IGT, Game 9, 4/11, Mets v. Brews at the Home of the Mets

[Guest AG/DC]

http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/06/73/0000000673_20060919022111.jpgThe Mets open their extra-divisional season against the Brews and Manny Parra, not to be confused with star-crossed 2004 fill-in Met Jose Parra. Parra is a lefty, so it's unlikely that this will be the night Endy Chavez finally gets a start, but for those of you who long like I do for some Casanova action, tonight might be your night, with Brian Schneider coming off 12 innings of action yestereve.

Somebody will be getting a first start tonight though, as ex-Brewer (and Pirate and Phillie and NeilDiamondback) Nelson Figueroa will go for the Mets. Figgy is the first Nelson ever to take the field (rather than the owner's box) for the Mets.

Please make Nelson feel welcome.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Filip Bondy actually made an interesting point in today's Daily News.

He was saying that the Mets should switch their plans and start Santana tonight on his regular rest, since there's rain predicted for tomorrow and they risk using Santana for three innings or so in a rained-out game.

He's right. Let Johan go tonight, and let Figueroa risk pitching meaningless innings.

The Mets, of course, have the option of calling the game before it starts, thereby saving Santana for Sunday. But then he'd be going on even MORE rest than usual.

Another thing to think about: If there is a rainout on Saturday, and, worst case, a starter pitches some lost innings, who starts the two games on Sunday? (I assume Sunday would be a doubleheader because this is probably the Brewers only visit to Shea this year?)

[Guest AG/DC]

A Saturday rainout means a Sunday doubleheader. It's practically the law.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Weather report for the weekend has improved some.

[Gwreck]

From the National Weather Service:

National Weather Service wrote: This Afternoon: A chance of rain after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 59. Southeast wind between 11 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Tonight: Rain, mainly after 9pm. Patchy fog after 9pm. Low around 52. Southeast wind at 10 mph becoming southwest. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Saturday: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 67. Light wind becoming west between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

I read this as it actually being a higher probability that tonight gets rained out than tomorrow.

[nymr83]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Filip Bondy actually made an interesting point in today's Daily News. He was saying that the Mets should switch their plans and start Santana tonight on his regular rest, since there's rain predicted for tomorrow and they risk using Santana for three innings or so in a rained-out game. He's right. Let Johan go tonight, and let Figueroa risk pitching meaningless innings.

forget the rain, Santana and Maine (and probably Perez) should ALWAYS go on their normal rest when possible. These are your top guys and you want as many innings and games out of them as possible. If Santana starts today he can start again Wednesday, if he starts tommorow it'll be Thursday, if he rains out tommorow it'll be next Friday before his 2nd start from today. Theres just no reason to push him back like that.
At the end of the year you want him to make 35 starts, not 31 or 33. The way to do that is to start him when he's ready to go and forget about Figurea's or Pelfrey's "turn."

]...for those of you who long like I do for some Casanova action...

why would i "long for" that? if anyhing I'm happy to see him never get used except to play catcher i the late innings after Schneider has been rightfully pinch-hit for.

[Guest AG/DC]

Take it easy. It's all theater in the end.

[Benjamin Grimm]

My dishwasher is running right now, and the water is churning to the beat of the "Let's Go Mets" chant.

I keep hearing it in my head... Let's Go Mets! Let's Go Mets!

My dishwasher is a Mets fan!

[Guest AG/DC]

Who does the alarm clock like?

[Benjamin Grimm]

It just says 1:26. Not sure how to interpret that. Is it a biblical notation or something?

[Guest AG/DC]

A fan of Mookie and Kong. What a sport.

[nymr83]

LETS DO THIS!!

[nymr83]

For the Brew Crew:
Weeks 2B
Gross CF
Fielder 1B
Braun LF
Hall 3B
Hart RF
Hardy SS
Parra P
Kendall C

For your New York Mets:
Reyes SS
Pagan LF
Wright 3B
Beltran CF
Delgado 1B
Easley 2B
Church RF
Casanova C
Figueroa P

[stevejrogers]

Wearing the black for the first time this year. Still no pinstripes.

BOO!

[nymr83]

2 innings and Figueroa hasn't allowed a run.

lets get this guy some run support!

[Guest KC]

Do it for Renee!

[TransMonk]

Fielder disgraces his name. 1-0 Mets.

[metirish]

His dad looks younger than him, amazin...Mets get a run..

[TransMonk]

Ten games is enough for me to say I like Ryan Church.

[TransMonk]

The offense is now thumping. 3-0 Mets.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I have Figgy Fever

[TransMonk]

Figgy's shutout is spoiled, but he's done very, very nicely.

Game's official now...3-1 Mets.

[stevejrogers]

Into the pen of the Brew Crew.

How long to you give Figgy tonight? Another inning? Do we dare give the exhausted pen a night off?

[stevejrogers]

Reyes is out, either leg discomfort or Willie is pulling another Hodges play on Reyes.

Anderson at 2nd, Easley is at SS

Tightness in the left Hammy now coming over on the radio.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Announcers indicate that Reyes is out of the game, with an update to follow.
FWIW, he grounded into a DP on his last AB, where the play at first wasn't even close. Unusual for Reyes.

In yesterday's game, he hit a high line drive up the right field alley that split the two outfielders and went all the way to the wall. As I was watching the play unfold live on television, and saw the ball at the wall, I was thinking to myself that surely this was a triple -- which it wasn't, to my surprise. Replays showed he ran hard all the way although he might have watched the flight of the ball for the first fraction of a second.

We'll see.

[TransMonk]

Fielder makes it a one-run game with a double.

I'd look at the bullpen now. The Brewers have a lineup that can sneak up on you in a hurry.

[stevejrogers]

Its Doggie Night at Shea, and the Afflac trivia question brings up the Baja Men and Who Let The Dogs Out and how they sang before Game 3 of the 2000 World Series.

NOT COOL!

Two things I never want to be reminded of, THAT SONG and THAT WORLD SERIES!

[stevejrogers]

Joe Smith in for the Mets in the 7th

[TransMonk]

Angel Pagan make me happy.

[stevejrogers]

Heilman is coming in for the eighth.