Tag: Daniel Murphy

Mets 2010 First Base- The Daniel Murphy Conundrum

NEW YORK - JULY 08: Daniel Murphy #28 of the ...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I haven’t written much recently for a variety of reasons. For those of you that know me, I recently started a new job and haven’t had as much free time to devote to the Mets. In addition, you may have noticed that the 2009 version of the Mets are awful. If not, I don’t know where you’ve been. The brand new stadium is near empty. Mets interns are running around the upper deck handing out free upgrade tickets to the Ebbets Club seats so they don’t look so barren on television. It’s a sad state of affairs this September in Metsville.

My attention is turning to other things now that the painful, ugly season is winding down. One of the thing that I’m turning my attention to besides the start of the NFL season this week is what the 2010 Mets will look like.

In this edition I’m thinking about the first base situation for next season. There are several assumptions this will based upon that will be debatable. And I’d like to hear your thoughts on these in the comment section. First, Carlos Delgado won’t be back next season. He’s old, he’s hurt, and his contract is over. Good riddance. Second, the Mets can’t survive another season with Daniel Murphy’s meager offense at first base. A first baseman hitting .259 with 9 HR’s and 53 RBI’s in September doesn’t work unless you’re the Pirates. Third, the Mets have about $40 million in contracts coming off the books this offseason. That means there’s plenty to spend if the payroll is static.

Continue reading “Mets 2010 First Base- The Daniel Murphy Conundrum”

Poll: Mets Angel Pagan An Everyday Player

Angel PagaonOne of the things that I’ve wanted to get your opinion about is whether or not you think that Angel Pagan is an everyday player. He seems to be one of those five-tool players that’s always hurt. Pagan has tremendous athletic ability but he occasionally makes silly plays in the outfield or on the bases that make you shake your head.

Pagan has never played in more than 77 games in a season during his short career. Some of that was due to being an inexperienced player and some due to injuries. Clearly, he’s playing as well as he ever has as a Met since Carlos Beltran went on the disabled list. He has 211 at-bats this season, by far the most of his career.

The most likely determining factor into Pagan getting a shot to play everyday in left field next season is first base. Do the Mets continue with light-hitting Daniel Murphy at first and get a slugging outfielder in free agency? Matt Holliday and Jason Bay are both free agents after this season. Or do the Mets get a slugging first baseman and go with a more athletic outfielder like Pagan in left?

For those viewing this in a feed reader there’s a poll embedded in the post. Please visit the site to vote.

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Giants 10 – Mets 1 Aug. 17, 2009

Livan Hernandez
Image by tedkerwin via Flickr

The Mets got smacked around by the Giants in the final game of the four game series to earn a split. The big news is that David Wright and Billy Wagner were both in the dugout with the team, although they’re headed in different directions.

Also big news, Livan Hernandez actually made it out of the first inning without giving up a run. But he ended up going 5.1 innings and giving up 6 runs on 11 hits and a walk. Tim Redding also got bombed in the eighth inning giving up 3 more runs on 4 hits.

The Mets weak offense reared its ugly head again with the team only able to come up with 8 hits and 4 walks. Only one of those hits was for extra bases, a double by Daniel Murphy.

The Braves come to town for a series starting tomorrow night.

Box score

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Mets In The News Aug. 14, 2009

After an off-day yesterday, the Mets return from a 2-5 road trip visiting two of the worst teams in baseball. San Diego and Arizona looked like All-Stars compared to this Mets team. Sadly, we now need to include the Mets as one of the worst teams in baseball. The Giants are in town this weekend, so at least we’ll have one quality team to watch at Citi Field.

Here’s the Mets in the news:

  • Joe Janish at Mets Today does an unbelievable job of describing the myth of Daniel Murphy
  • Mets manager Jerry Manuel wants Gary Sheffield back next year
  • The Mets have started to install imagery of famous players on the Field and Promenade levels, and the championship banners on the outfield wall. Finally!!! And they’re wearing some ridiculous throwback Giants uniforms this weekend.
  • Steve Popper of the Bergen Record is looking ahead to 2010
  • Ben Shipgel of the NY Times writes about how Daniel Murphy is going to benefit from Carlos Delgado’s latest injury setback
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D-Backs 3 – Mets 2 July 31, 2009

The Mets got their third straight solid start from Livan Hernandez tonight. He went 6 innings giving up only two solo homers. And he was pulled in the bottom of the sixth for a pinch hitter. Angel Berroa of all people. That one was hard to swallow. This guy is clearly not a big league player. He looks like an independent league player to me.

The Mets only offense came on two solo homers by Daniel Murphy and David Wright. The team managed only 4 hits all night but did have 7 walks.

The game hinged on Sean Green pitching in the eighth inning. He came in with one man on, hit a batter, then walked another to load the bases. Then he threw a wild pitch that allowed Justin Upton to score, and that was the game. It’s a terrible way to lose a game.

7.31.09

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Mets 4 – Rockies 0 July 28, 2009

The Mets won their fourth game in a row and moved to 5.5 games behind the Rockies in the wild card race. Mike Pelfrey had a second straight solid start going 6.1 shutout innings. Hopefully, this is the beginning of some consistency from him.

Daniel Murphy, David Wright, and Alex Cora had two hits apiece tonight to lead the attack. Jeff Francoeur had a single and another RBI. But he also got hit on the hand that looked like it swelled up immediately. I would think that the Mets crack medical staff is looking at that tonight. I hope they know how to use the x-ray machine so they can check for some broken bones.

I’ll be at the game tomorrow night so my post-game wrap up will be a little late.

7.28.09

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Braves 7 – Mets 1 July 19, 2009

The Mets lose three out of four to the Braves in Atlanta this week. To add insult to injury (literally), Fernando Nieve had to leave the game on a cart in the top of the second inning with a strained quad muscle. He was legging out a grounder and came up lame after crossing first base. Get ready for Jon Niese‘s season debut.

The Mets offense only had 6 hits and 1 walk in the game. There is no offense from this team. Daniel Murphy (hitting .238) was batting third in the order. He couldn’t even stick with most teams in the league and he’s hitting third for the Mets. This is beyond ugly.

The Mets head to Washington, then Houston.

7.19.09

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