Saturday, August 30th, 2008
Bullpen chokes again
Heilman is Evil!Mike Pelfrey worked 6 2-3 solid innings before handing a 3-2 lead to the bullpen, which has blown 11 of 26 save opportunities since the All-Star break and is second in the NL with 24 blown saves overall.
Duaner Sanchez gave up a tying homer to Mike Jacobs in the eighth, setting the stage for Heilman’s collapse in the ninth.
New York’s NL East lead was trimmed to one game by Philadelphia, which beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Saturday.
Pelfrey had been 0-3 with a 10.66 ERA in three starts this season against the Marlins, but they failed to score against him until the sixth. After he retired the first two batters in the inning, Jorge Cantu and Mike Jacobs singled, Willingham walked and Dan Uggla hit a two-run single.
Friday, August 29th, 2008
Oh my God, help this pen please
The New York Mets were one strike from defeat before Carlos Beltran came through with the big hit that had eluded them all night.
Beltran hit a grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning off Kevin Gregg, and New York’s shaky bullpen held on for a 5-4 win over the Florida Marlins on Friday night.
Before Beltran’s homer, the Mets were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Trailing 2-1, they left the bases loaded in the seventh and stranded two in the eighth.
Gregg (6-8) retired the first two batters in the ninth, and New York was down to its final strike when Luis Castillo singled on a 1-2 pitch. David Wright also singled, and Carlos Delgado was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Beltran.
The Mets have had bullpen woes of their own, and Luis Ayala earned his third save despite giving up four hits in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Mike Jacobs singled in one run, and Jorge Cantu doubled home another before Wes Helms grounded out with runners at second and third to end the game.
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
Mets choke on big lead
Pedro Feliciano wipes his forehead as he leaves the mound against the Phillies in the eighth inning. Feliciano continues to suck!Fernando Tatis hit a three-run homer and the Mets staked Pedro Martinez to a seven-run cushion. But the Phillies chipped away against Martinez and rallied against a bullpen that has blown 10 leads in the ninth inning, according to Stats LLC.
The Mets have 22 blown saves overall, including seven by injured All-Star closer Billy Wagner. This one might have been the most devastating.
The last time the Mets had a lead of seven or more runs and failed to win was May 13, 2003, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They led that one 7-0 and lost 9-8 at Colorado.
The Mets used four relievers to get to the ninth after Pedro Martinez lasted five innings. But Luis Ayala couldn’t protect a one-run lead.
Ayala, who converted his other save chance since joining the Mets in a trade with Washington last week, got the first two outs. But Jason Werth singled and pinch-hitter Eric Bruntlett, the last position player available for Philadelphia, drove him in with a double to right-center.
Martinez allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out eight. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who once had an overpowering fastball, relied heavily on offspeed pitches and didn’t throw harder than 88 mph.
Damion Easley was 4-for-5 with a homer for the Mets, who trailed the Phillies by 7 1/2 games on June 13. New York is 39-25 since Jerry Manuel replaced Willie Randolph as manager.
The Mets blew a seven-game lead with 17 remaining last season, losing the division to the Phillies on the final day. The teams meet four more times, including a three-game series at Shea Stadium next weekend.
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
Many Met fans getting treated real Citi
Some long time Met ticket holders are not getting the seats in Citi Field they were told they are getting when they purchased season plans over the past couple seats.
Some fans upgraded ticket partial ticket plans to full season after being told by the Mets will not be having anymore Weekend and Tuesday-Friday plans when the Mets move into Citi Field in 2009. This was before Citi Field will hold 12,000 fewer seats than the dump known as Shea.
The ticket office has placed many fans who have been ticket holders for only this season; but not the ones who signed on in the last '90's and early 2000's who kept their seats in the Art Howe years to benefit to get good seats in the new ballpark.
Many long-time fans who had great seats in Shea Stadium are being bumped in favor of corporations along the baselines and front rows.
When some fans who had called the Mets ticket offices and inquired when will they know when they pay for their plans. Many heard they will be contacted soon, that was three months ago.
Some customer relations people have even lost their temper when asked how the process is working.
