New York Mets (37-38 Road: 15-21) at Milwaukee Brewers (41-35 Home: 21-17) 8:05 pm
Johan Santana (9-5 3.08) vs. Mike Burns (0-1 3.72)
TV: SNY Radio: WFAN
What to watch: Burns has started one game for the Brewers and got bombed by the Twins. This is the game the Mets need to win in this series. Santana’s last two starts have been very good, so there are no excuses not to win this one.
Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!
There’s been so much talk, as there always is this time of year, about the Mets trade possibilities. I’m as guilty as the next person is about writing and talking about it. But I started thinking today that the Mets could get some much needed offensive help right off the street. There are two players that could walk in and start on this team right now that are unsigned. Omar Minaya needs to get creative before the non-waiver trading deadline and here’s how to do it.
Richie Sexson– Sure, his ’07 and ’08 seasons were forgettable. And I know he got a reputation as a locker room problem in Seattle. But didn’t Gary Sheffield come with baggage? And he’s worked out pretty well so far to say the least. Sexson is 34 years-old and a lifetime .261 hitter with 306 home runs. I’d much rather see him at first base until Carlos Delgado gets back than Daniel Murphy/Fernando Tatis. Big Sexy for first base.
Barry Bonds– I know, I know. I keep advocating for Bonds. But he could fit in nicely for the last 90 games of the season as an outfielder/pinch hitter. A Bonds/Sheffield platoon situation in left field would keep both players fresh and provide some more power in the lineup.
As much as the Mets are trying to showcase Fernando Martinez for a trade, he needs to hit to be traded. And that hasn’t happened, not even close. The Mets don’t need to empty the farm system and trade Bobby Parnell (the most attractive trading chip the Mets have) to get some help. Both Bonds and Sexson would definitely play for the prorated minimum salary that gives the Mets the flexibility to cut them if they don’t work out. It’s a win-win situation that will keep this team moving in the right direction until the injury situation resolves itself.
Murphy clearly isn’t a major league player yet, in the field especially or with the bat. He should be optioned to Triple- A Buffalo. Unfortunately, Fernando Tatis just hasn’t worked out this season. It’s time that the Mets eat the rest of his $1.7 million contract and let him go. That clears two roster spots for Bonds and Sexson.
Let me know your thoughts below in the comments.
New York Mets (37-37 Road: 15-20) at Milwaukee Brewers (40-35 Home: 20-17) 7:08 pm
Fernando Nieve (3-0 1.31) vs. Braden Looper (5-4 5.16)
TV: ESPN Radio: WFAN
What to watch: The Mets limp into Milwaukee after getting swept at home by the Yankees. The Brewers are playing decent baseball having gone 3-3 in their last two series against the Twins and Giants. Former Met Looper hasn’t been pitching all that well recently though. The Brewers have lost three of the last four games that he started. I keep waiting for Nieve to fall apart but it hasn’t happened. I’ll be keeping my finger crossed tonight that he can keep his hot streak going for another start.
Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!
A lot happened during the coarse of this game that could get your blood boiling as a Mets fan. The Yankees completed the sweep of the Mets at Citi Field. But honestly, the game was over in the first inning. The Yankees were putting up runs on Livan Hernandez before he even got an out. As usual, Hernandez’ total effort wasn’t bad as he gave up only 3 runs in 7 innings. But those runs were enough to lose the game.
Probably the worst moment of the game was in the ninth inning. Francisco Rodriguez was pitching in a non-save situation for some reason. I still can’t figure out why. He walks the bases after a questionable decision to pitch to Derek Jeter with a base open and Mariano Rivera on deck going for a four out save. After running a 2-1 count on Jeter, Jerry Manuel realizes that he should walk Jeter and go after Rivera for the third out. Of course, Rodriguez walks Rivera to plate a run! It was an embarrassing, ugly moment as a Mets fan.
As usual, there isn’t much Mets offense to talk about. They were 2 for 10 as a team with runners in scoring position. With this lineup they’re running out there now, they need to do a lot better than 2 for 10 with RISP. The only player of note was Gary Sheffield going 2 for 3 and raising his season average to .280.
And by the way, Rivera got the 500th save of his career.
For the last two months, since Carlos Delgado went on the disabled list, I felt that Mark DeRosa was the best fit from a trade perspective for the Mets. That possibility was gone yesterday with the announcement that the Indians traded DeRosa to the Cardinals for Chris Perez and a player to be named later. Perez is a 23 year-old reliever with a very good fastball. That’s a better package than the Mets could have offered the Indians.
DeRosa can play any infield position and the outfield corners. He’s a right-handed hitter with power that would’ve been perfect for the Mets current needs. I don’t like Aubrey Huff or Adam Dunn for the Mets this season. Dunn has too much money coming over the next year and a half. And I never liked his “walk-strikeout-home run” game.
The more limiting possibilities are Matt Holliday and Maglio Ordonez. Holliday doesn’t have the versatility to play first base until Delgado gets back from the DL. And Ordonez is having a terrible season and has a huge contract with the possibility of vesting options guaranteeing future years based on plate appearances.
My guess is that the Mets try to acquire someone like a Ty Wigginton type of player. I don’t think they’ll make a splash by acquiring a big name. There’s too much risk this season with the Mets players that are currently injured. If Delgado, J.J. Putz, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Oliver Perez, and John Maine can’t come back to the team healthy and make significant contributions, the season is over for the Mets anyway. Making a major investment in a trade for a big name would be completely useless. Holliday couldn’t carry this current Mets team to the playoffs… And that’s the bottom line.
Omar Minaya should wait for as long as possible to pull the trigger on any trades until right before the non-waiver deadline on July 31. That’ll give him time to evaluate the health situation of so many key players on this team. No matter what happens with the currently injured players, I don’t expect the Mets to become sellers at the deadline. But I think they would stand pat and ride out the season if they aren’t going to get some of their premier players back this season.
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