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Oct. 30, 2006
Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado had surgery for tennis elbow on his left arm Monday, his second operation in eight days. Delgado's right wrist was operated on Oct. 23 because of carpal tunnel syndrome. Also Monday, relievers Chad Bradford, Roberto Hernandez and Guillermo Mota filed for free agency along with pitcher Yusaku Iriki -- the only major leaguer to flunk a drug test this year. Iriki tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance during spring training, when he was on the major league roster. The Mets sent him to the minors, and he didn't pitch for New York this season. Iriki filed provisionally pending a decision by the Mets on their $1.5 million option, which likely will be declined.
Oct. 30, 2006
Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado wins Roberto Clemente Award Well at least one player got to be at the World Series. Carlos Delgado, who wears No. 21 as a tribute to Clemente, was chosen from 30 nominees, one from each big league team, by a committee that includes commissioner Bud Selig and Vera Clemente, Roberto's widow. The slugger joins a list of previous winners that includes 11 Hall of Famers, such as the late Kirby Puckett, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield. Five years ago, Delgado started Extra Bases, a charity based in Puerto Rico designed to help underprivileged children. He has donated $500,000 to the foundation. For more information, go to: www.ExtraBases.org
Looper As In Stooper Looper was on the World Series winning Florida Marlins in 1993, signed with the Mets in 1994. He was 6-12 and blew 13 games, choked numberous other times while with the Mets and is now back in the World Series again with the Redbirds.
Oct. 23, 2006
Delgado had surgery on his right wrist because of carpal tunnel syndrome, while Lo Duca had an operation to repair a ligament tear in his left thumb. Heilman underwent surgery for tennis elbow on his throwing arm and the right-handed Woodward had a torn labrum in his left shoulder operated on. Left-fielder Cliff Floyd is scheduled to have surgery on his left Achilles tendon Wednesday. Right-hander Roberto Hernandez is scheduled to have surgery on his right knee the same day. Delgado is set to have surgery again next Monday to repair tennis elbow in his right arm. All six players are expected to be ready for Spring Training.
Catch The Rising Stars Pelfrey will start for the East Division.Martinez and Pelfrey both play for the Soler Sox in the AFL.
Oct. 22, 2006
The Mets have reported that Carlos Beltran will have surgery next week to have the bat removed from his shoulder. Beltran vowed to get back up and make memorable things happen. "Next year, we're going to be a better ballclub," the center fielder said. "The front office is going to add [a few] players to the ballclub, and with what we already have, we're going to be better. "We're going to get to the World Series. I have faith. We're going to accomplish that." Beltran, who produced 41 regular-season homers and three in the postseason -- all in the NLCS against the Cardinals -- said he and his teammates should try to focus on their considerable achievements in a breakthrough season in the NL East.
Oct. 20, 2006 Yadier Molina's tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning and another Game 7 gem by Jeff Suppan helped St. Louis overcome Chavez's astounding grab, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets on a rainy Thursday night for the NL championship. The UN-Happy Recap >>> Last night's game featured a rally towel for all fans from DHL. They looked great on TV, but hear the noise level at Shea last night. During game six, fans were screaming and clapping their hands. Last night they were just waving those stupid white towels. They were convinent after the game, you could use them to cry in. Yankees Stadium icon Freddy Sez was at Shea for Games 6 and 7. Nice to see him out there at Shea to support the Mets and proves that all Yankee fans are frontrunners.
The Maine Event Jose Reyes had a club-record six leadoff homers during the regular season.
Weaver Turns Mets into Chicken
Pujols' rally-starting homer and another playoff gem by a rejuvenated Jeff Weaver sent the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night -- and a 3-2 lead in the NL championship series.
New York has returned to Shea with a 3-2 series deficit once in its history -- the 1986 World Series versus Boston. The Mets won the final two games of that series to win their last championship.
