The New York Mets look for their first sweep tonight as they take on the Washington Nationals at 7:10 p.m.
Lineup:
SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
1B Carlos Delgado
CF Angel Pagan
LF Brady Clark
2B Luis Castillo
C Raul Casanova
SP Nelson Figueroa
Figueroa vs. John Lannan
Carlos Beltran is out with a stiff neck. I guess all that talking he with Reyes was really taxing. Pagan getting his first start in center and Clark getting his first start in left. Casanova seems like Figueroa's catcher now, I like it.
4/17/08
A question that will never be answered: El Duque's age
With Miguel Tejada recently revealing that he is actually three years older than he recently let on (33 rather than 31), the skeptic inside me wonders if El Duque will ever reveal his real age.
Maybe when he retires? I doubt it.
Maybe when he retires? I doubt it.
Happy Birthday, Shea!
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium opened it's doors on April 17, 1964, exactly 44 years ago today.Happy 44th, Shea. It's your last year, so let's hope the Mets put you out with a bang.
Beardless watch: 5-2
The Mets are now 5-2 since I shaved my beard for the team.
Gave myself a clean buzz today, hoping for the sweep.
Gave myself a clean buzz today, hoping for the sweep.
Pedro on the fast track?
According to the Daily News, Pedro Martinez expects to be back with the team soon, possibly within two weeks.
From Adam Rubin:
Right now, the fill ins for the injured starters, Pedro and Orlando Hernandez, have filled in admirably. Nelson Figueroa and Mike Pelfrey have combined to go 3-0 with a ERA around three in 20 innings.
Figueroa will get his second start of the season tonight, as he takes on the Washington Nationals as the Mets look to sweep the three game series.
Pedro should be in no rush to come back. The Mets are cruising right now, and there is no need to screw with the rotation. Sure, if one of the fill ins hits a rough patch, it will be nice to dip down into your system and pull up the one and only Pedro Martinez, but he just needs to get healthy. Don't rush him through the rehab assignment, that's all I ask.
From Adam Rubin:
Am I the only one thinking "No, Pedro, that's really OK. Take your time."?Pedro Martinez continues to upgrade assessments of his strained left hamstring. The ace reportedly told CDN-37 TV in the Dominican Republic that he could even return to the Mets within two weeks.
"We will give everyone the surprise of the month, I think, if things keep going well and there are no further delays," Martinez was quoted as saying. "...I am surprised with the way I am recovering. It's going much faster than I thought. Everything is moving smoothly. The Mets know that I'm working and that I will not abandon them. I don't want it to be a long wait like everybody thinks."
Right now, the fill ins for the injured starters, Pedro and Orlando Hernandez, have filled in admirably. Nelson Figueroa and Mike Pelfrey have combined to go 3-0 with a ERA around three in 20 innings.
Figueroa will get his second start of the season tonight, as he takes on the Washington Nationals as the Mets look to sweep the three game series.
Pedro should be in no rush to come back. The Mets are cruising right now, and there is no need to screw with the rotation. Sure, if one of the fill ins hits a rough patch, it will be nice to dip down into your system and pull up the one and only Pedro Martinez, but he just needs to get healthy. Don't rush him through the rehab assignment, that's all I ask.
Update: Death at Shea
Yesterday, I reported about the death at Shea Stadium, where the man fell from an escalator and died Tuesday night.
Investigators now believe the man was climbing on the railing of the escalator before he fell.
From the Daily News:
Investigators now believe the man was climbing on the railing of the escalator before he fell.
From the Daily News:
Antonio Narainasami, who leaves behind two children and a pregnant wife, fell about four stories when he lost his balance while sitting on the mezzanine level's escalator rail after Tuesday night's game, police sources said.
"Several witnesses said they saw him start to play on the escalator before he fell," a police source said. "It's an unfortunate accident."
The old Reyes is back, thanks to Beltran
No one is ever allowed to knock Carlos Beltran for his leadership skills again.
The mass of stories making it's way around the web right now details how Beltran talked to Jose Reyes and told him, "Man, I want you to be the Reyes you always have been."
Apparently, it worked. Reyes hit his first home run of the season last night, and later in the same inning, Beltran took Matt Chico deep for a three run blast. After Beltran's home run, the camera flashed to the Mets dugout, where everyone could see Reyes up and dancing on the field, being his old, excitable self again.
Thank you, Carlos Beltran. Here are some quotes from around the web:
NY Post:
Daily News:
I absolutely love Beltran. Sure, he's injured occasionaly, but not like many other players. As Fire Joe Morgan pointed out, Beltran has played 151, 140, and 144 games for the Mets over the past three seasons. I bet a lot of people don't realize this. Beltran is invaluable to this team with his glove, his bat, and his leadership.
