 Tonight, the Mets will be facing (LHP) J.A. Happ (2-0 2.48) of the Phillies. Here’s an In-Depth look at who our boys will be matching up against.Â
 Courtesy of Mets.com,
“Happ is coming off the longest stint of his brief career. He went seven shutout innings against the Padres, allowing just four hits. He struck out four and walked two in the Phillies’ 5-1 victory over the Padres. He threw 112 pitches, 71 for strikes. He began the season in the bullpen before being moved into the rotation on May 19. He pitched six strong innings against the Yankees in New York, allowing two runs on four hits. The Phillies are 6-2 in his eight career starts. He has made 15 appearances, three of them as a starter, this season.”
 Per Wikipedia,
2008
“Happ began the 2008 season with the Phillies’ new Triple-A affiliate in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.  He went 5–6 with a 3.54 ERA in his first seventeen starts, striking out 104 batters in 101â…” innings.
On July 4, 2008, Happ was called up to take the place of Brett Myers in the Phillies’ starting rotation, after the struggling Myers went to the minors in an effort to regain his form. That same night, Happ made his 2008 debut against Johan Santana and the Mets. He fared better in his second major league start, pitching 4â…” innings, giving up three hits, two earned runs, four walks while striking out three. He earned a no-decision as the Phillies went on to win the game, 3–2. Happ’s was also awarded a no-decision in his third career start (second of the season), in which he pitched 6â…“ innings and gave up only two runs, but the Phillies went on to defeat the Cardinals by a 4–2 score. He was then optioned back to Lehigh Valley, as the Phillies would not need a fifth starter for two weeks. Myers regained his place in the rotation on July 23.
Happ was recalled to the major leagues on July 29 when the struggling Adam Eaton was demoted to Lakewood. However, Happ never took Eaton’s spot in the rotation, as the Phillies had already acquired starter Joe Blanton from the Oakland Athletics on July 17. Happ instead pitched out of the bullpen, appearing in two games (in which he struggled), and was then sent to AAA once again. He ended the Triple-A season at 8–7, with a 3.60 ERA. He led all International League pitchers with 151 strikeouts in 135 innings. He walked 48 batters.
Happ joined the Phillies for the third time in 2008 on September 1 when the rosters expanded. On September 16, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced that Happ would start on the following night against the Atlanta Braves, replacing the struggling Kyle Kendrick. Happ pitched six shutout innings in the game, earning his first major league win in a 6–1 Phillies victory. Happ was named to the postseason roster, and pitched in one game in the National League Championship Series.”
   Last Time Against The Mets (May 7th) -
 Happ pitched 3.2 Innings in relief allowing only 2 hits and 0 runs. He also struck out 2. Mets(W) 7-5
 J.A. Happ PitchFX per Fangraphs.com-
Fastball – 78.6%
Slider – 15.3%
Changeup – Â 4.9%
Curve – 0.9%
Scouting Report per thebaseballcube.com –
| Scouting Report | |
| Control: | 53 |
| K-Rating: | 96 |
| Efficiency: | 89 |
Control: Walks compared to batters faced.
k-Rating: Strikeouts compared to batters faced.
Efficiency: Similar to WHIP, a higher rating for pitchers allowing less baserunners per inning pitched.
“Based on a rating of 100, scouting scores are statistically derived and do not use any subjective analysis by The Baseball Cube, scouts or any third party publications. Though statistical, the methodology is, for the most part, basic. The ratings represent a player’s ranking compared his peers and has nothing to do with a pre-determined bench mark. In other words, there are an equal amount of 100s, 50s and 1s for each stat category.
The ratings are based on formulas that sum a player’s entire career based on available statistics in our database, including minor league and college data. These scouting scores are to be used as indicators of a player’s strength. A career minor leaguer might have a speed rating of 100 though this does not insinuate that he is a better runner than a major leaguer with a speed rating of 90. Though it does indicate that a player was an excellent base-stealer in the minors, we do not know how he would have fared in the majors.”
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27 comments
There's Always '09
6/9/2009-12:16pm at 12:16 pm (UTC -4)
I was impressed with this guy since his debut last year when we couldn’t sniff him. I ended up puking at my friend’s 4th of July party that day. After the game.
QnsNative718
6/9/2009-12:17pm at 12:17 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe a little during? ; )
QnsNative718
6/9/2009-12:18pm at 12:18 pm (UTC -4)
Also, dont know what it is about Mets facing fresh fish pitchers. We make them look like Nolan Ryan out there.
There's Always '09
6/9/2009-12:19pm at 12:19 pm (UTC -4)
Nolan Ryan? He’s too wild. He’ll never be a good pitcher.
QnsNative718
6/9/2009-12:26pm at 12:26 pm (UTC -4)
All he’s good for is giving noogies…
There's Always '09
6/9/2009-12:19pm at 12:19 pm (UTC -4)
maybe, but from what i recall (which isn’t a lot), mostly after. i hate losing to that team. this guy is a good pitcher though and we certianly have our work cut out for us tonight.
Kingman 26
6/9/2009-12:53pm at 12:53 pm (UTC -4)
Damn, nice work Chest–fine and most informative post!