Rain Brings Relief Now, the NL championship series comes down to a best-of-three. Daylong rain caused Game 5 between New York and St. Louis to be postponed Monday, meaning Mets lefty Tom Glavine and Jeff Weaver of the Cardinals will start Tuesday night on full rest. The teams are tied at two games each in the best-of-seven playoff. Game 5 was rescheduled for 8:19 p.m. EDT at Busch Stadium. The Mets did get good news about their injury-depleted pitching staff, though. Orlando Hernandez, who has missed the entire postseason thus far because of a torn muscle in his right calf, threw 72 pitches in an encouraging bullpen session Sunday and could return in time for the World Series if New York gets past the Cardinals. "Now I can dance," a cheerful El Duque said. "I threw every pitch. I think I'm ready for next week." Mets starter Steve Trachsel, knocked out of Game 3 in the second inning with a bruised thigh after getting hit by Wilson's hard comebacker, was feeling better, too, according to pitching coach Rick Peterson. If healthy, Trachsel could be in line to start a potential Game 7 in New York against Jeff Suppan. Trachsel was roughed up for five runs, five hits and five walks in one-plus inning in Game 3, while Suppan allowed only three hits in eight scoreless innings.
Mets Pullout Bats
So did David Wright. And Carlos Delgado. And then Beltran did it a second time.
With four home runs, the Mets tied the NL championship series, making sure it will end back home in New York.
The Mets battered the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen in a 12-5 victory Sunday night that knotted up the series at two games apiece. New York beat Atlanta 11-6 in Game 2 of the 1969 NLCS. Carlos Delgado tied the Mets' record for home runs in an NLCS, set by Rusty Staub in 1973, and his five RBIs tied the team postseason record for a game, set by Staub in Game 4 of the 1973 World Series and matched by Edgardo Alfonzo, in the 1999 division series opener. The seven combined homers set an LCS record.
Mets Supped by Suppan
Scott Spiezio smacked another big triple and St. Louis dazzled on defense, dominating the Mets for a 5-0 victory and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Mets LF Cliff Floyd (left Achilles' tendon) didn't start for the second consecutive game. The Mets had won eight straight games dating to the regular season before Friday night. Tom Glavine has tossed 13 shutout innings in a pair of playoff starts for the Mets. Their other two starters so far this postseason, John Maine and Steve Trachsel, have a 7.82 ERA.
Billy, Don't Be a Hero The only other multihomer game for the Mets in the NLCS was by
The Mets were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 2-for-15 in the series.
Beltran and Glavine Rock Shea
Carlos Beltran rocked Shea Stadium with a homer that crashed off the scoreboard to back another gem by Glavine, and the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 in Game 1 on Thursday night. It was Tom Glavine's 16th LCS start, the most in major league history. He lowered his career postseason ERA to 3.27. Ex-Mets slugger Darryl Strawberry threw out the first pitch.
Remembering Lidle
Athletics Remember Pitcher's 'Free Spirit' by N.Y. Posts Kevin Kernan Pedro Martinez (l.) is thrilled with results of surgery and says repaired shoulder is already showing signs of improvement.
A giddy Pedro Martinez, his right shoulder still in a sling, predicted yesterday that he would return to the Mets during the second half of the 2007 season. He also predicted he would return a stronger pitcher.
Cardinals- Mets Matchup
He swiped a major league-best 64 bases this season and his matchup with strong-armed Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina could be one of the most intriguing subplots of the series. "I'm not looking to get him (Reyes) on base, I'm just trying to get him out at the plate," Molina said. The Mets finished third in the NL with a 4.14 team ERA, tied for second with 43 saves and allowed the third-fewest runs in the league. Tom Glavine, who'll start Game 1 for the Mets, said a lot of that has to do with the work of pitching coach Rick Peterson. "You know, as far as the young guys and the staff go, what's great about him is he takes the time to try to help everybody get better," Glavine said. "He obviously has a vested interest in us doing well, but he has a genuine interest in guys that come over here and helping them get better."
ROSTER: Here's a look at the Mets' 25-man roster for the National League Championship Series vs. the Cardinals.
Oct. 10, 2006 Three Mets land on TSN All-Star team. New York's trio of Beltran, Reyes, Wright recognized by peers. The Yankees should just stop crying and go away. Just go play golf. Fire Joe already, I hear Bobby Valentine and Art Howe are available.
Floyd Limping In General manager Omar Minaya acknowledged it would be a risk to keep the outfielder on the roster. October baseball in New York: Mets, not Yankees
Mets Sweep Dodgers
Green and the hitters started fast, Billy Wagner closed it out quickly and the New York Mets completed their first postseason sweep since 1969, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-5 in Game 3 Saturday night. Cliff Floyd was replaced in left field by Endy Chavez in the bottom of the third because of what the Mets called a strained left Achilles. David Wright has hit safely in 15 straight games -- the final 12 of the regular season and all three in the division series.
