Game Preview: Mets at Dodgers [Game 39] May 19, 2009

dodgers-logoNew York Mets (21-17 Road: 9-9) at Los Angeles Dodgers (27-13 Home: 15-3) 10:10 pm

John Maine (3-2 4.24) vs. Chad Billingsley (5-1 2.30)

TV: SNY  Radio:  WFAN

What to watch: It’ll be very interesting to see how the Mets respond tonight to the horror show of a game they had last night. Hopefully, Jose Reyes will finally be able to play after missing the last five games with a calf injury. I don’t expect to see Ryan Church in the lineup tonight after missing third base while attempting to score the winning run last night. Maine’s last four starts have been excellent. Billingsley has been great all season, even his loss was a well-pitched game. This could be another good pitching match up.

Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!

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Audio: Mets Post Game May 18, 2009

wfan1I had to post some of the post game audio clips from last night’s hideous loss in Los Angeles. I would add more but I’m still speechless nine hours after the game ended in defeat.

Jerry Manuel audio

Ryan Church audio

Jeremy Reed audio

Carlos Beltran audio

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Dodgers 3 – Mets 2 May 18, 2009

The Mets got a good game from Tim Redding (6 IP 2 ER) and five relievers. But the game turned into a complete joke for the Mets in the eleventh inning. They had five errors in the game. You read that correctly, five errors in the game.

In the eleventh Ryan Church scored from first on a double to the wall by Angel Pagan. Pagan had a great game going 4 for 6 batting leadoff. The Dodgers appealed at third base and the umpire ruled that Church missed the base and was called out. The replay appeared to show that Church did miss the base. The Mets lead was erased.

Fast forward to the bottom of the eleventh. Pagan and Carlos Beltran let a ball drop between them in left-center. That led to a bases loaded no outs situation with Brian Stokes on the mound. Beltran was called in to play a five man infield. Jeremy Reed picked up a ground ball and made a wild throw home to allow the winning run to score.

This was an ugly, ugly loss. You’re not going to win many games when you’re kicking the ball around like the Mets did tonight. Five errors is like a bad high school team.

Before the game Alex Cora was put on the 15 day disabled list with a strained thumb ligament suffered in San Francisco. Ramon Martinez was called up to replace him and started at short. Of course, he promptly had 2 errors in his first (and maybe last) start there.

51809

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Redding On Roster, Figueroa Out

PORT ST LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Pitcher Nels...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Tim Redding was added to the 25-man roster today in preparation for his first start of the season and as a Met. Nelson Figueroa was designated for assignment to make room for Redding. Figueroa was on the roster for five games but never made an appearance.

If you recall, last month Figueroa was designated for assignment and refused an assignment to Triple-A Buffalo. He became a free agent for a brief time before re-signing with the Mets and reporting to Buffalo. We’ll see if he accepts the assignment this time around. I suspect that he will.

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Mets Delgado Needs Surgery; Out Two Months

Carlos DelgadoBreaking news this afternoon that Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado will have surgery tomorrow to repair a torn labrum and remove a bone spur in his hip. The surgery will keep Delgado away from the team until mid-July. Unfortunately, this is the kind of thing that happens with older players in the last year or two of long term contracts. The Mets were bitten by similar situations with Pedro Martinez.

Delgado will be 37 years old in June and leaves the Mets with somewhat of a hole in the lineup and at first base. I don’t think the Mets will be pursuing a trade before the deadline in July as some of the baseball know-it-all’s have speculated in recent days.

Expect Fernando Tatis, Daniel Murphy, and Jeremy Reed to split time. Murphy can consider this an audition for next season when Delgado certainly will be gone from the Mets. I believe that he’ll have a hard time holding off Tatis for playing time. Tatis has proven that he’s more than capable in the field and has some good power in his bat. The only question is whether his warts will be exposed with increased playing time.

Not to be lost in this story is the foresight of Omar Minaya acquiring Gary Sheffield last month. He’ll have the next two months to prove that he’s still got that old lightning in his bat that the Tigers thought was gone when they released him.

If Delgado doesn’t look like he can make a successful comeback in July the Mets can pull the trigger ona deal before the trading deadline on July 31. Unless the Mets can get something for nothing, there’s no reason to hit the panic button yet.

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Game Preview: Mets at Dodgers [Game 38] May 18,2009

dodgers-logoNew York Mets (21-16 Road: 9-8) at Los Angeles Dodgers (26-13 Home: 14-3) 10:10 pm

Tim Redding (0-0 0.00) vs. Randy Wolf (2-1 2.77)

TV: SNY  Radio:  WFAN

What to watch: The Dodgers have won 4 out of their last 5 games. They’ve been playing well all season even without Manny Ramirez. The Mets are playing some great baseball as well right now. This will be a series of two heavyweights in the National League. Wolf has been pitching surprisingly well and hasn’t lost a game since April 7. Although I’ve never been that impressed with his stuff. Redding pitched very well in two games at Triple-A Buffalo (13 IP, 2.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP). He makes his season and Mets debut tonight in LA.

Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!

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