IGT--Reds @ Mets, 07/12/09

[bmfc1]

METS:
Angel Pagan CF
Luis Castillo 2B
David Wright 3B
Gary Sheffield LF
Jeff Francoeur RF
Daniel Murphy 1B
Brian Schneider C
Alex Cora SS
Mike Pelfrey RHP (6-4, 4.52)

Reds:
Chris Dickerson RF
Willy Taveras CF
Joey Votto 1B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Laynce Nix LF
Ramon Hernandez C
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Jerry Hairston Jr. SS
Aaron Harang RHP (5-8, 3.89)

Wouldn't a two-game winning streak going into the break be great?

We stand by you, Mets! (Not a Clash expert, best one I could come up with.)

Edited July 12, 2009 by Guest

[bmfc1]

Don't forget that the Futures Game is on @ 2, ESPN2. Two Mets prospects are on the World team, Mejia and Flores. I can't figure out why MLB puts this game against regular season games. How about tonight in lieu of a regular season game, or on Wednesday? The logistics may not allow it but this is a showcase event and it's buried on Sunday afternoon.

[ashie62]

Like the middle of our lineup better, now get it Dunn

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Luis' legs and Davey's power add up to a 1-0 lead.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

A neat backhand play on a sharp grounder by Murphy helps Pelf get through a quick third. 1-0 Metsies.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Kiner is koming. Everybody be cool.

[bmfc1]

"I feel sick again today Mommy." Every single game on SNY. How about switching up the PSAs?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Am I crazy or has Ralph not sounded so clear in years?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Best rally ever?

[metirish]

Ralph giving what sounds like awesome advice for Francouer to help him recognize the strike zone , because as Ralph says he has a terrible on base %.

Ralph wants him in the bullpen before the game catching that days starter to help him learn the strike zone.

[Guest Edgy DC]

My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?

[metirish]

="Edgy DC":1svycnxl]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:1svycnxl] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant.

Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:12 PM

Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said.

