Knicks and Mets – Opposite Ends of the Same Stick

New York Mets
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The Knicks and Mets have one major thing in common; what the Knicks just went through the Mets are just starting. I think former Arizona Cardinals head coach, Dennis Green, sums it up best “They are who we thought they were”. The Mets organization as a whole is a mess. The number one ace has more walks than strikeouts, a higher WHIP than the top 13 NATIONAL LEAGUE pitchers have ERA, has almost triple the ERA of the league average and hasn’t gone 6 innings yet. And this is supposed to be the best pitcher on the staff?

Yes, we got teased more than Charlie Brown thinking he was going to kick the football after that first road series. I heard it on the radio, on blogs, websites, TV, everything. Why not us? Why can’t we get lucky and have everything break right? Why can’t Chris Capuano and Chris Young regain their past form, or Jose Reyes become a run anytime he gets on 1st, Carlos Beltran find new knees…..why not? If the Mets can have a monumental, ground-breaking, epic collapse why can’t they have the opposite happen….Stranger things have happened right?

Wrong. Continue reading “Knicks and Mets – Opposite Ends of the Same Stick”

Video: Mets Weekly Report- Losing, Doubleheaders, Pagan

Angel Pagan
Image by slgckgc via Flickr

There was so much to talk about this week. The Rockies and Braves with consecutive doubleheader beatings and the Rox sweeping the Mets at home. The Mets lack of fundamentals. We could go on and on.

Kerel Cooper of On The Black and I get fired up this week about the Mets losing ways. Terry Collins talks a lot about playing the game “the right way”. But it looks like that’s just talk because it isn’t the Mets playing the game the right way. The team has been one of the worst in recent memory at playing a smart game. Mental mistakes have been more frequent than physical errors.

We also talk about some of the worst performing Mets early this season like Angel Pagan and Mike Pelfrey. Check out the video below and post your comments.

Mets 3 – Braves 2 April 17, 2011

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 24: RY 24: Dil...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The Mets finally broke the seven game losing streak today and played this game like it was the seventh game of the World Series. It was all hands on deck as Chris Capuano and R.A. Dickey even got into the action. I love the way Terry Collins played it. He wasn’t waiting around for someone to make plays or thinking it was still too early in the season to worry about a losing streak. He knew that he had to shorten the bench and get a win.

The lineup had a minor shuffle with Josh Thole hitting second and Angel Pagan moving down to sixth. Thole came through 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s and looked very comfortable letting Jose Reyes do his thing on the bases.

Dillon Gee had an excellent spot start picking up right where he left off at the end of last season. He went 5.2 IP allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks. That’s a really solid start.

I wish the Mets would give him more serious consideration for the big league roster. Capuano hasn’t shown much and Gee has been so consistent at this level. I hope he gets a real shot soon in this rotation.

The Mets come home to an off day tomorrow and the Astros in town this week.

Box score

Preview: Mets at Braves April 17, 2011

New York Mets (4-11)  at Atlanta Braves (7-8) 1:35pm

Dillon Gee (0-0 NA) vs. Tommy Hanson (1-2 3.38)

TV: WPIX   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets have now lost seven straight games and are relying on Dillon Gee to turn the tide. He’s making a spot start, called up from Triple-A Buffalo for the game today. He made two starts at Buffalo already, one very good against Pawtucket and the other really bad against Syracuse for a 1-1 record with a 4.63 ERA.

The Braves are looking to sweep the series behind Hanson. In his last start against the Marlins he threw 7 shutout innings to get the win.

Mets Swept in Doubleheader… Again

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 24: RY 24: Mik...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The Braves continued the beatdown the Mets are taking this week with their 7th straight loss. D.J. Carrasco made a spot start for Chris Young and gave up three solo homers to lose the game. The Braves had four solo homers total in the game.

The second game was a combination of no offense, the Mets had 2 hits, and bad pitching by Mike Pelfrey again. He gave up 4 runs in 5 innings on 11 hits and 1 walk. It was another bad start for Pelf but he did lower his season ERA to 9.72. Combine poor performances with stupidity like Daniel Murphy getting thrown out stealing third base with no outs and down by 3 runs, it’s a recipe for disaster.

This is the second sweep of a doubleheader in three days and the first time they’ve been swept in back to back doubleheaders since 1982. This is clearly the worst team we’ve seen the Mets put on the field in recent years. Dillon Gee is going to make a spot start tomorrow and he pitched well at the end of last season. But having to rely on a Triple-A call up to stop a 7 game skid is a tough situation.

Preview: Mets at Braves April 16, 2011

New York Mets (4-9)  at Atlanta Braves (5-8) 4:10pm

D.J. Carrasco (0-0 4.05) vs. Derek Lowe (1-2 1.45)

Mike Pelfrey (0-1 10.80) vs. Jair Jurrjens (0-0 NA)

TV: Fox, SNY   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets, losers of five straight games, limp into Atlanta for a three game series starting with a rain-delayed doubleheader today. Chris Young couldn’t make the start because of bicep tendinitis so Carrasco gets a spot start. Expect to see the bullpen working early and often in this game.

Pelfrey goes in the second game and the Mets have lost all three games that he started this year. Jurrjens hasn’t made a start this season after straining his oblique during a spring training game on March 24.

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Mets File MLB Complaint About Doubleheaders

The modern MLB logo was first used in 1969.
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The Mets and Braves were rained out in Atlanta last night and the Braves decided to schedule a doubleheader for 4pm today. It’s the home team’s decision how to reschedule a rain out. Despite the fact that the Mets visit Atlanta two more times this year, the Braves opted for a doubleheader today after the Mets played a doubleheader against Colorado on Thursday.

The Mets had to use seven relievers to get through the doubleheader against Colorado. Chris Young is still questionable for his start on Sunday. He couldn’t make the start last night, if the Mets played, because of bicep tendinitis. The concern is that if he starts the game tomorrow and has to bail out early, the bullpen won’t have anyone left available to pitch.

Assistant GM John Ricco is traveling with the team in Atlanta. He met with Dan Warthen, Young, Ray Ramirez, and Terry Collins last night when the rain out was announced to discuss the situation. He and Young spoke to reporters after the meeting which you can hear below.

John Ricco audio

Chris Young audio

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