Game Recap: Mets 3 -- Indians 1

Mets pitching was dominant tonight, allowing only 1 run while striking out 15 Indians en route to a 3-1 win.

John Maine needed 97 pitches through 5 2-3 of an inning, allowing 5 hits and 1 run. Maine allowed a solo home run in the first inning, but settled down nicely, only walking one batter while striking out 7 while on the bump.

Great outing from Maine. Everyone is talking about Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez, a lot of people forget about 15-game winners like Maine and Oliver Perez. Obviously a better pitch count and more innings would be nicer, but with the bullpen actually being a strong point (shocking, I know) it's allowable.

Joe Smith came into the game with 2 on and 2 out, and struck out the batter end the inning. Scott Schoeneweis and Aaron Heilman each allowed two hits in their inning of work, but neither allowed a run to score. Schoeneweis struck out one in the 7th, and Heilman struck out three in the 8th inning.

Look! Smith pitched and didn't allow a run! Celebrate! It's nice to see him go out there, with inherited runners nonetheless, and not let any runs in. Solid outings by Schoeneweis and Heilman.

Billy Wagner closed out the game, earning the save, with a 1-2-3 inning. Wagner set the side down with three strikeouts.

Can we get that every time he pitches?

The third, fourth and fifth positions in the lineup really delivered for the Mets tonight. They went a combined 6-10, scoring 3 runs and driving in one. David Wright, Fernando Tatis, Carlos Beltran, Fernando Martinez and Damion Easley were in that group. Martinez and Easley each hit doubles, with FMart driving in one of the runs.

Those doubles were great. Easley hit his down the right field line, and looked pretty good rounding the bases. Martinez sliced his double into the gap between left and center, which plated Tatis.

Raul Casanova got another start behind the plate, and came through, going 2-3 with a 2-out RBI. Jose Reyes also picked up a hit for the Mets.

I'm glad the Mets finally have a decent backup catcher not named Alomar or Di Felice. We might be seeing Casanova or Robinson Cancel if the catching injuries continue.

Lineup vs. the Indians

The Mets welcome the Cleveland Indians to Tradition Field for a 7:10 p.m. game. The game is available on SNY.

Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Damion Easley
RF Ryan Church
C Raul Casanova
LF Angel Pagan
SP John Maine

Brian Schneider aimed to play tonight, and will try to play tomorrow. Duaner Sanchez also aimed to pitch tonight, but will most likely appear in tomorrow's game against the Baltimore Orioles.

This will probably begin the phasing out of lineups as they will get more and more typical. No live blog tonight, have a paper due tomorrow!

Schneider will sit again

According to David Lennon, Brian Schneider will sit again tonight for the game against the Indians.

From Lennon:

I'm sorry to report that he will be nursing his strained right hamstring on the bench. Thank God for simulated games, eh? Schneider has appeared in a whopping total of five Grapefruit League games this spring and hasn't even made it through the whole rotation yet -- he's still waiting to catch Pedro Martinez in an exhibition game.

Of all people to be out, I think he's the worst person to have miss these games. He's the captain out there, calling the shots for every pitch. He needs to build up camaraderie between himself and the pitching staff. As Lennon says, good things they have sim-games.

"I don't think. I know I'll be ready."

That was Duaner Sanchez on whether he'll be able to pitch come opening day.

Sanchez is planning on pitching in tonights game, which would be a huge accomplishment as he last pitched on Monday.

If Sanchez can come back and pitch a good inning on only a days rest, his chances of making the opening day squad would increase exponentially.

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Ruben Gotay, who is trying to come back from a sprained right ankle, is suiting up for tonight's game. He wants to play, most likely as a late inning substitute.

If Gotay comes back healthy, I think he makes the team over a guy like Brady Clark or Angel Pagan. Of Clark and Pagan, I feel that one of them will make the team come March 31st. I have a sneaking suspicion it will be Clark, as he has gotten hot as of late, and would be a nice candidate to platoon with Church if need be.

Clark as volunteered to also see some time at first, but has yet to play a game at that position.

FMart assesment

John Sickles over at Minor League Ball pens a great article, "Assessing Fernando Martinez," where he tries to figure what will happen to FMart in the coming years.

From Sickles:

Martinez has enormous potential, clearly. For a player to hold his own in Double-A at age 18 is remarkable. But it also makes it harder to get a read on what the player may do in the future. Age-relative-to-league is very important, but it's just one factor. While scouts are unanimous about his tools, no one is quite certain about how his skills are going to develop. Some see him developing into a 30+ homer guy, while some think he'll be more of a high batting average guy with OK power, and some see him developing both.

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Would I invest a fantasy pick in Martinez? In a long-term keeper league, absolutely. If I was a Mets fan, would I be super-excited about Martinez? Sure. As a general baseball fan I find his case a fascinating one.

As usual, only time will tell.

