Game Recap: Dodgers 3 – Mets 2

The Mets should be very happy this game finished too late to make the papers back in New York.

The Los Angeles Dodgers (27-13) beat the New York Mets (21-17) by a score of 3-2 in 11 innings.

Tim Redding battled through a tough first inning, but recovered nicely.  Redding allowed two runs in the first on one hit, one walk and one hit batsmen.  Over the next five innings, Redding only allowed one hit.  Redding walked four in the game, but surprised many with a strong start.

Bobby Parnell, J.J. Putz, Sean Green and Pedro Feliciano each turned in scoreless innings in relief.  Brian Stokes also turned in a sparkling 10th inning. 

Everything fell apart in the 11th.  Two errors led to the bases loaded with none out for the Dodgers.  The Mets brought Carlos Beltran in as a fifth infielder and got one out before Stokes induced a groundball to Jeremy Reed at first base.  Reed snagged the ball off the hop and threw home.  Reed’s toss went well wide of Ramon Castro, allowing the winning run to score.

The Mets had five errors overall, two by Ramon Martinez at shortstop.

Another sloppy game the Mets deserved to lose.  They practically handed this game away with their miscues in the field.

Randy Wolf’s 7 2-3 innings stymied the Mets.  Angel Pagan shone at the plate tonight.  Leading off, he knocked four hits, including a double and scored the tying run in the 8th inning.  David Wright went 2-3 at the plate with two walks and two doubles.  He also scored one run.

In the top of the 11th inning, Ryan Church singled with two outs.  Pagan delivered with a deep drive to right center, allowing Church to chug all the way around from first to score.  But Joe Torre and the Dodgers appealed at third base and Church was called out for missing the bag.

The Mets left 11 runners on base and outhit the Dodgers 11-5.

Just awful.

Live Mets Chat: NYM @ LAD [Game 1]

Join in for another Mets chat room as the Mets take on the Manny-less Dodgers.

(Chat removed, as usual.)

Cora to DL; Ramon Martinez called up

Alex Cora has landed on the disabled list with a torn ligament in his thumb. Ramon Martinez has been called up and will start at shortstop.

Cora injured his thumb sliding into second base during the first inning of Sunday night's game in San Francisco.

Martinez made a handful of starts for the Mets at the end of the 2008 season had been with Triple-A Buffalo before being called up.

Delgado needs, will undergo surgery

Carlos Delgado, currently on the disabled list, will go under the knife to repair his right hip injury.

According to reports, Delgado will likely miss at least six weeks.

Can the Mets survive with the trio of Fernando Tatis, Jeremy Reed and Daniel Murphy? Maybe, but I think the team would be better served trading for a competent first baseman to replace Delgado. There is no guarantee Delgado will return to form post-surgery.

My vote is to see if Aubrey Huff is available from the Orioles. If he is, I'd try to trade for him.

With Delgado out for an extended period of time, the Mets might have a move to make. That is, unless, they're confident enough in Tatis, Murphy or Reed.

Source: Mets DFA Figueroa...again

Here we go again.

A source has told The 'Ropolitans that the Mets have designated Nelson Figueroa for assignment to make room for Tim Redding. Redding will make his first start of the season tonight against the Dodgers.

Figueroa was called up a few days ago but never made an appearance this time around.

This is the second time this season the Mets have designated Figueroa for assignment. Going off of what happened last time around, I assume Figueroa will declare free agency if he clears waivers. I cannot see him re-signing with the Mets after this.

Guest Blog: Balk this way

A guest post from Mr. Aaron Schuldiner.  Aaron used to blog over at the now defunt Shea Nation.  Enjoy this post on last night’s balk-filled game.

In light of the rough finishes to the last two seasons in Flushing, it has become easy, if not fashionable, for Met fans to push the panic button after every loss.  But when you’ve won eleven of your last thirteen games, you’re entitled to an off night against a good starting pitcher, right?

Entitled or not, that was the case Sunday, as the Giants edged the Mets 2-0 behind six shutout innings from Matt Cain.  Cain walked five, but allowed only three hits, and got two huge double plays to kill the only two rallies the Mets could muster.  In the second inning, Jeremy Reed, playing for the injured Carlos Delgado, bounced into a bases-loaded double play before Mets starter Mike Pelfrey grounded out to end the inning.  Then in the eighth, Jeremy Affeldt got Angel Pagan to hit into an inning-ending double play, again with the bases loaded.  The Mets went quietly in the ninth, as Giant closer Brian Wilson looked dominant after taking losses on Thursday and Friday.