Sunday, August 24rd, 2008
Assholes in bullpen beaten by Astros
Pedro Feliciano was stunned to see two Houston Astros with a combined three homers this season take him deep in the 10th inning. The way the year has gone for the Mets’ bullpen, it shouldn’t have been surprising at all.
Brad Ausmus led off the 10th with his second homer of the year, Darin Erstad connected for his third three batters later and Houston rallied against New York’s unpredictable bullpen for a 6-4 win Sunday.
“I surprised myself because of giving up a slider for a home run,” Feliciano said. “We got struggle time, we got outstanding time. Just one day, one game. Tomorrow we’re going to come back and win.”
While Aaron Heilman failed to hold a 4-3 lead in the seventh provided by Carlos Beltran’s two home runs, and Feliciano (2-4), the Mets’ sixth pitcher, gave up both home runs in the 10th, Houston’s pen retired the 12 batters it faced to help the Astros improve to 3-3 on their seven-game road trip.
Heilman gave up a double off the right-field wall to Blum on his first pitch. David Newhan singled to right to drive in Hunter Pence, but Geoff Blum was nabbed trying to score. Fernando Tatis’ throw to catcher Ramon Castro beat Blum by several feet to keep it tied at 4.
Heilman, who hadn’t allowed a run in four outings, did not move from the stretch position while Jerry Manuel made the walk from the dugout to replace him with Scott Schoeneweis.
Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
Maine, bats struggles again
The Mets lost for just the second time in 12 games and their NL East lead was cut to 1 1/2 games over Philadelphia. Brian Schneider hit a two-run homer, his fourth in his last six starts, and Ryan Church added a pair of hits and an RBI in his second game back.
Despite throwing a gem in Houston’s 8-3 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday night, Brandon Backe stood in front of his locker in the Astros clubhouse beating himself up.
David Newhan added his first homer of the season and Miguel Tejada drove in a pair of runs for the Astros, who are 3-5 following an eight-game winning streak.
John Maine struggled again with a mild strain to his right rotator cuff that has already landed him on the disabled list. Mets manager Jerry Manuel jokingly said before the game that a good outing from the right-hander would be 100 pitches— over nine innings. He threw 105 but didn’t make it out of the sixth, allowing a season-high 10 hits and eight runs.
The Mets offense was on vacation, Roy Oswalt retired his final 20 batters in a complete-game loss, and Backe set down his first 14.
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
Bullpen sucks, blows another game
Duaner Sanchez sucks and can't hold the opposition down.Duaner Sanchez relieved, and a single by Jason Michaels and an intentional walk to Andy LaRoche loaded the bases.
Steve Pearce followed with a single past the dive of drawn-in third baseman David Wright, and Jack Wilson hit his double.
“We took advantage of a couple of mistakes to push across some runs,” Russell said. “It was a nice win for us.”
Mets starter John Maine, making his second start since coming off the disabled list, pitched five scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked four and was lifted after throwing 96 pitches.
Brian Stokes relieved Maine in the sixth and Adam LaRoche tied it with a two-run homer.
Carlos Delgado is looking old and finished once again. Sean Burnett got Delgado to pop out with the bases loaded, ending the Mets eighth and preserving a 2-all tie.
Monday, August 18th, 2008
Wagner still in pain
Billy Wagner"I wouldn't say I am ready," Wagner said. "Right now it is stiff and sore." Wagner returned to New York Sunday to be re-examined.
Wagner doubts he can throw in back-to-back games, let alone in three straight games. Wagner said he's able to throw hard, and while his ability to finish pitches is better, it's still not there.
"I can play catch," Wagner said. "When I try to amp it up and go full bore it is OK for awhile."
The surging Mets won their sixth straight game Sunday, beating the Pirates behind the strong pitching of Johan Santana and hitting of catcher Brian Schneider.
Santana gave up three hits in throwing his second complete game of the season, and Schneider drove in three runs with a two-run homer in the second and RBI-singled in the fourth.
Santana, with eight no-decisions, could be approaching 20 victories with a little run and bullpen support. The bullpen has coughed up the lead on six of Santana’s starts, but not Sunday.
