Video: Mets’ Chris Carter on Big Night in Pittsburgh

July 22, 2010 Los Angeles, CA..New York Mets Chris Carter at bat in action during the Major League Baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium July 22, 2010 in Los Angeles, California..The Dodgers defeat the Mets 2-0.Louis Lopez/CSM.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsIt was good to the see “The Animal” Chris Carter have a big night last night in Pittsburgh hitting in the cleanup spot. He was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. He reminds me a lot of “Super” Joe McEwing. They’re those guys that you don’t necessarily want to see in the lineup everyday, but when they play they make things happen. And they’re easy to like and root for.

I’ll be shocked if Carter isn’t batting cleanup again tonight after the Mets 7 run outburst last night. Jerry Manuel might have finally found the right mix to score some runs. Too bad it took 122 games into the season to find it.

Here’s some post-game video from Carter last night in Pittsburgh:

http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf

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Mets 7 – Pirates 2 August 20, 2010

New York Mets batter Chris Carter follows the flight of his three-run home run off of Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kevin Millwood in the first inning of their MLB interleague baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland June 13, 2010. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets had an offensive explosion in support of Mike Pelfrey. It’s hard to remember the last time the Mets put up 7 runs in a game. Pelfrey had a pretty good game going 8 innings and giving up only 1 earned run. He started very strong and then struggled a bit in the middle innings before finishing strong.

I was completely shocked that the Mets had 15 hits and 1 walk. Oddly, this kind of game came with Chris Carter hitting cleanup. Carter came through going 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. Jose Reyes and David Wright had 3 hits apiece. With 15 hits just about everyone got in on the action.

It’s a nice way to start a series for two teams that are out of the race.

Box score

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Preview: Mets at Astros August 19, 2010

New York Mets (60-60) at Houston Astros (52-67) 8:05 pm

Pat Misch (0-1 1.50) vs Bud Norris (5-7 5.42)

TV: SNY  Radio: WFAN

What to watch: A win tonight would be huge for the Mets. Taking three out of four games in an NL road series is almost unthinkable. Misch pitched well in his first start against the Phillies but took a hard luck loss. Norris is in his second season with the Astros and has had some up’s and down’s this year. But the Astros have won the last four games he started. That’s saying something for one of the league’s worst teams.

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.

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Mets Cannot Rely on Dickey in 2011

New York Mets starting pitcher R.A. Dickey reacts after he threw a one-hit shutout to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in their MLB National League baseball game in New York August 13, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsI’m not going to lie.  I mercilessly mocked the New York Mets for signing R.A. Dickey in the offseason.  To be honest, I was frustrated.  Other teams were out signing pitchers like John Lackey (Red Sox), or trading for others such as Cliff Lee (Mariners), and I was stuck having to deal with the Mets settling for a 35-year-old knuckleballer who had never seen any extended success in the Major Leagues.

Hell, he wasn’t even supposed to be on the Mets 25-man roster, which got me even more ticked off.  Why are we trying to support our Binghamton/Buffalo starting rotations, when our major league rotation is in this type of shape?

Well, Dickey’s 2010 performance has shut me, and likely lots of other ignoramuses similar to myself, right up.  He’s gone 8-5, with an outstanding 2.43 ERA.  Hitters have rarely, if ever, looked comfortable against Dickey’s knuckleball, which he mixes in with a fastball.  FanGraphs.com has Dickey throwing his knuckleball 83.7 percent of the time, with his fastball coming just 16.3 percent of the time he throws a pitch. Dickey’s got a good thing going with his knuckler, he knows it, and he’s taking advantage of it. Continue reading “Mets Cannot Rely on Dickey in 2011”

Preview: Mets at Astros August 18, 2010

New York Mets (59-60) at Houston Astros (52-66) 8:05 pm

R.A. Dickey (8-5 2.43) vs Brett Myers (8-7 3.13)

TV: SNY  Radio: WFAN

What to watch: Hopefully, Dickey can keep the magic going from his 1-hit shutout of the Phillies in his last start. Myers has had a very good season and his last start against the Pirates was 7 innings as 1 run. But he has been hit a few times this year.

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.

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Astros 4 – Mets 3 August 17, 2010

June 13, 2010: David Wright for the New York Mets in action during an interleague game against the hometown Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. The Mets completed the 3-game sweep by beating the Orioles 11 - 4.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets lost another heartbreaker in the bottom of the eighth inning. Johan Santana went 8 innings but got touched for two homers by Hunter Pence. He hit a 3-run homer in the first and the game winner solo shot in the eighth. It wasn’t Santana’s finest game giving up 4 runs, but he did have good control only walking 1 and making it through 8 innings on 103 pitches.

The Mets had decent offense going with 8 hits and 4 walks. The got to Nelson Figueroa in the first for a run and it looked like it might be a good night. Jose Reyes and Josh Thole were both 2 for 4 and Reyes had a steal. David Wright hit a solo shot in the eighth to tie it but Santana couldn’t hold it.

We’re going to see some different pitching scenarios like this for the rest of the season with the Mets operating without a closer.

Box score

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Preview: Mets at Astros August 17, 2010

New York Mets (59-59) at Houston Astros (51-66) 8:05 pm

Johan Santana (10-6 2.89) vs Nelson Figueroa (3-1 3.38)

TV: SNY  Radio: WFAN

What to watch: This should be a good one. Figueroa trashed the Mets after leaving the team after spring training and then getting waived by the Phillies landed in Houston. He’ll definitely be out for revenge. Santana has pitched two great games in a row including a 4-hit shutout against the Rockies in his last start.

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.

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