Author: Dave Doyle

Frequently disappointed Mets fan

Billy Wagner Calls Out Teammates After Loss

Oliver Pérez 02:45, 19 July 2007 . . Metsfan7 . . 590×700 (374,826 bytes)Image via Wikipedia

Adam Rubin from the Daily News is reporting that Billy Wagner had some tough comments for the Mets and Oliver Perez, in particular, after his poor start today.

“You’ve got to have that willpower and that desire to go back out there and fight,” Wagner said about responding to the Mets’ early deficit. “This guy (Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny), he wasn’t throwing the ball that well to shut down our offense. Perez has honestly got to step up and know that we’ve just used every guy in our bullpen the night before. He can’t come out there and decide that gee, he hasn’t got it today, and so be it.”

Wagner added: “When you have games like this, it’s very easy to say, ‘Hey, yeah, you’re going to have these games.’ And you will have these games. But when there’s not a lot of effort and desire, that’s when you worry. You definitely want to play a little bit better than we did, but I know everybody is out there doing what they can. As a pitching staff, we have to show up. We can’t go out there and get beat 13-1 by Pittsburgh.”

Wagner is easily one of the best closers in the game, if not of all time. But sometimes he’s a little too “old school” for me. Oliver Perez is an easy target for analysts both professional and amateur because he’s erratic. I don’t think Perez wasn’t giving a full effort today. He just is what he is, sometimes wild and completely without control.

I don’t like that Wagner is calling Perez out after a rough loss like that. It smacks of piling on. Likewise, I thought that Wagner was too tough on Lastings Milledge when he was here. Wagner needs to concern himself more with his own game than with anyone else. Let the coaches deal with the other pitchers. No good can come of alienating teammates, much less this early in the season.

Mets Getting Healthy

It’s great to see Brian Schneider and Moises Alou back in the dugout today. Schneider just got out of the hospital after a six day stay to treat an infected thumb.

Alou is coming back from hernia surgery and expected to come off the disabled list on Friday.

Getting two starters back in one week will be a big boost to the team both on the field and psychologically. The team is getting back to full strength and I believe will show improvement on the field.

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Pirates Drub Mets 13-1

Oliver Perez had one of his occasional terrible starts only going 1.2 innings giving up seven runs but only two were earned. The defense was horrible with errors by David Wright, Luis Castillo, and Angel Pagan.

Nelson Figueroa did a nice job of eating some innings in a bad game. He just pitched on Sunday but came in to throw 3.1 innings giving up one run.

This was just one of those bad, bad games that can happen on once in a while. I wouldn’t take too much from it. It’s over and the Mets have a day off tomorrow before leaving for their West coast swing.

Box score

On Deck: Wednesday April 30, 2008

Pittsburgh Pirates (10-16) at New York Mets (14-11) 1:10pm

Tom Gorzelanny (1-3) vs. Oliver Perez (2-1)

TV: SNY Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets went into extra innings last night so expect to see several regular starters out of the lineup. Willie Randolph typically rests some regulars on a day game after a night game. The Mets have a good chance to sweep the lowly Pirates at home before a day off and a West coast road trip.

Wright’s Big Hit Beats Pirates 5-4 in 11 Innings

David Wright was the hero tonight in the eleventh inning. He hit a bases loaded shot to the wall in right field to win it. Jose Reyes had a big night at the plate going 3 for 3 and a stolen base (6). Although Reyes did have a costly throwing error in the ninth inning that helped the Pirates to tie the game. It’s all good because the Mets ended up winning, but it was a great sign to see Reyes hitting again.

Once again, Johan Santana didn’t look like he had his best stuff but it was better than most pitchers. He didn’t make it through the sixth tonight. He also had the crowd worried when Nate McClouth led off the game with a homer.

Billy Wagner pitched two innings tonight so I doubt that he’ll be available to pitch tomorrow. He actually gave up his first run of the year although it was unearned.

Aaron Heilman struggled again through .1 innings giving up one hit and a walk. Scott Schoenweiss came in to finish the inning and made a huge play tagging Ronny Paulino on a wild pitch play at the plate in the seventh.

Box score