Lost in the shuffle

Ramon Martinez actually fielding a batted ball

Obviously and deservedly Omir Santos‘ 9th inning 2-run homer garnered most of the attention following last night’s dramatic come-from-behind Met win, but here’s a tiny salute to the defense.

The Mets played errorless ball and Ramon Martinez, David Wright and Luis Castillo made numerous excellent fielding plays and proper mental decisions to keep their team in the game.

Gentlemen, this is for you.

Another Potential Honorary Member of The Injury Corps.

Per our boy adam rubin:

Church to see team doctors tomorrow

May 24, 2009

Ryan Church will be examined by team doctors in New York on Monday, and hopes to get a definitive idea of what’s ailing him and whether he will need to go to the disabled list.

Church has yet to receive an MRI of his troublesome right hamstring, and wants to get the image taken so he can learn if he has a tear. Church’s hamstring problems had caused his hip and back to get out of whack, but that’s been corrected with chiropractic work, so the focus is back on the hamstring muscle. Church doesn’t know if realigning his body has just put stress on the hamstring or there’s something more wrong.

“After last year, let’s just find out what it is and deal with it,” said Church, who did not participate in batting practice with teammates.

A DL stint, if it occurs, is the type of scenario that could result in top prospect Fernando Martinez being promoted from Triple-A Buffalo.

And let appropriatly the s&&& hit the fan. The Majority of the people on the DL are met starters, two of which are very big contributors to the met offense. With this news of churchy possibly joining that list, would that give the opening Fmart needs to join the show? Some would argue though that with pagan/reed/beltran/tatis/sheffield able to play the outfield, another one would be unneccesary and there is some merrit in that arguement. Especially from what we saw out of ramon two nights ago(he did better yesterday by all accounts). The mets may be better served by an IF as this rey rey saga continues. The question becomes however, will this kid(Fmart) give you the offense that he has been totally hyped to be able to produce? If thats the case would promoting him up now be moving him too quickly, especially if he does not succeed right away? Will failue hurt his ego and trade value? Alot more questions than answers as Omar Minaya has definatly had to earn his paycheck so far and is being put to his hardest test in his tenure here. What do you do omar…what do you do.

On a lighter note on rey rey gate(per adam rubin)

Manuel: Reyes could be back Monday

May 24, 2009

Jerry Manuel predicted Jose Reyes “possibly” could return Monday, when the Mets open a home stand. Reyes plans to test his calf running Sunday for the first time.

-Lord knows the mets sure need him to come back and be reyes…

Got Some Cleaning To Do

Mets at Red Sox: Game 3 Preview

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York Mets
Name	Injury	Status
Ryan Church, RF	Sore left hamstring	day-to-day (5/22)
Alex Cora, 2B	Torn right thumb ligament	on 15-day DL (5/18)
Carlos Delgado, 1B	Right hip impingement	on 15-day DL (5/11)
Oliver Perez, P	Right patellar tendinitis	on 15-day DL (5/3)
Jose Reyes, SS	Right calf tendinitis	day-to-day (5/20)
Jose Reyes, SS	Right calf stiffness	day-to-day (5/17)
Francisco Rodriguez, P	Back spasms	day-to-day (5/23)
Brian Schneider, C	Strained back muscle	on 15-day DL (4/16)
Billy Wagner, P	Left elbow surgery – out for season	on 15-day DL (3/27)

Add Carlos Beltran to that list as well.  I would assume he would be playing in CF if the DH were not available.  That’s some list.

Coming soon…the Sequel

One of these gentlemen is trying to get his old job back

Met play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen said last night during the 2nd inning, seven innings prior to Omir Santos‘ dramatic game-winning home run, that Brian Schneider’s return is imminent.  Cohen stated that it was likely the recovering catcher would be activated “during the Mets’ next homestand.”

How should the Mets handle his return to the roster?  Baseball insider Ken Davidoff shares his opinion in his ‘Sunday Reading’ today.  What’s yours?

Can ANYONE Play This Game?

TILT?

This season the Mets have been accused of not being clutch, gritty, having heart, balls, you name it.  When actually it’s ONE spot in the order separating us from the elite.  So you want the Mets to win?  Find us a 6 hitter.  Maybe DeRosa is the answer, Nick Johnson, who knows.  But if this is our #6 hitter and Wright is our #5, Wright may be treated like Bonds on his Mega Man Pills.