Cain did not have his best command, but every time the Mets tried to put something together, he buckled down and put out the fire.  That was in contrast to Pelfrey, who pitched well overall, but sabotaged himself with three balks.  Both runners that scored for the Giants advanced from first base to second on balks, the second run coming in on an RBI single by none other than Cain.

It has always been my stance that Pelfrey has front-of-the-rotation talent, but mentally, it sometimes appears he’s not there yet.  After the second balk he was visibly shaken.  After the call was made, Pelfrey almost fell down while kicking the back of the pitcher’s mound in frustration, stirring up memories of his embarrassing tumble off the mound in the Citi Field opener.  After the game, Pelfrey joked that maybe he just likes making a fool out of himself when he’s on national television.  The Mets can only hope that the issue can be worked out of Pelfrey’s mechanics quickly, and doesn’t develop into some kind of Mackey Sasser-esque mental tic.  Since Pelfrey didn’t balk once in his 290-plus innings prior to 2009, I would assume that it’s something he and pitching coach Dan Warthen can get figured out. 

Sure, there’s no such thing as a good loss, and with this team there are no moral victories.  The fan base is insatiably hungry for wins, and both Manager Jerry Manuel and G.M. Omar Minaya could find themselves on the unemployment line if the Mets don’t play their way into October.  There have already been a few bad losses this year, the kind that you lose sleep over.  Both of Johan Santana’s losses in which he didn’t allow a single earned run and the twelve-inning loss to Atlanta come to mind.

So, considering the Mets took three out of four at AT&T Park, where the Giants had the second best home record in the league before this series, it’s hard to be too disappointed.  And considering those three wins featured the Mets setting a franchise record with seven steals in a game, plus an impressive comeback win over reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (In my mind, the signature win of the season to date), it’s hard not to be encouraged.  Throw in the facts that the Mets essentially played the entire series without Jose Reyes and Delgado, have won eleven of their last fourteen, and currently occupy first place in the N.L. East, and I suspect that last night’s loss might be quickly forgotten by the masses with a win tonight in L.A..

But for Pelfrey, it might take a balk-free start in Boston next weekend.  A second performance like last night’s won’t be nearly as easy for him to laugh off.

THE GOOD

Despite allowing seven walks, Cain, Affeldt, Wilson, and Bob Howry never let the Mets get on the board, stranding nine runners in the process.  Cain moved to 4-1 on the year and lowered his ERA to a stingy 2.65.

THE BAD

Granted it was a makeshift lineup, and it was unfortunate that the Mets’ three bases loaded at-bats were taken by Pagan, Reed, and Pelfrey.  But when you leave the bases loaded twice against a good staff, there’s always a good chance you won’t get another opportunity, as was the case last night.

THE UGLY

It shouldn’t be lost among Pelfrey’s mental lapses that he did pitch pretty well last night, but no starter had balked three times in a game since 1994, when ex-Met Al Leiter completed the trifecta for Toronto.

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Thanks, Aaron!  Good stuff.

Heyman: Mets options for first baseman trade

With Carlos Delgado out, possibly for a long period of time, it may be time for the Mets to look to trade.  The trio of Fernando Tatis, Jeremy Reed and Daniel Murphy probably won’t be cutting it.

Jon Heyman, in his Daily Scoop, broke down some players the Mets might be able to trade for.

Aubrey Huff, who's a productive hitter and also does pretty fair Joba Chamberlain impersonation, could be the best-hitting first baseman on the trading block. And as a bonus he's left-handed. Two more first basemen that the Mets might take a look at would be Nick Johnson, the oft-injured National who's perpetually on the block, and Russell Branyan, who's off to a hot start with the Mariners.

Of those three, I’d like to see Huff on the Mets.  He’d probably come the cheapest as well.

Johnson, though a solid player, would be trading within division, and I can see the Nationals asking for Daniel Murphy and I don’t want to see him singling off the Mets for years to come.

The fall of Daniel Murphy

Last night, with the bases loaded and one out, Jerry Manuel pulled Daniel Murphy from the on-deck circle in favor of Angel Pagan.

Murphy, who was 0-2 with a walk, would have faced Jeremy Affledt.  Murphy has a career .375 batting average and .414 on-base percentage against left handed pitchers in his small sample size of at-bats.

Pagan, who was called up on Saturday in place of an injured Carlos Delgado, has a .224 career batting average as a right handed batter facing a left hander, as Sam Page pointed out on Amazin’ Avenue.  On top of that, Pagan has a .170 career batting average as a pinch hitter.

Pagan promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play, magnifying the move by Manuel.

