Game Recap: Padres 5 – Mets 1

Poor Johan.

The Good

Johan Santana.  He didn’t have his best stuff tonight – far from it.  But he ended up throwing seven shutout innings.  He allowed as many hits as he did walks, five, but struck out three and kept a run from scoring while he was on the mound.  He was very wild, but was able to battle through it.

Jason Bay went 3-4, scoring the Mets only run.

The Bad & Ugly

The bullpen.  OK, I made an argument at the beginning of the season that the Mets had a decent bullpen with depth.  I was wrong.

K-Rod came on with a one run lead in the 8th for a four-out save.  He got three of them before allowing the tying run to score.  He ended up throwing 2 1/3 innings (46 pitches), which makes no sense to me.

After K-Rod was pulled, Jerry Manuel picked Raul Valdes to take over.  Here’s how the inning went for Valdes…

1. Leadoff double.
2. Fielder’s choice, runner out at third.
3. Single.
4. HBP.
5. Walk-off grand slam.

The leadoff double was bad, but he eliminated that runner with a nice play to get the lead guy.  Then: disaster.  Should have seen it coming, though.

Game Ball

Santana, poor guy.

On Deck

Off day Thursday, back home (yay!) on Friday to take on the Marlins.

Daniel Murphy injured, carried off in Buffalo

Daniel Murphy, who was playing second base for the Bisons, was injured and had to be carried off the field.

Tough break.

Random facts & stats

I’m a little sidetracked by applying for jobs, but here are some interesting facts on the 2010 Mets for this Wednesday…

• Jason Bay leads the Mets in plate appearance with 227.
• Bay also leads the teams in hits with 56.
• Most runs?  That also belongs to Bay with 33.
• David Wright edges out Bay for most doubles on the team, 13 to 12.
• We have a tie for most triples: Jose Reyes and Bay each have four.
• The Mets do not have a .300 hitter.
• Bay leads the Mets in OBP.
• Wright and Jeff Francoeur each have grounded into six double plays.  Reyes, the guy who is “so hard to double up,” has hit into five.
• Though a lot of people worry about Francisco Rodriguez not getting into enough games, he is third on the team with 24 appearances.
• Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana have each allowed 61 hits.
• John Maine and Oliver Perez have each allowed 27 earned runs.
• K-Rod has a 10.4 K/9.
• Pelfrey and Santana have each thrown upwards of 1,100 pitches.  No other pitcher has eclipsed 800.

Carry on.

Manuel’s Musing

“You have to continue to get him an opportunity to pitch, and hopefully he'll figure out some things.”

-Jerry Manuel on Ryota Igarashi

Game Recap: Mets 4 – Padres 2

Go Big Pelf Go.

The Good

Michael Alan Pelfrey.  Eight dominant innings, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks.  Pelf matched his career high with eight strikeouts.  He lowered his season ERA to 2.39 and his WHIP to 1.24.  If being the ace of a team mattered, Mike Pelfrey would be the leading candidate for the Mets.

Ike-power.  A two-run home run to dead center in the 7th inning ended up being the game winner.  He crushed it.

D.W.  Mr. Wright went 3-4, with two RBI, including a solo home run in the 6th.  He also stole the only base of the game, as three other runners were eliminated on the basepaths.

The Bad & Ugly

Seriously, K-Rod?  It seems inevitable that there will be runners on if K-Rod is on the mound.  He allowed one run on three hits before throwing nine straight strikes to K the final two batters and end the game.  But it’s always interesting with you, isn’t it K-Rod?  I’d like some more 1-2-3 innings, please.

Game Ball

Pelfrey.

On Deck

A strange 6:35 p.m. start tomorrow in San Diego.

Cora’s option vests at 80 games, not 80 starts

I, like MLBTR, had been reporting that Alex Cora’s option vested at 80 starts.  Adam Rubin corrects us both and reports that it’s 80 games.

Cora has appeared in 30 games of the 52 games so far this season.  He has started 19 games (of which the Mets are 7-12 in).

Manuel’s Musing

“The fact that we didn't throw strikes, that always bothers me.”

-Jerry Manuel

Game Recap: Padres 18 – Mets 6

Seriously, you don’t want to know.

Even his teammates are turning on Ollie

Via the New York Post…

A day after watching Oliver Perez implode in a relief appearance against the Brewers, two disgusted Mets players told The Post yesterday it’s time management drew a line in the sand with the putrid lefty.

“You tell him you go to Triple-A or that’s it, you are finished,” one Mets player said, well aware that Perez is still owed about $20 million on the three-year contract he signed before the 2009 season.

A second Mets player echoed that line of thinking.

“At some point you have to cut bait,” he said. “You owe him a lot of money, but for what?”

Well, how’s that for a nice start to your Memorial Day?

Manuel’s Musing

“Once he had doubled, fought through the eighth, I didn't think it would be a good move.”

-Jerry Manuel on leaving Johan Santana in the game