Mets(courtesy of mlb.com)
Luis Castillo, who hasn’t played since Thursday with what Manuel has termed a “cranky” right calf, is likely to return to the lineup when the Mets open against Colorado. Castillo singled in a pinch-hit appearance in Saturday’s game, but remained out of the lineup on Sunday. Alex Cora started in his place for the third-consecutive game. He went 3-12 in the weekend series against the Nats.
Maine allowed four runs to the Marlins in his 2010 debut — two of which, came via the long ball.
Maine’s results in his first start likely stemmed from a decrease in his fastball’s velocity. He also attributed the loss to bad location of his fastball and not enough first-pitch strikes.
Whatever the reason for his performance, Mets manager Jerry Manuel expressed his belief that his fastball would return to its normal velocity.
“We’ll continue to hope for that,” Manuel said. “He’s healthy and I don’t see why, being free from setbacks and those types of things, we won’t see that at some point.”
Lineup
Reyes, SS
Castillo, 2B
Wright, 3B
Bay, LF
Francoeur, RF
Tatis, 1B
Barajas, C
Pagan, CF
Maine, P
Rockies(courtesy of mlb.com)
The Rockies have hit at least one home run in each of the club’s first six games to begin the season, tying last year’s team that had home runs in six straight games to open the season.
Manager Jim Tracy is pleased with his club’s progress on adjusting to this season’s hitting strategy of staying in the middle of the field and makign adjustments based on the count.
“What I really like is the fact that we’ve taken a program that was put in place and worked very hard at it over the course of six weeks [in Spring Training]. We’re embracing it. We’re doing it. We’re not doing it to perfection just yet, but perfection is a very difficult thing to accomplish in this game.”
Smith, who was making his first start since 2008, gave up just four hits in his opening loss to the Brewers, but two of them were home runs. The most damaging was a three-run shot by Casey McGehee in the first.
“I just missed spots,” said Smith after the game. “It’s not like I got beat up too bad by them. It’s not like they hit pitch after pitch after pitch after pitch.
Lineup
Smith, LF
Fowler, CF
Helton, 1B
Tulowitzki, SS
Hawpe, RF
Olivo, C
Stewart, 3B
Barmes, 2B
Smith, P
PLAY BALL
37 comments
stickguy
4/13/2010-8:29pm at 8:29 pm (UTC -4)
a program and a plan. A team with a common focus and direction.
Imagine that.
The poster child team for making a mid season manager change (to get rid of a guy that just wasn’t working out any more) pay off.
More and more I am convinced that Jerry needs to go to get a fresh voice in the dugout.
trs86
4/13/2010-8:31pm at 8:31 pm (UTC -4)
Jerry made comments very similar to that last year after their hitting plans and it backfired tremendously. Lets remember that if the Mets win tonight these 2 teams have the same record.
GravediggerHebner
4/13/2010-8:32pm at 8:32 pm (UTC -4)
LGM!
metsfan4decades
4/13/2010-8:34pm at 8:34 pm (UTC -4)
Come on, Johnny. Get it done tonight.
Mr North Jersey
4/13/2010-8:35pm at 8:35 pm (UTC -4)
Go Go…. Go Johnny Go, Johnny Be Good!
CaseStreet
4/13/2010-8:48pm at 8:48 pm (UTC -4)
How do the Rockies get picked for a wc spot with that lineup?
fongy2
4/13/2010-8:54pm at 8:54 pm (UTC -4)
How do they not???
They and the Phils are the only two NL teams with AL type
line-ups!
metsfan4decades
4/13/2010-9:08pm at 9:08 pm (UTC -4)
well, that was quick. 1st inning, Rockies 2-0.
Hazmet
4/13/2010-9:17pm at 9:17 pm (UTC -4)
“We Believe” in ummmhhh,,uhhhhh, gimme a minute here something in 2010 will give me reason to ummhhh uhhh oh yeah Believe.
Prevention & Recovery Baby!
fongy2
4/13/2010-9:21pm at 9:21 pm (UTC -4)
Outside of Johan, this staff is brutal!
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-9:29pm at 9:29 pm (UTC -4)
OK, Jerry just Tweeted that he is actually batting Pagan 8th, so that after the first 7 guys bat, if we all pretend they did not bat, then Castillo will be our cleanup hitter the rest of the way.
asod75
4/13/2010-9:35pm at 9:35 pm (UTC -4)
Yawn. So uninspiring…get Jerry out of here, please.
asod75
4/13/2010-9:47pm at 9:47 pm (UTC -4)
Wow, 5-0 in the third. Can the Mets at the very least give us a reason to watch the game?
oleosmirf
4/13/2010-9:49pm at 9:49 pm (UTC -4)
8-0
oleosmirf
4/13/2010-9:47pm at 9:47 pm (UTC -4)
Maine is looking great tonight!!!
rustyjr
4/13/2010-9:48pm at 9:48 pm (UTC -4)
Does John Maine have any options remaining ?
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:16pm at 10:16 pm (UTC -4)
Apparently pitching well is no longer an option for him…..