metirish Jul 12 2009 12:14 PM

="Swan Swan H":2ruwx3fs]Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said.[/quote:2ruwx3fs] yes that too, all of us are needed to right this ship....good memory Swanie. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:15 PM They did a little piece on it during Mets Weekly, I think, a couple of weeks ago. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:21 PM Pelf gets Joey F. Votto looking, and then Welke gives him the heave-ho for arguing. Votto almost looked like he wanted to get tossed. Must have an early flight home for the break. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:23 PM ="metirish":14aicjz7] ="Edgy DC":14aicjz7]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:14aicjz7] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant.[/quote:14aicjz7] Well, a few red flags go up. One, I don't want some interloper catching that day's starter. He can catch some other guy getting his work in between appearances. Two, catching ain't easy, and it can put some wear on a guy who is already playing regularly. It's worth a try, but if it's an untested experiment, I'd sooner start with a minor leaguer. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 12:27 PM I don't see Ralph suggesting something half-thought-out. I'd listen to him. It made a lot of sense to me. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:28 PM I just went to the DVR - Ralph suggested that he stand in the bullpen while the pitcher warms up, presumably in hitting position, to work on pitch recognition. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:30 PM I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course. EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:34 PM Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:37 PM I had to listen twice on the replay to be sure of what he was proposing. Another rally - Castillo singles and steals, Sheff gets another hit to drive in Castillo, and Francoeur singles up the middle. 6-zip, and the hot Murphy up with a chance for some 2-out gravy. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:40 PM Aaaaaand Murphy's solid single scores Sheff and excuses Roenicke for the rest of the afternoon. 1st & 3rd for Schneider, 2 out. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:41 PM Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice. DocTee Jul 12 2009 12:45 PM Castillo with three hits and three runs. Nice Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:56 PM Pelfrey walks the first two batters in the fifth, and a double and infield single make it 7-2, 1st & 3rd, one out. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:57 PM Puts those days of Argenis Reyes at the top of the lineup and Castillo at the bottom in perspective. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:00 PM This Rosales looks like Harland Williams. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:22 PM Seems like we're getting a tastey extra helping of Ralph today. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:24 PM Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:25 PM Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:29 PM ="Swan Swan H":2v8dsj79]Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team.[/quote:2v8dsj79] LOL Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:35 PM From what I've seen Murphy has done a nice job so far receiving low throws. He's picked a few short hops the last couple of nights and he looks very comfortable doing it, especially on the backhand. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:39 PM Murph flashes the leather again as he reaches into the photo box to nab a soft popup. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:41 PM What's it called when a batter hits it over the OF fence? I forgot. Thanks Brian for reminding us! Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM Fans screaming for the malfunctioning apple. Too awesome. Suddenly we have a team again. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM The Apple needs some Viagra. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 01:45 PM That apple chants are killing me. Finally a little levity. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:48 PM My son just called from Boston to ask if the Slingbox was working. He saw two homers in one inning and assumed a technical malfunction. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:03 PM Uh oh. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:04 PM Those two homers are suddenly looking pretty big. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:05 PM Encarnacion is looking big also. I'd probably got to the relief ace here. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:07 PM Well, well, Bobby P. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:15 PM Nice work by Parnell - nearly got out of it without giving up a run. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 02:17 PM Adventures in Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired -- on the mound for the Mets, Perineal. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:26 PM KRod should not be walking that guy on four pitches - ever. