Tag: Jeff Francoeur

Mets Minor League Update: Lucas Duda

Lucas Duda
Image by slgckgc via Flickr

Watch out Fernando Martinez, there’s another corner outfielder who is gaining ground on your prospect mojo.

Lucas Duda received International League Offensive Player of the Week accolades last week after blasting five home runs in 23 AB’s. Duda finished the week with a .304/.433/1.000 clip at the plate for the week. Duda has 22 RBI and 23 total hits for AAA Buffalo since his promotion from Binghamton. Impressively, that promotion came on June 14th. The USC product only has 20 games at the AAA level under his belt.

The 24-year-old has made a splash onto the AAA scene, and has impressed scouts at all levels of the farm, but not so much with his power until now. Duda supplanted himself into the Buffalo record books by going yard in five consecutive games last week. After being drafted by the Mets in the 7th round of the 2007 draft, Duda has only tallied 24 home runs in his three full seasons of professional ball. Clearly, Duda is maturing at the plate and putting his 6’5 240 lb frame to good use. Continue reading “Mets Minor League Update: Lucas Duda”

Mets 6 – Twins 0 June 27, 2010

New York Mets Jeff Francoeur (R) celebrate with teammate Ike Davis (L) after scoring two run home runs against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning of inter-league MLB baseball action at Citi Field in New York June 27, 2010. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsJon Niese and three relievers combined on a 7-hit shutout of the Twins to win the series today. Niese returned to outstanding form today. He was in complete control through 6 IP allowing only 4 hits.

The Mets offense really pounded the Twins pitchers with 14 hits and 1 walk. They had 3-hit games from Jesus Feliciano, David Wright, and Jeff Francoeur. Most of their scoring was from three home runs by Wright, Francoeur, and Ike Davis. Francoeur was a triple away from the cycle today too.

The Mets take another series 2-1 and finish the home stand at 4-2.

Box score

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What to do with Angel Pagan?

New York Mets center fielder Angel Pagan reacts after he dove to catch a drive by Philadelphia Phillies batter Carlos Ruiz in the seventh inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York, May 27, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsMets fans have seen the best of Angel Pagan this season. After 65 games this season Pagan has been the most clutch and consistent Mets player this season.

This begs the question, what do the Mets do with him when Carlos Beltran comes off the disabled list?

Beltran has yet to start his rehab assignment on June 16th, but the Mets are hoping to have Beltran back by mid- July and when he does come back manager Jerry Manuel has a tough decision to make.

Right now the Mets have a good problem. Does Manuel move Pagan to right field and bench Jeff Francoeur? Does he bench Angel Pagan and get some late game spark off the bench? Does he use Francoeur and Pagan in a platoon? Continue reading “What to do with Angel Pagan?”

Mets 3 – Orioles 1 June 12, 2010

New York Mets starting pitcher Hisanori Takahashi delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning of their MLB interleague baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland June 12, 2010. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets got a great comeback start from Hisanori Takahashi to win their first road series in nearly a year. Of course, the Orioles are a good team to get some wins against. Takahashi went 7 IP giving up 1 run on 6 hits and 1 walk. He gave up the run in the bottom of the first and I was thinking it was going to be another bust of a start, but he recovered nicely to sail through the next six innings.

The Mets offense wasn’t great tonight. They created 3 runs out of only 5 hits and no walks. Jose Reyes led off the game with a home run and went 2 for 3 on the night. Jeff Francoeur also hit a solo homer in the eighth inning to add on an insurance run.

The Mets have already won the series and go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon.

Box score

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Mets 7 – Marlins 6 June 6, 2010

New York Mets batter Jeff Francoeur (12) celebrates in the dugout after his three-run home run against the Florida Marlins in the eighth inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York June 6, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets finished off the sweep of the Marlins to pay them back for last month’s sweep in Miami. The good thing to see was the Mets coming back from down 5-0 in the sixth inning after another awful start from Hisanori Takahashi. He’s looking more and more like a long man coming out of the bullpen to start the more we see of him. He gave up two big bombs to Dan Uggla and Cody Ross and that was it for him.

The Mets comeback was brought on by something unusual for this team, late inning offense. They put up 12 hits and 6 walks but didn’t score a run before the sixth inning. David Wright was 3 for 5, Angel Pagan was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s and 1 SB, and the hot Jeff Francoeur 2 for 4 with a huge 3-run homer to tie it in the seventh.

It’s good to finally see a comeback win. We haven’t seen a lot of those over the last couple of seasons.

Box score

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Padres 5 – Mets 1 June 2, 2010

San Diego Padres center fielder Tony Gwynn steals second base on New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes in the ninth inning during their National League MLB Baseball game in San Diego

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsFor the ninth time this season the New York Metropolitans lose a road series. After a promising home stand where the Mets won five of six against last year’s world series teams the Mets go on the road and lose series to the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres.

Wednesday night’s game was the ultimate worst for Met fans.

The team got off to a nice start. Ace pitcher Johan Santana struggled but held the Padres scoreless and a fourth inning single by Jeff Francoeur scored Jason Bay. It wasn’t much but it was all Santana needed.

Santana held the Padres scoreless through 7 innings.

In the eighth inning the Mets use three different relievers, Pedro Feliciano, Elmer Dessens and Francisco Rodriguez, to get to the ninth inning.

Former Met Heath Bell shut down the Mets in the ninth, and K-Rod was set to save the 1-0 game.

However, K-Rod found trouble in the ninth when Tony Gwynn Jr, singled into right field and then surprisingly stole second on catcher Henry Blanco. That would prove to be huge. Rodriguez would strike out pinch hitter Matt Stairs and Jerry Hairston, Jr. Then the pesky David Eckstein would single to left field, scoring Gwynn and knotting the game at one a piece.

After a scoreless 10th inning, the Mets would come to bat in the 11th, without success. Then the Mets brought in lefthander Raul Valdes to pitch the 11th. Valdes would struggle. He would give up a double to Tony Gwynn Jr. A bunt was tried by John Garland, it was picked up by Valdes who fired it to third and the Mets had life. Valdes would load the bases for the Padres big hitter Adrian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez made solid contact and that sick in the gut feeling came for Met fans again. Gonzalez’s hit landed into the left field bleachers for a grand slam and the Mets lost a tough one in San Diego 5-1.

It’s the sixth grand slam given up by Mets pitching this season, the most in the majors.

The Mets failed to win their first road series since July of last year.

Box score

Mets 10 – Brewers 4 May 30, 2010

Mets batter Francoeur hits a solo home run off of Braves starting pitcher Medlen in MLB National League action in Atlanta

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThe Mets avoided the sweep with a win in the finale of the series in Milwaukee. Jerry Manuel ran a strange lineup out there with Fernando Tatis playing first and hitting cleanup. Tatis has been historically poor against Randy Wolf, so the idea was clear that Ike Davis would get into the game at some point. Davis came in as a defensive replacement in the sixth.

R.A. Dickey was solid going 7 IP and giving up 4 ER. His knucler wasn’t working that well so we saw a lot more fastballs than in prior starts. But he managed to keep the Mets in the game without his best stuff.

The Mets offense exploded today with 16 hits and 8 walks. Jeff Francoeur was 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 2 RBI’s. A huge game for him. Hopefully, that will get him going again. Angel Pagan also had another good game at the plate. He went 2 for 5 with his fourth homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI’s. Even Luis Castillo got in on the act with a big two-out single to score 2 in the sixth.

It was a good way to finish a series that started badly. The Mets are off to San Diego to begin a series tomorrow night.

Box score

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