And good for Delgado to get in there. Now someone needs to tell him to get back to writing in his diary everyday so he can start hitting again too.
Related: [Hot Foot]
The mass of stories making it's way around the web right now details how Beltran talked to Jose Reyes and told him, "Man, I want you to be the Reyes you always have been."
Apparently, it worked. Reyes hit his first home run of the season last night, and later in the same inning, Beltran took Matt Chico deep for a three run blast. After Beltran's home run, the camera flashed to the Mets dugout, where everyone could see Reyes up and dancing on the field, being his old, excitable self again.
Thank you, Carlos Beltran. Here are some quotes from around the web:
NY Post:
"As a teammate, I know, I see when somebody's not happy and I didn't think he was happy," Beltran said last night. "I tell him 'I want you to be the Reyes that you always have been."NJ.com:
"I want to smile and have fun," said Reyes, who hit his first home run of the season. "It's hard for me to be quiet in the dugout."
---
"He didn't feel right," Beltran said. "We're happy that he's doing it again. We don't care if other teams get offended. We're going to play the game like that."
Daily News:"Carlos Beltran, he's the guy, kind of quiet in the dugout," Reyes said. "He needs that, he needs the thing I do in the dugout. That's why he come to me and talk to me." Asked if he would help Beltran learn how to be more of an extrovert, Reyes smiled.
"He's not going to jump at all. He's not like that," said Reyes.
Surfing the Mets:
Said Reyes: “Everything is back.”On the Mets Beat:
Carlos Delgado also played a role in this, Reyes said.Everyone is always down on Beltran for not being outspoken enough, but that's just the way he is. Beltran is a professional player. He goes out and plays the game without all the riffraff. The media is down on him because they never get anything out of him. He plays but doesn't talk about it. Good! Just because he's in New York doesn't mean he has to be a media darling.
I absolutely love Beltran. Sure, he's injured occasionaly, but not like many other players. As Fire Joe Morgan pointed out, Beltran has played 151, 140, and 144 games for the Mets over the past three seasons. I bet a lot of people don't realize this. Beltran is invaluable to this team with his glove, his bat, and his leadership.
And good for Delgado to get in there. Now someone needs to tell him to get back to writing in his diary everyday so he can start hitting again too.
Related: [Hot Foot]
4/16/08
Photo of the Day: Wagner
New York Mets closer Billy Wagner recorded the save Wednesday night for the Mets, who won 5-2 over the Washington Nationals.Wagner is yet to allow a hit so far this season.
(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Game Recap: Mets 5 -- Nationals 2
The New York Mets used the long ball to get ahead, and stay ahead for good, Wednesday night, beating the Washington Nationals by a score of 5-2.
John Maine made the start for the Mets, his third of the season, going 6 2-3, allowing five hits and two earned runs. Maine was a little wild, walking four, but also striking out four. Maine walked Christian Guzman to lead off the game and allowed a single to Ronnie Belliard before a sac-fly from Ryan Zimmerman, brought in the first run of the game. He then loaded the bases with a walk before getting two straight fly balls to end the threat.
In the fourth, Maine allowed a solo home run to Austin Kearns to deep left field. In the seventh, with two outs, Maine walked Guzman and Belliard, and was removed from the game in favor of Joe Smith.
Maine hasn't carried his hot spring training over to the season, but he had a pretty good outing tonight. Still a little wild and a little inconsistent, but there was definetly improvement tonight. Maine seems to be coming back to form, which is excellent news. Good stuff, Maine.
Smith struck out Zimmerman with two men on to end the seventh. Smith came out for the eighth, striking out Nick Johnson to start the inning before hitting Lastings Milledge on the forearm. Smith then induced a double play off the bat of Kearns to end the inning. Smith went 1 1-3 hitless, striking out two.
Smith has been absolutely stellar so far this season. He came on strong at the end of spring training and has been even better during the regular season. The question is: What happens to Smith when Matt Wise comes back?
Billy Wagner came into the game in the ninth inning to try and earn the save and close out the game. Wagner set the Nats down 1-2-3, striking out Aaron Boone to end the game. Wagner is yet to allow a hit so far this season.
Hey Wagner, why don't you take off your coat and stay awhile. It was nice to see you again. Keep on truckin'.
The Mets knocked around Matt Chico for seven hits and five runs in only five innings of work.
