Mets Road Trip Review – May 13-20, 2010

NEW YORK - JULY 15:  National League All-Star ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

As painful as it was… it is over. Finally, at last, about time, whatever phrase you want to use. This road trip has finally come to a screeching halt (on a semi-positive note) but nowhere near the results I (and most likely you) expected.

Thursday, May 13th: Mets 1, Marlins 2
Friday, May 14th: Mets 2, Marlins 7
Saturday, May 15th: Mets 5, Marlins 7
Sunday, May 16th: Mets 8, Marlins 10
Monday, May 17th: Mets 3, Braves 2
Tuesday, May 18th: Mets 2, Braves 3
Wednesday, May 19th: Mets 3, Nationals 5
Thursday, May 20th: Mets 10, Nationals 7

Predicted Road Trip Record: 4-4

Actual Road Trip Record: 2-6 Continue reading “Mets Road Trip Review – May 13-20, 2010”

John Maine Situation Leaves Rotation A Mess

NEW YORK - APRIL 26: John Maine #33 of the New...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The mystery injury to John Maine last night leaves the Mets starting rotation in a bigger mess than we thought it was already. And it couldn’t come at a worse time for Jerry Manuel. Many of us already have a death watch on his managerial career. Of course, injuries aren’t his fault but he needs some good things to happen soon.

R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi are already in the rotation. That’s something we never would have thought before the season. With Maine appearing to be out for some period of time, we might be looking at another call-up from Triple-A Buffalo. Fortunately, Pat Misch and Dillon Gee have been pitching pretty well. But at this rate there won’t be anybody left in Buffalo.

To be left with Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey before the end of May is just a nightmare. I think with Jon Niese injured and Maine possibly hurt, we may need to re-visit the issue of the Mets medical and training staff. It doesn’t seem possible that this many players could be hurt within two seasons. The Mets chose not to change the medical and training staff after the 2009 “season of the injury” and we may be headed down that road again.

Mets 3 – Braves 2 May 17, 2010

Mets batter Barajas watches his double scoring two runs in the second inning of MLB baseball action against the Braves in Atlanta

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThe Mets won in front of Jeff Wilpon behind a really strong start by Mike Pelfrey. He went 7.2 IP and gave up only 2 ER’s on 7 hits and 2 walks. His velocity was great, at times throwing his fastball in the high 90’s. This kind of start is exactly what the Mets needed right now.

The offense wasn’t great again. Surprisingly, Chris Carter started in right field and hit cleanup again for the second day in a row. The team only had 5 hits. But Rod Barajas was 2 for 4 with 2 big RBI’s.

The game got tight in the eighth when Pedro Feliciano came in and gave up a hit and a walk. But he managed to get out of it with a big strikeout of Brian McCann. K-Rod closed it out pretty cleanly. He only gave up one walk in the ninth but got the job done.

Nice win for the Mets to break their five game losing streak.

Box score

Preview: Mets at Braves May 17, 2010

New York Mets (18-20) at Atlanta Braves (18-19)  7:10 pm

Mike Pelfrey (4-1 3.14) vs Derek Lowe (5-3 5.73)

TV: SNY   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets go into Turner Field at 1-8 on the road in May and 4-12 this season, the worst in the National League. The Mets swept the Braves at Citi Field at the end of April. This is the first time the Mets will face Lowe this season. The Braves won their last two series against the Brewers and D-Backs.

Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Facebook page during the game to chat with other Mets fans! Connect with The Mets Report on Twitter too.

Preview: Nationals at Mets May 12, 2010

Washington Nationals (18-15) at New York Mets (18-15)   1:10 pm

Craig Stammen (1-1 5.63) vs Mike Pelfrey (4-1 2.65)

TV: SNY   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets and Nats play the rubber game of the series this afternoon. The Nats have lost the last three games that Stammen started. Although he really hasn’t pitched terribly. Pelfrey recovered nicely in his last start against the Giants after getting ripped by the Phillies for 6 runs.

Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Facebook page during the game to chat with other Mets fans! Connect with The Mets Report on Twitter too.

Mets 2010 – Year of the No-Hitter?

It’s well documented that only the Mets, Rays, and Padres haven’t had a no-hitter in their histories. When I started searching the Internet for facts and figures on futility, I came across someone that has a Mets blog about the elusive no-hitter. The Mets are up to 7,673 games without one now. And the Mets have had 33 one-hitters over the years including the famous July 4, 1972 no-hitter that Tom Seaver lost with one out in the ninth against the Padres. You can see the complete list of one-hitters in Mets history.

Tom Seaver would go on to throw a no-hitter in 1978 for the Cincinnati Reds, the year after the Mets traded him away. Nolan Ryan had a one-hitter for the Mets in April 1970 and would go on to throw seven no-hitters in his illustrious post-Mets career including one in May 1991 at the age of 44. Continue reading “Mets 2010 – Year of the No-Hitter?”

Mets 6 – Giants 4 May 7, 2010

New York Mets' Barajas watches his solo home run ball leave park against Cincinnati Reds during MLB game in Cincinnati

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThis was definitely one of the most exciting games of the year. I saved it on the Tivo to watch the highlights again. What a game!

Mike Pelfrey had an excellent start going 7.1 strong innings on only 85 pitches. I thought he was going the distance but he ran into a little trouble in the eighth. Overall, it was an excellent showing especially considering that he had some shoulder stiffness after his last start.

It was also a huge game for Ike Davis. He continues to impress with two home runs tonight off tough lefty Jonathan Sanchez. Sanchez hadn’t even given up a hit to a left-handed http://laparkan.com/buy-prednisone/ batter before tonight. Davis also made another incredible catch going over the rail into the dugout to catch a foul ball in the ninth for a huge out.

But the hero of the game was Rod Barajas. He also had two home runs in the game, if you can believe that. His second home run was a walk off in the bottom of the ninth to break the tie and win the game after Francisco Rodriguez blew the save.

It’s these kind of games that really get you pumped up. I’m hoping that this win can carry them for a while.

Box score