Glavine Has Edge
Glavine was a 290-game winner, and Kuo had one big-league victory -- against the Mets. Could there have been a postseason starting pitcher matchup with a difference in career victory totals greater than 289? Of course. Just last year in the first game of the World Series, Roger Clemens started for the Astros opposite Jose Contreras of the White Sox. Clemens had 341 career victories at the time, 306 more than Contreras. But before that matchup, the last postseason difference to exceed 290 was the greatest ever -- 364. The great Walter Johnson had 397 career victories when he opposed Emil Yde of the Pirates in Game 4 of the 1925 World Series. Incidentally, Johnson pitched the Senators to a 4-0 victory.
Making his 33rd postseason start -- but first since joining the Mets in 2003 -- Glavine tossed six shutout innings and New York scratched out enough runs to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 Thursday night for a 2-0 lead in their NL playoff series. Pedro Martinez had successful surgery on his right rotator cuff. He is expected to be sidelined until next June. It was the first time the Mets and Yankees hosted playoff games on the same day since Oct. 7, 2000. That day, the Mets edged San Francisco 3-2 on Benny Agbayani's 13th-inning homer. The Mets are 6-0 in division series home games. They are 4-0 in five-game playoff series.
Glavine Makes Dodger Blue
Minus two top starters, the Mets capitalized on a wild baserunning blunder by Los Angeles and a perfectly respectable performance from emergency replacement John Maine in a 6-5 victory Wednesday over the Dodgers. The Happy Recap >>> Dodgers Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax watched the game from a box with Mets owner Fred Wilpon. The two were high school teammates growing up in Brooklyn. Koufax was warming up in bullpen in the ninth after it looked like Billy Wagner was going to blow the game. Jose Reyes said he got spiked in the calf in the seventh inning yesterday. "Nothing to worry about," he said. Carlos Delgado matched the Mets' mark for most hits in a postseason game with four. Rusty Staub, Lenny Dykstra and Kevin McReynolds share it. Saturday's Game 3 is going to be 8 p.m. on Fox. A bizarre double play at home plate Wednesday could become a staple of postseason blooper reels. The Dodgers have 2 runners cut down at plate on 1 play writes Hal Bock on Yahoo Sports.
Oct. 4, 2006 El Duque's injury sends Mets scrambling for Game 1 starter. El Duque felt discomfort in his right leg while he was jogging in the outfield Tuesday as the Mets tuned up for their first-round series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 40-year-old right-hander was pulled off the field and went for an MRI exam. Many young and old Mets ready for their first postseason. Fans show love for Mets on Rally Day. On a picture-perfect, 80-degree early fall day, a rally was held outside the SNY studios on 51st St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues in Manhattan. Over 8,000 appear at SNY studios one day before NLDS opener.
Flying High With Wright
How they got there: The New York Mets season by Yahoo Sports! New York Mets Postseason History by Yahoo Sports! It is sad that the Yankees have been in post season more often in the past ten years than the Mets in 45 years.
Green is Wright
Guillermo Mota (3-0) pitched a perfect eighth and was credited in the Mets 6-2 win. Mets OF Cliff Floyd (left Achilles' heel) played for the first time since Tuesday and hit leadoff to get extra at-bats. Willie Randolph said he'll decide Monday on a lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs. Game 1 of the Mets' division series will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN. Thursday's Game 2 will be at 8 p.m. on Fox.
Glavine Wins 290
The Happy Recap >>> The New York Mets said Pedro Martinez will miss the start of next season after shoulder surgery. And then the clubs went out at night and played a game of far less significance than those two news items. Tom Glavine allowed only three hits, all singles, and didn't walk a batter. His three strikeouts raised his total to 2,481, passing Jack Morris for 30th on the career list. Glavine earned his 290th career victory. Steve Trachsel was scratched from Sunday's start; LHP Oliver Perez replaces him. The Nationals will honor Frank Robinson on Sunday with tributes beginning before the first pitch and continuing throughout the afternoon.
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