18 times Johan Santana had worked into the seventh inning or later in 26 starts through August 17. I wonder if the idiots on WFAN in New York City will mention that today? Probably be whining why he didn't strikeout 15 batters or sucking Brett Favre's testicles.
Luis Ayala was acquired Sunday from the Washington Nationals for a player to be named later, believed to be INF Anderson Hernandez. Ayala, 30, is 1-8 with a 5.77 ERA in 62 appearances for the Nationals. Said Ayala: "They’re fighting for first place, so I’m going to do my best to clear my mind and try to help the bullpen."
Monday, August 11th, 2008
Mets bullpen falls apart again
The Mets led 5-1 when Pedro Martinez left after six innings, but five relievers couldn’t preserve the edge. The Pirates, in town to play a makeup game, scored three times in the seventh and three more in the ninth.
Heilman Sucks!Steve Pearce hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates became the latest team to take advantage of the Mets’ slumping relievers, rallying for a 7-5 win. It marked the ninth time this season New York lost a game in which it led in the eighth inning or later. The Mets have struggled lately minus injured All-Star closer Billy Wagner.
Aaron Heilman (2-7) began the ninth with a 5-4 lead, but allowed four straight Pirates to reach after striking out leadoff hitter Nate McLouth. Doumit hit a tying single off the right-center wall and Heilman hit Andy LaRoche with a pitch to load the bases. Heilman absorbed his third blown save in five opportunities and is 1-4 with a 10.97 ERA in his last nine games.
Feliciano Sucks!Scott Schoeneweis relieved and got Brandon Moss to ground into a forceout at the plate. Pearce followed with his tiebreaking single to center.
The Mets used Joe Smith, who failed to retire both batters he faced, Pedro Feliciano, and Duaner Sanchez to get through the inning. Sanchez got the final out and worked a scoreless eighth before the implosion in the ninth.
The Mets are 30-32 against teams below .500 this season.
Sunday, August 10th, 2008
Fish fry Pelfrey
Josh Johnson stifled the New York Mets for a season-high seven innings
Sunday, leading the Florida Marlins to an 8-2 win and helping them avoid a
three-game sweep by their NL East rivals.
A month into his return from reconstructive elbow surgery, 30 pounds lighter and with a refined changeup to complement a dastardly slider and zippy fastball, Johnson has given Florida the kind of pitcher other teams paid dearly for in midseason trades.
Dan Uggla had two doubles and three RBIs, Luis Gonzalez and Mike Jacobs each homered and Florida finished a 3-3 road trip with a breakout offensive effort that quashed the Mets’ hope of making a statement in the division.
Still, the Mets returned to Shea Stadium after a 1-5 trip and began a stretch where they will play 23 straight days by taking two of three from Florida and jumping into second place in the East, a half-game ahead of the Marlins. They entered Sunday one back of the Phillies.
Mike Pelfrey (10-8) lost control in the fifth, walking two ahead of Uggla’s two-run double and then hitting Cody Ross in the back with a pitch. He walked Jeremy Hermida, then kept his back turned to his manager and stared out to center field the entire wait for Eddie Kunz to arrive from the bullpen.
Kunz, making his third big league appearance, threw a wild pitch to score a run and make it 6-1.
Gonzalez hit his sixth home run and Jacobs added his 25th off Carlos Muniz in the sixth, and David Wright hit an RBI single in the bottom half for New York. Johnson eliminated any chance for a Mets rally by getting Carlos Delgado to ground into a double play.
Friday, August 8th, 2008
Schoeneweis sucks again and blows win for Santana
It
was the sixth time in 24 starts this season that the bullpen cost Johan
Santana a potential win, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Five of
those collapses came in the ninth inning. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner
has eight no-decisions, and in seven of those he allowed two runs or fewer.
Just 9-7 in his first season with the Mets, Santana left with a 3-1 lead and two on in the eighth. Santana gave up two runs and four hits in seven-plus innings but has a pedestrian record to go along with a 2.85 ERA.
