IGT--Nationals @ Mets, 09/18/09

[bmfc1]

[u:347a0vc3]Nationals:[/u:347a0vc3]
Harris - 8
Guzman - 6
Zimmerman - 5
Dunn - 3
Willingham - 7
Dukes - 9
Desmond - 4
Bard - 2
Martin - 1

[u:347a0vc3]METS:[/u:347a0vc3]
Pagan - 7
Castillo - 4
Wright - 5
Beltran - 8
Murphy - 3
Francoeur - 9
Schneider - 2
Valdez - 6
Pelfrey - 1

Lineups courtesy CPF fave Chico Harlan. The Mets won't see Livan this series.

[ashie62]

Desmond Child?

There's that Willie Harris person..again..

[bmfc1]

That's Ian Desmond and he's a favorite of the Nationals blogger at fjb.com. Baseball Prospectus said this about Desmond: "This kid can hit and really play some defense. If I'm the Nationals, he's my shortstop on Opening Day next year instead of Cristian Guzman."

fjb.com also says:

Since Nyjer Morgan went down, they've scored 59 runs in 18 games, an average of 3.28. The biggest culprits over the last month:

* Guzman: .200 BA, 3 BB, 3 XBH (more errors than BB or XBH)
* Willingham: .157 BA, 6 XBH, 9 RBI, 27 K
* Nieves: 0 XBH (the same number of balks and outfield assists)
* Gonzalez: .203 BA, 1 BB (more GDP than walks)
* Bard: .234 BA, 11 K 0 BB (the same number of walks as touchdown passes, slam dunks, and double salchows)

http://firejimbowden.blogspot.com/

[G-Fafif]

Chico Harlan gets to cover SIX Mets-Nationals games in the final two weeks of the season. Other sportswriters might feel consigned to purgatory, but Chico so loves baseball, really it's a treat and a challenge.

[Frayed Knot]

Desmond was one of those "toolsy" prospects who was on the brink of falling off a lot of radar screens when he suddenly put it all together in the minors this year (jumped from .256/.321/.408 in 2008 to .330/.401/.477) and then had a smashing debut with the Nats just recently: 2-fer-4 incl a 3R HR -- and is 10 for 20 so far.
The Nats have talked to Christian Guzman about moving to 2nd next year to make room for Desmond but he's reportedly not too happy about the idea.

Pulling rank to stay at SS even if it hurts the team ... who does he think he is? - Jeter!?!



* Ian Desmond was a 3rd round pick in 2004 - an Omar pick!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Jeezus. Beltran out at home as Wilson Valdez smokes one into his second DP of the night.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Are we seriously losing to the bleeping Nationals?

[Frayed Knot]

And from the 'it probably won't matter but WTF anyway' file, why Sheffield PHing to lead off an inning when you're down by 3?

It made sense to have him on-deck when the line-drive DP ended the previous frame because there were men on. But it makes little sense to just trot him out there again the next inning when the bases are empty. I can picture us getting guys on towards the end of the game needing an extra-base hit and seeing Andy Handy swinging a bat in the circle.

[metirish]

A Mets game with an unbelievable finish...not in the Mets favor of course....

[Frayed Knot]

I know we suck. I really, truly am not trying to dispute that current fact.
But can just one break, one bounce, or one twist of good fortune go our way sometime before this year is out? Because I get the feeling that the next time this happens will be the first.

[Gwreck]

We got it with that error that Desmond threw away in the 9th. Problem was that Stokes had given up that homer in the top of the 9th on the first pitch.

Never thought I'd be able to make it down from my seats to the Taqueria in less than an inning but it's strange times these days at the stadium.

[ashie62]

Boise St. 34 Fresno St 27 3rd Qt

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

A Mets game with an unbelievable finish...not in the Mets favor of course....[/quote:1r9vmvgt]


damn turned it off after Stokes' giving up that HR

[ashie62]

Please fire Manuel and all coaches this off-season

[Frayed Knot]

We got [a break] with that error that Desmond threw away in the 9th. Problem was that Stokes had given up that homer in the top of the 9th on the first pitch.[/quote:3g17bs1d]

Yeah I thought about the error and was mainly just venting.

But still, why couldn't Francoeur's ball off the pitcher's glove bounced away just a few more feet instead of falling dead right next to the pitcher?
And why do I have the sneaking feeling that if the teams were reversed that ball not only would have bounced far away enough for the tying run to score but would have ricocheted off the glove and into the dugout allowing BOTH the tying and winning runs to score.

It's just the way this season has gone; we've deserved little yet somehow gotten even less.