The Mets and the Phillies will meet for the rubber game of the series tonight, a 7:10 p.m. start.
Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
LF Angel Pagan
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
RF Ryan Church
2B Damion Easley
C Brian Schneider
P John Maine
Maine vs. Adam Eaton
Not much to say here. Mets need to hit, Phillies will try not to botch every play in the field. Should be a good time for everyone.
4/10/08
Mets sign Claudio Vargas
The Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with Claudio Vargas.
For once, I have no opinion. He'll be sent to AAA after he completes extended spring training, and wait for another injury to occur so he can try and fill in.
He's not in pitching shape, which is just terrible on his part. You have to think, or at least hope, that a team will come calling sometime during the season. The least you could do is stay in shape so when the team calls you, there might be the chance you're needed immediately and must make an impact. That's just plain lazy.
I guess I do have an opinion on this after all.
For once, I have no opinion. He'll be sent to AAA after he completes extended spring training, and wait for another injury to occur so he can try and fill in.
He's not in pitching shape, which is just terrible on his part. You have to think, or at least hope, that a team will come calling sometime during the season. The least you could do is stay in shape so when the team calls you, there might be the chance you're needed immediately and must make an impact. That's just plain lazy.
I guess I do have an opinion on this after all.
Tommy Agee anniversary
Loge 13 takes a retrospective look at Tommy Agee, his home run, and it's ceremonial marker on the 39th anniversary of the highest hit ball in Shea Stadium history. From Loge 13:
This is also the last anniversary of the Agee marker. There will be no more Shea Stadium in a year so no marker necessary. I doubt the Mets will try to save this chunk of cinder block...but if they are considering it, I volunteer to have it hauled to my back yard. I'm sure my neighbors won't mind.Check out Loge 13, it's a great site. I love reading it, and I think you would too.
RIP Tommie Agee.
I've sadly never made it up to the upper deck on this side of the stadium, but I think I'll make a conscientious effort to get over there and visit this marker sometime this season.
Beardless watch: 1-0
If you read my in-depth study about the correlation between my beard and the New York Mets, I'm sure you're just as interested as me to how the Mets fare if I don't have a beard.
So far, they're 1-0.
I'll take it.
So far, they're 1-0.
I'll take it.
Photo of the Day: Bruntlett
Eric Bruntlett helped the Mets break their nine game skid against the Phillies, committing two errors in one inning as the Mets went on to win 8-2.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
4/9/08
Game Recap: Mets 8 -- Phillies 2
The Mets took advantage of a multitude of errors by the Phillies Wednesday night, scoring six unearned runs and breaking their nine game losing streak against the Phillies, winning convincingly 8-2.
Mike Pelfrey pitched five innings, needing exactly 100 pitches, 66 went for strikes. Big Pelf allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three. Pelfrey gave up a run in the second inning off of a Carlos Ruiz single, which scored Pat Burrell, who singled earlier in the inning. In the fifth inning, with Pelfrey starting to tire as his pitch count rose, he walked Eric Bruntlett and then allowed a double to Chase Utley for the second, and final, run of the game for the Phillies.
He kept the ball down, which was the key tonight. Still, the starters are needing too many pitches to get through the first few innings. He kept the Phillies in check for five innings, and that has got to be a nice boost to his confidence. Good stuff, just keep it going.
The Mets bullpen stepped up to the plate (figuratively) and brought their A-game today, pitching four scoreless innings, allowing only three hits. Jorge Sosa pitched two perfect innings in relief, tallying one strike out. Pedro Feliciano, who was in the stadium tonight, turned in a scoreless inning, allowing two hits, both singles, and loaded the bases with a walk before retiring the side in the eighth inning. Carlos Muniz got another shot to show what he has, coming in to finish out the game. Muniz struck out the first batter he faced before surrendering a double to Chris Coste. He then retired the next two batters to end the game.
Oh bullpen, don't leave us ever again. Sosa can be so good some times. He's invaluable to this team. Glad Feliciano could get in there and get an inning in for the team. It was a little shaky, but no damage was done. Muniz has looked very good in his two outings. I like him a lot.
The Mets were the benefactors of nine walks handed out by the Phillies pitching staff and four errors (three in one inning) by the defense, as they only picked up five hits, yet still scored eight runs.
New York struck early, as Jose Reyes led off the game with a walk, moved to second on a ground out from Angel Pagan, and scored on an error by Utley after David Wright put the ball in play.
This was the first error of the eventual four that would be committed by the Phillie defense. No remorse from Mets fans, that's for sure.
