Mets Game 137: Win Over Cubs
Mets 18 Cubs 5
Where was all this offense for the past fifty or so games?
The Mets exploded for double-digit runs for the first time since June 22nd in Detroit as they rolled over the Cubs in Chicago to avoid a sweep.
Game Notes
Jonathon Niese wasn’t spectacular, but he didn’t need to be with all the offensive support he received. Niese allowed 5 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks in 6 innings, striking out 4 and allowing 2 homers in a 106-pitch effort. His command was inconsistent on all pitches, and his slider and curveball seemed to be confused with each other. Several times when he threw a breaking pitch, I wasn’t sure which one he was attempting to throw, because the ball kind of hung and moved sideways, with a velocity between 82-85. I guess you’d call it a “slurve”, but that couldn’t have been his intent.
Ike Davis had a big day, going 4-for-6 with 3 RBI, 3 runs scored, a double, and his 17th homerun.
Jon Niese helped himself with two hits and two RBI.
Ruben Tejada’s hot streak continued, as he drove in 5 runs (count ‘em!) and blasted his first Major League homer. OK, he didn’t exactly “blast it” — it was a long fly ball to left-center that got caught in the jet stream and bounced off the yellow line at the top of the wall. But it counts all the same.
Carlos Beltran went 2-for-4 with 3 walks, 2 runs, an RBI, a stolen base, and saw 37 pitches on the day.
Every single position player in the Mets lineup scored at least one run, as did all three of their pinch-hitters.
Fantasy Alert: Cubs’ second baseman Jeff Baker went 3-for-3 in the game, and is now 8 for his last 12. Pick him up while he’s hot.
I listened to part of the game on XM Radio, which meant I had to hear the Cubs’ announcers Pat Hughes and Ron Santo. Hughes kept pronouncing Lucas Duda’s last name as “Doo – DAH” — you know, like the Camptown Races song? Kind of annoying, but funny as well.
Next Mets Game
The Mets travel to Washington, D.C. to face the Nationals on Monday. Game one begins at 1:05 PM, and features a matchup of Mike Pelfrey vs. Jordan Zimmerman. Zimmerman will be making only his third start of 2010 after missing a little over a year with an elbow injury — he had Tommy John surgery last August.
Omar Minaya Flies Coach, Gets Heckled
Well, it’s come to this… Omar Minaya was spotted on a JetBlue flight to Chicago. And, of course, he was heckled (via DeadSpin):
So I’m settling into my seat on a VERY inexpensive Jetblue flight to Chicago to see the Mets in Wrigley when I notice the flight attendant having a hard time closing the overhead compartment because of someone’s bag. After she sheepishly looks around for the culprit—he identifies himself. Since everyone was already seated and ready to fly, the apparently inconsiderate passenger was on stage for all to see. It was none other than Omar Minaya himself. What I didn’t say before is that this flight is CRAWLING with Mets fans making the pligramage to Wrigely. At once the plane is abuzz. One young man in 18A shouts out “I woulda traded frenchy three months ago” another says “Better live it up, this is probably your last flight to chicago as GM”. Delighted by the impromptu celebrity roast I chimed in with “I bet they flew Mike Jacobs in business class, at least”. We all laughed in unison—he sat down and put his headphones on, a defeated man.
I can’t wait until news leaks that the Mets are staying in a La Quinta at the airport.
Mets Game 136: Loss to Cubs
Cubs 5 Mets 3
It was a beautiful, sunny day in Chicago, but not so beautiful a debut for Jenrry Mejia.
Game Notes
The much-anticipated first MLB start by Jenrry Mejia was something of a letdown. Mejia allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings, striking out 2 and expending 96 pitches. Perhaps more concerning than the stats was the fact his fastball generally hung around the 92-93 range — a far cry from the upper 90s that he displayed in the spring. He also was regularly shaking / shrugging his shoulder in between pitches — not sure if that is simply a habit or if something is bothering him. You may know he was shut down in late June for a few weeks with a rotator cuff strain, so perhaps this habit and the drop in velocity are related to that issue.
