Twitter Poll: After 20 games, what is the Mets biggest problem?

Last night was game number twenty for the New York Mets in 2009.  They had an early lead, but let it slip away.  The bats went quiet and couldn’t come back to make an interesting game out of it.  With the loss, the Mets fell to 9-11.

Last night (and this morning) I asked my Twitter followers what is the biggest problem facing the Mets so far.  Here are their responses…

crotch_jenkins said: Starting pitching.

Jbones72 said: Still the same problems since game 7 2006, and we all know what they are!

gmo418 said: Scoring runs. With the lineup the Mets have they should be scoring more to take pressure off pitching.

nynjpaweather said: Consistency. However, that can be resolved if the Mets starting winning series starting today.

darknova306 said: Biggest prob right now is lack of quality starts. Pelf and Maine look better, let's see what they got next time around.

kerelcoop said: inconsistent starting pitching.

tweetthemets said: Duh. The inability to score late in games. See also: 2nd half 2007, 1st half 2008. Can't deal with another season of this.

jessicarubin said: Still... leaving RISP stranded.

maggie162 said: Situational hitting. They're getting enough hits, but they're all spread out so they can never really rally

fullnelson said: starting pitching, easy but need a CounterAttack Offense when opponents scores runs on da Mets.

andy79 said: it's a tie between Oliver Perez, defense and situational hitting.

mostlymets said: Starting pitching. If the starting pitching was better then Murphy's growing pains in LF would be tolerable.

cutiepie0319k said: not being able to come back after giving up the lead late in a game.

pattigibbons said: consistency - SP, hitting/RBIs, holding leads and not letting games slip away late.

acesigma said: Tossup between @jessicarubin and @kerelcoop A billion LOB plus pitching as unpredictable as a New England spring.

Not on Twitter?  Hit the comments to toss in your 2¢ on what the is the Mets biggest problem after 20 games.

Follow me on Twitter to participate
in the next Twitter Poll!

Game Recap: Marlins 7 – Mets 4

Another lead that slipped away.

The Florida Marlins (12-8) snapped their seven-game losing streak, beating the New York Mets (9-11) by score of 7-4.

The Mini Recap

Livan Hernandez nearly turned in a quality start, allowing three runs over 5 1-3 innings.  The Mets bullpen, actually just Sean Green, led the lead slip away.

The Mets bats, as usual, scored in the first inning, and couldn’t muster much after that.  Gary Sheffield had a two-run triple in the first inning. Alex Cora and David Wright added RBIs in the second and fifth respectively.

For the full recap, please read Mets Watch Lead
Slip Away In Loss on Baseball Digest.

Live Blog / Chat: Florida Marlins @ New York Mets

Join in for another live blog to talk Mets, baseball or anything that we feel like chatting about.  The chat will start at 7 p.m.

Poll: Have you been to Citi Field?

In my latest poll question, I asked my readers if you’ve been to Citi Field.  Here are the results…

1. Yes – 40%
2. No, but planning on it – 33%
3. No, but I have tickets – 15%
4. No, and won’t be going – 10%

I have been to Citi Field, but not for a Mets game.  I don’t have tickets yet, but I’m sure I’ll get out there this summer when I don’t have to worry about school or summer courses.

Link: Q&A with Josh Thole

Will Sommer from MetsFansForever.com recently sat down with Josh Thole, one of the Mets top catching prospects.  Thole is currently playing for the Double-A Binghamton Mets.

Will Sommer
Now  last season, you were basically a full-time first baseman.  Has the transition from first base to catcher been difficult for you?

Josh Thole
No it hasn’t been that difficult at all.  It definitely takes a lot more time and a lot more work and a lot more preparation but I feel like I’m picking all that up pretty easily and I’m having no issue with that.
---
Will Sommer
Growing up did you ever envision that you would be where you are right now?

Josh Thole
I mean it’s definitely a dream when you’re a little kid but you just never know where that dream’s going to take you, so I never knew what to expect. But this is something I always wanted to do since I’ve been really little.

To read the rest of the Q&A, head over to MetsFansForever.com.

Mets release Freddy Garcia

After two miserable starts for Triple-A Buffalo, the Mets have parted ways with Freddy Garcia.  He was 0-2 with a 8.18 ERA.

Garcia signed with the Mets this off-season after auditioning for a handful of teams as he attempts to recover from surgery.  His contract was said to be worth up to $8 million if all his incentives were met.

Garcia, though, does not plan to retire, according to his agent.  But he’s mulling it.

The Mets are slim at pitching options and with the recent struggles of the starting rotation, it may be time to worry.  They have a handful of younger guys who just aren’t ready for the big show, but not much else.

It may be time to call up Pedro Martinez just to see how he’s doing.

Twitter Poll: What to do with Omir Santos?

