You've got to have some power.”
-Jerry Manuel on the Mets
What happened to speed and defense?
4/9/10
Manuel’s Musing
Game Recap: Marlins 3 – Mets 1
Niese was nice. Everything else, not so much.
The Good
Jon Niese turned in a decent start, allowing three earned runs in six innings of work. He walked two and struck out three while surrendering eight hits.
The bullpen. Ryota Igarashi, Hisanori Takahashi, Fernando Nieve and Pedro Feliciano combined for three innings of one-hit baseball.
Angel Pagan at the plate. Pagan, in his first start, went 2-4 with a pair of singles.
Jeff Francoeur at the plate. Frenchy drove in the Mets only run with a double in the fourth inning.
Ruben Tejada in the field. He’s got a slick glove. But we already knew that.
The Bad & Ugly
Pagan and Francoeur in the field. Both players made gaffes in the field, as Pagan took some bad routes to balls and Francoeur gave up on a ball he expected to go foul.
No patience. The Mets did not walk once.
Ducks on the pond. The Mets left 7 men on base.
Game Ball
Niese
On Deck
The Mets and Washington Nationals face off for the first time tomorrow at 7 p.m.
4/8/10
Lineup for rubber game
- Angel Pagan – CF
- Luis Castillo – 2B
- David Wright – 3B
- Jason Bay – LF
- Jeff Francoeur – RF
- Fernando Tatis – 1B
- Rod Barajas – C
- Ruben Tejada – SS
- Jon Niese – LHP
Welcome to the starting nine, Pagan, Tatis and Tejada.
Game Chat will be up at 6:45 p.m.
The Situation and The Wright [Video]
Two things: Why was there no fist pump exercise? Where was Snooki?
Also: Carton!!
In pulling for Jon Niese
I was at Niese’s last start, August 5, 2009, and witnessed him go down in a heap as he tore his hamstring. This saddened me.
But tonight, he’ll return to the mound as the Mets “No. 3” starter (The rotation order is stupid, see: TedQuarters). More than any other player this season, I’ll be rooting the hardest for Niese. Why’s that, you may ask? Because he could be the future.
Yeah, I know. Eight games and a 1.613 WHIP shouldn’t get a guy excited like this. But he’s one of the young pitchers getting a chance in 2010. He’s getting a chance to prove himself, to work at the MLB level and hopefully paving the way for some of the other young arms (including Jenrry Mejia) to take over the rotation over the next few years.
Niese, smushed nose and all, is easy to root for because everyone loves a homegrown prospect. So join me in rooting just a little bit harder for Niese this season. Let’s hope it’s a good one.
Link: Nelson Figueroa Sr.’s FanWalk brick will break your heart
Folk hero and newest Phillie Neslon Figueroa’s father has a brick on the Citi Field FanWalk. If you weren’t upset about Figgy being cut, you will be now.
Head over to Metsie to check it out. (Warning: Kleenex may be needed.)
And yes, I know Figueroa was a Quadruple-A type player and the Mets already have two long-relief-type guys in their bullpen, but it was hard not to root for Figgy.
Reyes expected back on Saturday
Barring unexpected complications, Jose Reyes will be in the Mets’ lineup Saturday for their home game against the Nationals. The plan is for Reyes to play one more minor league game Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Fla., then travel to New York, where he will join the team Friday.
If Reyes does play Saturday, it will be his first game since May 20 of last year.
I really can’t wait to see Reyes take the field again. I’m sure he will be met with lots and lots of cheers from the Citi Field crowd.
It’s been too long, Jose. Too long.
“We have some questions.”4/7/10
Game Recap: Marlins 7 – Mets 6
Frankly, I only saw the last three innings. Apparently, that was a good thing. Too bad it didn’t end the way we wanted.
The Good
Pedro Feliciano and Francisco Rodriguez. Feliciano did his thing, as did K-Rod. Good to see them both again.
Luis Castillo’s two RBI. One came via a sac-fly, the other via a walk. But a rib-eye steak is still a rib-eye steak.
Coming back from five runs down. It’s good to see, if they win or not. Fight, something a lot of people thought this team lacked (coughJerryManuelcough), showed here. They came up short, though.
Getting creative. The Mets scored on: 2 sac-flys, 2 walks, a fielders-choice and a balk.
The Bad & Ugly
John Maine’s 93 pitches in five innings and four earned runs. Story of the last few years for Maine.
Debuts. Jenrry Mejia’s one inning, three hits and one earned run. Paying attention, Jerry? Ruben Tejada popped up in foul territory in his first MLB AB.
The Marlins bullpen. Despite their best efforts, the Marlins were able to win this game. They were trying to hand the Mets the W on a silver platter. The Mets sent it back to the chef.
The Mets had six hits, none of them drove in a run. (See: Above)
Fernando Tatis’ head in the 7th inning. He tried and failed to score on a ball that squirted away. Would the game have ended different if he scored? We’ll never know. But it sure didn’t help.
Game Ball
Castillo for his 2 RBI, I guess. Tip of the cap goes to Pedro Feliciano, too.
On Deck
The Mets and Marlins play the rubber game tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
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