4/6/09
Game Recap: Mets 2 -- Reds 1
If there was a script the Mets had to follow for the first game of 2009, this game followed it exactly.
On The Mound
The Mets turned to Johan Santana for the second straight opening day, and he did not disappoint. Ninety-nine pitches later, 62 for strikes, Santana exited the game in the sixth inning. He allowed only three hits, walked four and struck out seven. Santana allowed the sole Reds run to score on a Brandon Phillips sac-fly in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Two of those walks came in the first inning, back to back. Santana needed 31 pitches but was able to wiggle out of the inning and pretty much settled in from there. In fact, Santana held the Reds hit-less until the bottom of the fourth inning when Jay Bruce drilled a ball to the left centerfield wall.
Jerry Manuel wasn't going to push Santana in the first game of the year. Santana was dealing, though he struggled with the walks a little. He got the outs when he needed to and that's all you can ask.
From there, the newcomers took over. Sean Green relieved Santana, getting a tough out with two on and two out. Edwin Encarnacion lined out to left field, ending the inning and the threat. Green came out for the seventh as well, inducing three ground balls for a quick inning.
Green looked confident on the mound and got a very key out in a very tough situation.
J.J. Putz came in for the 8th inning, as the Mets have planned since acquiring him in December. Putz walked one in his inning, but escaped otherwise unscathed. Francisco Rodriguez entered for the 9th inning in a one run game and did what the Mets are paying him for. He needed only 10 pitches to retire the Reds in order, striking out Ramon Hernandez to end the game.
Beautiful. As a Mets fan, I've been trained to worry late in games, so my heart was still in my throat when these two entered the game. They made it painless and easy and I couldn't be happier.
At The Plate
The lore of Daniel Murphy grows and grows.
Murphy picked up both RBIs for the Mets today, including hitting a solo home run off of Reds starter Aaron Harang in the top of the fifth inning. Murphy also grounded out to first base with the bases loaded the next inning, allowing Luis Castillo, who had doubled, to score the eventual game winning run.
A lot of people are very high on Murphy, and though I think he's going to be good, I'd like to see what he can do with a full season. Can't get a better start to the season than this. Great job by the left fielder.
Ryan Church and Carlos Delgado each picked up two hits for the Mets today. Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran also picked up hits. Wright was also thrown out at the plate in the fifth inning. He was out by a decent amount as Beltran ripped a single to right field. Razor Shines sent him, but he was out by a mile. He was also caught in a rundown and eventually tagged out.
Reyes and Church each swiped a base a piece.
The weather definetely played a factor for a few of the Mets hits today. Wright probably shouldn't have been sent home, though Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling all thought it was a good send by Razor Shines. Hindsight is 20/20.
In The Field
Church and Wright both made beautiful plays in the field, helping the Mets keep runners off the basepaths. Church made a slide, bobbled the ball before settling with it and then threw to first for a double play in the second inning.
Wright made a beautiful snag of a ground ball in the 7th inning, falling to his left and getting his glove out to field the ball. He then scrambled to his feet and made a perfect throw to Delgado at first base.
On Deck
Off day tomorrow. Mets will play the Reds again in Cincinnati at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday night.
On The Mound
The Mets turned to Johan Santana for the second straight opening day, and he did not disappoint. Ninety-nine pitches later, 62 for strikes, Santana exited the game in the sixth inning. He allowed only three hits, walked four and struck out seven. Santana allowed the sole Reds run to score on a Brandon Phillips sac-fly in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Two of those walks came in the first inning, back to back. Santana needed 31 pitches but was able to wiggle out of the inning and pretty much settled in from there. In fact, Santana held the Reds hit-less until the bottom of the fourth inning when Jay Bruce drilled a ball to the left centerfield wall.
Jerry Manuel wasn't going to push Santana in the first game of the year. Santana was dealing, though he struggled with the walks a little. He got the outs when he needed to and that's all you can ask.
