Mets Game 121: Loss to Astros

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Joe Janish

Astros 3 Mets 2

A split is like kissing your sister. Or something.

Game Notes

Tom Glavine Pat Misch hurled 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs, walking none. Not a bad start by any means. But he gave up a monster blast to Carlos Lee that drove home all three Houston runs and that, my friends, was the ballgame.

Meanwhile, the Mets hitters could do nothing with the immortal Bud Norris — they managed three singles and four walks. The only reason they crossed the plate twice was because “shortstop” Angel Sanchez was standing between second and third base when the Mets came to bat. Sanchez’s inability to field adequately led to both Mets runs — first, he missed second base on a DP attempt which allowed a run to score, and minutes later, he couldn’t convert a Chris Carter grounder into an out, scoring the second Mets run. Do you know how hard it is for Carter to get an infield hit?

Did I mention that the Mets had three hits? Pat Misch rapped one of them. Carter’s was another. Jose Reyes had the third Mets hit, which was legitimate.

Angel Pagan stole his 30th base. That’s some kind of milestone, isn’t it? I know, I’m grasping for positives.

Rod Barajas came off the DL and started this game behind the plate. Why? No one is sure.

Jerry Manuel’s quote during the postgame, in describing the Mets offense:

“This is pathetic.”

For once, I agree with Mr. Manuel.

Next Mets Game

The Mets rocket out of Houston and move on to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates for a weekend series. Game one begins at 7:05 PM on Friday night and pits Mike Pelfrey vs. Jeff Karstens.

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Managerial Experience: Does It Matter?

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Joe Janish

It is a foregone conclusion that Jerry Manuel is a lame duck and will not be returning to manage the Mets in 2011. That said, the search is on for his replacement … though, we don’t know whether that search will be conducted by Omar Minaya or someone else. In the meantime, we fans can speculate all we want, and argue for our favorites. It is certainly more interesting than discussing the Mets team right now.

One subject of heated debate recently is the level of experience that the next Mets manager should have. Some think it should be someone with many years of proven leadership at the MLB level; others think it’s time to bring in someone new — the idea being that the Mets need someone with fresh ideas and who may not fit the current corporate mold that has been established by owners and GMs throughout MLB who refer to their clubs as “the product on the field”.

Following is a random selection of current and former MLB managers and the experience they had prior to managing a big-league team. Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion and Analysis | 12 Comments

Mets Game 120: Win Over Astros

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Joe Janish

Mets 3 Astros 2

It took long enough, but eventually, the Mets outlasted the Astros in a 14-inning snorefest.

Blame Geoff Blum for 5 extra innings that none of us needed to experience.

Game Notes

R.A. Dickey‘s dancing knuckler befuddled the Houston batters all night, as he allowed only two runs on 9 hits and one walk, striking out 6, in 8 1/3 innings. But that’s not all — Dickey also drove in the first run of the game with a double in the seventh. As all Mets starters know, you can’t just pitch and expect to win the ballgame — you have to provide some offense as well.

Unfortunately for Dickey, however, one of his floaters went flaccid and Geoff Blum hit it hard, knocking it over the right field fence to tie the game at two and chase R.A. from the ballgame.

On offense, Dickey drove in Ruben Tejada, who jumped all over an 87-MPH, chest-high fastball over the middle of the plate and swatted it into left field for his first hit in 28 at-bats. If he can continue to hit mistakes like that, he has a very good chance of hitting over .200 by the end of the season.

Bobby Parnell was lights out in two perfect innings of relief, striking out 3 and touching triple digits on the radar gun. Yet, it was like deja vu … I swear he’s done this before, and in Houston, around this time, perhaps in a different year. So what does it mean? Parnell is either a closer in the making or a perpetual tease.

Jose Reyes went 4-for-6 with a triple, a walk, and two stolen bases (both times it was a steal of third), but scored only once — that one time was, however, the last time a player crossed the plate in the evening, and was the winning run. Reyes pranced home on a sac fly by Ike Davis.

Josh Thole had a long night, going oh-fer-seven. He did, however, throw out a runner on a pitch out that ruined a hit-and-run. Thole has now thrown out 7 of 13, but I think at least 3 of those assists came on botched hit-and-runs. Not to take anything away from the fact that he threw those runners out, but just putting it into a realistic perspective — that over 50% rate is not necessarily because he’s Molina-like.

Angel Pagan had one hit, an RBI, and a stolen base — his 29th of the season. Did you know he has three more thefts than Reyes? Pagan also has more homeruns and RBI than Jason Bay, and leads the team in batting average. Who’da thunk it?

David Wright collected two more hits, including his 30th double, and seems to be out of his slump. However, he left the game in the 12th with a limp. Strangely enough, Jerry Manuel explained that he was removed because of “queasiness” and feeling “lightheaded”. Are you surprised?

Next Mets Game

The final game of this four-game series begins at 8:05 PM EST. Pat Misch pitches against Gomer Pyle Bud Norris.

Posted in Mets 2010 Games | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wednesday Mets Links

Posted on August 18, 2010 by loge mezzanine

Mets Report – Clayton Caldwell wonders why Jerry Manuel seems to be platooning Josh Thole and Ike Davis.

Mets Gazette – Matthew Blaszka counts down the Top 5 Moments that killed the Mets. The birth of Jeff Wilpon is not listed, so I assume this list is for 2011.

MetsMerized Online – Another Mets fan wants to fire Omar Minaya.