And since I loved your poetry yesterday, I’m going to be nice. So I’m going to be nice. So I’m going to be nice, I’m going to ask you one more time. Where the f*** is Ringo?
QnsNative718
6/9/2009-1:03pm at 1:03 pm (UTC -4)
LMAOOOOOOO!!!! What great acting! Speaking of, people tell me I look Like Hans Solo.
Kingman 26
6/9/2009-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
LOL! I was going to write the thing about Han Solo before I decided on the Ringo thing!!
Too funny!
I am out, but thanks for the great post, and thanks for the humor—-that movie brightens up ANY day!
saltygary
6/9/2009-1:02pm at 1:02 pm (UTC -4)
Nineteen of the Mets’ next 23 games are against the Phillies, Yankees, Brewers, Cardinals and Rays. or so says Buster Olney of ESPN…
I would not be shocked of Omar is looking how we fare through this stretch to decide if we will be buying or selling. These games will be very telling.
QnsNative718
6/9/2009-1:05pm at 1:05 pm (UTC -4)
The plus side is that the Phils have an equally tough or perhaps harder month ahead.
There's Always '09
6/9/2009-1:10pm at 1:10 pm (UTC -4)
You’re a poet. Didn’t even know it.
Kingman 26
6/9/2009-1:13pm at 1:13 pm (UTC -4)
The ten series from now till the break are 2 w/Yanks, 2 w/ Phils, Cards, Dodgers, Brewers, Reds, Rays, and O’s.
Brutality.
stickguy
6/9/2009-1:44pm at 1:44 pm (UTC -4)
Well, the Cards, Brewers, Reds, O’s, and (I think) Rays all have worse to equivilant records to the Mets. ANd issues of their own.
The Yanks and Phils will be tough.
But, let’s see how the Phils do agianst the red sox too!
CaseStreet
6/9/2009-1:28pm at 1:28 pm (UTC -4)
at least .500 ball plz
saltygary
6/9/2009-2:22pm at 2:22 pm (UTC -4)
I would take .500
GravediggerHebner
6/9/2009-1:33pm at 1:33 pm (UTC -4)
Diet Coke Mike actually just made a good point (which is why I keep listening through all the bad ones). Weather permitting, over the next 6 games as long as the Mets get Johan Santana to show up big in his next two starts, which based on how his season is going and how his career has gone is a reasonable expectation, all the Mets need to do to have a good week is win one of the remaining four games.
Kingman 26
6/9/2009-1:41pm at 1:41 pm (UTC -4)
Yes sir, good point. We generally someone play pretty well against the Yanks and Phils. The Cards, Dodgers, and Brewers are who I am most worried about in this nightmare stretch…..
stickguy
6/9/2009-1:46pm at 1:46 pm (UTC -4)
also, 6 games with the phils/yanks are in CIti cavern, not the bandboxes, which could certainly help the Mets.
The Cards are on the skids, and hitting worse than the Mets.
Maybe the Dodgers will come back down to earth (they can’t keep this up forever, right?) when they come to NY?
The Brewers I don’t pay much attention to.
stickguy
6/9/2009-1:48pm at 1:48 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, and on topic (in Matt’s honor), why the heck can’t the Mets get some pitching prospects to come up and perform like the Phils? This has to go straight back to the front office (drafting and development).
The Phils get good performance out of Happ and Bastard guy (all of 23 YO). We get Neise.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/9/2009-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
You can’t really complain about Parnell and Pelf though… Plus, Phils didn’t give up their young prospects to get Johan…
stickguy
6/9/2009-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
Parnell is in the pen. ANd I like Pelf, although he certainly didn’t have immediate success!
ANd yup, the Phils got their LH ace the old fashioned way. Draft and developed.
THink how nice it would have been if the Mets had gotten their Santana out of the minors, instead of having to trade good prospects + pay huge $$ for him?
Just another indication that the draft is key for building a team.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/9/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
But their Ace isn’t as good as our Ace. I don’t care which organization someone comes up, as long as they are good and playing for the Mets.
Even though Parnell is in the Pen, he’s still a very valuable commodity. You cannot ignore that. Their Bastardo and Happ may perform well, but they might turn out to be a bust later. It’s too early to determine what their farm system is made out of. I think…
There's Always '09
6/9/2009-1:55pm at 1:55 pm (UTC -4)
Read an interesting draft preview in the post over the weekend. Basically saying you can bet your last dollar the Yanks will draft and pay over slot, as that’s how they have built their young pitching in the farm. My question is, how do they have a first round pick? Were CC and Tex not offered arbitration?
stickguy
6/9/2009-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
I think they have a replacement from last year since they didn’t sign their 1st round pick.
The whole draft and FA compensation system needs to be gutted and overhauled. Not that the real commissioner (Boras) will allow that!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/9/2009-2:09pm at 2:09 pm (UTC -4)
LOL.. I think Boras has more impact to the game of baseball than our little BUD
saltygary
6/9/2009-2:27pm at 2:27 pm (UTC -4)
We had plenty of pitchers come up we either traded them there here or they didn’t pan out. I don’t think it’s much different than any other team. Kazmir, Ring, Bell, Humber, Hielman. Bascik are some that are gone. Pelf, Maine was basically a rookie that we brought in, Parnell, Feliciano, Niese.