Ebbets Field didn't have a retractable roof either
Rain and a Met offense that was all wet helped James Shields (6-5) and the Tampa Bay Rays defeat the New York Mets at Citi Field. Shields allowed only 3 baserunners over 7 innings. With one out in the top of the 8th inning, the rain became heavier and umpires called for the tarp to put the mortally wounded Met offense out of it’s misery. Or so I thought. 73 minutes later the tarp had been removed and the game was resumed.
With Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Oliver Perez and John Maine among others who the Mets counted on in key roles this season already on the long Met disabled list, it may well have been the tears of Met fans that caused the delay as those fans learned that Carlos Beltran is scheduled to have an MRI due to a bone bruise on his right knee. For the physical health of the Mets and the mental health of Met fans I’ll hope this Beltran MRI is like Gary Sheffield’s recent MRI in that rumors of it proved exaggerated and it ultimately didn’t happen.
Languishing on Mets' Amazon wish list
In the bottom of the 2nd inning Ryan Church doubled. After a Jeremy Reed ground out moved Church to 3rd base, Omir Santos hit a 2 out double to right driving in Church to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Santos’ double elicited this tidbit from FOX announcer Thom Brennaman: the Mets lead the National League in RBI from the catcher position with 45. Whodathunkit. The only other Met hit was a one out double by Alex Cora in the 3rd inning until a too little, too late single by Beltran with 2 outs in the 9th after Rays pitchers had retired 19 consecutive Mets. Anyway, the way Johan Santana (8-5) was pitching it seemed that might be enough. But Santana, who lost the perfect game with a leadoff walk to Carlos Pena in the 2nd inning, lost the no hitter and the lead in the 5th.
Your dreams were your ticket out
Jason Bartlett doubled and the next batter, Gabe “Welcome Back” Kapler, doubled to drive him in and tie the score. Incredibly Kapler who 2 years ago had retired and was managing in the minor leagues has driven in 16 runs in a part time role for the Rays this season, even more incredible when one considers he was teaching the Sweathogs in high school back in 1979.
Pena homered leading off the 7th inning to give the Rays the lead. After the delay the Met offense continued to play underwater while the Rays got a solo shot by Ben Zobrist in the 9th off Sean Green for an insurance run and the final score of 3-1.
13-20 at home
The FOX announcing crew dropped one more nugget of knowledge on us. The Philadelphia Phillies are 13-20 at home, and no team in Major League history that has started the season 13-20 at home has ever made the post season. So we’ve got history on our side, or perhaps more appropriately, it ain’t on theirs. The Mets will try yet again to win a rubber game tomorrow when Mike Pelfrey (5-2, 4.56) takes the mound opposed by Jeff Niemann (6-4, 4.21).
For a box score please visit yahoo.com
35 comments
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:07pm at 8:07 pm (UTC -4)
Hey, this got up quick.
I’ll keep my overall opinion quiet, but man, is there any doubt that with the game on the line, throw 3 59′ junk balls to DW, and you ring up the K?
Talk about a guy that is panicing nad sitting the bit in a big spot.
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:10pm at 8:10 pm (UTC -4)
that should read panicking and spitting the bit. Need to get a new keyboard, and learn to type.
Kingman 26
6/20/2009-8:12pm at 8:12 pm (UTC -4)
Just like last year…he cannot do it alone.
Injuries, poor depth, poor conditioning, poor fundamentals, and rotten managing are to blame.
Not DWright.
Kingman 26
6/20/2009-8:12pm at 8:12 pm (UTC -4)
OK, maybe not poor depth.
But definitely the rest.
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:25pm at 8:25 pm (UTC -4)
for sure, he cant do it all himself. And those other items are killing the team.
I didn’t say I blame him, just that he’s doing it.
I also think putting him 4th makes it worse. I think cleanup makes him even tighter (trying to do even more)/
Armchair psychoanalysis, 5 cents!
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-8:44pm at 8:44 pm (UTC -4)
its just with our lineup..theres no need to throw anything for david wright to hit and david knows this. What he does is try to make somethign out of nothing…he puts way too much pressure on himself because he knows outside of beltran and shef, there is no threat.
GravediggerHebner
6/20/2009-8:16pm at 8:16 pm (UTC -4)
It was up quick because most of it was written during the rain delay under the assumption they would not resume. I just had to change/add a few minor things after that. Late in the game rain delays are the post game writer’s friend.
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:21pm at 8:21 pm (UTC -4)
there was actually another interesting (and probably shocking) stat tossed out by the fox guys.
The Mets have the most RBIs (45 I think) from the catchers spot of any team in baseball.
now that, is amazing.
And really shows the depth of the offense holes that the C spot has more RBIs than the 3B spot, and almost positively the 1B and RF spot. And I wouldn’t bet against LF or CF too.
I don’t even need to mention SS or 2B!
GravediggerHebner
6/20/2009-8:22pm at 8:22 pm (UTC -4)
Tsk tsk, somebody didn’t read the post game!
