Cardinals 6- Mets 4 April 21, 2009
I think at the end of the year we’ll look back at this game as one of the ugliest losses of the season. Oliver Perez was pitching pretty well until he completely lost it in the bottom of the fifth culminating when he walked light-hitting Khalil Greene with the bases loaded. Casey Fossum came in and threw gas on the fire by walking Joe Thurston with the bases loaded. Ugly!
We had catchers interference called on Ramon Castro. Daniel Murphy got picked off first base by the catcher, then botched two balls badly in left field. J.J. Putz got hit hard in the eighth, giving up 2 runs. Carlos Beltran inexplicably didn’t slide into home on a ball that he clearly should’ve slid.
This was just an all-around bad game.
Dwight Gooden Signs Citi Field, Mets Keeping It
Former Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden attended the Citi Field opening game on April 13, 2009. While there he spontaneously signed a wall in the Ebbets Club with a Sharpie. He wrote “Doc Gooden, 84 R.O.Y., 85 Cy Young, 86 W.S. Champs“.
The Mets initial reaction was to remove the signature, effectively rendering it as graffiti. The stadium is already being billed as “Dodgers Stadium East” by many fans that have attended the initial home stand for emphasis on the Dodgers history and lack of Mets nostalgia. This move served to reinforce the opinion that the Mets are unconcerned with the history of their own team.
Today the Mets announced that they have reversed course and will keep Doc’s signature and preserve it in another location in the stadium. Finally, the Mets make the right decision. Too bad that it had to come after the situation received so much press attention.
Game Preview: Mets at Cardinals [Game 13] April 21, 2009
New York Mets (6-6 Road: 3-3) at St. Louis Cardinals (8-5 Home: 5-2) 8:15 pm
Oliver Perez (1-1 7.84) vs. Todd Wellemeyer (1-1 4.50)
TV: SNY Radio: WFAN
What to watch: Wellemeyer’s last start in Arizona was excellent going 7 innings and allowing 1 run. The Cards are coming off losing 2 of 3 to the Cubs in Chicago and a rain out on Sunday night. As usual, we have no idea what to expect from Perez. Although, his last start was a step in the right direction. Not that it means anything with him.
Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!
Mets, Willy Mo Pena Agree To Contract
Outfielder Willy Mo Pena is back with the Mets organization. After being released by the Washington Nationals this spring, he has agreed to a minor league contract with the Mets, the team that originally signed him as a free agent in 1998.
Pena will go to Florida for extended spring training and then report to Triple-A Buffalo. He’s been a major disappointment for most of his career. He has monsterous power when he can connect with the ball which hasn’t been that often in recent years. He’s never been a full-time player during his career having played in 110 games twice over his seven season major league career.
I’m not sure what he brings to the table for the Mets. I have to believe that he’s a right-handed power hitting outfielder that will act as an insurance policy in case Gary Sheffield proves to be washed up.
Mets Figueroa Designated For Assignment
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Immediately after pitching six innings against the Brewers yesterday and giving up three runs, Nelson Figueroa was designated for assignment by the Mets. He had a nice spot start for Mike Pelfrey who is not going on the disabled list but resting after feeling some forearm tendinitis.
Casey Fossum was called up from Triple-A Buffalo to replace Figueroa on the roster. So Darren O’Day and Figueroa are now on waivers for the Mets.
I have to admit that I was surprised when I read that Figueroa was designated. He offers some good versatility in the Mets bullpen and has been pretty solid in every role that the Mets have asked of him. Fossum is a second lefty for the Mets bullpen that’s been a source of concern, but I got the feeling that the Mets weren’t overly concerned about Pedro Feliciano being the only lefty in the bullpen.
Hopefully, Figueroa will get picked up by a team that could use him at the major league level. If not, he could end up in Buffalo again and possibly back with the Mets at some point this season.
The Mets Report 