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:27 PM One down! Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:28 PM I know what you mean, MGIM, but: Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:32 PM Hanigan hits one almost to the top of the Chrysler Building, and Frankie's having a hard-knock inning. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:36 PM Phew! Put it in the books -- finally! bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 02:38 PM Mets are 2 and 0 w/IGT's starting with The Clash and with Francoeur. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:46 PM 2-0 with Frenchy onboard. Haven't had a midseason surge like this since the deft Richard Hidalgo acquisition of ought-four. Triple Dee Jul 12 2009 04:25 PM Great day for baseball - met up with Rockin' Doc + friend and KC. KC said that Farmer Ted was also in attendance, but was sitting too far away from us. Kong76 Jul 12 2009 06:22 PM It was indeed a nice day. A little too much drama at the end, but I'll take it. Nice to see Rockin' and Ted again and to meet TD. They all traveled some distance, but I think TD has set a record that will remain unbroken. I'll sleep well tonight, the beer/sun to food ratio has caught up with me. Frayed Knot Jul 12 2009 06:37 PM - Ralph was definitely talking about Francouer standing as in a hitting position while pitchers are throwing in the pen (and doing it often) in order to get used to what a strike does and doesn't look like. - Forbes Field, where Ralph played a big chunk of his career, was huge, except of course for the LF corner (Kiner's Korner they called it). But this 'oh all the old ballparks were so big and it took a REAL man to hit 'em in those days' stuff annoys me. Ralph still gets damp talking about hitting in Ebbits Field and those old-time MFY fans manage to mention 'death valley' about 30 times for every one time they mention the 296 ft RF corner with the 3ft fence. Part of what makes today's newer places look small is because many of them replaced '60s & '70s era parks which were much tougher than the old ones of their time. Think AstroDome, Shea, Dodger Stadium, Old Busch, Candlestick as compared to Wrigley, Fenway, Tiger Stadium. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 05:55 AM A great game and great company. We joined up with KC and KB before the game amnd they were gracious hosts. Triple D hooked up with us before the game and we took a leisurely stroll around Citi Field. I really liked the new place. Enjoyed watching the crisp offensive display of the Mets. Nice to see the the Mets could still hit home runs and the apple still worked (at least most of the time). The Mets found a way to add some drama to what appeared to be a laugher, but in the end the good guys prevailed. It was great to see KC and KB once again. I look forward to the next time. It was wonderful to meet Triple D. He is yet another example of the fine people that frequent the CPF. Safe travels Triple D. Sorry to have missed Farmer Ted. Frayed Knot Jul 14 2009 07:16 AM For those who were at (or weren't watching) Sunday's game and missed the explanation of the HR apple's "failure" to rise for Tatis's HR, it goes something like this: - because this apple (unlike the last one) is located in straight-away CF, and thus would be in the batter's line of sight if up, the raising and lowering is on a strictly timed basis; IOW, it's not as easy as pushing one button for up and another for down. - When triggered the iconic fruit is set to rise quickly but settle back down slowly so the drop begins almost immediately so as to be back in its nook before the next batter arrives. Problem is it then needs some 45 seconds to 'recharge' and reset the hydraulics before it can go up again. So not only was Tatis's 1st pitch bomb was too quick for the poor guy to be ready for further action (must be a male) but they also had to wait until the end of the inning for its 'tribute' so as to not interfere with the other batters. Poor dude waits about two weeks for some action and then gets so much at once he can't handle the workload. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:23 AM The apple had also just been up for the seventh-inning stretch. From the booth, Gary reported that there needs to be 45 seconds in between, but I think the Daily News the following day said it's two and a half minutes. Two homers in 45 seconds is probably pretty rare, but if it really requires 2.5 minutes, that seems like poor design to me. dgwphotography Jul 14 2009 07:28 AM It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... Edgy DC Jul 14 2009 07:30 AM I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:31 AM ="Edgy DC":1u79msq1]I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also.[/quote:1u79msq1] No, Schneider was honored, and Tatis was snubbed. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 11:02 AM ="dgwphotography":17umn5oj]It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... [/quote:17umn5oj] Is the picture reversed? Your daughter appears to be running down the third base line with the roped off infiled to her right side. Or am I just confused?