 

Split	BA	MBA	OBP	MOBP	SLG	MSLG	OPS	MOPS	TB	MTB
1st	.265	.276	.328	.355	.387	.385	.715	.740	1099	67
2nd	.279	.298	.353	.392	.429	.360	.782	.752	1150	58
3rd	.294	.323	.388	.417	.510	.540	.898	.957	1306	87
4th	.269	.333	.353	.438	.478	.562	.831	1.000	1210	86
5th	.260	.361	.340	.444	.428	.529	.768	.973	1076	82
6th	.251	.204	.335	.278	.399	.293	.734	.571	983	46
7th	.247	.263	.321	.328	.392	.395	.713	.722	947	60
8th	.257	.284	.336	.347	.381	.399	.718	.746	882	59
9th	.177	.226	.245	.282	.254	.292	.498	.574	551	40
1-2,non-P	.272	.287	.340	.373	.408	.373	.748	.746	2249	125
3-6,non-P	.269	.305	.355	.396	.454	.481	.809	.876	4574	301
7-9,non-P	.249	.276	.327	.341	.384	.402	.711	.742	2171	147

Moments In Time…

There are certain plays that will forever stay etched in you memory. On Saturday night..Omir Santos may have added one to the list of plays or moments that will stay frozen in time for Met fans. Whats great about memories is that it can be passed on from generation to generation thus never allowing them to ever be forgotten or lost to time. Here are some Met wins or plays that stay etched in my memory and hope will bring a smile on a rainy day.

Carlos Beltran hits a walk off HR in the 16th inning vs the Phillies on May 23, 2006

Mike Piazza’s 2 run HR over the Braves on September 21, 2001. Those runs turned out to be the game wining runs

Robin Ventura’s Grand Slam Single over the Braves on October 17, 1999 in the 15 inning

Sprinklers go off while Pedro Martinez pitched on June 2, 2005. Martinez shut down the Diamondbacks 6-1 with 9k

Johan Santana complete game shut out of the Marlins on September 27, 2008 to keep the Mets playoff hopes alive.

Endy Chavez catch against the Cardinals in Game 7 of the NLCS in the 6th inning on October 10, 2006

David Wright walk off double off Mariano Rivera on May 19, 2006

Omir Santos game winning 2 run HR on May 23, 2009 off Jonathan Papelbon.

A Pair Of Stunners

On saturday night, both NY teams came back to beat some of the most dominant closers in the game. For the Yanks they had to do battle against Brad Lidge. Brad has not had the same success as last year but the guy is still lights out(for the most part). Brad was 8/9 in save opps going into the Yankee game and was given a 2 run lead to protect. Arod had  something to say about that and greated him with his second blown save of the year by slamming a 2 run homerun at Yankee Stadium(shocker). Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera put the final nail in the coffin to complete the comeback with a walk of single by the milk man. A little bit up north, the Mets were faced with a simliar challenge. Their challenge..The Pap. Now Papelbon was a perfect 11/11 in saves opps going into the Met game and was asked to hold a 1 run lead…obviously nobody told Omir this ;p. In the bottom of the ninth, Gary got himself on base(as usual) via walk. Two outs later, Omir steps up to the plate and hits a (reviewed) HR off the green monster that put the Mets up by 1. JJ came in and closed the door. I guess for one night only at least, the Mets and Yanks can find a common ground and work together to get the job done. Papelbon was quoted as saying that he loves interleague play..wonder if he loves it now as the Mets are the only team so far to hand Pap a blown save. A shout out also goes to Joe Maddon for just kicking the crap out of the Marlins this weekend.

Uh oh! KRod ‘collapses’ in pain from back spasms.

According to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, Francisco Rodriguez is out indefinitely due to lower back spasms.
K-Rod collapsed outside the clubhouse from the pain and was seen tearing up as a stretcher was called for. He has taken on a hefty workload in New York this season and it’s obviously affecting him physically. J.J. Putz picked up his second save Saturday night and is likely to fill in should there be a save situation over the next few days. If Rodriguez requires a stint on the disabled list, Putz would obviously take on a ton of value. May. 23 – 10:34 pm et
Source: New York Post

“IN THE YEAR 2000”

 

 

I Think We Found Our Pratt!

Post game: New York Mets 3, Boston Red Sox 2

New York Future Star indeed!

At least for one night, as unlikely hero Omir Santos scraped the top of the green monster with a fly ball double that, after replay review, was ruled a two-run homer which gave the Mets a 3-2 lead.  Santos now has 15 RBI in 63 AB.

J.J. Putz then came on to close the game out, and while the television cameras searched futilely for any sign of Met closer Francisco Rodriguez in the ballpark, Putz’s 97 mph fastballs proved too much for the Red Sox and the Mets now find themselves on the verge of a series sweep, after having been swept out of Los Angeles.

