The 'Ropolitans

6/15/09

Johan Santana’s ERA in graph form

Santana's ERA

Johan Santana’s ERA chart.

Thoughts?

The Mets and their injuries

For about a week, we’ve heard that Gary Sheffield has an ailing right knee and will get an MRI on it. That MRI was always said to be today. Now, Evan Roberts on WFAN said the Mets called him up and told him that Sheffield was not getting an MRI and one was never even planned.

Huh??

Yesterday, in the three short innings Johan Santana was on the mound, everyone noticed how his velocity was way down. He was topping out around 88 mph and according to Joe Janish, letting his arm drag behind slightly.

After the game, Santana and Dan Warthen revealed the pitcher had been dealing with blisters. Santana also said he had been sore for the past month, specifically in his back.

Where was all of this…hmm…as it happened? Why is this just coming out now?

Why did it take up until Thursday, two days before John Maine’s start in the Bronx, for him to land on the DL? Where’s Angel Pagan? He left and landed on the DL with a strained groin two weeks ago. Is he ready to return? Is he actually fully healthy if he is?

The team doctors have been called into question for a while now, but it should be specifically worrying when it’s Santana they’re dealing with. The ace of the pitching staff and one of the three most important players on the team, he should be handled with the utmost care.

Better safe than sorry. But maybe not safe in the hands of the Mets doctors.

June 15 is quite a day in Mets history

Tom Seaver

Via Baseball-Reference…

June 15, 1977: Traded by the New York Mets to the Cincinnati Reds for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman and Pat Zachry.

Ugh.

But also on June 15, this time six years later… Keith

Via Baseball-Reference…

June 15, 1983: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Mets for Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey.

Thank you, St. Louis. Thank you.

Think Omar Minaya has something up his sleeve for this June 15? The Mets do need some help. It could happen.

K-Rod and Bruney ‘fight’ [Video]

Here are two videos I just found on YouTube of the Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Bruney altercation before Sunday’s Subway Series game.

You might want to take some Dramamine while watching these. Some shaky hands held these cameras.

Manuel’s Musing for June 14

“Everybody hits a little bump in the road now and then.”

-Jerry Manuel on Johan Santana’s disaster of a start

6/14/09

Me on Lady At The Bat radio

Listen for me on The Subway Series Breakdown show on Lady At The Bat radio.
I should be on around 10:10 p.m.

Thanks!

Game Recap: Yankees 15 – Mets 0

You read that right.

The New York ~~Giants~~ Yankees (36-27) beat the New York ~~Jets~~ Mets (32-29) by a score of 15-0.

Johan Santana did not have his best stuff. In fact, he had his worst stuff. His worst career start, to the tune of nine earned runs in three-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three. Santana was removed after only 60 pitches. His velocity was down, usually off by three to five miles per hour.

Not good. Not good at all. He told reporters afterward that he was “sore.” Likely story.

Brian Stokes made his first appearance in nine days, allowing four earned runs to score in two innings of work. Jon Switzer allowed two runs in 1 1-3 innings.

Stokes will likely not pitch again until they face the Yankees again in two weeks.

The Mets bats were quieted by a very impressive performance by A.J. Burnett. Gary Sheffield picked up two hits as the designated hitter. David Wright stretch his hitting streak to 10 games with a single. Unfortunately, his multiple hit streak ended at six.

Can someone explain why Sheffield, who will be getting an MRI on a gimpy right knee played an entire game in a 15-0 game? Sure, he was just DH-ing, but still.

Johan gets rocked

Johan Santana couldn’t get an out in the fourth inning, and was removed after sixty pitches.

Does Santana need an MRI? His velocity was noticeably down as the game progressed. Keep an eye on it.

I just tweeted this and thought it was fitting: "I wonder if Johan Santana is sitting in the clubhouse asking everyone that passes him, 'Am I a man? Am I a man?'"