After going down 1-0 in the top of the first, the Mets answered back as Ryan Church crushed a solo home run to deep right field, over the Azek sign in the Mets bullpen. Remember: Chico is a lefty. Two home runs for Church, both off of lefties. Church went 2-4, scored twice and drove in one run.
Church is proving he's an everyday player. I absolutely love this guy and have been singing his praises since the day we traded for him. Side note: Lastings Milledge went 1-3 tonight and missed a diving play in center field. Tough play, but he got leather on the ball and couldn't complete it.
The Mets were held scoreless until the fifth inning, when Jose Reyes led off with a solo home run to deep left field. Reyes went 2-4 tonight, driving himself in, and therefore, scoring once. The team kept at it, as Church and David Wright singled to follow Reyes. Carlos Beltran came to bat and crushed a three run home run to deep left field. This was Beltran's first home run of the season, and his third straight game driving in a run.
Reyes, Wright and Beltran all seem to be hitting their stride's right now. Can you imagine the whole team getting hot right now? It'd be perfect and set the tone for the rest of the season after a bit of a rocky start.
Numbers to note - Luis Castillo: 3-4, three singles...Carlos Delgado and Angel Pagan: 2 K's each...One double play turned...Seven left on base...
Game Ball: Maine and Beltran.
Beardless watch: 5-2.
John Maine made the start for the Mets, his third of the season, going 6 2-3, allowing five hits and two earned runs. Maine was a little wild, walking four, but also striking out four. Maine walked Christian Guzman to lead off the game and allowed a single to Ronnie Belliard before a sac-fly from Ryan Zimmerman, brought in the first run of the game. He then loaded the bases with a walk before getting two straight fly balls to end the threat.
In the fourth, Maine allowed a solo home run to Austin Kearns to deep left field. In the seventh, with two outs, Maine walked Guzman and Belliard, and was removed from the game in favor of Joe Smith.
Maine hasn't carried his hot spring training over to the season, but he had a pretty good outing tonight. Still a little wild and a little inconsistent, but there was definetly improvement tonight. Maine seems to be coming back to form, which is excellent news. Good stuff, Maine.
Smith struck out Zimmerman with two men on to end the seventh. Smith came out for the eighth, striking out Nick Johnson to start the inning before hitting Lastings Milledge on the forearm. Smith then induced a double play off the bat of Kearns to end the inning. Smith went 1 1-3 hitless, striking out two.
Smith has been absolutely stellar so far this season. He came on strong at the end of spring training and has been even better during the regular season. The question is: What happens to Smith when Matt Wise comes back?
Billy Wagner came into the game in the ninth inning to try and earn the save and close out the game. Wagner set the Nats down 1-2-3, striking out Aaron Boone to end the game. Wagner is yet to allow a hit so far this season.
Hey Wagner, why don't you take off your coat and stay awhile. It was nice to see you again. Keep on truckin'.
The Mets knocked around Matt Chico for seven hits and five runs in only five innings of work.
After going down 1-0 in the top of the first, the Mets answered back as Ryan Church crushed a solo home run to deep right field, over the Azek sign in the Mets bullpen. Remember: Chico is a lefty. Two home runs for Church, both off of lefties. Church went 2-4, scored twice and drove in one run.
Church is proving he's an everyday player. I absolutely love this guy and have been singing his praises since the day we traded for him. Side note: Lastings Milledge went 1-3 tonight and missed a diving play in center field. Tough play, but he got leather on the ball and couldn't complete it.
The Mets were held scoreless until the fifth inning, when Jose Reyes led off with a solo home run to deep left field. Reyes went 2-4 tonight, driving himself in, and therefore, scoring once. The team kept at it, as Church and David Wright singled to follow Reyes. Carlos Beltran came to bat and crushed a three run home run to deep left field. This was Beltran's first home run of the season, and his third straight game driving in a run.
Reyes, Wright and Beltran all seem to be hitting their stride's right now. Can you imagine the whole team getting hot right now? It'd be perfect and set the tone for the rest of the season after a bit of a rocky start.
Numbers to note - Luis Castillo: 3-4, three singles...Carlos Delgado and Angel Pagan: 2 K's each...One double play turned...Seven left on base...
Game Ball: Maine and Beltran.
Beardless watch: 5-2.
John Maine's final line
John Maine: 6.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K.
Maine gave up a sac fly in the first and a solo home run in the fourth, but looked pretty good tonight. Still had his early struggles, but got key outs when needed. Good stuff.
Maine gave up a sac fly in the first and a solo home run in the fourth, but looked pretty good tonight. Still had his early struggles, but got key outs when needed. Good stuff.
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