Mets Links: Mike Pelfrey, David Wright, More

David Wright
Image via Wikipedia

It’s time for an off-day full of links after a poor road trip. The Giants are coming to town tomorrow for a weekend series. And there were several curious decisions made by Jerry Manuel during the road trip that made many of us scratch our heads. It’s a good day to take a breath, get back on track this weekend, and get ready for the Mother’s Day pink bats and sweatbands on Sunday.

Here are the links:

  • Daily News– Mike Pelfrey asked to go back to New York after Sunday’s game in Philly to have his right shoulder examined. He felt some tightness in it before Saturday’s start.
  • Mets.com – The MRI on Pelfrey’s shoulder didn’t show anything and he says that he’s ready to make his next scheduled start on Friday night.
  • Metsblog.com – Interesting stats on the Mets poor pinch-hitting this season. Good questions are raised about some of the guys in Buffalo that are raking right now.
  • Daily News – Carlos Beltran has a new knee brace and plans to start running late this week or early next week. Didn’t we hear the same thing about Beltran a month ago?
  • Daily News – Daniel Murphy is still rehabbing his knee injury in Port St. Lucie with no timetable for a return to games.
  • NJ.com – Kelvim Escobar is having season-ending shoulder surgery. He never even made it to opening day. But the Mets owe him $1.25 million for his troubles this season.
  • Fangraphs – Dave Allen writes a good piece examining Dan Warthen’s strategy for Johan Santana to throw more inside fastballs the first time through the order and then change it up subsequently.
  • Daily News – David Wright was involved, at some point, with the financial advisers that are being sued by Cliff Floyd and Rondell White over a failed real estate deal. The article says Wright isn’t involved in the lawsuit.
  • Fangraphs – R.J. Anderson writes about the odd moves that Jerry Manuel has been making recently, and the fact that this is the kind of thing that could cost him his job.

Audio: Manuel, Feliciano Post Game May 5, 2010

Pedro Feliciano
Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

It’s comical to hear Ed Coleman and Kevin Burkhardt asking Pedro Feliciano questions about giving up the game winning homer in extras today. What do they expect him to say? Cabrera hit the ball well and it went out. Enough said.

It’s got to be tough to stand there and answer questions about letting the team down in extra innings. But I guess that’s why they get paid the big bucks.

Audio- Feliciano 5/5/10

Jerry Manuel talks about Jason Bay and how cold he is. They’re going to keep running him out there even though he can’t hit the broad side of a barn right now. 0-12 in the Cincy series.

Audio- Manuel 5/5/10

Cardinals versus Mets – “Clash of the Titans”

The Mets and Cardinals played and epic battle on Apirl 17, 2010 over 20 innings. David Daniels writes about his own epic struggle to follow the game during the movie “Clash of the Titans”.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Cardinals vs Mets! Albert Pujols vs Johan Santana. A Titan vs a… well, Santana.

That’s about as close as you’ll get on the Mets. The classic confrontation of the unstoppable force verus the very movable but suddenly immovable Mets!

20 innings of crazy baseball which, after the 12th inning I mostly missed. Who can watch 7 hours of baseball? The game should have ended around 7pm. I had plans for 9pm to see “Clash of the Titans” so I kept my plans, as a promise is a promise.

Thanks to everyone on twitter who kept giving me updates after I couldn’t watch. Besides following @matthewcerrone and @dave_doyle I know I have @mr_met_fan updates coming straight through to my phone as well as updates from @miketino10 and @aiahrachel. Some Mets fans who crack me up, keep me updated as to the Mets score, and keep me entertained when I can’t get to a TV. I was probably the only person laughing in the middle of such a suspense filled movie. Continue reading “Cardinals versus Mets – “Clash of the Titans””

Mets Links: Bobby Valentine, Jeff Francoeur, Mike Pelfrey

Mets v Cardinals  X

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsHere are your Sunday morning Mets links covering the last week. The Mets have gone 2-4 over the last week which includes a home loss to Washington, a road series loss to the Rockies, and splitting the first two games in St. Louis. Along the way, we’ve speculated about Jerry Manuel’s job security, the players’ disdain for Manuel, Mike Pelfrey’s early success, and the possible return of Bobby Valentine.

