Opening Day IGT, 4/1/2011, Mets @ Marlins

[Guest The Second Spitter]

He's prejudice against the double-switch? (or maybe he wants to be credited with the 900th and 1000th Met)

Taking Thole out of the game made zero sense because if the Mets were gonna rally, it would have meant burning at least one AB with Nickeas.

TC is the extreme opposite of Jerry in bullpen management (and equally bad, imo). I'm fine with relievers not having pre-determined roles, but sending Beato out for a second dig doesn't conform to my idea of being prudent. They have a decent innings- eater in the 'pen, the idea is to use him when your starter is having a sucky day. It's not hard.

[Frayed Knot]

* I was against PH-ing for Thole (and said so at the time) mainly because I was hoping Terry wasn't going to go pure L/R and put up Nickeas (now THAT would have been a Jerry move).
At least by going with Hairston it became a better move than the one I feared although I still wouldn't have done it. Dunn, the reliever the Marlins brought in, is NOT their LOOGY specialist (Randy Choate is) and it's not like Thole is incompetent vs LHPs anyway. What he was opting for was the shot at getting all three runs at once but I liked the chances with the bat-on-the-ball guy and go for another run there and keep things moving. Hairston could have then hit for the pitcher either if/when Thole go on or leading off the next inning.

* Yeah, Duda was misplaced where he was used.

* I had no problem with either of Harris's dashes. The one going to second you HAVE to make but he did so easily and the one to 3rd (particularly w/just one out) was a no-brainer. And, yes, Coughlin is known to have a lousy arm and is still learning CF.

* No problem with Beato for a 2nd inning. Relievers are going to break is asked to get more than 3 outs.
Also didn't realize how big he is ... 6' 6" or so.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Overmanaging? Well, let's put it this way: 12 different position players were used in a game in which nobody was injured and in which the margin, once established, never dipped below three. It's Game 1, granted. But I think Terry needs some chamomile.

In a way it felt like he wanted to get the guys in there. The game felt like they were a bit nervous, still getting their legs under them, and maybe exposing as many people to it as possible helps. (note Murphy wasn't used, but all the other new guys were off the bench. Two of the more 'veteran' new relievers, Carrasco and Byrdak, were the ones not used)

Still, i would've left Thole in there. I understand Hairston hits lefties well and that's kinda what his role is on this team, but I prefer to try to give Thole a chance. I was hoping he wasn't going to fall into strict platoon situations, but now iwonder how much time Paulino will get when he shows up.

On one hand, Harris advancing wasn't the 'book' baseball thing to do, but pushing the envelope and playing aggressive is something this team should do, especially against poor teams like the Marlins that looked pretty bad out there even when they were fielding it for outs.

Reyes starting the game working a full count seemed good.

The biggest, and perhaps silliest, talk before the game was Harris in the lineup and batting second. But then he pinch hit Duda in there anyway. Seemed silly.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Liked Edgy I was trying hard to enjoy date nite, but damned if Pelfrey didn't do exactly what a 2010 Met would have done once the bases were loaded with 2 outs and the 8th batter up. I mean, come on.

TC definitely was going for the 3run homer with Hairston, the ease with which he whiffed was another cockpunch.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, I may disagree with the way Ceetar has been tying so many things to Warthan, but I may come around to his position yet if I see more of that crap.

Whatever Hairston allegedly brings you there that Thole could not, there was a good chance that you would lose all that and more when Nickeas appearred the next time around. To win this game, we likely needed a real hitter up in that slot twice.

I was perfectly good --- almost celebratory --- that Beato come out for a second inning. As a general rule, using one pitcher for two innings burns your pen less than using two. Jerry never learned this lesson and it was instrumental in the 2008 collapse. Probably Willie's 2007 one also. The team ran out of bullpen arms both times. Fresh as a daisy tomorrow: Carrasco, Byrdak, Parnell, K-Rod, and maybe even Capuano.

Also, the team had their first chance this season to help K-Rod add to his Games Finished total last night, with an otherwise mostly pointless appearance, and didn't. Moral victory!

I don't know if it's ever gonna come in handy, but what a neck on Hairston. Jay Payton on his neckiest day never had a neck like that.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Don't have a problem with pitching a reliever for two, just not Beato.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't know if it's ever gonna come in handy, but what a neck on Hairston. Jay Payton on his neckiest day never had a neck like that.

If this were improv comedy, this is the point where I would clap and say, "Cut to a situation where a Hairston neck WOULD come in handy."

[G-Fafif]

Since this game wasn't going our way anyway, phantom Schaefer point awarded to Logan Morrison for hitting one out for his old man. He can go 0-for-Weekend from here on out.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Yeah, I may disagree with the way Ceetar has been tying so many things to Warthan, but I may come around to his position yet if I see more of that crap.

I haven't brought him up yet this season, but either Ron or Keith noted that Pelfrey had just had a visit from Warthen when he gave up the slam. Gary noted that Pelfrey was a big supporter of his.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy DC wrote: I was perfectly good --- almost celebratory --- that Beato come out for a second inning. As a general rule, using one pitcher for two innings burns your pen less than using two. Jerry never learned this lesson and it was instrumental in the 2008 collapse. Probably Willie's 2007 one also. The team ran out of bullpen arms both times.

This. is close to what I was thinking when Beato came out for his second inning of work.

[Ceetar]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I was perfectly good --- almost celebratory --- that Beato come out for a second inning. As a general rule, using one pitcher for two innings burns your pen less than using two. Jerry never learned this lesson and it was instrumental in the 2008 collapse. Probably Willie's 2007 one also. The team ran out of bullpen arms both times. This. is close to what I was thinking when Beato came out for his second inning of work.

I was kinda thinking that he looked all ajumble in the first inning, why not give him the chance to relax a bit.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

My issue was that he's only pitched 90 ip in the last two years, after the Orioles somewhat abused him in the early part of his career. Plus you have an innings eater/ long-man/ mop-up man sitting in the pen better suited to that role, with the team trailing 0-5.

[smg58]

A few observations about last night:

Pelfrey should use reverse logic and go with the high fastball as his out pitch, and also trust his curve more. The Marlins were sitting on the sinker with two strikes, and fouling them off until he missed the strike zone or, in Buck's case, threw something fat.

Emaus can play second base well enough. He has to work on not fishing for breaking balls if he wants the super-high walk rate he's had in the minors, but you can't get him to bite on fastballs out in the zone.

Wright had a really bad day at the plate, and Davis had a bad day on the field. Hopefully they mean nothing in the long run.

I liked going for it with Hairston at that spot, he just got beat on some fastballs.

[ashie62]

My take on the game?

A bad day at the office.

[Guest Edgy DC]

• I don't think the Mets ever really beat the Marlins last year. It was just a question of whether they could hang in there long enough to let the Marlins beat themselves.

Edgy DC wrote:

You know?