In the first inning of last night’s game, Omir Santos hit a grand slam in his third straight start.

Brian Schneider will likely return to the Mets soon, coming off the DL after experiencing pain in his back.  But what will happen to Santos?

Last night, I asked my Twitter followers what should the Mets do with Omir Santos?

Here are their answers…

• gmo418 said: Play the hot hand. Leave in Omir.
• Section518 said: Trade one, preferably Castro. Santos to Buffalo for the short term, but bring him right back as soon as a trade is made.
• jessicarubin said: Tough. I like Castro but maybe try and shop him in exchange for a SP?
• DonCheech said: Trade Castro or DFA him. Omir needs to stay
• metschick said: "Schneider, you suck. Get outta here!"
• blackshadows14 said: Manuel plays guys who are playing well, so I believe that Santos is here to stay, as he should be.
• cvelardi said: What should the Mets do w/ Castro might be the more important question!
• cselland said: Brian Who?
• d_kris said: If we could carry 3 catchers for a bit it would be nice. But with the state of pitching I don't think that'll happen.
• samtpage said: Demote him. His success won't last, even though Schneider's not THAT much better. I bet Manuel lobbies for OS to stay.
• Jbones72 said: maybe they will get lucky Schneider won't come back!
• JTKrycek said: so far he's been better than castro or schneider; at the very least make him the new backup, or platoon him w/schneider
• fullnelson said: I think da Mets will send O. Santos down 2 Triple-A Buffalo (or DFA), unless something happens in Left Field (Sorry 4 da Pun)
• fscker said: that's a REALLY good question. I know what WILL happen, santos will get sent down.
• metgirl4ever said: ...Schneider who...?
• kerelcoop said: I'd like to see them keep Santos up and trade Schnieder. The last thing I want to see is them carry three catchers.
• darknova306 said: Mets should shop Schneider. Maybe a KazMat deal, where 'we pay you to take our garbage'. :) Santos is what this team needs.

And from the peanut gallery / jokesters…

• kevin_tor said: Tie him to Daniel Murphy for stability.
• jschil said: trade him to the yanks and convert him to a pitcher
• Retire31 said: I can't top what the other guy said about tying Omir to Murphy for stability.

Not on Twitter?  Hit the comments to toss in your 2¢ on what the Mets should do next with Omir Santos.

Follow me on Twitter to participate
in the next Twitter Poll!

Game Recap: Mets 7 – Marlins 1

Make that seven losses in a row for the Florida Marlins.

The New York Mets (9-10) beat the Florida Marlins (11-8) by a score of 7-1.

The Mini Recap

John Maine was about as good as the Mets could hope for tonight.  Though he walked three over six innings, he only allowed one hit.  The lone single came in the first inning off the bat of Jorge Cantu, and plated Emilio Bonifacio for an unearned run.  Sean Green, J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez finished out the final three innings for the win.

The Mets bats got off to a hot start, as they scored six runs in the first inning.  Four of those runs came when Omir Santos hit a two-out grand slam over the left field wall, the first home run of his career.  Gary Sheffield and David Wright had earlier picked up RBI singles and a Ryan Church sac-fly in the 8th brought in the Mets final run.

An all-around good game from the Mets.  Great to see.

For the full recap, please read Maine, Santos Lead
Mets To Victory on Baseball Digest.

Odd lineup for first against Fish

John Maine will have quite an interesting lineup behind him when he takes the mound at Citi Field tonight.  No Daniel Murphy, no Ramon Castro and no Carlos Delgado.

Delgado was going to take Wednesday off, but apparently tweaked his hip, and will sit tonight.  Tatis was originally slated to play second base, but Luis Castillo will take the field as Tatis moves to first.  Sheffield, and his .136 AVG, will hit in the cleanup spot.

1. Jose Reyes – SS
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Carlos Beltran – CF
4. Gary Sheffield – LF
5. David Wright – 3B
6. Ryan Church – RF
7. Fernando Tatis – 1B
8. Omir Santos – C
9. John Maine – RHP

Interesting to see Santos with another start.  Could the Mets be considering shipping Ramon Castro (and others) elsewhere to see if they can land some starting pitching?  Santos has proven, so far, that he can play up here and the Mets must like what they see.

Also, according to Steve Popper, Wright is now sporting a freshly shaved head and took a few swings of early batting practice left handed.

The 2009 Mets need a little bit of this ‘heart’

You've gotta have heart
All you really need is heart
When the odds are sayin' you'll never win
That's when the grin should start
When your luck is battin' zero
Get your chin up off the floor
Mister you can be a hero
You can open any door, there's nothin' to it but to do it
You've gotta have heart
Miles 'n miles n' miles of heart

The 1969 Mets could teach the 2009 Mets a little something about how to play baseball, don’t you think?

Via Jorge Says No!