Mets 6 – Pirates 2 September 16th 2010

Citi Field September 16th
Less Than 1000 People at Citi Field?

The Mets complete their first 4 Game sweep of the year, Mike Pelfrey earns his career high 15th win, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits whiling driving in the go ahead run in the 6th inning, making the score 3-2.

Angel Pagan continues his outstanding year with 3 hits, 2 RBI’s and an awesome catch in center and with a little help from the inept Pirates, the Mets pull above .500 for the first time in almost a month.

Initially, the game was delayed due to the fact an unconfirmed tornado touched down less than a mile from Citi Field. The hazardous weather conditions pushed the first pitch back to 7:20pm.

The crazy weather and the fact the Mets were playing the Pirates resulted in the lowest turnout I have ever seen at a Major League game. There might have been less than 1,000 people in the stands which made the dozen or so Pirates fans stand out that much more but they weren’t really vocal. They may be having a worse year than we are but they did not have the expectations the Mets had.  I’m still not sure why there was the one Philly fan attending the game but he eventually got kicked out to some cheers, the loudest noise of the night. Aside from that, the game was eerily quiet.

As a bonus, due to the weather, the Mets did announce that last nights tickets would be redeemable for one of the games against the Brewers, September 27th through the 30th. Another series that will not be well attended.

It looks like Mets fans are speaking with their wallets and staying away in droves unless the Wilpons can find more creative ways to give away tickets.

Mets 9 – Pirates 1 September 14, 2010

New York Mets batter Carlos Beltran hits a run-scoring double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York August 13, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets got another great start from R.A. Dickey. He continues to surprise me with every start. I really thought he was a fluke. Tonight he threw a complete game 5- hitter and almost had a shutout, only giving up 1 run in the ninth.

The Mets offense lit up Zack Duke big time for 9 hits in 3.1 innings. They scored all 9 runs in the first four innings of the game. Carlos Beltran and Nick Evans homered in the game. Angel Pagan was 3 for 5 with 3 RBI’s as well.

The Mets take the first two of the four game series against the lowly Pirates. It looks like the Mets finally found a team they can match up with.

Box score

Johan Santana Shoulder Injury Raises Questions

New York Mets starting pitcher Johan Santana throws a pitch to the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York, August 12, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsWell, its that time of the season. Johan Santana has once again, for the third season in a row, been shut down and will need surgery during the off season, this time on his left shoulder. A suitable punctuation to a season highlighted by lackluster play, managerial blunders, and an overall lack of organizational accountability. Of course, this type of grim reality for the ace of a pitching staff can only exist within one franchise, the New York Mets.

Along with agony and disappointment, news of Santana’s most recent injury raises a lot of questions:

Why does the Mets’ medical staff continue to be inept?

Since being acquired prior to the ’08 season, Santana has had some kind of injury/surgery every year. First it was his knee issue, last year he had bone chips in his elbow. What other star player in the league has experienced this type of string? I can’t think of any off the top of my head. I’m no doctor, but I would have to imagine that part of correcting an injury is identifying the measures to prevent future problems. By now, I would have expected that the medical and training staffs have come up with a plan for protecting Santana’s arm. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. This apparent ineptitude has affected other players on the team as well. You have to figure that free agents around the league are probably wary of exploring opportunities with the Mets because of their seemingly shabby and, for lack of a better word, mysterious medical staff. Continue reading “Johan Santana Shoulder Injury Raises Questions”

Preview: Phillies at Mets September 12, 2010

Philadelphia Phillies (82-61) at New York Mets (70-72)  1:10pm

Roy Oswalt (11-13 3.09) vs Jon Niese (9-7 3.85)

TV: SNY  Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets and Phils play the rubber game of the series this afternoon. It’s the first time the Mets will face Oswalt since he got traded to Philly. The Phils have won seven straight games that he started. Niese seems to have hit the wall over his last three starts. Over that span he’s allowed 15 run in 16.1 innings.

Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Facebook page during the game to chat with other Mets fans! Connect with The Mets Report on Twitter too.

Preview: Phillies at Mets September 11, 2010

Philadelphia Phillies (82-60) at New York Mets (69-72)  4:10pm

Kyle Kendrick (9-8 4.89) vs Mike Pelfrey (13-9 3.96)

TV: FOX  Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets try to recover from last night’s loss to take the last two games of this home series. Kendrick has had four bad starts in a row, three resulted in losses for him. So this could be the Mets best chance. Pelfrey hasn’t been much better though. He’s given up 10 runs in his last two starts over 8.2 innings.

Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Facebook page during the game to chat with other Mets fans! Connect with The Mets Report on Twitter too.

Phillies 8 – Mets 4 September 10, 2010

April 22 2010: Mets' relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia (32) delivers a pitch in the 9th inning during MLB action between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field in Flushing, New York. Mets defeated the Cubs 5-2.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsIt was another disappointing start for Jenrry Mejia getting rocked by the Phillies for 6 runs in 4 innings. The Phils just put together hit after hit against him. And Ryan Howard crushed a line drive homer over the wall in left field. I haven’t seen an opposite field home run like that at Citi Field.

The Mets did have a little offense going with 10 hits and 4 runs. Carlos Beltran even hit his first home run of the year left-handed. Josh Thole was 3 for 4 but had a bonehead play on the bases getting caught in a run down between third and home.

The Mets drop the first game of the series.

Box score

Mets Should Part Ways With Carlos Beltran

July 23, 2010 Los Angeles, CA..Mets Carlos Beltran  in action during the Major League Baseball game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Mets defeated the Dodgers, 6-1..Josh Thompson/CSM.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThis week’s saga of three Mets skipping the teams appearance at a local hospital is just another negative story that has surrounded Carlos Beltran and the New York Mets this season.

In case you haven’t heard, Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez and Carlos Beltran all skipped a visit to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C.

David Wright had a thought about that “You’d Like to see everybody. I don’t think it’s big enough until you get everybody.

Still some Met fans don’t see the big deal. The visit to the hospital wasn’t mandatory but however you slice it the visit or non-visit by the three Mets is a distraction in what has a terrible season.

For Beltran his behavior has been uncalled for, for a while now. Many fans and people in the front office still don’t understand why the center fielder waited until February to get surgery on his knee when he knew about it since October. Continue reading “Mets Should Part Ways With Carlos Beltran”