The
Angel of Death strikes again."It wasn’t my fault. It's Johan's," Scott "The Angel of Death" Schoeneweis said playfully. "It's his bad luck. The karma just carried over." Of the 102 homers off Schoeneweis in his career, Jody Gerut's home run in the 9th that tied the game was just the 13th by a left-handed hitter. Schoeneweis reeled off the humorous remarks and defended the relief corps.
Jerry Manuel was booed when he pulled Santana after 104 pitches. Manuel understood the fans' frustration but was worried that Santana, who reached 100 pitches for the 17th time this year, is being pushed too hard. He also thinks at some level Santana is frustrated but called him "the ultimate team player."
Santana, who applauded from the dugout when second baseman Argenis Reyes started a spectacular, inning-ending double play to preserve the lead in the eighth, watched the ninth unfold from the clubhouse.
"It was numb," he said. Aaron "Simply Not The Very Best" Heilman (2-6) got two outs in the ninth for the win.
The Mets said ticket sales had reached 3.86 million, the third straight season they set a team record. New York projects it will draw 4 million in its final season at Shea Stadium
Thursday, August 7th, 2008
Dudley D-Wright does it again
Dudley D-Wright is here to save the day.Daniel Murphy had three hits for New York in his fourth big league game, including his first career triple. His fifth-inning single drove in Jose Reyes and tied it at 2, but Wright was doubled off first base on Carlos Beltran’s flyout to end the inning.
Wright also committed a base running blunder in New York’s 6-5 win Tuesday night, and manager Jerry Manuel felt the need to check with the All-Star about his energy level after the loss.
Wright, who has missed just one game this season, insisted he was fine. "I mean, this time of year everyone’s a little tired, but I think I can help this team and that’s not a concern," he said.
Martinez (3-3) settled down after allowing first-inning homers to Gerut and Brian Giles, and left with runners at second and third and one out in the seventh. Pedro Feliciano struck out Gerut and walked Edgar Gonzalez before Giles cued a grounder toward third.
New York left at least one runner on in the first eight innings and stranded 10 runners total, dropping to 12-3 in its last 15 games at Shea Stadium.
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
Hell-man does again
Hell-man's is
simply not the very best.Heilman began the ninth inning with a four-run lead but gave up a three-run homer to San Diego Jody Gerut.
Before the game, Manuel said Heilman, his struggling setup man, would get the first shot at closing duties in Wagner’s absence. It didn’t last long.
Handed a four-run cushion when he entered to start the ninth, Heilman walked his first batter on four pitches and gave up a three-run shot to Jody Gerut with one out.
At that point, Manuel had seen enough. He popped out of the dugout to lift Heilman, booed loudly by the crowd of 52,130.
Joe Smith and Scott Schoeneweis each got an out to close the Mets’ 6-5 win.
Mike Pelfrey (10-7) pitched effectively into the seventh inning to help the Mets end a four-game skid.
Fernando Tatis had two homers and four RBIs, he extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his eighth career multihomer game and first since Sept. 16, 2000, with St. Louis.
Out of baseball from 2004-05, the 33-year-old Tatis has given the Mets a crucial and surprising boost since he was called up from the minors May 13. Filling in regularly for injured outfielders Moises Alou and Tatis has piled up 33 RBIs with a string of clutch homers and hits.
Wagner goes on DL
Closer Billy
Wagner was placed on the disabled list Tuesday after an MRI confirmed a
strained left forearm.
Manager Jerry Manuel said veteran Aaron Heilman would be the Mets' closer—although that is subject to change, particularly after Heilman was yanked in the ninth inning Tuesday night.
After blowing his seventh save opportunity Saturday at Houston, Wagner complained of tightness in the forearm and said he didn't want to be a liability.
"I wasn't able to finish my pitches," Wagner said. "I am not able to go in consecutive days." Wagner first felt discomfort in a July 29 save at Florida, but he said he felt fine after not pitching for three days before the Houston game.
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
Seats in red, green, blue or
orange?It's stadium seating - in your own home.
Mets fans will be able to get their own pieces of Shea Stadium - the seats are going on sale.
The city and the team announced Tuesday that starting later this month, people can arrange to buy seats for $869 per pair.
If the Mets sold all 56,000 seats at Shea they would make $23 million dollars.