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-9:49pm at 9:49 pm (UTC -4)
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rustyjr
4/13/2010-9:53pm at 9:53 pm (UTC -4)
I was being serious lol
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-9:55pm at 9:55 pm (UTC -4)
Oh I was not targeting you with that buddy just laughing in general!!
rustyjr
4/13/2010-9:57pm at 9:57 pm (UTC -4)
Laughing to keep from crying my friend
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-9:59pm at 9:59 pm (UTC -4)
BINGO!!
Hazmet
4/13/2010-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
George A Romero should manage this team.
“Night of the Living Mets”
The team is feeding on my brains so it’s appropriate in more than one way.
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:20pm at 10:20 pm (UTC -4)
Haz, I have never, ever felt this negative about a Met team.
I was disgusted in 1993 but because there were many awful people on that team.
This is all on-field and feels even worse.
No starting pitching and a sleepwalking offense.
Hazmet
4/13/2010-10:48pm at 10:48 pm (UTC -4)
I hear ya. I’ve rooted for horrible squads as all of us have knowing they had no talent but you could see they were playing to their level and trying to exceed it. This squad baffles me. There are supposed “name” players on this team that should be doing better. They look clueless. Maybe teams do take on the character of their Manager and that’s part of it. I know the pitching is not good, understatement, but they’ve actually been better than I expected with Niese & Pelf’s start’s. And that really scares me. On Sunday, Wright actually had me walk out on the broadcast seeing him have a yuck fest on the bench when they were showing absolutely no life. David WTF? Earth to Mets, you’re sucking again. This is lining up for the cliche “you can’t fire the team, so get rid of the Manager” and Jerry’s done nothing to help his cause. Time to change the messenger while there’s still a season to save since too me, these guys have tuned Jerry out.
asod75
4/13/2010-9:52pm at 9:52 pm (UTC -4)
Omar and the Wilpons, what a bunch of liars. That press conference at the end of last year just insulted our intelligence. Didn’t address the starting pitching. At all. And now we’re left seeing the shell of John Maine get rocked time after time. Jerry should be fired, but Omar shouldn’t be too far behind. This sucks, it feels like the season is over just seven games into it. I know I shouldn’t feel that way, but this team is just so uninspiring. Just a terrible, terrible baseball team right now.
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:02pm at 10:02 pm (UTC -4)
You are right and I apologize for doubting your pessimism on this group’s prospects.
asod75
4/13/2010-10:23pm at 10:23 pm (UTC -4)
No worries. I agree that Mejia should be sent down to the minors to get stretched out, like he should have been to begin with. But if this team keeps losing, there really is no reason for him to be in the pen. At all. Calero or Parnell can fill that role. And for us diehards to get energized, we’re eventually going to need to see Davis and F-Mart. Not yet, but in a few months. This season will likely be over by then, given the terrible pitching. Hope everyone has a great night and I’ll talk to you soon.
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:27pm at 10:27 pm (UTC -4)
Amen on all counts.
metsfan4decades
4/13/2010-10:06pm at 10:06 pm (UTC -4)
wow. This is just sad.
Maine has no arm strength left at all. I don’t get it.
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:16pm at 10:16 pm (UTC -4)
Has to be the injuries. He and Ollie both.
They are just not the same as they were in 2007.
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:15pm at 10:15 pm (UTC -4)
Bottom line is that with their control and overall stuff, if Maine and Ollie cannot top 90 on the gun, they are basically bad 5th starters. They are Figgy with slightly better stuff.
We might need to send Mejia down to start and gain arm strentgh and come back ASAP as a starter.
We are the diehards and we are nauseated.
This is going to get VERY ugly with the casual fans and the general baseball fan population.
Kingman 26
4/13/2010-10:26pm at 10:26 pm (UTC -4)
OMG I cannot believe this! Down by 8 taking the extra base!
7 games into the season!!!!!
darknova306
4/13/2010-10:31pm at 10:31 pm (UTC -4)
What a sick joke. Rarely hitting 90 on the gun isn’t getting Maine and Ollie anywhere. Might as well ride this team and management out until the season is over then just CLEAN HOUSE!
And why, with the rotation as bad as it is, is Mejia still in the bullpen? Shouldn’t he be building up the innings load on his arm at AA so he can hopefully come up and replace one of these scrubs at some point? Give me a break. Even with the Junior Core waiting for next year, we’ve got little chance unless we completely remake this rotation.
Thank God I brew so much beer. What a looooong season this will be.
njstuckintx
4/13/2010-11:05pm at 11:05 pm (UTC -4)
uff da…
metsfan4decades
4/13/2010-11:47pm at 11:47 pm (UTC -4)
Well, that was not fun.
I honestly don’t know what to say about Maine, guys. I really think he gets one more start – if it’s an ‘Ollie O.K.’ type start, he gets another. If it’s like tonight, seriously have to think about replacing him in the line up for now.
Mr North Jersey
4/13/2010-11:52pm at 11:52 pm (UTC -4)
I see by the comments everyone saw Maine’s start.
Maine looked pretty good dont ya think?