The Daily Stache – Ray Maldonado wonders when the Wilpons will win. Hah! Maybe when Jeff Wilpon stops lying about knowing anything about pro baseball?

OnTheBlack – Kerel Cooper discusses last night’s loss and Johan Santana’s bad luck.

Fire Wayne Hagin Already – Another Hagin-esque Hagin-ism. Definitely worth reading if you like a good, quick laugh.

And here are Ron Darling’s thoughts on Brooklyn Cyclones manager Wally Backman from Playin for Peanuts:

Posted in Link Dump | 2 Comments

Mets Game 119: Loss to Astros

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Joe Janish

Astros 4 Mets 3

Ace starter Johan Santana pitched another complete game, but hurled less than 9 frames, allowed 4 runs, and was saddled with a loss.

Does anyone care?

Game Notes

All 4 runs Santana gave up were earned, as he allowed 9 hits, one walk, and struck out 7. Not a bad appearance by any means, but not nearly good enough to win when your offense comes from Flushing. Johan was bit by the longball, as he allowed two homers by Hunter Pence — a three-run job in the first frame, and a solo shot in the 8th. Had Pence sat out, the Mets might’ve won this one.

Meanwhile, David Wright looks to be out of his slump, as he blasted his 18th homer of the season.

Jose Reyes and Josh Thole each went 2-for-4, and Santana stroked one of the Mets’ 8 hits.

Former Met Nelson Figueroa went five frames and allowed only one earned run on 4 hits and 3 walks, striking out 4. The Houston bullpen took over from there and former Yankee prospect Mark Melancon was the recipient of the victory after blowing a 3-2 lead by allowing Wright’s tater in the top of the 8th. Sometimes there isn’t any justice in this system of wins and losses.

The Mets are now one game under .500. To put that into perspective, the Wild Card-leading Phillies are 16 games over .500. There are 43 games left in the season. You do the math.

Next Mets Game

Game three begins at 8:05 PM on Wednesday night. R.A. Dickey faces Brett Myers.

Posted in Mets 2010 Games | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Mets Game 118: Win Over Astros

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Joe Janish

Mets 3 Astros 1

Closer? Who needs a closer?

The Mets began the After K-Rod Era in fine style, taking a close one from the Astros — and sealing the deal with a save by Hisanori Takahashi.

But see, that’s the difference that sets the great teams like the Mets apart from all the rest: DEPTH. Only a team as deep and talented as the Mets can lose an $11.5M closer and not even blink.

Game Notes

Jonathon Niese threw another gem, but wasn’t around long enough to earn a decision. Niese went a strong 7 innings, allowing one run on 7 hits, walking none, striking out 5.

David Wright broke out of his lengthy slump, going 3-for-4 and scoring the winning run in the ninth when he scampered home from third on a slider that got away.

Carlos Beltran‘s bat also showed signs of life — he had two hits including his second homerun of the season, a solo shot that accounted for the Mets’ first run of the ballgame.

The only other Met to swat an extra-base hit was Jeff Francoeur, whose ninth-inning triple scored Beltran with an insurance run.

When the Mets are playing in the NLDS in October, we will all look back at this game, and the exit of K-Rod, as the turning point of the season — the start of when everything began to go right. Or not.

I am traveling for work this week and couldn’t get the game on MLB.com so wound up listening to the WFAN broadcast of this game via my iPhone MLB GameDay app. I can’t decide what is most annoying about the radio broadast: the “Cars for Kids” ad, the NY Auto Giant ad, or Wayne Hagin. Maybe it’s easier to say that the most annoying thing was that I couldn’t get MLB.com video to work.

Next Mets Game

The Mets play in Houston again on Tuesday night at 8:05 PM. Johan Santana will face Nelson Figueroa in a matchup of pitchers facing their original organization.

Posted in Mets 2010 Games | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Breaking News: K-Rod Ain’t So Tough

Posted on August 16, 2010 by loge mezzanine

Image via Hot Foot

Admit it… you thought K-Rod was cool.

His take-no-prisoners approach to baseball and life really spoke to your sensibilities as a Mets fan. The guy had it all – a shaky delivery, a big contract, a balky ankle, an attitude problem, an anger management issue and boy, was that guy tough. He beat up his coach AND his father-in-law in the same season. He lives the life we can only dream of!

Well, not so much, apparently. Turns out Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez is as brittle as an old lady playing in the NFL.

MetsBlog is reporting that K-Rod tore a ligament in his right thumb while he was manhandling an old man. Ouch! Couldn’t have happened to a nicer moron.

Now the Mets don’t have to listen to fans booing their decision to let Rodriguez off lightly with a two-day suspension.

Pretty cool, huh?

Posted in Player Notes | Tagged | 4 Comments

Monday Morning Mets Links

Posted on August 16, 2010 by loge mezzanine

Mets Gazette – An interview with MetsBlog’s Michael Baron about managerial candidates for 2011.

MetsMerized Online – Joe Spector points out that the performance – and support of – Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon by Fred Wilpon is alot like James Dolan’s infatuation with Isiah Thomas. Although the Mets situation is a bit more complicated because Omar is BFF with the owner’s kid. Nepotism is a helluva drug…

MetsBlog – An interesting infographic on the Mets lack of offense during the last six games. How do you hit .088 with RISP and still win three out of six games? That’s practically a positive!

Mets Report – John Wenk ponders the future of Carlos Beltran. Should he stay or should he go? If he goes there will be trouble, if he stays…

And here is snake oil salesman Omar Minaya talking about the triumphant return of Punch-Rod. Nice signing Omar!



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