I'm pumped to see FMart catch praise from outside the Mets blogsphere. He's an exciting player and we'll be seeing plenty of him patrolling the outfield of Citi Field very soon.

Schneider may miss tonights game

Remember every time I said Brian Schneider will be back for Wednesday's night game against the Cleveland Indians?

Well, I might be a liar.

According to David Lennon, the injury might keep Schneider out of the game tonight.

From Lennon:

With Brian Schneider still nursing a strained right hamstring, it sounds like he may be questionable for tonight's game against the Indians, preferring to give it one more day of rest after having to catch Orlando Hernandez in Tuesday's simulated game.

I should just stop talking all together.

Hopefully Schneider can come back and catch a few exhibition games before heading into the regular season with the team, if in fact he is healthy enough to do so.

People to avoid at the ballpark

Peter Abraham, over at The LoHud Yankees Blog (yes, I read Yankees blogs, one of those "keep your friends close, and enemies closer" type of things), put out his "Ten people to avoid at the ballpark," and they're all pretty hilarious.

My personal favorites:

7. People who swear at the players. How badly has your life gone that you feel compelled to come to the park and yell obscene words at somebody playing baseball? Trust me, when the player goes back to his huge house and his insanely hot wife that night, you calling him names doesn’t make him feel bad.

8. People trying to start The Wave. The Wave is a plague on sports. It’s 50,000 people saying, “Look at us, we’re all mindless and we don’t care about the game.” Thankfully Yankee Stadium is largely Waveless.

#7, is unfortunately me, so I apologize to anyone I've sat next to, or near, when viewing a New York Mets game. I cannot agree with #8 more. I despise The Wave in every way, and refuse to participate in it, ever.

I also don't like those two goofs in electric blue suits and sunglasses with the bald heads that wander the stadium. No one likes you, so just stop. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Cow Bell Man, but that is because he's cool, those bald guys are just creepy.

Results of the sim-game

Stick a fork in him, he's done.

El Duque and Mike Pelfrey faced off in a simulated game today, and Duque did not look good.

I know there's all the talk about "not caring about velocity," but this is alarming. Duque apparently topped out at only 81 mph, and was consistent in the 70's. His changeup was all the way down in the upper 50's.

Is this slow-pitch softball? He's definitely in the age range. That's really just kind of sad for a major league pitcher to barely break 80. I honestly can't see him coming back, and if he does, I can't see him being that effective unless he continuously fools batters with his incredibly slow pitches where they will swing three times before the ball gets to the plate, as if out of some cartoon.

Pelfrey tossed 90 pitches, while El Duque threw 80. Hernandez was apparently "very happy" with his performance today, even though he got tagged for a few deep balls in his final inning. Brian Schneider caught Duque today, and should return to action tomorrow.

Ramon Castro caught Pelfrey today, and was "impressed by Pelfrey's ability to throw his slider and changeup behind in the count."

I still think this is Pelfrey's spot to lose. Duque just doesn't seem healthy enough, or have enough ability left in the tank to put together a good season.

Beating a dead horse: Aaron Heilman as a starter

I've had it just about up to here with this talk, and I thought most fans were past this point, past this question. I figured people had given up, closed shop and gone home.

Nope.

Fans continue to beat this dead horse into oblivion.

In Marty Noble's latest mailbag, the question is resurrected like a stubborn zombie on All Hallows Eve:
If for some reason Pedro Martinez or Orlando Hernandez could not start the season, would Aaron Heilman be given the chance to join the starting rotation? Or have his chances of ever being a starting pitcher become naught?
-- John E., Topeka, Kan.

Stop.
Why is everyone still absolutely fascinated with the idea that Heilman can magically come out of the pen and start? Years ago, when Heilman was still accustomed to starting, pitching more innings, it would have made relief. But after staying exclusively in the bullpen for the last few years, pitching one or two innings usually, how in the world would he be able to come out and throw 5 or more?

Don't we have enough guys (El Duque, Mike Pelfrey, Jorge Sosa...heck, even Tony Armas Jr.) that could fill this hole better than Heilman could?

Does that one-hitter back in 2005 still tickle your fancy for Heilman to start?

I don't get this. At all. I'm as big of a Heilman fan as the next guy, besides when he gives up home runs all the time, but gee whiz, it's time you stop living in the past. He's been a relief pitcher for 3 years now, his arm and stamina are not tailored to pitch probably more than 3 innings.

So here is my plea: Stop beating the dead horse that is "Heilman should start!" It's over. Done. No mas.

Injury update: Castro

Ramon Castro's MRI came back, and he was diagnosed with a strained right hamstring.

Castro is listed as day-to-day, and is back behind the plate catching Mike Pelfrey in the simulated game today.

If he's back so soon, he has to be feeling all right.

Brian Schneider is slated to be back to face the Cleveland Indians tomorrow, so there is a chance the Mets might have their starter and backup catcher back by opening day.