Mets(courtesy of mlb.com)
For Niese, he’ll simply be looking to match his first start, and he’ll hope to get some run support this time. The 23-year-old had a quality start against the Marlins on Thursday — he allowed three runs in six innings — but the Mets scored just once and he was saddled with the loss. Niese, though, said he was “pleasantly disappointed” with the start because the Mets didn’t win the game.
“Yeah, that covers it,” Niese said. “An oxymoron.”
Niese has made just nine career starts, but has actually faced the Rockies once before. They beat him in the second game of a doubleheader at Citi Field on July 30, scoring four runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Niese’s goal is simply to match his first quality outing without worrying about how many runs his club scores, because that’s out of his control.
“The hitters’ job is to produce runs,” he said. “The pitcher’s job is not to produce runs.”
Left-hander Johan Santana is clearly the Mets’ ace, but manager Jerry Manuel said he will not rearrange the rotation to keep Santana on a five-day schedule, instead giving him rest when there are off-days this season. “I think the extra day early is always good,” Manuel said. “Historically, his numbers have been better with an extra day. With the other guys needing to almost stay regular, this time of the season you’ve got to give them every opportunity.”
Lineup
Reyes, SS
Castillo, 2B
Wright, 3B
Bay, LF
Jacobs, 1B
Francoeur, RF
Barajas, C
Pagan, CF
Niese, P
Rockies(courtesy of mlb.com)
Meanwhile, Cook didn’t fare as well in his first start of the season, when he allowed five runs, four earned, in 5 1/3 innings during a 5-4 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday. The Rockies twice had three-run leads for Cook, but the club made several defensive miscues and ultimately lost the game.
Cook, who went 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA last season, didn’t have his best stuff. His sinker and curveball were working early, but he couldn’t finish off hitters late in the count.
“My hat’s off,” said Cook after his start. “They made me pay for some mistakes that I made. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to keep the team in the game. They gave me some runs early, and I wasn’t able to make it stand up.”
The Rockies will likely be without right fielder Brad Hawpe, who left Tuesday’s 11-3 win over the Mets with tightness in his left quadriceps after knocking a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. He’s listed as day-to-day. Hawpe has started the season strong with a .350 batting average, two home runs and four RBIs.
Lineup
Smith, LF
Fowler, CF
Helton, 1B
Tulowitzki, SS
Spilborghs, RF
Stewart, 3B
Iannetta, C
Barmes, 2B
Cook, P
PLAY BALL
19 comments
metsfan4decades
4/14/2010-8:08pm at 8:08 pm (UTC -4)
You know….I had a moment of ‘what am I thinking today’.
Running errands, stopped at the local convenience store to pick something up. The owner is a Yankee fan and knows I’m a Met fan. Says, ‘How about those Mets’? He’s a good guy so I politely told him to shut up. LOL.
But you know, it dawned on me. I’ve been following this team for over 40 years. I love baseball and I love the NY Mets. I’m getting behind these guys starting now. I want to see them succeed. I want to be able to tell all these media bashers ‘Take That!’
On another note, watching some tidbits on the pre game show. Maine flat out said:
‘I’m throwing out everything I’ve been doing this year and in spring. Just scrapping it. I’m going back to what I was doing before, what I was doing to start with’.
Whoa – who convinced him to change everything? Dan W.? If so, he’s starting to rack up points on my hit list.
LGM!
ceetar
4/14/2010-8:12pm at 8:12 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, it was Dan Warthen, the pitching coach, who decided in Spring to do things differently. It was apparently a failure, and I wonder if it will be with Perez as well. Need to work with what the pitchers have/do well.
metsfan4decades
4/14/2010-8:13pm at 8:13 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not expert but that seems like a no brainer. So what the heck is Dan W. doing?
ceetar
4/14/2010-8:15pm at 8:15 pm (UTC -4)
Well I understand the idea of tinkering and refining motions or attacking down in the zone or whatever it is they were doing, but when it results in less velocity and success, you have to scrap it. Maine, 4-1 2.75 ERA in May of last year. Didn’t have a great return but his last start was excellent (sure, possible the Astros mailed in that series, and very posssibly kept Manuel his job via the sweep) It’s not like Maine doesn’t have an idea of how to get guys out. Also, why is it that this is coming from Maine? Shouldn’t someone else have noticed, thought to tinker? why keep telling him to do what’s failing?
GravediggerHebner
4/14/2010-9:30pm at 9:30 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah. For no particular reason I’ve been trying to keep it to myself, but after hearing Maine’s self-diagnosis I can’t be quiet about it any longer – I think I hate Dan Warthen’s work more than you hate Jerry Manuel’s, and I have for a very long time.
metsfan4decades
4/14/2010-9:35pm at 9:35 pm (UTC -4)
I think I’m joining you on that ship.
GravediggerHebner
4/14/2010-9:39pm at 9:39 pm (UTC -4)
I’ll ask Stickguy to talk to his people and see if we can get a float made up.
But seriously, I haven’t gone on about it at any length because I just don’t quite know how to quantify it, but it sure seems to me like pitcher after pitcher in game after game just falls apart and never stops the bleeding/regroups, and to me that’s one of the main things a pitching coach should be doing.
People say that Warthen’s big claim to fame is that he shepherded Randy Johnson from forever-prospect to actual pitcher, yet I periodically see this famous video on MLB network which shows an off season visit between Johnson and Nolan Ryan that happened the year Randy took off. It may be possible the Warthen was just a lucky bystander in that.
metsfan4decades
4/14/2010-10:48pm at 10:48 pm (UTC -4)
Well, Dan W. has done nothing that I can see that’s inspired any confidence he’s helping any of our young pitchers.
Maine’s comments today on his mechanics was very telling, IMO.
stickguy
4/14/2010-9:37pm at 9:37 pm (UTC -4)
the manager can do some dumb things, but I think the pitching coach can actually do more immediate damage (assuming, of course, the pitchers actually listen to him!)
Mr North Jersey
4/14/2010-11:00pm at 11:00 pm (UTC -4)
Fire Warthen?
ceetar
4/14/2010-8:13pm at 8:13 pm (UTC -4)
Currently having a one-side conversation with Mr. North in the dugout, sinceh e keeps disconnecting.
whataputz
4/14/2010-8:49pm at 8:49 pm (UTC -4)
another clutch david wright ab.
whataputz
4/14/2010-9:26pm at 9:26 pm (UTC -4)
there you go
GravediggerHebner
4/14/2010-9:27pm at 9:27 pm (UTC -4)
Nice prognosticating!
GravediggerHebner
4/14/2010-9:42pm at 9:42 pm (UTC -4)
Aww crap! Spilborghs. That’s what happens when I get on the computer during the games. My bad, I’m outta here.
metsfan4decades
4/14/2010-10:52pm at 10:52 pm (UTC -4)
We have too many black holes in this lineup.
Jacobs, GMJ, Tatis…
Bay will pick it up soon, Reyes will get his timing back. Pagan said he’s more comfortable hitting cleanup – which we’ll be seeing real soon.
But Jacobs batting 5th, GMJ as a PH – jeeze the opposing pitcher tonight has a better slugging % than those two.
Just bring Ike up.
metsfan4decades
4/14/2010-11:45pm at 11:45 pm (UTC -4)
Well, color me surprised. Tied it in the ninth. Louie show them how to get it done.
Now hold the lead, get to the 10th.
whataputz
4/15/2010-12:16am at 12:16 am (UTC -4)
the misery!
metsfan4decades
4/15/2010-12:22am at 12:22 am (UTC -4)
Well, that wasn’t fun.
How many did we strand tonight to lose this one?
Sigh…..