Mejia’s other pitches weren’t particularly noteworthy, either. On occasion, he threw a nasty curve with good 12-6 rotation — so there is some potential — but he didn’t have much command of it and he hung it several times. His change-up was more or less a throwaway pitch, as he rarely put it in the strike zone.
You may think that my analysis is “too critical” since Jenrry is only 20 years old. Well, that’s your right, but I’m looking at him as a Major League Pitcher — not as a random 20-year-old. If I saw him pitch this way in A or AA, I’d say, “hey, this kid has some potential — in a couple years the Mets may have something”. But he is NOT in the minors currently — he is in “The Show”, and by all accounts the Mets are penciling him in for a rotation spot (or at least, to compete for one) next spring. So his age is not nearly as important as his stage of development — and if he is in a Major League game, he has to be evaluated as a Major Leaguer. What I’m seeing is raw talent, but talent that needs to be further developed before pitching every five days against MLB hitters.
Something noticeable to me — and glad Bobby Ojeda pointed out in the postgame — was that when Mejia threw a pitch that went past Nickeas with a man on third, Mejia did not cover the plate. Another glaring indication of a pitcher who needs more minor league seasoning.
Mike Nickeas made his MLB debut catching for Mejia, which some people may have found mysterious since Nickeas is not a prospect. However, Mejia has pitched well in the minors with Nickeas as his backstop for the Binghamton Mets and Nickeas followed Mejia up to AAA Buffalo and caught his gem there. So it made sense to keep the tandem together for Mejia’s first MLB start — there certainly is a comfort level between the two. You might compare Nickeas to Crash Davis, without the homerun power.
Carlos Zambrano limited the Mets to 4 hits in 7 innings. What happened to the guy that had no control of emotions nor his fastball, was getting into fights with nice guys like Derrek Lee, and was looking like the Cubs’ version of Oliver Perez?
Speaking of Perez, why not just start using him in games like this? The Mets have no chance at a playoff spot at this point, and you’re paying the guy, so may as well use him.
Carlos Beltran went 3-for-4 and Ike Davis had two hits, including a wind-blown homer.
Ruben Tejada is red-hot — he collected another single, and has now hit in 4 of his last 6 games. He’s 5 for his last 15, rocketing his batting average to .181. If he can keep this up a little longer, he will threaten to reach the Mendoza Line. Additionally, Tejada’s fielding resembles that of Mario Mendoza, one of the legendary “good-hit, no-field” shortstops. He made one excellent play in the hole that demonstrated his superior arm strength. If only he could play both the shortstop and second base positions simultaneously, the Mets would really have something.
Next Mets Game
The final game of the series occurs on Sunday at 2:20 PM EST. Jonathon Niese faces Ryan Dempster.
Mets Game 135: Loss to Cubs
Cubs 7 Mets 6
Win one, lose one, win one, lose one … oh wait, we used that last week.
With the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field, Jerry Manuel stuck to small ball, perhaps as an element of surprise. It didn’t work.
Meanwhile, the Cubs played big ball, and in the end outlasted the Mets.
Game Notes
Although the wind was blowing hard, it didn’t help R.A. Dickey‘s knuckleball, which was swatted unmercifully by the Cubs batters. Dickey allowed 7 runs on 8 hits, including two three-run homers.
I’d theorize that because Dickey throws an unusually hard knuckleball, and some of his success is due to an ability to change speeds on the knuckler, the wind in his face was slowing down his hard knuckler and making it easier to hit as a result. That’s only a guess. Maybe, because of the wind blowing toward him, Dickey was in response over-throwing the knuckler, leading to more spin on the ball. Knuckleballs move more with less spin, so perhaps his had too much spin on this afternoon and stayed straight. Again, only a guess.
On a positive note, David Wright was a one-man wrecking crew, going 3-for-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBI, including a double and his 23rd homer. Angel Pagan also had a 3-for-5 day from the leadoff spot.
