Saturday in the Park

August 8, 2008 Uncategorized No comments

43After lots of speculation looks like it will be Brian Stokes making the start and his Mets debut Saturday evening when the Mets host the Marlins. Stokes, who struggled as a reliever in the Rays’ system, has spent the entire season at AAA New Orleans, where he’s gone 10-8 with a 4.41 ERA in 23 games and 22 starts.

Stokes wore No. 43 back when he nearly made the Mets as a short reliever this spring and despite being poised to be the 46th player and 21st pitcher the Mets have employed this year 43 still hasn’t been issued.

Unclear at this point who gets sent down to make room for Stokes. While Ruddy Lugo makes sense, Ramon Castro‘s injury could change things.

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On a Train to Nowhere

August 5, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

*-Bonus points for getting the title reference.

So as you probably already know, Billy Wagner is out for a spell with a sore forearm and that the Mets have recalled Ruddy Lugo from Class AAA to take his place. Lugo tonight was wearing the same No. 49 jersey he wore during spring training and would become the first 49er since Phillip Humber last season and the first Ruddy (or Rudy) in team history.

The Mets barely survived their first post-Wagner game but they survived it all the same. Jerry was either a genius for letting Aaron Heilman throw with a 4-run lead, or an idiot, depending I suppose on who’s asked to close out the next one and how adventurous that assignment becomes.

Meantime we’re still awaiting word on who gets the call to take John Maine‘s scheduled start. Jerry tonight said that start would be Saturday not Friday, which may favor a promotion for AA lefty Jon Niese. Niese (i before e) wore No. 62 in spring training, which I’d consider the absolute borderline carryover point. Other candidates would be a pair of 39s: Claudio Vargas (AAA) or Bobby Parnell (AA).

* * *

Longtime Mets beatwriter Marty Noble, provider of a terrific interview, is counting down Shea’s remaining days by uni number. His first entry, 30 to 25, is here. Between Marty and Greg Prince, also a fine interview (both are even better writers), they’ve got a handle on Shea’s history that’s about a million times better than team officials whose idea of honoring the dying building is to trot out Lincoln-Mercury representatives night after night. Greg devoted lots of thought and effort into his own inspired countdown of Shea’s final season and most recently destroys the Mets for carelessly providing their support for a hacky, flawed, inaccurate, advertiser-driven “Greatest Moments” ballot.

Must-reads as always.

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Our Bullpen is Insane

August 3, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

Yesterday it was Dan Murphy, indeed subing for injured Marlon Anderson and slipping in the No. 28 jersey that just came out of Brandon Knight‘s wash. Now today, following a shameful performance from Billy Wagner, it’s Class AA reliever Eddie Kunz set to make his Mets debut.

Kunz, according to the roster posted at Mets.com, will wear No. 44 and take the roster slot of John Maine, who, not surprisingly, has been placed on the disabled list (in Mets Medicalese, “strain” means “tear,” “slight” means “life-threatening” and “day-to-day” means “Hospital for Special Surgery.”) Word is Wagner in the meantime is to have an MRI to explore the left arm that’s been killing the season. This all could mean “Crazy Eddie” (I just made up that nickname but for a 6-foot-5, 265-pound closer-to-be in New York, it’s poifict) is the closer for today, I don’t know. In accordance with the post below, looks like Jon Niese is next.

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Your Move, Creep

August 2, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

Adam Rubin of the Daily News today writes that 23-year-old infielder Dan Murphy is en route to Houston in time for tonight’s game. Although Rubin hasn’t said who Murphy will replace, we can hope, I mean, speculate, that it’s gimpy struggling Marlon Anderson, who’s just having a terrible season and like Murphy (reportedly), bats left and plays poorly in several positions.

Murphy is one of the “Big 5” youngsters mentioned by Omar Minaya in press comments this week explaining why the Mets chose not to particpate in what was probably the most spectacular trade deadline season in recent memory, despite contending for a division title with obvious holes in the outfield and the bench, and serious questions surrounding the rotation and bullpen.

Just speculating here but with Murphy a potential solution to left-handed bench strength, the other four may fill holes in the outfield (Fernando Martinez), bullpen (Bingo closer Eddie Kunz) and rotation (Jon Niese, who’s also being condsidered for Aug. 11 start, Rubin says; and Bobby Parnell, who might also help in the bullpen). That solution may call for a lot of speculation and wishful thinking, but it’s more help than we got at the deadline so let’s see. In a matter of taste, sure beats hoping that Jeff Conine will help.

We’ll update you on Murphy’s number when we get it and in the meantime direct your attention to the new poll on the left column, reviving the discussion we had earlier this season on what number Fernando Martinez (I prefer “Fartinez” to “F-Mart,” don’t you?) alights in if/when he gets the call.

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Hey Charlie

July 31, 2008 Uncategorized No comments

Adam Dunn prefers to wear No. 44.

Just sayin’.

I don’t normally bang my fist on my desk and demand the Mets make trades but if the Marlins series suggested anything it’s that the Mets’ offense needs to improve, the bullpen could be better, the starting rotation could use some depth and the bench is shaky. Other than that though, looking great.

