Tag: Luis Castillo

Flurry Of Roster Moves Shakes Up Mets

WFAN’s Mike and the Mad Dog just discussed several roster moves for the Mets today:

  • Mets purchase the contract of Claudio Vargas
  • Mets purchase the contract of Fernando Tatis
  • Mets activate Matt Wise from the disabled list
  • Angel Pagan was placed on the 15 day disabled list
  • Nelson Figueroa was designated for assignment
  • Jorge Sosa was designated for assignment

The purchase of Fernando Tatis’ contract is a bit of a surprise. Luis Castillo must be hurt enough so that the Mets feel like they need some infield insurance. Tatis can provide that if Castillo is out for a week or more.

Claudio Vargas will pitch Wednesday against the Nationals. Who knows what we’ll get from him? He was released by the Brewers for a reason, so don’t expect miracles from him. We should be thrilled to get five innings out of him. He was on the street a month ago.

The Nelson Figueroa dream comes to an end for now. He was a great story but just couldn’t get major league hitters out consistently. He was fantastic the first time through the order and may have been more suited for a relief role.

I’m ecstatic that Omar Minaya designated Sosa. This is best for the team despite the fact that they may have to eat $1.5 million of his salary if he doesn’t accept a minor league assignment. Joe Smith earned the right to stay on the team. I would’ve been livid if Minaya kept Sosa instead of Smith. It would have displayed a lack of concern for winning now. Not to mention the fact that it may have adversely affected Willie Randolph’s ability to keep his job. Good job Omar!

Pirates Drub Mets 13-1

Oliver Perez had one of his occasional terrible starts only going 1.2 innings giving up seven runs but only two were earned. The defense was horrible with errors by David Wright, Luis Castillo, and Angel Pagan.

Nelson Figueroa did a nice job of eating some innings in a bad game. He just pitched on Sunday but came in to throw 3.1 innings giving up one run.

This was just one of those bad, bad games that can happen on once in a while. I wouldn’t take too much from it. It’s over and the Mets have a day off tomorrow before leaving for their West coast swing.

Box score

Mets Take Out Listless Nats 7-2

Johan Santana looks like he’s worth the money, and the prospects that the Mets gave up. He was good again tonight keeping the Mets in the game through seven innings. He had seven strikeouts, and gave up two runs, seven hits and one walk. I might also mention that he was 2 for 2 at the plate with two doubles.

Carlos Beltran was 2 for 4 and looked really good hitting left handed. Ryan Church was 2 for 5 as well. Angel Pagan had two steals, Reyes had one, and Luis Castillo had his fifth steal of the year. That’s one more than Reyes has.

The death knell for Carlos Delgado was subsided for one night mostly because the Mets won. But Delgado did have a hit and an RBI to stave off the vultures circling his career.

Playing against the Nationals is a good way to make a team feel good about themselves. They’ve got very little talent on that team. Their new stadium looks great though and has me looking forward to seeing Citi Field.

The Mets fans are traveling really well this season. There was an audible presence during the game. That’s great to see in another team’s stadium.

I have to mention that Willie Randolph is the last person to notice that Delgado should move lower in the order and Duaner Sanchez should pitch the eighth inning. It’s amazing to me that everyone else recognizes that before he does. He’s far too loyal to players that aren’t getting the job done. That’s all that I’ll say about that… I feel like I’m beating a dead horse.

Box score

Video Highlights

Alou Could Be Back Friday

David Lennon of Newsday reports that Moises Alou could re-join the team as early as Friday.
New York Mets Sign Moises Alou
Image details: New York Mets Sign Moises Alou served by picapp.comhttp://pis.picapp.com/IamProd/javascript/imageV2.js?p=1326&i=17339&w=201&h=302&adH=90&adS=3&fv=picviewerv2_1.swf&pv=http://pis.picapp.com/IamProd/FlashSite/en/&u=http://pis.picapp.com/IamProd/ImageServing.aspx&sp=false&n=2

What a shot in the arm for the team that would be. They need a right handed hitter in the middle of the lineup badly. Hopefully, Willie will move Delgado down when Alou gets back. Ideally, it would be Alou, Church, Delgado, and Castillo at the 5, 6, 7, 8 spots in the order.

Oh, and by the way Brady Clark will be on waivers for the purpose of reassignment I would have to assume.

Cubs Rip Heilman, Mets 7-1

John Maine (1-2) had a pretty decent game. He pitched six innings only giving up two runs, five hits, two walks, and had six strikeouts. He deserved to lose the game only because Carlos Zambrano was really on tonight for the Cubs. He went seven innings giving up only one run. That can happen at times during the season.

Duaner Sanchez pitched a flawless seventh inning and looks like he’s getting back to his old form. He doesn’t have the blazing fastball that he had before the shoulder injury a year and a half ago. But it looks like what he’s got is good enough to get hitters out.

Now we get to the eighth inning, when the wheels came off for the Mets. Once again, Aaron Heilman was the goat of the game. That’s appropriate since they’re playing in the home of the curse of the goat. Heilman only got through two outs in the inning giving up two hits and hitting Aramas Ramirez. Four runs scored but Heilman’s ERA was bailed out by Jose Reyes making an error on a grounder. He was able to actually reduce his ERA to 4.97. Continue reading “Cubs Rip Heilman, Mets 7-1”

Phillies, Utley Take Third Game 5-4

Chase Utley hit two homers off Mike Pelfrey and had four RBI’s. Pelfrey was just terrible pitching five innings and giving up 10 hits, two walks and four earned runs. Pedro Feliciano wasn’t much better in the seventh giving up two hits a walk and a run in .2 innings.

Jose Reyes 2 for 5 and David Wright 2 for 3 continued their hot hitting but it wasn’t enough to overcome Pelfrey’s poor start. The Mets had two men on base in the ninth against Brad Lidge but Luis Castillo couldn’t get a bunt down, Wright popped out, and Beltran hit a hard grounder up the middle that Eric Bruntlett made a great diving play on.

The Mets still took two out of three in the series so as long as they keep winning series they’ll be fine. They fly to Chicago tonight to play to against the Cubs.

Box score