From there, the newcomers took over. Sean Green relieved Santana, getting a tough out with two on and two out. Edwin Encarnacion lined out to left field, ending the inning and the threat. Green came out for the seventh as well, inducing three ground balls for a quick inning.
Green looked confident on the mound and got a very key out in a very tough situation.
J.J. Putz came in for the 8th inning, as the Mets have planned since acquiring him in December. Putz walked one in his inning, but escaped otherwise unscathed. Francisco Rodriguez entered for the 9th inning in a one run game and did what the Mets are paying him for. He needed only 10 pitches to retire the Reds in order, striking out Ramon Hernandez to end the game.
Beautiful. As a Mets fan, I've been trained to worry late in games, so my heart was still in my throat when these two entered the game. They made it painless and easy and I couldn't be happier.
At The Plate
The lore of Daniel Murphy grows and grows.
Murphy picked up both RBIs for the Mets today, including hitting a solo home run off of Reds starter Aaron Harang in the top of the fifth inning. Murphy also grounded out to first base with the bases loaded the next inning, allowing Luis Castillo, who had doubled, to score the eventual game winning run.
A lot of people are very high on Murphy, and though I think he's going to be good, I'd like to see what he can do with a full season. Can't get a better start to the season than this. Great job by the left fielder.
Ryan Church and Carlos Delgado each picked up two hits for the Mets today. Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran also picked up hits. Wright was also thrown out at the plate in the fifth inning. He was out by a decent amount as Beltran ripped a single to right field. Razor Shines sent him, but he was out by a mile. He was also caught in a rundown and eventually tagged out.
Reyes and Church each swiped a base a piece.
The weather definetely played a factor for a few of the Mets hits today. Wright probably shouldn't have been sent home, though Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling all thought it was a good send by Razor Shines. Hindsight is 20/20.
In The Field
Church and Wright both made beautiful plays in the field, helping the Mets keep runners off the basepaths. Church made a slide, bobbled the ball before settling with it and then threw to first for a double play in the second inning.
Wright made a beautiful snag of a ground ball in the 7th inning, falling to his left and getting his glove out to field the ball. He then scrambled to his feet and made a perfect throw to Delgado at first base.
On Deck
Off day tomorrow. Mets will play the Reds again in Cincinnati at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday night.
First pitch: 1:20 p.m.
Update - 1:10 p.m.: They changed the time again. 1:20 p.m. will be the first pitch.
The Opening Day game between the Reds and the New York Mets has been delayed due to the nasty weather in Cincinnati. First pitch is now scheduled for 1:20 p.m., according to David Lennon.
Who knows if they'll even get this game in, but it's a start.
The Opening Day game between the Reds and the New York Mets has been delayed due to the nasty weather in Cincinnati. First pitch is now scheduled for 1:20 p.m., according to David Lennon.
Who knows if they'll even get this game in, but it's a start.
Weather update in Cincy
Via Ben Shpigel:
Considering I probably won't be able to watch most of the game, I may be secretly wishing for a snow-out.
Update | 10:31 a.m. The ever-popular wintry mix has started to fall, the tarp is on the field and the forecast does not look promising. The flags out in deep left-center field are swirling and the video cameras scattered around are already covered with tarps. Just saw an operator run up the stairs wearing a wool hat and gloves. Good fun.Oh boy.
Considering I probably won't be able to watch most of the game, I may be secretly wishing for a snow-out.
It's time for baseball
It's time to wake up and practically be able to smell the freshly cut grass.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to truly root for a win.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to watch Johan do his thing.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to start cheering against the rest of the NL East.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to pretend every game is No. 162.
It's time for baseball.
It's time for the crack of a bat to be the sweetest sound you hear each day.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to live and die with 25 men, a wooden bat, a leather glove and a tiny little ball with red stitching.
It's time for baseball.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to truly root for a win.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to watch Johan do his thing.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to start cheering against the rest of the NL East.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to pretend every game is No. 162.
It's time for baseball.
It's time for the crack of a bat to be the sweetest sound you hear each day.