But I’m not here to talk about that questionable swap.  What I’d like to look at is Murphy’s playing time that is quickly drying up.

Murphy has seemingly fallen out of favor with Manuel.  Here’s a chart of his plate appearances, complete with a linear trendline. 
His plate appearances have dropped, though he’s making the best of his pinch hitting opportunities, picking up four hits in nine at bats for a .444 AVG.

Why has Murphy’s playing time dropped?  Manuel has favored Gary Sheffield in the clean-up spot with Delgado on the DL.  Sheffield has seen most of his time in left field, Murphy’s main spot.

Manuel has said that Murphy would get a start (or two) at first base during this road trip, opening up another position to get Murphy in the lineup.

Also, as the Mets are set to face Boston this weekend in the first interleague matchup of 2009, Sheffield will likely shift to the designated hitter position, opening more playing time for Murphy.

I’m pretty intrigued to see what Murphy can do at first base.  He may very well be the first baseman of the future if he can flash a decent glove at that position.

He’s been struggling a bit lately, most likely due to decreased playing time.  If Murphy gets back into an everyday role, I think his mechanics will come back.

Steve Phillips puts Mets bloggers over the edge

Here is a sampling of comments from around the Met-o-sphere on Steve Phillips’  words in the booth during last night’s New York Mets / San Francisco Giants baseball game.

Faith and Fear in Flushing…

The only problem was I somehow forgot (or more likely blocked out) that Sunday night means Jon Miller, Joe Morgan and Steve Phillips.

Speaking of Gitmo.

The Eddie Kranepool Society…

What you’re shocked that Steve Phillips sounded like a total d******g last night during the ESPN telecast? Whoever came up with the idea to add Smarmy Steve to the booth needs to be fired. Still smarting over getting canned by the Mets eh Stevie boy ? Well you sucked as a GM and you suck as a TV analyst.

Brooklyn Met Fan…

The only thing I had real beef with last night was that clown Steve Phillips who rocketed himself passed Miller, Morgan, and McCarver on BMF’s list of most hated announcers.

I’d almost rather listen to Suzyn Waldman and Sterling than Phillips… almost.

Metstradamus…

Okay, for those of you who became fans in 2006, let me give you a lesson in recent history. You see, Steve Phillips was the GM of the Mets. And while he was the GM of the Mets, he allegedly offered Jose Reyes to Cleveland for Robby Alomar, and also allegedly offered David Wright to Toronto for Jose Cruz Jr. So of course he would think about trading Beltran. He couldn't trade the other two when he had the chance.

The Mets Police…

Phillips claims that Beltran is not the "perfect" player even though he has all the tools. He pointed out every mistake Carlos has made this year and said as a GM when it comes to 17 million a year he wasn't worth it. At least Joe Morgan was smart enough to disagree with him.

Amazin’ Avenue…

Perhaps the most telling part of the whole broadcast was when Phillips had to deliver an obviously prepared presentation on Carlos Beltran being a five-tool player, after ripping him. Needless to say, he wasn't too convincing.
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"Carlos Beltran doesn't always exemplify a strong mental game" or something like that, cue video of him not sliding into home. Forget the preponderance of statistical evidence showing Beltran to be one of the smarter baserunners ever. At that point, however, I just turned off the TV.

MetsBlog…

Steve Phillips makes my head hurt.

I’m sure there are many more blogs out there ticked off against Phillips after last night.  If you have any of your own to share, please hit the comments.

This could get ugly, and that’s just how I want it to be.

Game Recap: Giants 2 – Mets 0

Three balks.

The San Francisco Giants (19-18) beat the New York Mets (21-16) by a score of 2-0.

Mike Pelfrey did not have a bad game, but three balks and some timely hitting by the Giants doomed the 25-year-old pitcher.  Pelfrey gave up runs in the first and the fifth, both runners that scored were moved over by balks and scored on RBI singles. 

Pelfrey pitched six innings, allowed six hits and two walks, while striking out two.  He threw only 78 pitches and induced 10 ground balls.

Ken Takahashi and Sean Green each pitched an inning in relief.

The Mets had the bases loaded, once with none out and another with two outs, and failed to score any runs.  Matt Cain issued five walks in five innings, three in a row in the second inning, but a 1-3-1 double play and a ground ball ended the inning.

With the bases loaded in the top of the 8th, Jerry Manuel decided to pinch hit Angel Pagan for Daniel Murphy.  Pagan promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Don’t get that move at all.  If someone could explain that one to me, it would be quite helpful.

The Mets had way too many chances to score and let them all slip through their fingers.