Preview: Mets at Padres May 31, 2010

New York Mets (26-25) at San Diego Padres (30-20) 10:05 pm

Hisanori Takahashi (4-1 2.13) vs Kevin Correia (4-4 4.03)

TV: SNY   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets and Padres start a three game series in San Diego tonight. Takahashi has been outstanding in his first two starts. He hasn’t allowed a run in 12 IP to the Yankees and Phillies. Correia has been up and down this season and hasn’t gotten a win in his last four starts despite the Padres playing very well. You’ve probably heard that his younger brother died at 23 years old in a hiking accident recently. It’s amazing that he’s been able to keep it together as well as he has.

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.

Enhanced by Zemantahttp://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js

Mets’ Oliver Perez Should Refuse Minors

New York Mets starting pitcher Oliver Perez reacts after being pulled from the game at Citi Field in New York

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsIt’s probably safe to say at this point that we’re all tired of Oliver Perez and his lack of focus, free-wheeling side-arming, and general lack of any semblance of pitching ability. Now, we’re hearing from the NY Post that some anonymous Mets players want him off the roster. I’m not so sure I believe that story from the Post. But it’s coming to a point soon when the Mets will have to do something about Perez.

John Fitzgerald of Mets Today wrote a good post today summarizing the different storylines surrounding Perez and the Mets attempts to get him to agree to go to the minors. The organization is continuing to try to convince him and his agent, Scott Boras, that it’s in his best interest to work out his problems in Port St. Nowhere or Buffalo.

I’m going to reiterate what I wrote two weeks ago. If you look at the situation from Perez’ perspective, he should refuse an assignment to the minors. Page 63 of the MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2007-2011 is very specific about assignment of contracts. Perez falls in the category of a player that has the right to approve assignment to a minor league team. Continue reading “Mets’ Oliver Perez Should Refuse Minors”

Mets 10 – Brewers 4 May 30, 2010

Mets batter Francoeur hits a solo home run off of Braves starting pitcher Medlen in MLB National League action in Atlanta

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThe Mets avoided the sweep with a win in the finale of the series in Milwaukee. Jerry Manuel ran a strange lineup out there with Fernando Tatis playing first and hitting cleanup. Tatis has been historically poor against Randy Wolf, so the idea was clear that Ike Davis would get into the game at some point. Davis came in as a defensive replacement in the sixth.

R.A. Dickey was solid going 7 IP and giving up 4 ER. His knucler wasn’t working that well so we saw a lot more fastballs than in prior starts. But he managed to keep the Mets in the game without his best stuff.

The Mets offense exploded today with 16 hits and 8 walks. Jeff Francoeur was 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 2 RBI’s. A huge game for him. Hopefully, that will get him going again. Angel Pagan also had another good game at the plate. He went 2 for 5 with his fourth homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI’s. Even Luis Castillo got in on the act with a big two-out single to score 2 in the sixth.

It was a good way to finish a series that started badly. The Mets are off to San Diego to begin a series tomorrow night.

Box score

Enhanced by Zemantahttp://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js

Preview: Mets at Brewers May 30, 2010

New York Mets (25-25) at   Milwaukee Breweres (21-28) 2:10 pm

R.A. Dickey (1-0 1.50) vs Randy Wolf (4-4 4.52)

TV: SNY   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets try to avoid the sweep in Milwaukee this afternoon against the Brewers new $30 million starter Randy Wolf. The Mets need Dickey to keep the magic going in his third start. He’s only given up 2 runs over 12 innings in his first two starts. The Mets also need him to go longer than the 6 IP he’s done in each prior start after blowing out the bullpen yesterday when Fernando Nieve imploded.

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.

Enhanced by Zemantahttp://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js

Mets’ Jon Niese Makes Rehab Start Monday

Jonathon Niese
Image by slgckgc via Flickr

According to the Buffalo News, Jon Niese will be making an injury rehab start tomorrow afternoon for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in their series opener against the Syracuse Chiefs. Niese has been on the DL since May 17 with a hamstring strain.

Niese made 16 starts for Buffalo last year with a 3.82 ERA. So far for the Mets this season he’s 1-2 with a 4.79 ERA in eight starts.

Niese’s return will continue to solidify the rotation for the Mets. Fernando Nieve will go back to the bullpen and the Niese will slot back in. The additions of R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi have made a big difference in the consistency of the Mets over the past two weeks.

Enhanced by Zemantahttp://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js

Mets 2010 Team MVP- First 50 Games

New York Mets Angel Pagan hits a home run in the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field in New York

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThe New York Metropolitans 2010 season is now 50 games old and they have a 25-25 record alongside their name in the standings.

Some Met fans have been disappointed. A .500 record in 50 games just isn’t going to beat the Philadelphia Phillies.

Some Met fans are optimistic. The team has had their struggles and they have some chinks in their armor. Oliver Perez, Mike Jacobs, Gary Matthews Jr, and Jeff Francouer haven’t really turned out like they were supposed to. Injuries to John Maine, Jon Niese, Ryota Igarashi and Carlos Beltran have hurt the Mets this season.

So when looking for a team MVP this season it was really tough to find on. Offensively, the Mets have been struggling. David Wright and Jose Reyes struggled for the first 50 games, although it appears Reyes is climbing out of a slump. Jeff Francouer has struggled as well. Luis Castillo has been banged up and Ike Davis has only played in 36 of those 50 games. Jason Bay got off to a rough start and made a bid for MVP but fell short. Johan Santana has been outstanding, along with Mike Pelfrey but they only play once a week. The bullpen has been good, but again they don’t pitch every day. So I came to a surprising conclusion. Continue reading “Mets 2010 Team MVP- First 50 Games”

Brewers 8 – Mets 6 May 29, 2010

Mets Nieve reacts after giving up a two out solo home run to Brewers Kottaras in a MLB National League game in Milwaukee

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThis game was a disaster right from the first inning for the Mets. They started the inning looking good with a run scoring double by Jason Bay only to give it up an more at the hands of Fernando Nieve. Nieve was dreadful in his first start of the season giving up a grand slam to Cory Hart in the first and another run in the second before he hit the showers.

Oliver Perez made an appearance to give up 3 more runs over 2 IP. That raises his season WHIP to 1.97 which seems almost impossibly bad. Hart touched Perez up for his second homer of the game and third in two days as well.

The Mets did have some offense in the game putting up 6 runs on 9 hits and 4 walks. But they struck out 12 times in the game. Angel Pagan was the biggest culprit with 3. Ike Davis was 1 for 5 with a 3-run homer (5th of the season).

The Mets have lost the series in Milwaukee and need to salvage tomorrow’s game to avoid the sweep.

Box score