Tag: Jose Reyes

Mets 2 – Cardinals – 6 July 21, 2011

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 20: Albert Pujols #5 of th...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

As the Mets today played at Citi Field, they were playing under very hot and humid conditions.  The temperature for today was over 100 degrees.  The weather must have gotten to them as the Mets miss completing the sweep of the Cardinals 6-2.

Jonathan Niese didn’t have the start that he was hoping for today.  He went 6 innings, gave up 3 ER’s on 5 hits.  Niese’s biggest mistake of the afternoon was giving up a 2-run HR to “the machine” Albert Pujols in the first inning.

On a positive note, Jose Reyes is continuing to hit the ball well, as he legged out yet another triple.  Reyes now has 16 triples in 2011.   The Mets also gotten RBI hits from Justin Turner (who continues to be the Mets main go-to guy for RBI’s), and Jason Pridie (who was the in the starting lineup for the first time since last month).

Box Score

Mets 4 – Cardinals 2 July 19, 2011

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 24: RY 24: Dil...
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The Mets are taking to their role of spoiler for the NL Central’s second place Cardinals. Dillon Gee put together an excellent start going 7 innings and allowing only 2 runs. He didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning. I have to admit that I was thinking about a no-hitter. Gee is the kind of pitcher that could finally do it for the Mets. Bobby Parnell was shaky in the eighth inning giving up two hits and hitting a batter but he got out of trouble. Jason Isringhausen finished the game and got his first save since 2008.

The Mets had some serious offense going with 14 hits and 3 walks. But they left 13 runners on base. Ronny Paulino and Carlos Beltran led the team with 3 hits apiece. It was a nice return game for Beltran and Jose Reyes coming back from the disabled list.

Box score

Preview: Yankees at Mets July 3, 2011

New York Yankees (50-31) at New York Mets (41-42) 1:10pm

Freddy Garcia (7-6 3.28) vs. R.A. Dickey (4-7 3.77)

TV: TBS             Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets are trying to avoid the home sweep today if the weather allows. Its’ supposed to be raining pretty heavily on and off today. If you’re home watching today, don’t forget that the game is on TBS for some reason.

Garcia has been pitching incredibly well for the Yanks lately. He hasn’t gone less than 6 innings in a start since June 7th. He’s won three of his last four starts and hasn’t allowed more than 3 runs in a game during that span.

Everyone on the Mets will need to pick it up today without Jose Reyes in the lineup. Angel Pagan will be hitting leadoff and Ruben Tejada will be at shortstop. Dickey’s last two starts against Detroit and Oakland were both solid. He pitched 15 innings and allowed 4 runs in those starts.

Audio: Jose Reyes on Hamstring Injury

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Jose Reyes #7 of the N...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Here’s a link to some audio from Jose Reyes talking to reporters about the hamstring injury he suffered during yesterday’s game against the Yankees. He hurt it running to first base in the first inning. Reyes stayed in the game for an inning before being replaced by Ruben Tejada.

Reyes tells reporters that the hamstring doesn’t feel too bad but he didn’t want it to “blow up” so he came out of the game. He may have chosen some odd words when he said that but, hopefully, it isn’t that serious.

There are so many implications that this injury can have on the Mets and Reyes from his impending free agency to the Mets plans at the trading deadline later this month. Reyes will be in for an MRI today, so we’ll know more soon about the severity of the injury and the direction that this could take the Mets and Reyes.

Join us at 7pm tonight for “Sunday Night Mets” as Kerel Cooper of On The Black and I talk to you and other Mets fans about the Jose Reyes injury.

Jose Reyes audio

Mets 14 – Tigers 3 June 28, 2011

DENVER, CO - MAY 12: Jason Bay #44 of the New...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The Mets jumped on Rick Porcello right from the start scoring 2 runs in the first and they were off an running from there. It was a complete blowout and, surprisingly, the second time they scored 14 runs in a game on this road trip. R.A. Dickey was solid for 7 innings only allowing 3 runs and that was all the Mets needed.

The story of the game was offense and more offense. The Mets had 18 hits and 5 walks including two grand slams from Carlos Beltran and Jason Bay. Light-hitting Josh Thole even hit a home. Of course, Jose Reyes went crazy going 4 for 4 with 3 runs. It was just an incredible offensive display.

The Mets are 3-1 on this road trip and a game over .500. They’re undermanned but not giving up on this season that’s for sure.

Box score

Mets 14 – Rangers 5 – Turning Point of the Year?

NEW YORK - MAY 12: Jose Reyes #7 of the New Y...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Here’s a quote from one of my favorite movies, Rocky Balboa: “It ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”

Yes. I just quoted a fictitious character but it’s so relevant and true.

You saw the Mets take a beating at the hands of the Rangers on Friday night losing ugly by a lopsided score of 8-1. They then come right back to clobber the Rangers in game 2 of this series by a score of 14-5 and they never let up. This team has been pushed just under .500 for the last few weeks but they keep finding ways to take the hits and keep moving forward and within reach of .500.

This game may have been the turning point of the year. This team is now starting to show some serious character. I can now see this team staying in the wild card hunt and holding onto all their players (except maybe Carlos Beltran) for a potential playoff run. It’s not hard to see how, if the kids stay this productive and give the superstars a reason to come back, this could be a successful season.

Even Jose Reyes may want to stick around if the team manages to become a winner this year. We can only hope. But this I saw, this team can come back from a bad loss. They know it. The league knows it and now, thanks to this being a nationally televised game on FOX, most of the country knows it too.

Previously Met teams would have choked under similar circumstances. This one isn’t. Let’s just hope they can continue to take the hits for the rest of the season, because that’s how winning is done.

Video: Reyes, Alderson on In-Season Contract Negotiations

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

Yesterday Jose Reyes announced that he wouldn’t negotiate a new contract with the Mets until the 2011 season was over. He said that he wants to focus on baseball and not have the distraction of negotiating what is likely going to be the biggest contract of his career in the middle of this season.

I believe that’s also code for “I’m going to test free agency at the end of the season”. The SNY crew addressed this last night during the broadcast by painting a rosy picture of the situation. They talked about how it doesn’t sound like Alderson is going to trade Reyes during the season. They also stressed the exclusive five day window that the Mets have after the World Series ends if they don’t trade him this season. Keep in mind that SNY is majority owned by the Mets. SNY’s motivation is to keep people motivated to buying game tickets and watching on TV. In other words… Don’t believe the hype.

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