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said.

[metirish]

="Swan Swan H":2ruwx3fs]Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said.[/quote:2ruwx3fs] yes that too, all of us are needed to right this ship....good memory Swanie.

Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:15 PM

They did a little piece on it during Mets Weekly, I think, a couple of weeks ago.

Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:21 PM

Pelf gets Joey F. Votto looking, and then Welke gives him the heave-ho for arguing. Votto almost looked like he wanted to get tossed. Must have an early flight home for the break.

Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:23 PM

="metirish":14aicjz7] ="Edgy DC":14aicjz7]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:14aicjz7] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant.[/quote:14aicjz7] Well, a few red flags go up. One, I don't want some interloper catching that day's starter. He can catch some other guy getting his work in between appearances. Two, catching ain't easy, and it can put some wear on a guy who is already playing regularly. It's worth a try, but if it's an untested experiment, I'd sooner start with a minor leaguer. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 12:27 PM I don't see Ralph suggesting something half-thought-out. I'd listen to him. It made a lot of sense to me. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:28 PM I just went to the DVR - Ralph suggested that he stand in the bullpen while the pitcher warms up, presumably in hitting position, to work on pitch recognition. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:30 PM I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course. EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:34 PM Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:37 PM I had to listen twice on the replay to be sure of what he was proposing. Another rally - Castillo singles and steals, Sheff gets another hit to drive in Castillo, and Francoeur singles up the middle. 6-zip, and the hot Murphy up with a chance for some 2-out gravy. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:40 PM Aaaaaand Murphy's solid single scores Sheff and excuses Roenicke for the rest of the afternoon. 1st & 3rd for Schneider, 2 out. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:41 PM Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice. DocTee Jul 12 2009 12:45 PM Castillo with three hits and three runs. Nice Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:56 PM Pelfrey walks the first two batters in the fifth, and a double and infield single make it 7-2, 1st & 3rd, one out. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:57 PM Puts those days of Argenis Reyes at the top of the lineup and Castillo at the bottom in perspective. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:00 PM This Rosales looks like Harland Williams. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:22 PM Seems like we're getting a tastey extra helping of Ralph today. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:24 PM Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:25 PM Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:29 PM ="Swan Swan H":2v8dsj79]Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team.[/quote:2v8dsj79] LOL Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:35 PM From what I've seen Murphy has done a nice job so far receiving low throws. He's picked a few short hops the last couple of nights and he looks very comfortable doing it, especially on the backhand. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:39 PM Murph flashes the leather again as he reaches into the photo box to nab a soft popup. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:41 PM What's it called when a batter hits it over the OF fence? I forgot. Thanks Brian for reminding us! Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM Fans screaming for the malfunctioning apple. Too awesome. Suddenly we have a team again. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM The Apple needs some Viagra. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 01:45 PM That apple chants are killing me. Finally a little levity. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:48 PM My son just called from Boston to ask if the Slingbox was working. He saw two homers in one inning and assumed a technical malfunction. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:03 PM Uh oh. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:04 PM Those two homers are suddenly looking pretty big. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:05 PM Encarnacion is looking big also. I'd probably got to the relief ace here. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:07 PM Well, well, Bobby P. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:15 PM Nice work by Parnell - nearly got out of it without giving up a run. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 02:17 PM Adventures in Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired -- on the mound for the Mets, Perineal. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:26 PM KRod should not be walking that guy on four pitches - ever. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:27 PM One down! Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:28 PM I know what you mean, MGIM, but: Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:32 PM Hanigan hits one almost to the top of the Chrysler Building, and Frankie's having a hard-knock inning. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:36 PM Phew! Put it in the books -- finally! bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 02:38 PM Mets are 2 and 0 w/IGT's starting with The Clash and with Francoeur. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:46 PM 2-0 with Frenchy onboard. Haven't had a midseason surge like this since the deft Richard Hidalgo acquisition of ought-four. Triple Dee Jul 12 2009 04:25 PM Great day for baseball - met up with Rockin' Doc + friend and KC. KC said that Farmer Ted was also in attendance, but was sitting too far away from us. Kong76 Jul 12 2009 06:22 PM It was indeed a nice day. A little too much drama at the end, but I'll take it. Nice to see Rockin' and Ted again and to meet TD. They all traveled some distance, but I think TD has set a record that will remain unbroken. I'll sleep well tonight, the beer/sun to food ratio has caught up with me. Frayed Knot Jul 12 2009 06:37 PM - Ralph was definitely talking about Francouer standing as in a hitting position while pitchers are throwing in the pen (and doing it often) in order to get used to what a strike does and doesn't look like. - Forbes Field, where Ralph played a big chunk of his career, was huge, except of course for the LF corner (Kiner's Korner they called it). But this 'oh all the old ballparks were so big and it took a REAL man to hit 'em in those days' stuff annoys me. Ralph still gets damp talking about hitting in Ebbits Field and those old-time MFY fans manage to mention 'death valley' about 30 times for every one time they mention the 296 ft RF corner with the 3ft fence. Part of what makes today's newer places look small is because many of them replaced '60s & '70s era parks which were much tougher than the old ones of their time. Think AstroDome, Shea, Dodger Stadium, Old Busch, Candlestick as compared to Wrigley, Fenway, Tiger Stadium. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 05:55 AM A great game and great company. We joined up with KC and KB before the game amnd they were gracious hosts. Triple D hooked up with us before the game and we took a leisurely stroll around Citi Field. I really liked the new place. Enjoyed watching the crisp offensive display of the Mets. Nice to see the the Mets could still hit home runs and the apple still worked (at least most of the time). The Mets found a way to add some drama to what appeared to be a laugher, but in the end the good guys prevailed. It was great to see KC and KB once again. I look forward to the next time. It was wonderful to meet Triple D. He is yet another example of the fine people that frequent the CPF. Safe travels Triple D. Sorry to have missed Farmer Ted. Frayed Knot Jul 14 2009 07:16 AM For those who were at (or weren't watching) Sunday's game and missed the explanation of the HR apple's "failure" to rise for Tatis's HR, it goes something like this: - because this apple (unlike the last one) is located in straight-away CF, and thus would be in the batter's line of sight if up, the raising and lowering is on a strictly timed basis; IOW, it's not as easy as pushing one button for up and another for down. - When triggered the iconic fruit is set to rise quickly but settle back down slowly so the drop begins almost immediately so as to be back in its nook before the next batter arrives. Problem is it then needs some 45 seconds to 'recharge' and reset the hydraulics before it can go up again. So not only was Tatis's 1st pitch bomb was too quick for the poor guy to be ready for further action (must be a male) but they also had to wait until the end of the inning for its 'tribute' so as to not interfere with the other batters. Poor dude waits about two weeks for some action and then gets so much at once he can't handle the workload. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:23 AM The apple had also just been up for the seventh-inning stretch. From the booth, Gary reported that there needs to be 45 seconds in between, but I think the Daily News the following day said it's two and a half minutes. Two homers in 45 seconds is probably pretty rare, but if it really requires 2.5 minutes, that seems like poor design to me. dgwphotography Jul 14 2009 07:28 AM It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... Edgy DC Jul 14 2009 07:30 AM I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:31 AM ="Edgy DC":1u79msq1]I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also.[/quote:1u79msq1] No, Schneider was honored, and Tatis was snubbed. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 11:02 AM ="dgwphotography":17umn5oj]It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... [/quote:17umn5oj] Is the picture reversed? Your daughter appears to be running down the third base line with the roped off infiled to her right side. Or am I just confused?