No mention if the Mets got bullpen help or a corner outfielder.
Monday, August 4th, 2008
Astros complete sweep of Mets
Jose! Jose! Jose! Can You
Score?Hunter Pence and Humberto Quintero added RBI doubles and Randy Wolf (7-10) won his home debut for the Astros, who’ve won six of their last seven games.
Jose Valverde shut out the Mets in the ninth. Houston’s bullpen did not allow a run in 11 innings in the series.
New York has dropped four in a row and was shut out for the fourth time this season. And the dismal offensive performance was only part of the bad news.
Closer Billy Wagner was unavailable with a strained left forearm and was due to have an MRI exam in New York on Tuesday. The Mets also placed right-hander John Maine on the disabled list to further rest his sore right shoulder.
The Mets open a seven-game homestand on Tuesday after dropping five of six games on this road trip. New York went 1-for-10 on Sunday and 6-for-26 in the series with runners in scoring position. The Mets stranded 11 runners on Sunday and a total of 24 in the series.
After hitting .304 in July, the Mets mustered only seven runs in three games in Houston.
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
Billy Blowgame in action again
Mark Loretta
threw the block, Hunter Pence found the hole and the Houston Astros
rallied to beat the New York Mets.
Lance Berkman raced home when Darin Erstad lined out to left in the 10th inning and the Astros beat the Mets 5-4 Saturday night after Loretta and Pence scored on a memorable play in the ninth inning.
New York was leading 4-2 when Houston loaded the bases with one out against Billy Wagner, who had converted 13 of his previous 14 save chances. Pinch-hitter Geoff Blum then lined a single to left and Pence raced around third, right on Loretta's heels.
In an image reminiscent of a scene in the baseball movie "Major League," both players slid in safely in a three-player collision with catcher Ramon Castro.
Aaron Heilman (1-6), who gave up Loretta's tiebreaking grand slam in Friday's 7-3 Astros win, gave up a walk to Berkman and a single to Carlos Lee to start the 10th.
Pedro Feliciano relieved and struck out Michael Bourn. He issued an intentional walk to Pence before Erstad sliced a 3-2 pitch toward Fernando Tatis in left field. Tatis fell down as he caught it and Berkman scored the winning run.
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008
Aaron serves up another game winning homer
Pedro
Martinez felt fine, but the New York Mets' offense blew a big opportunity in
a 7-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Pinch-hitter Mark Loretta hit a tie-breaking grand slam off Aaron Heilman in the eighth, one inning after the Mets squandered a bases loaded opportunity of their own.
Miguel Tejada> led off with a single against Heilman (1-5) and Berkman followed with a ground-rule double to center. Heilman intentionally walked Lee to get to Hunter Pence, who grounded into a forceout at home.
Loretta then hammered a 1-0 pitch into the porch in left field, his second pinch-hit homer this season and fourth of his career.
Kazuo Matsui, Brandon Backe and Carlos Lee had solo homers, all leading off innings against Martinez, who made his first start since July 12, when he left after four innings with tightness in his throwing shoulder.
Martinez returned to the mound for the first time since the death of his father on July 23, and allowed five hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Martinez struggled with his command, but felt no pain in the shoulder after 87 pitches.
Friday, August 1st, 2008
Omar falls asleep at wheel
The Mets and Boston Red Sox
talked in the past about slugger Manny Ramirez, but New York
general manager Omar Minaya was reluctant to deal outfielder
Lastings Milledge at the time. Milledge ultimately was dealt to Washington last
winter in the deal that brought in catcher Brian Schneider and
outfielder Ryan Church.
Minaya and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein touched base again Thursday before the temperamental outfielder was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I checked in with Theo a couple of days ago,” Minaya said. “I thought (Ramirez) was going to stay in Boston, but they really wanted to move him.
“What Boston was looking for, we couldn’t provide—a major league-ready outfielder.”
This time, the Mets didn’t want to deal Fernando Martinez, their highly rated outfield prospect. The 19-year-old is batting .292 for Class AA Binghamton, although he has been sidelined recently due to a hamstring injury.
“You can’t force trades,” Minaya said. “If the fit is not there, you can’t force it.”