You know the wind is affecting the ballgame when Luis Hernandez hits a dinger. I believe it was the first time the Mets hit more than one homerun in a game since July.
Take away Wright and Pagan, and the Mets collected 4 hits on the day. They also left 10 runners on base.
Another bright spot: Lucas Duda rapped his first MLB hit, a double.
Only one team in MLB has lost more one-run games than the Mets … the Cubs.
Next Mets Game
The Mets and Cubs do it again at Wrigley at 1:05 PM EST on Saturday afternoon. Jenrry Mejia makes his first Major League start against Casey Coleman.
Wally Backman Watch: Jeff Wilpon Meets With Backman in Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Paper is reporting that Jeff Wilpon met with Wally Backman last night at MCU Park.
Meanwhile, SNY’s Ted Berg recently sat down to interview Backman on his success in Brooklyn – the Cyclones just clinched the division for the first time since 2007 – and his managing style:
Friday Mets Links
MetsReport – Gabe Aguilar looks at the lack of accountability in the Mets organization.
MetsGazette – Matthe Blaszka wants to give Jerry another year as Mets manager. That’s a joke, right?
The Daily Stache – Taking a cue from Joe’s post on the topic, Ed Vazquez looks at what went wrong and who to blame for yet another failed season.
The Mets Police – Shannon Shark wants Wally Backman to be the next Mets manager. Do you?
Mets Game 134: Win Over Braves
Mets 4 Braves 2
At least they didn’t get swept.
Game Notes
Johan Santana allowed just one run on three hits before leaving the game after only five innings with a pectoral strain. No word on when or whether he’ll be back.
David Wright had two hits and a walk in four trips to the plate, including his 22nd homer. Carlos Beltran ripped his second triple of the season, driving in one and scoring once.
Lucas Duda had another sparkling catch in left field, robbing Alex Gonzalez of a dinger. However, his first MLB hit continued to escape him, as he hit in the unusual spot of #2 in the order.
Next Mets Game
The Mets rush out of Atlanta and move on to Chicago to begin a weekend series with the Cubs. First pitch is at 2:20 PM in the afternoon. R.A. Dickey faces Randy Wells.
What Do We Blame It On This Year?
Ever since the knee-wobbling Adam Wainwright curve that froze Carlos Beltran in October 2006 (a-ha! that’s how he broke his knee!), the Mets have had very distinct “reasons” for not making the playoffs.
In 2007, it was the “lack of an ace”, which in turn allowed The Collapse to happen.
In 2008, it was “the bullpen” (and not the way Jerry Manuel “managed” it).
In 2009, it was “the injuries”
In 2010, it is ….. ?
We need to know what “it” is, and it needs to be specific — otherwise, what will Omar Minaya and co. do this offseason? They need something to “address” during the winter, and placate we angry fans. If they don’t fix anything, we won’t be inclined to buy 2011 season tickets, after all.
Post in the comments what you think will be spun as the thing that needs to be fixed this offseason.
Mets Game 133: Loss to Braves
Braves 4 Mets 1
We were hoping for a sweep, and depending on what happens in game four, we just might get one. Unfortunately, it won’t be the Mets pushing the broom.
Game Notes
Mike Pelfrey struggled in the early innings, allowing the Braves to build a lead that the feeble Mets offense could not surmount.
The Braves were hitting him solidly, mainly because Pelfrey was up with his pitches and getting too much of the middle of the plate. Also, I think Pelfrey may be tipping his pitches, based on the fact that his follow-through is usually different depending on the pitch he throws. Most of the time, if his follow-through turns his face and body completely toward first base, it is a fastball (though on occasion it is a curve). When he finishes more straight and facing home plate, it is either a change-up / forkball or a curve — i.e., something off-speed. Obviously, the follow-through is too late for a batter to identify the pitch, but Pelfrey has to be doing something earlier in his motion that results in those different finishes. Since we never, ever get a camera view from behind home plate, it’s hard to say what exactly the hitters are seeing. It could be as simple as an extra twist of his front shoulder, his chin moving slightly backward, or something with the movement of his hands — something he does early affects the end result (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction). My guess is that batters are picking up on whatever it is, and though they may not know the location of the pitch, they may have a good idea of the velocity that’s coming — which nullifies the strategy of keeping a batter off-balance by changing speeds.