[Guest Swan Swan H]

They did a little piece on it during Mets Weekly, I think, a couple of weeks ago.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Pelf gets Joey F. Votto looking, and then Welke gives him the heave-ho for arguing. Votto almost looked like he wanted to get tossed. Must have an early flight home for the break.

[Guest Edgy DC]

="metirish":14aicjz7] ="Edgy DC":14aicjz7]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:14aicjz7] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant.[/quote:14aicjz7] Well, a few red flags go up. One, I don't want some interloper catching that day's starter. He can catch some other guy getting his work in between appearances. Two, catching ain't easy, and it can put some wear on a guy who is already playing regularly. It's worth a try, but if it's an untested experiment, I'd sooner start with a minor leaguer. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 12:27 PM I don't see Ralph suggesting something half-thought-out. I'd listen to him. It made a lot of sense to me. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:28 PM I just went to the DVR - Ralph suggested that he stand in the bullpen while the pitcher warms up, presumably in hitting position, to work on pitch recognition. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:30 PM I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course. EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:34 PM Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:37 PM I had to listen twice on the replay to be sure of what he was proposing. Another rally - Castillo singles and steals, Sheff gets another hit to drive in Castillo, and Francoeur singles up the middle. 6-zip, and the hot Murphy up with a chance for some 2-out gravy. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:40 PM Aaaaaand Murphy's solid single scores Sheff and excuses Roenicke for the rest of the afternoon. 1st & 3rd for Schneider, 2 out. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:41 PM Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice. DocTee Jul 12 2009 12:45 PM Castillo with three hits and three runs. Nice Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:56 PM Pelfrey walks the first two batters in the fifth, and a double and infield single make it 7-2, 1st & 3rd, one out. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:57 PM Puts those days of Argenis Reyes at the top of the lineup and Castillo at the bottom in perspective. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:00 PM This Rosales looks like Harland Williams. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:22 PM Seems like we're getting a tastey extra helping of Ralph today. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:24 PM Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:25 PM Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:29 PM ="Swan Swan H":2v8dsj79]Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team.[/quote:2v8dsj79] LOL Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:35 PM From what I've seen Murphy has done a nice job so far receiving low throws. He's picked a few short hops the last couple of nights and he looks very comfortable doing it, especially on the backhand. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:39 PM Murph flashes the leather again as he reaches into the photo box to nab a soft popup. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:41 PM What's it called when a batter hits it over the OF fence? I forgot. Thanks Brian for reminding us! Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM Fans screaming for the malfunctioning apple. Too awesome. Suddenly we have a team again. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM The Apple needs some Viagra. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 01:45 PM That apple chants are killing me. Finally a little levity. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:48 PM My son just called from Boston to ask if the Slingbox was working. He saw two homers in one inning and assumed a technical malfunction. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:03 PM Uh oh. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:04 PM Those two homers are suddenly looking pretty big. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:05 PM Encarnacion is looking big also. I'd probably got to the relief ace here. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:07 PM Well, well, Bobby P. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:15 PM Nice work by Parnell - nearly got out of it without giving up a run. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 02:17 PM Adventures in Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired -- on the mound for the Mets, Perineal. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:26 PM KRod should not be walking that guy on four pitches - ever. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:27 PM One down! Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:28 PM I know what you mean, MGIM, but: Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:32 PM Hanigan hits one almost to the top of the Chrysler Building, and Frankie's having a hard-knock inning. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:36 PM Phew! Put it in the books -- finally! bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 02:38 PM Mets are 2 and 0 w/IGT's starting with The Clash and with Francoeur. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:46 PM 2-0 with Frenchy onboard. Haven't had a midseason surge like this since the deft Richard Hidalgo acquisition of ought-four. Triple Dee Jul 12 2009 04:25 PM Great day for baseball - met up with Rockin' Doc + friend and KC. KC said that Farmer Ted was also in attendance, but was sitting too far away from us. Kong76 Jul 12 2009 06:22 PM It was indeed a nice day. A little too much drama at the end, but I'll take it. Nice to see Rockin' and Ted again and to meet TD. They all traveled some distance, but I think TD has set a record that will remain unbroken. I'll sleep well tonight, the beer/sun to food ratio has caught up with me. Frayed Knot Jul 12 2009 06:37 PM - Ralph was definitely talking about Francouer standing as in a hitting position while pitchers are throwing in the pen (and doing it often) in order to get used to what a strike does and doesn't look like. - Forbes Field, where Ralph played a big chunk of his career, was huge, except of course for the LF corner (Kiner's Korner they called it). But this 'oh all the old ballparks were so big and it took a REAL man to hit 'em in those days' stuff annoys me. Ralph still gets damp talking about hitting in Ebbits Field and those old-time MFY fans manage to mention 'death valley' about 30 times for every one time they mention the 296 ft RF corner with the 3ft fence. Part of what makes today's newer places look small is because many of them replaced '60s & '70s era parks which were much tougher than the old ones of their time. Think AstroDome, Shea, Dodger Stadium, Old Busch, Candlestick as compared to Wrigley, Fenway, Tiger Stadium. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 05:55 AM A great game and great company. We joined up with KC and KB before the game amnd they were gracious hosts. Triple D hooked up with us before the game and we took a leisurely stroll around Citi Field. I really liked the new place. Enjoyed watching the crisp offensive display of the Mets. Nice to see the the Mets could still hit home runs and the apple still worked (at least most of the time). The Mets found a way to add some drama to what appeared to be a laugher, but in the end the good guys prevailed. It was great to see KC and KB once again. I look forward to the next time. It was wonderful to meet Triple D. He is yet another example of the fine people that frequent the CPF. Safe travels Triple D. Sorry to have missed Farmer Ted. Frayed Knot Jul 14 2009 07:16 AM For those who were at (or weren't watching) Sunday's game and missed the explanation of the HR apple's "failure" to rise for Tatis's HR, it goes something like this: - because this apple (unlike the last one) is located in straight-away CF, and thus would be in the batter's line of sight if up, the raising and lowering is on a strictly timed basis; IOW, it's not as easy as pushing one button for up and another for down. - When triggered the iconic fruit is set to rise quickly but settle back down slowly so the drop begins almost immediately so as to be back in its nook before the next batter arrives. Problem is it then needs some 45 seconds to 'recharge' and reset the hydraulics before it can go up again. So not only was Tatis's 1st pitch bomb was too quick for the poor guy to be ready for further action (must be a male) but they also had to wait until the end of the inning for its 'tribute' so as to not interfere with the other batters. Poor dude waits about two weeks for some action and then gets so much at once he can't handle the workload. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:23 AM The apple had also just been up for the seventh-inning stretch. From the booth, Gary reported that there needs to be 45 seconds in between, but I think the Daily News the following day said it's two and a half minutes. Two homers in 45 seconds is probably pretty rare, but if it really requires 2.5 minutes, that seems like poor design to me. dgwphotography Jul 14 2009 07:28 AM It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... Edgy DC Jul 14 2009 07:30 AM I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:31 AM ="Edgy DC":1u79msq1]I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also.[/quote:1u79msq1] No, Schneider was honored, and Tatis was snubbed. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 11:02 AM ="dgwphotography":17umn5oj]It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... [/quote:17umn5oj] Is the picture reversed? Your daughter appears to be running down the third base line with the roped off infiled to her right side. Or am I just confused?

[Theoldmole]

I don't see Ralph suggesting something half-thought-out. I'd listen to him. It made a lot of sense to me.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I just went to the DVR - Ralph suggested that he stand in the bullpen while the pitcher warms up, presumably in hitting position, to work on pitch recognition.

[metirish]

I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course.


EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post.

[metirish]

Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I had to listen twice on the replay to be sure of what he was proposing.

Another rally - Castillo singles and steals, Sheff gets another hit to drive in Castillo, and Francoeur singles up the middle. 6-zip, and the hot Murphy up with a chance for some 2-out gravy.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Aaaaaand Murphy's solid single scores Sheff and excuses Roenicke for the rest of the afternoon. 1st & 3rd for Schneider, 2 out.

[metirish]

Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice.

[DocTee]

Castillo with three hits and three runs. Nice

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Pelfrey walks the first two batters in the fifth, and a double and infield single make it 7-2, 1st & 3rd, one out.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Puts those days of Argenis Reyes at the top of the lineup and Castillo at the bottom in perspective.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

This Rosales looks like Harland Williams.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Seems like we're getting a tastey extra helping of Ralph today.

[metirish]

Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park.