" Lets hope he sets the tone tonight !"
I hate saying that there are must win series this early in the season. It makes me cringe – and chafe in areas that need no to be ! But I hate to say it but this three game set against the Washington Nationals is a very important series for the Mets in terms of their perceived fragile psyche. If they go two out of three or better against the perennial basement dwelling Nationals, they should have some decent momentum when they face the reigning National East division champs – the Philadelphia Phillies. If they happen to win only one or perish the thought get swept by the laughing stock of the N.L East – well this could be the start of another multiple game losing streak boy our boys in orange and blue.
The Mets are sending three of their best starters to the mound this series. Chris Young goes tonight. Hopefully he has recovered from his recent bout of biceps tendinitis, and I hope he should easily dominate the Nats. The rotation for the rest of this series will feature R.A Dickey and Chris Capuano. This means that the Mets rotation against the Phillies will more than likely feature Mike Pelfrey, Jonathan Niese and Chris Young. We will have to hope that both Mike and Jon can replicate the same success that he had against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as Chris Young proving that he is healthy coming off of tonight’s start.
I do feel that putting Dillon Gee in the bullpen is the right move. He seems to be very effective the first few times going through the opposition’s batting order, so I think if he pitches one to two innings is a game it might save a bullpen that has been over used in the beginning month of this season.
Hell I wouldn’t be upset if the Mets went with a six man rotation- just to help both Young and Capuano save their arms from overuse. But I am not the manager – or the General Manager.
All in all the Mets have shown that they are not a team that will just lay down and die. But we all have to admit these next two series are extremely important when it comes to dictating where they will be come September.
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday include :
Outfielder from the ’69 team, Amos Otis is 64 (1947). Us Mets fans still rue the day that he was traded to the Kansas City Royals for Joe Foy.
The former Met that us fans love to hate – pitcher and arch nemesis from those mid ’80′s Astros teams, Mike Scott is 56 (1955)
Reserve outfielder from ’89-’90, Lou Thornton is 48 (1963).
Middle reliever from ’96-’97, Rick Trlicek is 42 (1969).
Middle reliever from ’02-’03, Scott Strickland is 35 (1976).
Sadly on this date in 2003. the Mets lost a member of their family when Danny Napoleon, their outfielder from ’65-’66 passed away.
The New York Mets purchased catcher, Harry Chiti from the Cleveland Indians on April 26, 1962.
The New York Mets traded outfielder, Bobby Gene Smith to the Chicago Cubs for catcher, Sammy Taylor on April 26, 1962.
The New York Mets purchased pitcher, Jack Lamabe from the Chicago White Sox on April 26, 1967.
The New York Mets traded minor league shortstop, Rick Auerbach to the Texas Rangers for third baseman, Lenny Randle on April 26, 1977. Lenny was one of the biggest offensive threats for the Mets that season. He was also the at the plate when the lights went out in the blackout of ’77.
The New York Mets released middle reliever, Mike Matthews on April 26, 2005.
The New York Mets signed free agent reserve outfielder, Michael Tucker on April 26, 2006.
Mo Vaughn is loves to bite the tails off of chocolate Easter bunnies as well as biting the heads off of Peeps !!!
20 comments
stickguy
4/26/2011-9:05am at 9:05 am (UTC -4)
I can live with Gee there for now. I expect they are going to need him soon anyway, either to replace someone who goes down or to fill in as a spot guy (and it will be nice to not have to make multiple MiL moves to find the guy for those starts).
Of the upcoming series, pelf in Philly (even though the Phils are not what they used to be offensively) is the one that scares me. But, if he does get knocked out early (or young doesn’t last long), they have Gee idling in the pen as the caddy for them.
actually, worrying about a couple guys getting pulled early is a very likely reason they kept Gee for now. Along with wanting to see if they can get Capuano established as a viable SP (if nothing else, so they can trade him if they fall out of playoff contention by July).
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-9:06am at 9:06 am (UTC -4)
I’m not so sure the Nats are the laughing stock of the NL east anymore. At least when I look at them, I don’t immediately think the Royals or Pirates of the past several years.
However, I think we can win that series.
Heck, I don’t see why we don’t have a good shot at winning the Philly series either. Yes, they have outstanding SP. Right now though their BP is down 2 closures, Madson is ‘sore’ and they brought up a rookie. Their offense is anemic these past several series.
Not sure who we’re facing in Philly this weekend.
I don’t think Oswalt has got past the 6 inning yet this year – although his 6 innings have been good in his starts.
We’ve already beat Hamels once this year.
Lee has lost a couple of games.
Blanton hasn’t won a game yet.
Halladay is well, Halladay. He’s always tough.
It’s probably going to largely depend on our starting pitching. And on that note, it’s anyone’s guess how that will go.
Ceetar
4/26/2011-9:08am at 9:08 am (UTC -4)
The Nats are without Zimmerman for the series I think. They’re not in great shape.
Ceetar
4/26/2011-9:09am at 9:09 am (UTC -4)
We miss Hamels and Oswalt.
Blanton-Halladay-Lee
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
Ah…thanks.
