IGT--Mets @ Phillies, 09/12/09

[bmfc1]

METS:
Luis Castillo 2B
Fernando Tatis LF
David Wright 3B
Carlos Beltran CF
Jeff Francoeur RF
Omir Santos C
Daniel Murphy 1B
Wilson Valdez SS
Mike Pelfrey RHP (10-10, 4.83)

Phillies:
J. Rollins ss
S. Victorino cf
C. Utley 2b
R. Howard 1b
R. Ibanez lf
J. Werth rf
P. Feliz 3b
C. Ruiz c
J. Moyer p

Even though he's not in the lineup, watch Angel Pagan go to CF anyway.
Tatis in LF--as Jason Fry said today, "The only player left who might be profitably scrutinized for 2010 is Nick Evans, but he isn't playing for some reason Jerry Manuel hasn't seen fit to share with the world. (Are there really still things to learn about Fernando Tatis?)"
Howie Rose is doing the game w/Tim McCarver on FOX.
And The Times Mets beat reporter is covering the MFY game today.

[bmfc1]

The Mets have more runs than the other team. First time since Sunday. Of course, the other team hasn't had a chance yet but it's still worth noting!

[Guest Kong76]

Four straight hits, no five, to start the game.
I wonder what the consecutive hits record is to start
a game for the Mets?

[Guest Kong76]

Jinxaroo

[dgwphotography]

I love the fact that Howie is doing the game with McCarver.

[Frayed Knot]

This is Castillo's 15th start at lead-off with his .400-ish OBA.
Pagan has 60, Cora 23

It's amazing how stubborn managers are to move a guy off his "natural" position. (what is someone's "natural" position anyway? Is that the one they were in coming out of the womb?)
Even though Jerry floated the idea of Castillo batting there pre-season, he still barely did so even after Reyes was lost for the year.

On the other hand, [u:4gozidsg]Charlie[/u:4gozidsg] Manual hasn't moved Rollins and his year-long sub-.300 OBA out of there either, even with a likely replacement like Victorino in his stable.

[G-Fafif]

Four straight hits, no five, to start the game.
I wonder what the consecutive hits record is to start
a game for the Mets?[/quote:1llp9br4]

First time since June 25, 1979 the Mets started a game with at least five straight hits: six against the Pirates then, resulting in a 4-0 lead off Jim Rooker. Mets won 4-0.

Nice to know we have a few tricks up our sleeve against eventual division champions when we're otherwise not participating in these races.

(Though a little disturbing they never scored again in that game and now it's 4-3 in this game.)

[Frayed Knot]

Nothing like 5 2-out runs to ruin a good start.

[Guest Edgy DC]

This is Castillo's 15th start at lead-off with his .400-ish OBA.
Pagan has 60, Cora 23

It's amazing how stubborn managers are to move a guy off his "natural" position. (what is someone's "natural" position anyway? Is that the one they were in coming out of the womb?)
Even though Jerry floated the idea of Castillo batting there pre-season, he still barely did so even after Reyes was lost for the year.

[ashie62]

Pitch Pelfrey into off-season shitpile

He's Aaron Heilman but without the talent

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm really totally sick of Jerry Manuel. His contract expires after 2010, right?

Of course, I'm hoping the Mets win the World Series in 2010, which would mean Jerry's return in 2011. But that's neither here nor there right now.


Meanwhile, I walked away from the TV after the first inning. Now I'm glad I did. (It sure was nice seeing Carlos Beltran hit a home run, though. We should have seen that 20 more times this year.)

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Pelf is such a disappointment. He should have tried to be the ace of what's left of the rotation, and he's getting out-pitched by Misch and Redding.

[Guest Kong76]

Speaking of totally sick, I'm sick of these FOX games turning into a
commercial for Tim McCarver's crooning hobby/career.

[Frayed Knot]

Four straight hits, no five, to start the game.[/quote:1fczy24k]

And two since.

[Guest Kong76]

Francoeur with warning track power twice today in the band
box ... not a comforting sight.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Speaking of totally sick, I'm sick of these FOX games turning into a
commercial for Tim McCarver's crooning hobby/career.[/quote:1bkyslht]

Funny. I was wondering why my program guide listed the Saturday game this week as "Fox presents the Tim McCarver Bullshit-and-Self-Indulgence Sandwich of the Week with Howie Rose."

Francoeur's got the hand problem, no? That would explain a bit of the power drain.

[Guest Kong76]

The booth tells us that the Mets lead the league in hits with
men in scoring position? Is that possible? I ain't checking, just
thinking out loud by myself here in this barren IGT lol.

[Guest Kong76]

LSFS: Francoeur's got the hand problem, no? <<<

True, I was being a sour puss.

[Guest Kong76]

More freakin' Tim and his friends promos.
Howie creeping towards getting me to fire off an email to him.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The booth tells us that the Mets lead the league in hits with
men in scoring position? Is that possible? I ain't checking, just
thinking out loud by myself here in this barren IGT lol.[/quote:bgwr85xs]

Tops in the NL, third in the majors (behind Anaheim and Bawlmer) with .284. (Slugging is middle-of-the-road, though, at .415, and they're second-to-last in HRs w/RISP.)

McCarver's one of the few innocuous public figures I haven't met yet to whom I'd have REAL trouble finding something nice to say if I ever met 'em. (The best I could come up with? Probably something like, "I remember watching you when I was a kid," or something else similarly passive-aggressive.)

Edited September 12, 2009 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

The booth tells us that the Mets lead the league in hits with
men in scoring position? Is that possible?[/quote:3qruim7j]

It's been true virtually the entire season.
Of course a lot of those are singles which often score only one run - and sometimes not even that many.

It's also a stat that doesn't mean as much as the people who quote it a lot think it means.

[Frayed Knot]

Oh good, it's the two-out baserunner brigade.

[Guest Kong76]

Thank you both.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Shift? WTF?

[Guest Kong76]

I predict a grand slam to the second deck.

[Guest Kong76]

Phils leave 'em loaded in the 8th ... PEDRO!!

Three outs to get a run or six.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

FUCK and YES.

[Frayed Knot]

Seven or eight more and I'll feel safe

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

K-Rod to close.

Secure all loose jewelry and other items, and keep all hands inside the car.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Slam the door on them Frankie!