As I said in the Real Dirty Mets Dugout yesterday, last night’s game was one of my favorites of all time. I completely lost it when Felipe Lopez was brought into pitch with Kyle Lohse playing left field. It was clear to me that LaRussa would concede the game to protect his pitching staff, because he knows there are plenty more games the Cards can win to make it to the playoffs. On the other hand, Manuel was clearly fighting for his life, and there was no way he’d let a position player pitch…at least until the 21st inning.
If their roles were reversed, of course the Mets fan base would be going NUTS about Manuel letting Cora pitch an inning followed by Tatis for two. But you can’t really just reverse their roles, because their roles defined why each manager made his in-game decisions.
So in the end, the important part is that the Mets got the win and can actually win the series if John Maine out-pitches Wainwright tonight. Of course, the offense also has to figure out how to get a hit with a RISP, as they failed to do in all 20 innings yesterday.
13 comments
metsfan4decades
4/18/2010-11:52am at 11:52 am (UTC -4)
The Met pitching is starting to shape up. For the most part, the BP has been very good. The SP is starting to look like they could win some games, especially if Maine finds his ‘stuff’ again.
If you look at this division, the Braves are struggling to score runs right now too.
The Phillies have some real pitching concerns. I see they’re losing yet another starter next time through with arm soreness for JA Happ. The difference right now is their offense is getting it done, compensating for the pitching being less than stellar. Ours is not.
If we can get this offense clicking, we might have a chance to make a run at this.
darknova306
4/18/2010-1:02pm at 1:02 pm (UTC -4)
But they’ve got Figgy and all his grititude.
I still worry about Maine and Ollie from start to start. Though, when it comes down to it, this offense needs to show some life. This lineup has been the king of un-clutch as a unit this year.
ceetar
4/18/2010-1:14pm at 1:14 pm (UTC -4)
That’s fine. offense is streaky. Ours is off right now. Theirs is one, but when they slump, they’re going to lose a lot of games during that slump, whereas it’s looking like we could actually sustain it if our pitching gets going for real.
oleosmirf
4/18/2010-12:00pm at 12:00 pm (UTC -4)
another thing that made no sense was Niese (probably the best hitting pitcher on the team) pinch hitting for Takahashi with no-one on and 2 outs. Should have saved that bat for later and just let Takahashi get out…
If Stoner is to come up for only 1 day, the pitcher you send down is Niese, although if they plan on keeping him here for more than 1 game, they should send down Mejia for reasons we all know…
GravediggerHebner
4/18/2010-12:55pm at 12:55 pm (UTC -4)
Adam Rubin is guessing (stress, just guessing) that it’s Valdes due to his recent workload and options.
ceetar
4/18/2010-1:13pm at 1:13 pm (UTC -4)
can’t recall niese if you demote him for 10 days. Unless someone gets injured (say someone takes Jacobs out..”accidentally”) and you can’t skip a start right now, although there is logic to doing so the next time through to get Santana against the Phils.
oleosmirf
4/18/2010-1:31pm at 1:31 pm (UTC -4)
ah didnt know that…hopefully its Mejia then
the way the bullpen has pitched, we dont need Mejia
ceetar
4/18/2010-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not even going to bother hoping for that. Manuel said Valdes is “ahead” of Takahashi the other day as well.
stickguy
4/18/2010-1:46pm at 1:46 pm (UTC -4)
jerry is an idiot. I hate listening to anything he says.
metsfan4decades
4/18/2010-3:16pm at 3:16 pm (UTC -4)
Huh….I didn’t know that either. Or one of those little known facts I forgot along the way.
So….we’ll have Stoner up here minimum of 10 days. More maybe, depending on who they send down (Mejia?) and how Stoner pitches, if given the chance.
It should be Mejia going down but I’ll bet it won’t be. And I can’t see sending Taka down over Valdes.
darknova306
4/18/2010-12:57pm at 12:57 pm (UTC -4)
Can we option Jerry to Siberia?
stickguy
4/18/2010-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
Mejia really should be going down.
although if Maine bombs again, and if they are going to have to make a move to replace him inthe rotation, it becomes even more important to ship mejia out to start again. They might need him soon.
darknova306
4/18/2010-3:22pm at 3:22 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. It’s a total waste to have a solid starting pitching prospect rotting in our bullpen instead of developing in the role we need him more for. You can never have enough starting pitching.