KTE: Marlins 5/16 & 5/17

[seawolf17]

Just two against the Marlins, so we'll make this easy. Plus I just stumbled across tickets for tonight, so I think I might wind up at the game.

Tonight, an opening day rematch as Josh Johnson (3-1, 1.63 on the season, 22-0, 0.86 career against the Mets) takes on Mike Pelfrey (3-3, 5.74 on the season, 0-22, 8.60 career against Florida). Johnson and the Fish won the opener in Miami, but perhaps a change of venue will benefit Big Pelf; hope he doesn't mind a little rain also. Johnson leads the majors in BAA (.168), and in his four starts with five days' rest is 2-0, 0.33 (one run in 27 1/3 innings).

Full Disclosure: I obviously made up those career records, but... this is the fifth time Johnson and Pelfrey have faced off. Johnson is 4-0, 3.76 in those games, while Pelf is 0-4, 10.13. So... yeah.

Tomorrow night, Ricky Nolasco (3-0, 3.02) faces Hawk Niese (2-4, 5.03). Nolasco is 5-6, 5.26 career against the Mets, but that's skewed by four awful appearances his rookie year. (Since 2007, he's 5-3, 3.93.)

Bullpenners: LHPs Randy Choate and Mike Dunn, RHPs Burke Badenhop, Edward Mujica, Brian Sanches, and Ryan Webb. RHP Leo Nunez is the closer, leading the majors with 14 saves (in 14 chances).

Who's Hot: Logan Morrison (@lomomarlins) returned from the DL Friday and hit three home runs over the weekend. He has a 13-game hitting streak going.

Who's Not: Nobody, really. Javy Vazquez got lit up again yesterday, but that doesn't matter.

Lineup:
1B Gaby Sanchez -- I always think this guy was once a Met minor leaguer, but he isn't. I'm conflating him with Gaby Hernandez. Sanchez, however, is lighting up the league: 5th in OPS, 8th in hits, 7th in total bases, etc. Walk him.
2B Omar Infante -- Remember how he made the All-Star Team last year? What bullshit. Sucks this year; .551 OPS.
3B is sort of a revolving cast for Florida; Greg Dobbs is their most usual 3B, but he's really more of a pinch-hitting specialist.
SS Hanley Ramirez -- Everything we wish Jose Reyes was, except I think he's kind of a dick.
LF Logan Morrison -- Emilio Bonifacio has been getting a lot of time while LoMo was out, but he's back.
CF Chris Coghlan -- Somehow won the ROY Award in 2009.
RF Mike Stanton -- We're going to see a whole lot of him in the next couple of years; huge bat.
C John Buck -- Signed a three-year, $18 million deal this offseason after a career year in 2010. Couldn't walk if you spotted him three balls.

Other guys to worry about:
Nobody of significance. Wes Helms is on the bench, but he's almost as old as me. Osvaldo Martinez is a backup infielder, and Scott Cousins is their backup OF. Bonifacio is a utility guy, and their backup catcher is a guy named Brett Hayes.

The Future:
RHP Tom Koehler (Stony Brook '08) is pitching lights-out with the Zephyrs; he's 4-0, 2.66 in seven starts, plus he has a card in the new Bowman set that comes out this week, so I'm pretty excited. Really want to see him get some big league starts this year, because that will likely mean that one of the Fish's regular starters is hurt.

[Edgy MD]

Burke Bandenhop cut some swinging sides for Blue Note in the mid-fifties.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

SS Hanley Ramirez -- Everything we wish Jose Reyes was, except I think he's kind of a dick.

We wish Jose were batting .213 and slugging sub-.300? Ramirez is playing like his enchanted portrait burned to a crisp in the offseason.

[Guest themetfairy]

Thanks for the knowledge seawolf. Now go and cheer the Mets to victory - we're counting on you!

[metirish]

Good job Wolf , .500 here we come.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I don't really see these guys being as good as their record says they are. I mean, until we beat them a few more times I guess they are, but their producers won't all continue to produce at their rates all year as surely as Ramirez can't be expected to struggle like he has.

Are they good yes or no?

[metirish]

It'a all about pitching with them isn't it?

[Edgy MD]

The names change, but the defense is always wanting.