The third inning is where the wheels fell off for the Phillies. Here's how it went down: Carlos Delgado led off the inning, going the other way with a double to deep left field. Ryan Church followed with a single, moving Delgado to third. Damion Easley, filling in for an injured Luis Castillo, singled driving in Delgado for the first run of the inning. After a line out from Brian Schneider, Pelfrey came to the plate and reached on what was ruled a fielders choice, with an error from Ruiz. Reyes followed by reaching on another error, as Bruntlett booted his ground ball and Church came around to score. Pagan came up and doubled down the third base line, driving in Easley and Pelfrey. That was the final batter for Kendrick, who only lasted 2 1-3 of an inning, allowing four hits, seven runs, but only one was earned.
One would think that's where the craziness ended, but one would be wrong. Kendrick just does not have the same stuff he showed last year. Maybe that prank really hit him hard.
Chad Durbin relieved Kendrick, and fared no better. Wright hit another ball to Bruntlett at short, who committed another error, allowing Reyes to score again. With Carlos Beltran batting, Durbin threw a wild pitch, allowing Pagan to come in and score.
Now can all you Mets fans step back from the ledge, take a breath, and enjoy the season? Yes, we all know every game is incredibly important, but it's only the seventh game! We'll be all right, I hope.
The Mets did leave nine men on base today, with Beltran leaving five men standing around all by his lonesome. The Mets got doubles from Delgado and Pagan and RBIs from Easley, Reyes, Wright and Pagan (2).
Again, nice to get a win, but very troubling how many men were left on base. Thank goodness for the errors or this would have been a completely different game. Pelfrey showed glimpses of talent, as usual, but couldn't keep it up for a whole game. We need more from him and all our starting pitchers. Good stuff tonight, capitalizing on errors, even if it took an inning or two.
Game Ball: Pagan, again!
Mets close to signing Vargas
According to Jeremy Cothran, the Mets are very close to signing Claudio Vargas to a minor league deal.
The deal would send Vargas to AAA, but the Mets are competing with a few other teams.
First off, I would just like to point out that Vargas' agent is named "Bean Stringfellow." This is the greatest name in the history of names.
I don't mind this deal, because they need arms. Lots of them. Sign him, keep him around, and hopefully the Mets will never need him, but we all know they will.
The deal would send Vargas to AAA, but the Mets are competing with a few other teams.
First off, I would just like to point out that Vargas' agent is named "Bean Stringfellow." This is the greatest name in the history of names.
I don't mind this deal, because they need arms. Lots of them. Sign him, keep him around, and hopefully the Mets will never need him, but we all know they will.
Game Preview: Phillies @ Mets
The Mets will play their first night home game of 2008, and the first one in the last season of Shea Stadium, as they take on the Phillies in game two of a three game series, a 7:10 p.m. start.
Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
LF Angel Pagan
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
RF Ryan Church
2B Damion Easley
C Brian Schneider
SP Mike Pelfrey
Pelfrey vs. Kyle Kendrick
Hit up Mets Lounge for a Live Game Thread.
Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
LF Angel Pagan
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
RF Ryan Church
2B Damion Easley
C Brian Schneider
SP Mike Pelfrey
Pelfrey vs. Kyle Kendrick
Hit up Mets Lounge for a Live Game Thread.
Rollins to start tonight
For all those wishful thinkers hoping that Jimmy Rollins would miss a few games due to his ankle sprain, I'm sorry to disappoint you.
It's being reported that Rollins will in fact make the start tonight against the Mets.
Well, shucks. I never wish injuries on any players, but if they happen to occur, it'd be nice if they helped the Mets. Not so in this case. Too bad.
UPDATE: I lied. He was scratched tonight.
It's being reported that Rollins will in fact make the start tonight against the Mets.
Well, shucks. I never wish injuries on any players, but if they happen to occur, it'd be nice if they helped the Mets. Not so in this case. Too bad.
UPDATE: I lied. He was scratched tonight.
Rubin: Castillo, Duque, and Pagan updates
Adam Rubin: Luis Castillo is day to day, El Duque has been shut down with a tendon strain, and Angel Pagan is batting second in the order.
On Castillo, I think he'll recover quick, but I'm always optimistic about these type of things. He's a gamer, so if he can hobble out there and play, he will. Still think four years was too long for him, but he'll be a defensive replacement / platoon player very soon.
On Hernandez, is anyone really surprised? At this point he just needs to retire. He is done.
On Pagan, I like this move. I think Pagan should move here for the season. He puts real speed behind Jose Reyes which would move Castillo or Damion Easley to seventh or eighth. That might make the bottom of the lineup too weak though. Hmmm...
On Castillo, I think he'll recover quick, but I'm always optimistic about these type of things. He's a gamer, so if he can hobble out there and play, he will. Still think four years was too long for him, but he'll be a defensive replacement / platoon player very soon.
On Hernandez, is anyone really surprised? At this point he just needs to retire. He is done.
On Pagan, I like this move. I think Pagan should move here for the season. He puts real speed behind Jose Reyes which would move Castillo or Damion Easley to seventh or eighth. That might make the bottom of the lineup too weak though. Hmmm...
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