It's time for baseball.
It's time to live and die with 25 men, a wooden bat, a leather glove and a tiny little ball with red stitching.
It's time for baseball.
2009 Mets Opening Day lineup
Here's the lineup that will take the field in Cincinnati for the Mets first game of the 2009 season.
- Jose Reyes
- Daniel Murphy
- David Wright
- Carlos Delgado
- Carlos Beltran
- Ryan Church
- Brian Schneider
- Luis Castillo
- Johan Santana
4/5/09
Weather in play for Mets Opening Day
Nick Evans sent to Buffalo
As expected, the Mets have sent Nick Evans to Triple-A Buffalo.
Evans was likely only going to be around until April 11, when Livan Hernandez would be activated for his first start. If he hit, Jerry Manuel said he was going to try and keep him with the team.
That all went out the window when the Mets signed Gary Sheffield.
Evans will get more seasoning in the minors, with consistent at bats, which will benefit him in the long run.
Evans was likely only going to be around until April 11, when Livan Hernandez would be activated for his first start. If he hit, Jerry Manuel said he was going to try and keep him with the team.
That all went out the window when the Mets signed Gary Sheffield.
Evans will get more seasoning in the minors, with consistent at bats, which will benefit him in the long run.
Sheffield's implications on the roster
With Gary Sheffield joining the Mets, someone who spent all of spring training with the team is going to be the odd man out. Nick Evans likely will not make the Opening Day roster.
Here are two other the possibilities for Sheffield's effect on the roster: Marlon Anderson and his $1.5 million guaranteed contract land elsewhere or Jeremy Reed gets sent down to Triple-A Buffalo. He still has options.
From a fans standpoint, the Mets should hold on to Reed. He's a much better defender and with the expanse of Citi Field's outfield, the team is going to need all the defensive skills they can get.
The guaranteed money for Anderson is the main factor standing in the way here. If they do send him elsewhere, they'll still have to pay his contract, essentially making the Sheffield deal worth $1.9 million ($1.5 million from Anderson's contract plus the $400,000 from Sheffield's deal).
Sheffield will likely see most of his playing time in right field, which worries me considering that part of the field isn't fielder friendly (for photos, click here). Ryan Church started taking fly balls in left field, as he will probably see some time there with Sheffield on the roster.
Church has a great outlook on the situation, telling the Associated Press, "Early on in the big leagues I showed I could play all of the outfield spots, and I feel pretty good there. I'll do whatever. Whatever gets me in the lineup, I don't care."
Sheffield adds a right handed power bat off the bench, and possibly into a starting position. It's the model "low risk / high reward" move for the Mets. If it works, they look like geniuses. If it doesn't, they can jettison him with little to no harm done.
Here are two other the possibilities for Sheffield's effect on the roster: Marlon Anderson and his $1.5 million guaranteed contract land elsewhere or Jeremy Reed gets sent down to Triple-A Buffalo. He still has options.
From a fans standpoint, the Mets should hold on to Reed. He's a much better defender and with the expanse of Citi Field's outfield, the team is going to need all the defensive skills they can get.
The guaranteed money for Anderson is the main factor standing in the way here. If they do send him elsewhere, they'll still have to pay his contract, essentially making the Sheffield deal worth $1.9 million ($1.5 million from Anderson's contract plus the $400,000 from Sheffield's deal).
Sheffield will likely see most of his playing time in right field, which worries me considering that part of the field isn't fielder friendly (for photos, click here). Ryan Church started taking fly balls in left field, as he will probably see some time there with Sheffield on the roster.
Church has a great outlook on the situation, telling the Associated Press, "Early on in the big leagues I showed I could play all of the outfield spots, and I feel pretty good there. I'll do whatever. Whatever gets me in the lineup, I don't care."
Sheffield adds a right handed power bat off the bench, and possibly into a starting position. It's the model "low risk / high reward" move for the Mets. If it works, they look like geniuses. If it doesn't, they can jettison him with little to no harm done.
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