Here are the links:

  • MetsBlog– Jon Heyman says the Mets aren’t considering firing Jerry Manuel at this time. If they do, Bob Melvin will get the call to take over the team.
  • Daily News– Mike Lupica writes that if Manuel gets fired, it has to be Bobby Valentine that gets the call to come back
  • ESPN– Bobby Valentine told Chris Russo on XM Radio that he doesn’t believe that managing the Mets is in his immediate future
  • On The Black-Kerel Cooper sums up my feelings about this team perfectly. They’re a very difficult team to watch over the last week. Exasperating, really.
  • Studious Metsimus– This is a good comparison to the Mets 1992 team. The worst team that money could buy.
  • ESPN– This is a good article about Jeff Francoeur and his unusually good start this season. Francoeur credits Howard Johnson for the hot start that he’s off to.
  • MetsBlog – Mike Pelfrey gives credit to Henry Blanco for his excellent game in Colorado this week. He went 7 shutout innings and struck out 6.
  • MLBTradeRumors– This is the whole story about how Joel Pineiro didn’t end up with the Mets despite everyone (including Pineiro) thinking that he would
  • ESPN– Rich Couthino writes a good piece about Jackie Robinson Day this week and it’s relation to the Mets

Those are the big stories for the week. Let’s hope for something better than the 2-4 record they put up this past week. Let’s go Mets!

Video: Jeff Francoeur – No Problem With Manuel

Last night ESPN Baseball Tonight aired a report by Seth Everett that several players have a problem with Jerry Manuel. The players Everett cited were Jeff Francoeur, David Wright, Johan Santana, and Jose Reyes. He listed the supposed reasons they all have a problem with Manuel.

Before today’s marathon game against the Cardinals, Francoeur responded and denied Everett’s report as a complete falsehood. See the interview below with Ken Rosenthal.
http://img.widgets.video.s-msn.com/flash/customplayer/1_0/customplayer.swf

Mets May Bat Jose Reyes Third in St. Louis

Jerry Manuel has been talking publicly since spring training about hitting Jose Reyes third in the order until Carlos Beltran comes back. That may become a reality this weekend in St. Louis.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

There’s been a lot of chatter since the beginning of spring training that Jose Reyes would begin hitting third in the Mets’ lineup. Jerry Manuel told reporters that in spring training. He said that he likes the idea to “lengthen” the lineup without Carlos Beltran. The reporters keep bringing it up to Jerry, and it sounds like it might become a reality this weekend in St. Louis.

First, let me say that I have no problem with this at all. And I hope that Reyes hitting third in the order is successful until Beltran gets back next month. The baseball season is so long that it invites experimentation with the lineup to find the best configuration. But baseball has become so prominent in the public domain that it also invites people like me to comment or express my own opinion or dissatisfaction. I’d like to take this opportunity to do that… Continue reading “Mets May Bat Jose Reyes Third in St. Louis”

John Maine Rotation Spot Safe, For Now

John Maine has maintained his spot in the starting rotation despite two terrible starts to begin the 2010 season. His spot may not be secure for long.

Image courtesy of Edorf81 via Flickr

After John Maine’s 3 IP 8 ER blow up last night in Denver, there were some legitimate questions about whether he would stay in the rotation. Those questions were answered today by Jerry Manuel. Maine will remain in the rotation for now.

The beat reporters are all writing about Maine’s lengthy conversation with Manuel this afternoon in Colorado. And I think there is something admirable about sticking with your guys. I’m sure the rest of the players on the roster are happy about Maine not getting the boot so quickly. Continue reading “John Maine Rotation Spot Safe, For Now”