Mets depth chart have shut them out through 18 consecutive innings. WTF?
This was the first time the Mets shut out the Phillies in back-to-back games since July 17-18, 1998, when Al Leiter and Hideo Nomo pulled the trick (back then pitchers still occasionally finished what they started).
The Phillies, by the way, have been shut out four times this year — three of those times in their last three games.
Next Mets Game
The Mets go for the sweep on Thursday night, sending Mike Pelfrey to the mound against Cole Hamels. Game time is 7:10 PM.
Lo and behold, Takahashi opts to throw another change, its not in the dirt, but Howard whiffs at it. Strike three, Takahashi passes a solid test of a major leauge starter. Congrats Takahashi, congrats Keith.
But in a sane world, where Jerry wasn't trying to end Nieve's career … isn't the short-term solution pretty obvious? Start Dickey on Saturday, because he doesn't care how often he pitches, and bring Misch up to pitch on Sunday on his regular rest. Maybe Misch gets shelled, maybe he doesn't, but he's at least been competitive. And what's the reasonable alternative?
Second choice, start Valdes on Saturday on Sunday. But Nieve? My head hurts.
But we don't have Oswalt, and Takahashi is proving to be a fine stop gap. Dickey as well. So what's the problem guys? They're pitching well, doesn't mean we need to not look for starters, but why the complaining? Isn't it amazing that we are scrambling for a fifth starter, when Minaya had clear warning we needed starters?
On the Radar – Vazquez, Lowe, Oswalt, Harang or Arroyo (yes?), Millwood,
Kick the tires on: Greinke, Cliff Lee, Kazmir or Joe Saunders
Hate to say it, but we need to consider parting with our chronically injured Fernando Martinez if it can land us somebody on this list. But I'll stop there in terms of prospects, eat the cash, give up Fmart, get the SP. If not, we have to seriously consider the merits of wooing Pedro or Washburn, if they're effective and willing to come. In the meantime, I can live with TAkahashi and Dickey. Anybody so long as they're not named Oliver Perez.
Pelf is 4-0 at home and 6-1 overall on the season.
And if anyone thinks Derek Lowe, Aaron Harang, Kevin Millwood, or the like, are going to be consistently better than RA Dickey or Takahashi over the long run, then you haven't been paying enough attention to the rest of the league over the past year and a half.
As for Dickey I'm happy that he is on this team because a guy with a rubber arm who can start one day and long relief two days later is an asset. A Knuckler is not something you can scout really well and as long as he is performing to his ability to throw it, he should succeed. So in the end if Niese comes back healthy and the Mets pick up another starter then Dickey goes to the pen in long relief, I think he is still an asset and going to help this team win. If he stays in the rotation I don't doubt that he can be successful. After all he's only 26 in "Knuckleballer years."
Having said that I really believe Kevin Millwood is the guy to go for. Yes he will cost a young arm, and yes he is obscured on a bad team, but he was great last year in Texas, he has pitched a lot of innings the past few years (consistency and durability) and I think he fits in really well at Citi.
Our bullpen has some solid pieces (albeit some roller coaster rides), and has been solid just like it has been in years past; 2008, not withstanding.
This lineup is good. It has talent and when it comes together watch out. They're all tearing ass right now and getting hot. And that's what baseball is about, getting hot as much as you can. Not everybody can be a champion ballclub, ala Boston for most of the aughts, or the Yankees in the late 90's, or the Mets in 2006. Guess what, those teams don't always win the championship cuz one bad timed cold streak and their a dead duck.
Show me where in this lineup we have a hole.
I like you isuzu, always appreciate your input, but your being a pessimist right now. The Yankees are a good team who gave us a good fight, and we beat them fair and square. The Phillies might be cold, but its saying something if we can keep em cold.
This team is a good team when all of the pieces are working together, and I have no doubt that it is a reflection of the coaching staff and probably a little something to do with Reyes getting hot ; )
no matter what, let's not go nuts here, Ike Davis ain't going nowhere unless its in a blockbuster (ala Adrian Gonzalez). Same with Mejia. Clearly I've given up on Fmart, and yes its probably not likely anybody will really want him anyway, unless your including him in a salary dump for a good starter like Oswalt.
Personally, i hope this rotation keeps going. Ala Minaya's vision Santana is better if hitters face an RA dickey, Takashi, and Pel who are all very very different.
As for these Oswalt dreams…I say No. There is no one out there that is not a short term fix, or high risk commodity. If there is a trade rather I would trade Reyes/Beltran plus Brad Holt/Gee/Evans/Havens/ ……I think Beltran for Dice-K would be a nice newspaper seller.
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