Josh Thole behind the plate for his first career game with Pat Misch on the mound. Here’s the lineup…
David Lennon has a report in today’s Newsday that after Mike Pelfrey was pulled from the game in Colorado on Monday night, he need to blow off some steam. A lot of steam. At least he wasn't driven to baseball betting.
I’ll let Lennon take it from here. It’s truly a fascinating look into the mind of a frustrated baseball player.
"I was so upset, I had to get outside," Pelfrey said Wednesday afternoon. "I had to get some fresh air. I had to breathe."
Once he found himself standing in the middle of the parking lot, Pelfrey began running laps, each about 13 blocks long, as his teammates struggled through the late innings of an 8-3 loss to Colorado.
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"If you had talked to me in the sixth inning," Pelfrey said, "I would have done something I would have regretted."
It seems this long, miserable baseball season is starting to get to some of the players, and who can blame them?
Especially Pelfrey, who has had quite an up-and-down season. One start he looks like an ace, the next he looks like a bum. If you're into sports betting, it'd be a good idea not to put money on Pelfrey.
I like stories like this, not for the reason behind the meltdowns, but for the human aspect of the game. Sometimes we forget that baseball players are people too and they are susceptible to every day emotions. It’s stories like these that remind us of that.
This is truly remarkable.
Obviously, there’s too much data to fit here. Click over to Sean Engelhardt’s site to view the full image.
Prepare to chuckle to yourself and shake your head in disbelief.
-Jerry Manuel on Jason Giambi’s pinch-hit
Johan Santana has been nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award, annually given out to “the Major League Baseball player who combines a dedication to giving back to the community with outstanding skills on the baseball field.”
Among other things, here’s why Santana was nominated…
He created the Johan Santana Foundation, which provides funding for programs that focus on education and healthcare domestically and abroad. The Foundation supports youth baseball and other children's charities in Venezuela and Tovar Merida, where he has helped build schools, hospitals and sports facilities.
Santana personally delivered a fire truck he donated to his hometown to replace a beaten up pick-up truck that was ill-equipped to do the job, and sent several firefighters to train the town's fire department. He will return home again this December to hand out Christmas gifts to youngsters at his fourth annual Holiday Party.
To vote for the national winner of this year’s Clemente Award, click here.
From June 11...
I work for Hunt Construction. I was a foreman at Citi Field. There are 3 Phillies Jerseys buried in the ball park. As a lifelong Phillies fan, I felt it was my duty to jinx the Mets. I'm not telling you my real name for obvious reasons. The jerseys are:
1. Under the Fanwalk bricks.
2. Jackie Robinson Rotunda in the vicinity of the Ticket Office window.
3. Near the vicinity of the '47 Shop near right field.
Maybe Citi Field really is jinxed.
Mike Pelfrey is likely the most talented pitcher in the Mets rotation right now. But a miserable start in Colorado was no indication.
Pelfrey lasted only four innings, surrendering seven runs (six earned), as the Mets fell to the Rockies by a score of 8-3. While throwing 96 pitches, only 55 landed for strikes. No surprise that Pelfrey walked five batters. He did strike out four, but also let up two home runs, including a three-run home run to Todd Helton in the fourth inning.
This is a season Pelf would likely want to forget. He’s given up five runs or more in seven of his 26 starts. He’s let up nine runs in a game twice. Yeesh.
The Mets looked to have Rockies’ starter Jorge De La Rosa on the ropes in the first inning, even with a base running gaffe by Angel Pagan.
Pagan led off with a single but misread a ball hit by Luis Castillo, thinking the ball was caught, he attempted to go back to first base, which was already occupied by Castillo.
Still, the Mets managed to score two runs, one on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jeff Francoeur and another on a double down the right field line by Fernando Tatis.
Since Tatis had gotten some steady playing time at third base with David Wright recuperating, he’s been swinging a hot bat. Maybe that’s the trick.
The Mets were held in check by De La Rosa until he exited after the sixth inning. Cory Sullivan returned to Colorado with a one-out pinch-hit triple to center field. Pagan followed that up with a triple of his own, easily chasing in Sullivan.
And that was that. It could be considered a victory because no one got hurt. Except Pelfrey’s ERA.
-Jerry Manuel on Angel Pagan’s baserunning goof
Mike Pelfrey (9-9, 4.80 ERA) vs. Jorge De La Rosa (12-9, 4.72 ERA)
Chat removed, as usual.
That’s David Wright in the middle, if you couldn’t tell.