Josh Beckett got in Mike Lowell’s way on a Gary Sheffield foul pop up, and the ball fell to the ground extending Sheffield’s at bat.  Shortly thereafter Sheffield hit an RBI single, plating Carlos Beltran from second base and the Mets had an early 1-0 lead.

Mike Pelfrey promptly gave the lead away, giving up a two-run single to Kevin Youkilis in the bottom of the first inning.  No more runs would score until the top of the 9th.  Beckett recovered from Sheffield’s RBI single in the first to retire twelve straight batters.  He allowed only 4 more baserunners before leaving after 8 innings.  Pelfrey matched Beckett until he left after the 7th, and Pedro Feliciano not wanting to be embarrassed threw a scoreless 8th himself.  That set up the 9th inning drama.

Jonathan Papelbon came on for the save but walked Sheffield to start the 9th.  Two strikeouts later, Omir Santos stepped up to the plate and carved his place in the hearts and minds of Met fans everywhere, but especially those that made the trip to Fenway.

When summoned to pitch the 8th inning in his normal set up role, J.J. Putz often looks like this.  But when called upon in a save situation, his adrenaline flows and he makes it happen.  Unlike Papelbon, he overcame a leadoff walk and despite the scary line drive off the bat of J.D. Drew which was caught in right field, he finished off the Red Sox for his second save as a Met.

Warm,

touchin’ warm,

reachin’ out,

touchin’ me, touchin’ you.

Ugh.  You guys can keep it.

Box score courtesy of Yahoo.com

NY Mets
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	Season Avg
D. Murphy 1b	4	0	0	0	0	0	2	.248
A. Pagan rf	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.316
C. Beltran dh	4	1	1	0	0	1	0	.364
G. Sheffield lf	3	1	1	1	1	0	0	.260
D. Wright 3b	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.353
J. Reed cf	4	0	1	0	0	1	1	.317
O. Santos c	4	1	2	2	0	0	0	.270
R. Martinez ss	4	0	1	0	0	1	2	.100
L. Castillo 2b	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	.274
Totals	33	3	6	3	2	7	9

Batting HR – O Santos (2, 9th inning off J Papelbon 1 on, 2 Out). RBI – G Sheffield (10), O Santos 2 (15). 2-out RBI – G Sheffield, O Santos 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out – L Castillo 1, D Murphy 1. Team LOB – 5.

Base Running SB – R Martinez (1, 2nd base off J Beckett/J Varitek). Fielding DP – 1 (L Castillo-R Martinez-D Murphy).

Boston
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	Season Avg
J. Ellsbury cf	4	1	1	0	0	0	1	.298
D. Pedroia 2b	4	1	2	0	0	1	0	.327
D. Ortiz dh	3	0	0	0	1	2	4	.201
K. Youkilis 1b	3	0	1	2	1	0	1	.388
J. Bay lf	4	0	0	0	0	1	2	.287
J.D. Drew rf	4	0	0	0	0	1	2	.250
M. Lowell 3b	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	.281
J. Varitek c	3	0	1	0	0	2	0	.248
N. Green ss	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	.303
Totals	32	2	6	2	2	7	12

Batting RBI – K Youkilis 2 (23). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out – D Ortiz 1. GIDP – N Green. Team LOB – 5.

Base Running SB – J Ellsbury (18, 3rd base off M Pelfrey/O Santos), D Pedroia (5, 2nd base off M Pelfrey/O Santos). Fielding E – J Beckett (1, throw).

NY Mets
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	Season ERA
M. Pelfrey	7.0	6	2	2	1	6	0	4.31
P. Feliciano (W, 1-1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2.65
J.J. Putz (S, 2)	1.0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3.75
Boston
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	Season ERA
J. Beckett	8.0	5	1	0	1	5	0	5.01
J. Papelbon (L, 0-1; BS, 1)	1.0	1	2	2	1	2	1	1.80

Pitches-strikes – M Pelfrey 111-70; P Feliciano 13-8; J Putz 15-9; J Beckett 117-78; J Papelbon 15-9.

Ground balls-fly balls – M Pelfrey 12-3; P Feliciano 1-1; J Putz 2-1; J Beckett 8-11; J Papelbon 0-1.

Batters faced – M Pelfrey 27; P Feliciano 3; J Putz 4; J Beckett 30; J Papelbon 5.

Game Details

Umpires: HP–Joe West. 1B–Ed Rapuano. 2B–Chad Fairchild. 3B–Paul Nauert. Time: 2:49. (Plus unknown delay totaling 0 minutes in the 9th). Attendance: 37,871. Weather: 55 degrees, clear. Wind: 8 mph, right to left.