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:26pm at 8:26 pm (UTC -4)
I just like to look at the pictures.
Oh, and no charge for fleshing it out for you!
GravediggerHebner
6/20/2009-8:30pm at 8:30 pm (UTC -4)
I appreciate the freebie!
I may have to eliminate the pics though, they distract from my highbrow verbiage.
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:30pm at 8:30 pm (UTC -4)
Does anyone else think that Jerry has no clue (worse than Willie) about how to use a BP?
He obviously thinks he is only allowed to use 4 guys, and that it doesn’t matter if they pitch every game (or at least 8 out of 10).
If nothing els4e, Jerry and Omar need to get on the same page. If Jerry refuses to use all the players to spread the work, then Omar needs to get rid of the trash and bring in some fresh blood.
Or dump Jerry. His choice.
GravediggerHebner
6/20/2009-8:37pm at 8:37 pm (UTC -4)
They were rotating one spot for a while, but perhaps when Omar noticed that Jerry rarely used that guy whoever he was Omar stopped doing that.
His ignoring of Stokes is what confounds me. I understand why he would prefer to keep Switzer and Takahashi in low leverage situations but every once in a while he’s just going to have to bite the bullet and use them anyway if he wants Feliciano to still have a left arm in August.
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-8:41pm at 8:41 pm (UTC -4)
We have not had good in game managment in quite some time…willie and manuel do not do well managing a bp. As we all have said in one way or another, if he doesnt learn how to spread the work, we will be w/o a bullpen for September yet again.
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:44pm at 8:44 pm (UTC -4)
Well, if Wagner and Putz come back for September, at least he will have a couple of fresh (if recently cut) arms to burn out!
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-8:47pm at 8:47 pm (UTC -4)
loll thats one way of looking at it.
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-8:42pm at 8:42 pm (UTC -4)
idk how much solace we can take in this…orioles winning 2-0 bot 6
stickguy
6/20/2009-8:45pm at 8:45 pm (UTC -4)
Is this shaping up to be like ’73? Maybe 84 wins will turn out to be plenty to take the division?
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-8:47pm at 8:47 pm (UTC -4)
haha possible..i got it at 90 right now..
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-9:08pm at 9:08 pm (UTC -4)
philly comeback…3-2 1out runners on 1st/2nd..howard coming in
QnsNative718
6/20/2009-9:07pm at 9:07 pm (UTC -4)
As long as Omar fails to get a bat, we’ll keep seeing games like this and while HOPING that the Phils lose.
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-9:08pm at 9:08 pm (UTC -4)
lol…yep. Im watching the philly game right now.
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-9:14pm at 9:14 pm (UTC -4)
Howard HR….5-3 phills
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-9:48pm at 9:48 pm (UTC -4)
PHILLY BLOW THE SAVE!!!!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/20/2009-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
That’s awesome!
They must be going crazy.. too bad we can’t take advantage of that.
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
PHILLY LOST!!!!
BLOWN SAVE!!!
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/20/2009-10:00pm at 10:00 pm (UTC -4)
Haha! Nice going Madson!
it’s too bad we lost with Santana on the hill
QnsNative718
6/20/2009-10:14pm at 10:14 pm (UTC -4)
Nice, nice!
dentulous
6/20/2009-10:12pm at 10:12 pm (UTC -4)
man its a shame, they give us every opportunity to take 1st place, and we never take advantage….
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/20/2009-10:16pm at 10:16 pm (UTC -4)
completely agreed.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/20/2009-10:16pm at 10:16 pm (UTC -4)
especially with a good outing by Santana
dirtysanchez
6/20/2009-11:29pm at 11:29 pm (UTC -4)
again..its no use being in 1st place in june…need to be in 1st in October…
dentulous
6/20/2009-11:39pm at 11:39 pm (UTC -4)
Every game we lose will affect our playoff chances. Its got nothing to do with having a use, if we are presented with the opportunity to take 1st place in June why not take it? It most certainly wont hurt us. With all our injuries this team has the capability to be #1 in our division, I thinks that says a lot about the makeup of our team and that of our rivals.
dirtysanchez
6/21/2009-9:07am at 9:07 am (UTC -4)
“Every game we lose will affect our playoff chances”
-but so will every game philly loses
“if we are presented with the opportunity to take 1st place in June why not take it? It most certainly wont hurt us. With all our injuries this team has the capability to be #1 in our division, I thinks that says a lot about the makeup of our team and that of our rivals.”
-The way that i look at it is that some people want 1st place for braging rights but know deep down that we will not be able to hold on to 1st place even if we get it now. My point is being in 1st now is of no use to me because i know we wont be able to hold it. Id rather be in 1st come september and keep the phillies close. This division is very tight and everyone is going to stay in it. Being in 1st right now will do nothing. We know we should have been in first by now…imo for me thats enough. Im more concerned that we fix our fundimental problems and defense.
stickguy
6/21/2009-9:13am at 9:13 am (UTC -4)
1st place may not be that important, but the ridiculous number of wins they keep throwing away are.