IGT, 3/9, vs. Astros

[Guest Edgy DC]

[*:2z4589h7]Luis Castillo, 2B[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Angel Pagan, CF[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Daniel Murphy, DH[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Jason Bay, LF[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Ike Davis, 1B[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Lucas Duda, RF[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Russ Adams, 3B[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Josh Thole, C[/*:m:2z4589h7]
[*:2z4589h7]Chin-lung Hu, SS[/*:m:2z4589h7][/list:o:2z4589h7]
Chris Young, SP

[MFS62]

Haven't noticed in the box scores, will this be Dida's first game in right field? He could be auditioning for a spot on the 25 man roster.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Castillo walks to lead off the first and is still there with two outs as Bay tries his turn.

A pickoff throw gets away and Castill is now on third.

But Bay grounds out to Angel Sanchez and the Mets are retired.

[Ceetar]

Anderson Hernandez 4/5 this spring. maybe he can tempt the Phillies to trade for him.

Duda walks. like him.

[Ceetar]

Thole BOMB! wheeee...

[Guest Edgy DC]

That thunder brought to you by Josh Thole.

Kody Clemens lived up to his ill-thought-out initial and struck out looking his first time up for the Astros.

[TransMonk]

I believe this game will be re-aired on the MLB network later tonight.

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: I believe this game will be re-aired on the MLB network later tonight.

yah! I don't get to watch a lot of these. listening to the Astros audio feed again.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Young Line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 S0, 2 HR.

So is that what we're rooting for? Stay away from walks and use the park which will hopefully hold the ball better than this one?

[TransMonk]

I think so. Young's gonna give up HRs, especially on the road. If he can limit the amount of runners on when those dingers come, he'll be OK.

In the end, I think Young's stats when he pitches will be fine. It's all about his durability in my book.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: The Young Line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 S0, 2 HR. So is that what we're rooting for? Stay away from walks and use the park which will hopefully hold the ball better than this one?

Well, it's spring. but yeah, no BBs is a start. I think there were a couple deep fly outs too, so perhaps he just was a little flat with his pitches today. That's a Quality Start right there though, which is usually about what you want outta 4 and 5 in the rotation.

Thole thrown out stealing. stealing? stealing.

announcers: "Was that a hit and run? Hu didn't swing."

"You mean the SS, Chin Lung Hu didn't swing."

and then an aside about Abbot and Castello.

[Ceetar]

btw, Castillo 1/1 with 2 walks today.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Two run single by Murphybed and the Mets lead 4-2.

[Guest Edgy DC]

We have three innings of perfect ball from John Lujan (who may be the first Met to wear 69 in forever, 1 IP, 1 SO), Francisco Rodriguez (1 2/3 IP, 2 SO), and Blaine Boyer (1/3 IP, 0 SO).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Two outs and a runner on third. Can Kirk Nieuwenhuis come through?



Two. Run. Homer.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Josh Stinson on, looking to carry on the perfection.

[Ceetar]

Two outs and a runner on third. Can Kirk Nieuwenhuis come through? Two. Run. Homer.

As the houston announcer said: "That's a scrabble name"

[Guest Edgy DC]

A two out single by YouMustBeanAngel Sanchez, and the perfection ceases. Stinson still puts up a zero and leaves the mound with a "What do you want? --- I'm just Josh Stinson" grin on on his face.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Highlights of nning eight:

• Nick Evans: GiDP.
  
• Fernando Martinez: Reaches first on error.
  
• Russ Adams, whose presence in front of Josh Thole in the lineup prompted Thole's angry homer: Doubles in Martinez.

7-2, babies.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Hi, I'm Manny Acosta. I just closed out that game by striking out the side in the ninth.

On nine pitches.

Love me.



Seven-two is your final.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Hi, I'm Manny Acosta. I just closed out that game by striking out the side in the ninth. On nine pitches. Love me. Seven-two is your final.

was it really nine pitches?

[Benjamin Grimm]

The bullpen configuration for this season is, for me, the most intriguing question. (Ahead of the second base competition, and especially ahead of the starting rotation, which I assume is very likely to be Pelfrey/Dickey/Niese/Young/Capuano.)

I'm most curious about whether Beato, Isringhausen, and Acosta will make the team.

[Guest Edgy DC]

was it really nine pitches?

Gameday says so. Nine pitches, nine strikes, zero balls.

Acosta will so make this team.

[Lefty Specialist]

Edgy DC wrote: Hi, I'm Manny Acosta. I just closed out that game by striking out the side in the ninth. On nine pitches. Love me.

Do it in a close game that counts and we'll talk.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Gameday says so. Nine pitches, nine strikes, zero balls.

Gameday is stupid. It's not tracking balls and strikes in spring.

Every BB is a 4 ball walk, every K is a 3 strike one, and every out is on the first pitch.

but we'll go with it. Long Live Acosta.

[TransMonk]

I'm caustiously optimistic about the bullpen. Having too many arms is better than not having enough.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Problem is, this may be the only time we have too many good arms; the best of the backenders are likely to walk if they don't latch on to the bottom rung. Beato's Rule V, Misch and Acosta are out of options, and Isringhausen won't go to the minors if he's cut. Whoever the odd man (or men) is, he's probably lost.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Many rivers to cross before we get there.

[metirish]

Edgy DC wrote: Many rivers to cross

this is not the Klassic rock thread

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Many rivers to cross before we get there.

indeed, chances everyone remembers to caulk the tires and float over safely without blowing out an elbow?

The bullpen doesn't look like it'll be bad though, unlike what people think. It wasn't really bad last year either, despite what people think/thought.

Pelfrey and Dickey can often go deeper, but a strong bullpen masks some of the depth issues in the starting pitching, much like it did in 2006.