Tommy Hanson pitched well, but watching his mechanics make me squirm. It looks like his arm is going to fly right off his body, the way he stays upright and uses arm speed for velocity and curveball spin. Because he doesn’t allow his head and body to drive forward and down, all of the deceleration of his arm is absorbed by the shoulder rather than the legs. Though his genetics could overcome his mechanics, if I were a betting man, I wouldn’t bet that Hanson will stay healthy over the next few years.
Lucas Duda made his Major League debut in this game, and the ball couldn’t stop finding him — it seemed like he touched it about 15 times. To his credit, he handled the workout flawlessly, looking impressive on a few plays. Every time the camera focused on him, though, “Puttin’ on the Ritz” went through my head — he kind of has this Peter Boyle thing going on — Boyle with a surfer dude twist. He is a big boy who may have some wallop in his bat, so it should be fun to watch him this month and see what happens.
If I’m walking down a dark alley, I want Duda and Mike Hessman on either side of me.
Freddie Freeman also made his big-league debut, playing first base for the Braves. He kind of has a young Chipper Jones thing going on, which doesn’t bode well for Mets fans.
Jason Heyward went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a run, and an RBI, and nearly stole second base without a pitch being thrown. His strike zone judgment and ability to hit the other way are extremely impressive for a 21-year-old — his approach is like that of a ten-year veteran. I am trying hard not to refer to him as “Ironhead”.
Did you know “J-Hey” was born in Ridgewood, NJ? Not sure how he ended up in Georgia — must be kind of like how Derek Jeter was born in Pequannock, NJ.
Jeez, those Braves have a bunch of youngsters with talent — Freeman, Heyward, Hanson, Jonny Venters, Jair Jurrjens, Mike Minor, Eric O’Flaherty … and LHP Mike Dunn coming up next. Kind of reminds me of the all the youngins’ on the Mets right now, only different.
The Mets had two hits in the game. TWO. On the bright side, a lack of baserunners meant there were only 3 LOB.
Next Mets Game
The final game of this wretched four-game set occurs at 7:10 PM on Thursday night. Good thing it is also #CabernetDay on Twitter, as I have a feeling the Mets will drive me to drink. Johan Santana takes the mound against Tim Hudson.
Should Mets Pick Up Jeremy Hermida?
The Red Sox have released Jeremy Hermida, who had been playing for AAA Pawtucket.
You may remember Hermida as a young, talented outfielder for the Florida Marlins who never quite fulfilled expectations for one reason or another. He is now a 26-year-old outfielder who has been deemed an eternal enigma by Boston and cut loose.
Should the Mets take a flyer on him?
He was an elite prospect at one time, breaking into the bigs as a 21-year-old. He enjoyed a breakout season at age 23 in 2007, hitting .296 with a .383 OBP and .870 OPS, swatting 18 HR in 429 ABs. But he took steps backward the next two years, and was traded to the Red Sox last November for two suspects.
Clearly, Hermida is at a crossroads in his career; at this point he will either become another Mike Jacobs or the next Raul Ibanez.
With Jeff Francoeur on his way to Texas and Angel Pagan out with a sore wrist, would it hurt to pick up Hermida and give him a look in one of the corners for the last few weeks of the season? I know Mets fans would rather see Lucas Duda get ABs, but there is room for both to get looks — particularly if the Mets shut down Carlos Beltran, which should be considered if he continues to resemble Willie Mays circa 1973 in centerfield.
Hermida is a big kid with big talent, who still is young enough to turn it around, and will cost nothing. What do the Mets have to lose?
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