This week Kerel Cooper of On The Black and I talk about the Mets current four game winning streak. We talk about how we got here with strong starting pitching from Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese, and Chris Capuano.
We also talk about Chris Young coming off the disabled list and the decision to keep Dillon Gee on the roster at the expense of D.J. Carrasco.
We update our thoughts on the Mets prospects for the season now that we’re nearly a month into the season.
The Mets won their second game in a row behind a really strong start by Mike Pelfrey. Pelf went 7 innings allowing 1 run and lowering his ERA by 2.5 runs. He looked like the Pelf when he was going strong last season, his sinker was working for strikes and he mixed in a couple of curveballs for strikes too. It’s a shame that he hasn’t been able to be more consistent when you see him pitch like he did tonight.
The Mets couldn’t get much going offensively against Joe Saunders managing only 2 hits off him. They finally got on the board when the D-Backs bullpen took over and Ike Davis hit a 2-run homer. It was initially called a double off the center field wall. But Terry Collins asked for a review and got one. The instant replay clearly showed it was over the line of the wall for Davis’ second homer in two days.
The Mets put up some insurance runs in the eighth as the D-Backs kicked the ball around. And Jason Isringhausen and K-Rod locked down the late innings. This game was just how Collins would have drawn it up. I hope they can keep the good vibes going.
Arizona Diamondbacks (8-9) at New York Mets (6-13) 7:10pm
Joe Saunders (0-2 6.32) vs. Mike Pelfrey (0-2 9.72)
TV: SNY Radio: WFAN
What to watch: The D-Backs are playing pretty badly and just got out of the NL West basement by winning a series in Cincinnati. They don’t have much pitching but Justin Upton and Chris Young are both playing really well. Saunders had allowed 9 earned run in his last two starts over 9.2 innings.
Pelfrey has been almost as bad as Saunders allowing 7 earned runs in his last two starts over 10.1 innings. His 9.72 ERA is hideous and Pelfrey needs to do something tonight. His sub-par pitching is really killing this team for a guy that was supposed to hold down the #1 spot in the rotation until Johan Santana comes back.
There was so much to talk about this week. The Rockies and Braves with consecutive doubleheader beatings and the Rox sweeping the Mets at home. The Mets lack of fundamentals. We could go on and on.
Kerel Cooper of On The Black and I get fired up this week about the Mets losing ways. Terry Collins talks a lot about playing the game “the right way”. But it looks like that’s just talk because it isn’t the Mets playing the game the right way. The team has been one of the worst in recent memory at playing a smart game. Mental mistakes have been more frequent than physical errors.
We also talk about some of the worst performing Mets early this season like Angel Pagan and Mike Pelfrey. Check out the video below and post your comments.
The Braves continued the beatdown the Mets are taking this week with their 7th straight loss. D.J. Carrasco made a spot start for Chris Young and gave up three solo homers to lose the game. The Braves had four solo homers total in the game.
The second game was a combination of no offense, the Mets had 2 hits, and bad pitching by Mike Pelfrey again. He gave up 4 runs in 5 innings on 11 hits and 1 walk. It was another bad start for Pelf but he did lower his season ERA to 9.72. Combine poor performances with stupidity like Daniel Murphy getting thrown out stealing third base with no outs and down by 3 runs, it’s a recipe for disaster.
This is the second sweep of a doubleheader in three days and the first time they’ve been swept in back to back doubleheaders since 1982. This is clearly the worst team we’ve seen the Mets put on the field in recent years. Dillon Gee is going to make a spot start tomorrow and he pitched well at the end of last season. But having to rely on a Triple-A call up to stop a 7 game skid is a tough situation.
New York Mets (4-9) at Atlanta Braves (5-8) 4:10pm
D.J. Carrasco (0-0 4.05) vs. Derek Lowe (1-2 1.45)
Mike Pelfrey (0-1 10.80) vs. Jair Jurrjens (0-0 NA)
TV: Fox, SNY Radio: WFAN
What to watch: The Mets, losers of five straight games, limp into Atlanta for a three game series starting with a rain-delayed doubleheader today. Chris Young couldn’t make the start because of bicep tendinitis so Carrasco gets a spot start. Expect to see the bullpen working early and often in this game.
Pelfrey goes in the second game and the Mets have lost all three games that he started this year. Jurrjens hasn’t made a start this season after straining his oblique during a spring training game on March 24.
The Mets lost their third consecutive game to the Rockies tonight. Mike Pelfrey pitched poorly but not as poorly as his two prior starts. Pelf reduced his ERA to 10.80 by throwing 5.1 IP and allowing 4 runs (3 earned). He gave up 6 hits and 4 walks in the game. Way too many baserunners to be successful.
Despite Pelf’s start, the Mets had a tie game going into the 8th inning. They were stringing together hits to score. They had 10 hits and 1 walk as a team with 2 RBI’s apiece by David Wright and Willie Harris.
Bobby Parnell blew up in the 8th inning throwing a wild pitch, making an error on a throw to home, and allowing a 2-run homer to Troy Tulowitzki. It was a complete disaster of an inning and Parnell was boo’d off the mound after the inning. His ERA is an awful 8.31 now and he just can’t get it done in the 8th (or any other) inning right now.
The Mets Report 