Too bad we’re not facing Hamels. I always think he’s one bad pitch away from a melt down out there. LOL.
stickguy
4/26/2011-9:11am at 9:11 am (UTC -4)
not sure if Philly has a day off, and if so if they will skip anyone, but based on when they just pitched it would be Halladay, Lee, oswalt Friday-Sunday.
If they do have a day off thursday (likely, since they are coming back from the west coast), you may get blanton Friday and miss Oswalt.
Ceetar
4/26/2011-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
phillies website says Blanton on Friday and i was extrapolating from there.
stickguy
4/26/2011-9:08am at 9:08 am (UTC -4)
speaking of the playoffs (playoffs? Your talking playoffs?, under the catagory of “it is really still early”, outside of the division leaders there is really only 1 team not close to the Mets (the marlins), and I think they are a mirage in general, and not likely to keep up the pace. The rest of the “good” teams are scuffling along, right around (or just under) .500.
so heck, even 4 games under (and damn, you would love those couple of “how the F did they blow that lead” games back!) isn’t to far off the pace. Get back to .500 in the next few weeks, and see what happens.
kingman 26
4/26/2011-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
The Marlins ain’t no mirage.
Led by one ace and another real good starter, their pen is very solid, Morrison is yet another fine player they’ve developed, Coghlan and Hernandez are arriving as fine players, and any day now Hanley will go on a stretch where he hits .450 for a month.
They’re a good team that is only going to get better. They’re 14-7 with Hanley hitting like Pagan and with 2 of their starters sucking.
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-9:37am at 9:37 am (UTC -4)
I don’t know…the Marlins always start off good, hang around until Aug and then fall out of it.
Too early to tell right now. So much can happen over the course of a season, like injuries, pitchers having a bad second half, etc.
You all know I didn’t make W/L predictions at the start of the season – as I never do. I said this division is going to be a lot closer than some think though and I’m going to stand by it. No one is running away with it, IMO.
stickguy
4/26/2011-9:38am at 9:38 am (UTC -4)
did not mean they suck, just that they are not quite this good (I don’t see them as a 95 win juggernaut). Like most good teams, they have some very good players, some holes/issues, and a few question marks.
Could be the year it all clicks and they push 90 wins and fight for the WC. or a few wheels come off and they end up around .500 like they usually are.
I just don’t see them running away with the division or WC (assuming the phils run with them) in the NL.
kingman 26
4/26/2011-9:45am at 9:45 am (UTC -4)
Unfortunately, they are loaded with good young talent. Again.
They are the team we will be fighting for the division–if Sandy reloads wisely–in 2-3 years.
stickguy
4/26/2011-10:09am at 10:09 am (UTC -4)
have to see what happens. young MiL talent doesn’t always translate to ML stars. Even JJ has had some injury issues already, so you never do know with pitching either (just look at Hughes).
but yeah, they could be good, especially if they ever increase their budget when the new stadium opens.
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-9:46am at 9:46 am (UTC -4)
And on the note of ‘you just can’t predict with any kind of accuracy’….
We just swept the D’backs in a 3 game series.
The D’backs turn around and go out last night and shut out the Phils, ‘the class of the division’.
You just have no way of predicting……
Prismo
4/26/2011-9:48am at 9:48 am (UTC -4)
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6430011
I can’t find out where he says it was at all related to the quake or if ESPN is just trying to create a story (it’s the latter).
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-9:56am at 9:56 am (UTC -4)
I saw the original story on Bannister right after the quake. Can’t remember all the details now but I recall him saying he wouldn’t be leaving. Not sure why he changed his mind. I know his family was over there with him at that time.
Kind of makes you wonder just how unstable things are over there right now.
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-10:51am at 10:51 am (UTC -4)
You’ve gotta love the media. Stories left and right this week on ex ballplayers and their legal troubles.
LOL….Lenny Dykstra bailed out of jail last week by Charlie Sheen?
That explains everything. The two of them together are downright scary.
kingman 26
4/26/2011-10:57am at 10:57 am (UTC -4)
OMG! Thanks for bringing this absolute classic to my attention!!
——Addressing the matter, Sheen told TMZ: “The rendition guilty trolls that kidnapped my dear friend Nails clearly forgot that he’s a fellow Vatican assassin and his best pal is a warlock.”
Wow, Charlie is headed for a fall which will surely be an all-time American classic.
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-11:38am at 11:38 am (UTC -4)
O.K., I have to give MC credit here for this comment to Josh Thole’s last twitter concerning the team on it’s way to visit Walter Reed”
http://www.metsblog.com/2011/04/26/thole-and-team-are-headed-to-walter-reed-hospital/
‘Oh, for the love of tomorrow’s news cycle (but, more importantly, because it’s the right thing to do), please, can everyone just get on the bus and go to Walter Reed medical center this year.’
***************************
On that note, Walter Reed will be shut down NLT 15 Sep of this year so hopefully this is the last time we’ll be reading about who did or did not attend from the Mets.
metsfan4decades
4/26/2011-2:36pm at 2:36 pm (UTC -4)
Nice bump on metsblog for mrose. Hopefully, this will generate some baseball fans who want to join the list of fine bloggers on nleastchatter.