4/21/10

Rubin: Jacobs cleared waivers

Ugh.

It’s still unknown if he’ll report to Triple-A Buffalo.

All-Star voting already?

Yesterday, this popped up in my inbox…

All-Star Balloting for the 81st Midsummer Classic begins today

A press release followed explaining that voting for the All-Star Game, being held at Angel Stadium, was now live.

Uh, why?

We are 14 games into the season, and you expect me to make a call on who should play in the All-Star Game already?  Isn’t that a bit quick on the trigger finger?  Voting should happen as close to the game as humanly possibly.  If fans only had a week, or even a month, to vote, meaning the voting started in June, wouldn’t that give everyone a lot more time to make a selection based on performance?

What we’re forced to do, if you choose to vote this early, is make selections based on past performance.  In that way, this isn’t really a 2010 All-Star Game, but rather a Who-Did-Well-Last-Year-And-You-Know-His-Name-Game.  It’s been boiled down into a popularity contest more so than ever before.  The stars, the performers, should be voted in, not the popular players.

I, like hopefully most of you, will not cast my votes until the deadline is approaching.  There is no possible way a player should be voted in based on two weeks of games.

What are you thoughts on this?  I’d like to hear some feedback in the comments.

Manuel’s Musing

Manuel's Musing “Every now and then,
I can be right about something.”

-Jerry Manuel

4/20/10

Game Recap: Mets 4 – Cubs 0

Two in a row!

The Good

Mike Pelfrey.  Seven shutout innings, bringing his streak to 19 scoreless frames.  Pelfrey surrendered as many walks as he did hits: three.  He struck out six and definitely could have started the 8th inning, but Jerry Manuel didn’t give him the chance.  Great to see this from Pelfrey so far this year, improving to a perfect 3-0 (with a save!).

Jose Reyes went 4-5.  Reyes, who sat on the bench last night, went 4-5 with a two-RBI triple in the second inning.  He also swiped a base in the 8th inning.  Great to see.  Hope this is the start of something big for him.

Fernando Tatis off the bench.  Tatis came off the bench in the 8th inning and knocked a two-run home run to left field.  Pinch hitting should be his only role.

The Bad & Ugly

The 3-4-5 hitters went a combined 0-10 with five strikeouts.  Add Ike Davis to the mix and they had seven strikeouts.

Fernando Nieve pitched again.  He did fine, but this is his 10th game out of 14 where he’s pitched.  Not good, Jerry.

Francisco Rodriguez finished out the game with a scoreless inning, but he had to make it interesting.  K-Rod walked two before ending the game.

Ryota Igarashi, my newest favorite Met, left the game after straining his hamstring in the 8th.  He’ll have an MRI tomorrow.

Game Ball

Mike Pelfrey

On Deck

Same time, same place.  7:10 p.m. start.

Igarashi strained hamstring, MRI tomorrow

Ryota Igarashi strained his hamstring in the 8th inning tonight and was forced to leave the game.

He will have an MRI tomorrow at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Get him on the “Frequent Flyer” plan.

Game Chat: CHC @ NYM [Game 14]

Join in and chat with your fellow fans!
Chat removed, as usual.

Lineup [Game 14]

  1. Jose Reyes – SS
  2. Luis Castillo – 2B
  3. David Wright – 3B
  4. Jason Bay – LF
  5. Jeff Francoeur – RF
  6. Ike Davis – 1B
  7. Angel Pagan – CF
  8. Henry Blanco – C
  9. Mike Pelfrey – RHP

Is this the best lineup the Mets have had all year?

Game Chat will be up at 7 p.m.

The back pages [Image]

Post Newsday Daily News

Manuel’s Musing

Manuel's Musing “He didn't appear fazed. He seemed to be totally under control. Cool.”

-Jerry Manuel on Ike Davis

Game Recap: Mets 6 – Cubs 1

I like Ike.

The Good

Ike Davis, duh.  Making his major-league debut, Davis went 2-4 with one RBI.  He picked up his first hit in the majors in his first professional at bat.  And he looked just fine in the field.  Welcome, Ike.  We like you.

Angel Pagan.  Batting leadoff in the game, Pagan started the big 7th inning with a two-run home run after Jose Reyes, who did not start, was hit by a pitch. 

Jason Bay collected two hits and an RBI and Luis Castillo drove in one on one hit.

Jon Niese’s 5 2/3 innings.  Catching John Maine’s disease and needing 112 pitches to get through 5 2/3 on the mound, Niese allowed only one run, unearned.  He allowed eight hits and walked three, but helped himself with seven strikeouts to work out of the jams.

Fernando Nieve and Jenrry Mejia finished out the game for the Mets with 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Bad & Ugly

Jeff Francoeur went 0-4 and is 0-for-his-last-14 with one walk.

Rod Barajas is now batting .200 with a .191 OBP.

Game Ball

Got to give it to the kid: Ike Davis

On Deck

Tomorrow at 7:10 p.m., these two teams will square off again.