(bang)

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Willie’s Back!

July 29, 2008 Uncategorized No comments

Not that Willie, silly. Though his habit of dumb sacrifice bunts accomplishing nothing carries on in the new era. We’re talking about Willie Collazo, the little lefthander whose jersey name-on-back was misspelled last season, much to the amusement of geeks everywhere.

Collazo was recalled Sunday following Brandon Knight‘s start in place of greiving Pedro Martinez and issued No. 36, the same jersey he wore last season. Knight, who rebounded after a shaky first inning in his only Met appearance and wound up with a no-decision, is on his way to Bejing with Team USA. Pedro is on his back to the Mets and penciled to start on Friday albeit with a strict pitch count.

It will be interesting to see who his teammates turn out to be that night, the first after Thursday’s non-waiver trade deadline. With the bullpen demonstrating once again it could use an upgrade; with the health of Pedro and Ryan Church remaining so mysterious; with Marlon Anderson still employed; and with John Maine headed for an MRI on his shoulder, anything seems possible. It is to their credit the Mets have thrived the way they have during this difficult stretch.

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Knight Time is the Right Time

July 25, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

28Brandon Knight is set to start for the Mets Saturday night as the replacement for Pedro Martinez, who was placed on the bereavement list following the death of his father. Knight, who will dress in No. 28, will have come a long way from the independent Atlantic League, where he began the year, and is six years removed from his last big-league appearance, with the Yankees in 2002. The limits of the bereavement list (maximum of 7 days) and the upcoming Olympics in Bejing, where Knight is scheduled to represent the US of A and manager Davey Johnson, figure to make this a brief visit, but let’s hope a successful oine. Sandy Alomar Jr. — as a player — most recently wore the 28 jersey,obtaining it in a swap for No. 19 with teammate Jeff Conine last season. (Can you believe either of those guys finished their careers as Mets?) The uni had previously belonged to stylish reliever Juan Padilla (goggles, magic tricks, invariably took off his hat at the end of an inning). Padilla, who’d been rehabbing various arm ailments since a promising showing in 2005, was quietly released by the organization this month.

* * *

That same crappy feeling I got when Robin Ventura joined the Yankees returned tonight when I learned the Bombers had traded for Pittsburgh’s Xavier Nady. I don’t want to see the guy fail but playing up to his abilities in Yankee Stadium’s left field ought to be worth a few laughs before the season’s over, and I wouldn’t bet big on his continuing to run a 900+ OPS, even if I won’t actively root against it.

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We’re No. 1 and Stuff

July 24, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

Here’s to the Mets for not allowing that shameful showing in the opener to prevent them from claiming first place to themselves by series’ end. Seems we were fortunate to catch Philly while Chase Utley suffered a severe case of the sucks, but if 2007 taught us anything it’s that the winners can’t choose how ugly the losers turn out to be.

With the uniform number roulette temporaily slowed down — at least until they call up a guy to take Pedro Martinez‘s again-delayed start on Saturday (word coming in as as I write this is Brandon Knight, currently wearing No. 15 for your New Orleans Zephyrs), or Ryan Church arrives, or the trade deadline occurs… or whatever — we have a few uni oddities to ponder.

Reader Michael sent along these here images of Jose Reyes wearing unfamilar numbers. While Reyes has occupied No. 7 for his entire Met career (except for Jackie Robinson Day this season), these are extrametular: No. 9for his stint with the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic; andNo. 28, I presume, from Binghamton prior to his callup but I’ll let you experts out there tell me for sure.

The below team shot of hideously-dressed 1979 ballplayers on a tour of Japan, first published on Uni Watch this week, subsequently generated a fair amount of discussion at the Crane Pool Forum. The multistriped hats aren’t 1976 pillbox throwbacks but renderings in the then-contemporary style in Japan (the 1976 lids had three stripes, not five). But what knocks me out are the contrasting styles of the numerals on the Mets jerseys worn by John Stearns and Joel Youngblood, respectively (see a larger image here). Can anyone offer an explanation of Youngblood’s incorrect No. 1?

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Mets Make History

July 18, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

No they didn’t make it to 11 straight wins but as first pointed out in the comments section below the Mets on Friday ran out an all-odd starting lineup for what we believe to be the first time in their 46-year history.

7 Reyes SS

9 Anderson LF

5 Wright 3B

15 Beltran CF

3 Easley 2B

21 Delgado 1B

17 Tatis RF

23 Schneider C

33 Maine P

They’d been toying with this accomplishment frequently this season, particularly with Alou unavailable, and were heretofore held back mainly by the presence of Endy Chavez in the starting 9 (or starts by Pelfrey or Perez).
Fittingly, this milestone — rarer even than an extra-base hit by Brian Schneider — was achieved only after replacing even manager Willie Randolph with an odd successor in Jerry Manuel.

And with that taken care of, we can focus on regaining first place.

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Don’t Stop the Music

July 17, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

Finally, something worth counting! Ten… and counting…

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