Here’s the post game audio from the Mets 6-5 loss to the D-Backs. It’s the Mets third loss in this four game series at Citi Field. This lost series may well be the death knell for the 2009 version of the Mets that we’ve all come to dislike. Dropping to 50-55 on the season and 8 games out of the wild card leaves us with little hope for post-season play.
Jerry Manuel:
The D-Backs Ryan Roberts:
The Mets appeared to be lost right from the start of this one only to come back and get into the game. Nelson Figueroa got absolutely demolished! He gave up 6 runs in 1.2 innings including three home runs, two to Mark Reynolds. The bullpen did a great job of holding the D-Backs scoreless over the final 7.1 innings but the damage was done.
The Mets climbed back into the game scoring in the third, fifth, and sixth innings.
The really bad news here is that the Mets lost three of four at home to the lowly D-Backs. This type of terrible series just shows how poor this Mets team is right now. And don’t expect to see Figueroa again with the Mets after this dismal performance. At 35 years old they’re just not going to give him multiple chances to get bombed like he did tonight.
The Mets are bringing Nelson Figueroa in for a spot start against the D-Backs and Dan Haren tonight at Citi Field. To make room on the roster, Pat Misch was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. He wasn’t designated for assignment as some other websites have reported. Misch doesn’t have enough MLB service time yet so he still has options.
Figueroa has been fantastic at Buffalo this season starting 17 games with a 7-5 record and 2.25 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Keep in mind this is a Buffalo team that’s in last place and 24 games under .500 in the International League.
Misch hadn’t pitched in two weeks before yesterday’s game. Although he hasn’t lit the world on fire this season with his 4.08 ERA and 1.74 WHIP, he has’t been terrible either. The league is hitting .308 against him, which has led to him having few clean innings.
Arizona D-Backs (46-59 Road: 22-26) at New York Mets (50-54 Home: 29-23) 7:10pm
Dan Haren (10-6 2.19) vs. Nelson Figueroa (0-1 4.50)
TV: SNY
What to watch: Figueroa is making a spot start because of the rain forced double header last Thursday. Haren has had a terrific season but he has been vulnerable in his last two starts only going 5 innings in each. Hopefully, that trend will continue or the Mets will be in serious danger of losing three of four games at home to the D-Backs.
Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!
Add another Met to the growing list of disabled list residents. John Maine joined Carlos Delgado, Oliver Perez, Jose Reyes, Billy Wagner, Ramon Martinez, Angel Pagan, and J.J. Putz. How crazy is that?
Maine is experiencing some dead arm that may be due to the surgery he had last year to remove a bone spur in his right shoulder. Maine suggested that he may have overworked the shoulder trying to recover.
Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters that they don’t know who is going to take Maine’s start against the Yankees on Saturday. The Mets announced yesterday that they were changing Livan Hernandez’ and Maine’s spots in the rotation to give Maine more time to recover. Apparently, that didn’t work.
The possibilities to start tomorrow in the Bronx are Fernando Nieve, just called up from Triple-A and Nelson Figueroa. I would go with Figueroa. He’s done a very good job in the spot starts that he’s made for the Mets. This one will be in Yankee Stadium in front of a full house. I’d be concerned that Nieve could have some nerves in that environment.
Tim Redding was added to the 25-man roster today in preparation for his first start of the season and as a Met. Nelson Figueroa was designated for assignment to make room for Redding. Figueroa was on the roster for five games but never made an appearance.
If you recall, last month Figueroa was designated for assignment and refused an assignment to Triple-A Buffalo. He became a free agent for a brief time before re-signing with the Mets and reporting to Buffalo. We’ll see if he accepts the assignment this time around. I suspect that he will.
Jonathan Niese was optioned back to Triple-A Buffalo after a poor start against the Braves yesterday. Nelson Figueroa was recalled from Buffalo to take his place on the roster. Figueroa wasn’t on the Mets 40-man roster so they had to make a move to get Figueroa on the major league roster for the west coast road trip this week.
This spot in the rotation will come up again on Monday in Los Angeles. The reports from the minors are that Tim Redding is ready to join the Mets from the disabled list. So Figueroa might have another short stay in the majors.
The Mets Report 