Link: Interview with Wally Backman

My friend Josh Levitt recently conducted an interview with Wally Backman, now managing the Joliet Jackhammers.

Here’s an excerpt:

Jorge Says No!: Does your managing style differ from your playing style? 

Wally Backman: No. Not at all. 

Jorge Says No!: Do you still hope to one day have the opportunity to manage in the major leagues? 

Wally Backman: Absolutely. 

Jorge Says No!: Or how about coach in the majors? 

Wally Backman: Nah, I wanna manage. 

Oh, Wally.  Never change.

For the full Q&A, head over to Jorge Says No!

Team wins by starting pitcher

I know this is meaningless in the grand scheme of things with late-inning comebacks and whatnot, but I found this interesting.

Here is a breakdown of team wins and losses for games started be each starting pitcher.  The “other” group includes Tim Redding, Oliver Perez, Nelson Figueroa and Jon Niese.

With 30 wins, Santana, Pelfrey and Hernandez have started 70 percent of games the team has gone on to win.

I found it very interesting that the Mets have won seven games each started by Santana, Pelfrey and Livan. It’s especially intriguing since Pelfrey only has four wins, Santana has seven and Livan has five.

Thoughts?

Be prepared for a David Wright cold streak

Sure, David Wright is 7-for-his-last-10 with three walks.  Batting .700 over the past three games with three doubles and three RBI over the last three games is a sign of something to look forward to.

But don’t get your hopes up.

Wright and the Mets are coming home from a seven- six-game road trip and will take on the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field starting on Tuesday.  Don’t expect Wright’s current hot-streak to carry over.

Take a look at his home/road splits:

Home: .271 AVG / .358 OBP / .427 SLG / .785 OPS / 3 2B / 3 3B / 2 HR / 10 RBI

Away: .406 AVG / .512 OBP / .554 SLG / 1.066 OPS / 12 2B / 0 3B / 1 HR / 23 RBI

Wright better warm up to Citi Field soon.  Hopefully he’ll be playing his entire career with Citi Field as his home park.

Manuel’s Musing for June 7

“That's not normal for Livan. Livan can throw 160 or 170 pitches and not flinch,”
and
“Obviously, we need good pitching, and that's outstanding pitching,”

-Jerry Manuel on Livan Hernandez’s outing on Sunday

Game Recap: Mets 7 – Nationals 0

Livan Hernandez and a big first inning were all the Mets needed on Sunday afternoon.

The New York Mets (30-25) beat the Washington Nationals (15-40) by a score of 7-0.

Hernandez is a master of the Washington Nationals.  In two starts against them, he’s thrown 16 innings, allowing only one run.  Today he pitched seven shutout, allowing four hits, walking four and striking out four.  Hernandez needed 116 pitches.

Pedro Feliciano and Bobby Parnell combined to work the 8th inning without allowing a run. Francisco Rodriguez got an inning of work, walking one and striking out one.  His ERA on the season is now 0.68.

The Mets put up five runs in the first inning. Fernando Martinez, Daniel Murphy and Brian Schneider each picked up one RBI on a double, single and sac-fly respectively.  Martinez and Ryan Church also scored on two separate wild pitches.

David Wright drove in a run in the seventh with a single to left.  The Mets tacked one on in the 9th inning, when Carlos Beltran doubled in Martinez for the seventh and final run.

Game Chat: NYM @ WAS [Game 3]

Mets look to salvage the series in Washington by taking the rubber game. 
Livan Hernandez is on the mound for the Mets.

(Chat removed, as usual.)

Lineup for finale; Church returns, starts

Ryan Church has been activated and will start today in right field.  Luis Castillo gets a day off with Alex Cora shifting over and Wilson Valdez filling in at SS.

1. Alex Cora – 2B
2. Fernando Martinez – LF
3. Carlos Beltran – CF
4. David Wright – 3B
5. Daniel Murphy – 1B
6. Ryan Church – RF
7. Brian Schneider – C
8. Wilson Valdez – SS
9. Livan Hernandez – RHP

Shoulder tightness for Maine

Though David Lennon chalks it up to possible post-operation issues, I’d say John Maine’s poor start had more to do with him battling a stomach virus.

After the game, Maine told reporters his shoulder “is still tight back there.”

Maine was coming off a good May, where he went 4-1 with an ERA below three.  Shoulder tightness then was never an issue.

Maine did leave his last start after cruising through six innings as the latest casualty to a stomach virus that had been sweeping the team. 

I’d say that has more to do with Saturday’s poor start then a surgery that he got months ago, especially  after winning five of his last seven starts, pitching into the sixth inning in all of them.

Manuel’s Musing for June 6

“We were a little confused on the bases on that, and obviously ended up with two outs there,”

-Jerry Manuel on the Emil Brown / Luis Castillo double play in the 4th inning.

If you haven’t seen the play, click here.

F-Mart sticks around

With Ryan Church ready to come off the disabled list tomorrow, the Mets needed to make room.  Emil Brown has been designated for assignment.

Fernando Martinez, the young 20-year-old, will stay on the team.  That means he will continue to get consistent playing time.

And there’s your bright spot of Mets news today after the 7-1 drubbing.