XIGT, 3/14, Mets @ Tigers in Lakeland

[Edgy MD]

Lots of Bisons out there today.

1. Valdespin, 2b
2. Turner, ss (!)
3. Murphy, dh
4. Lutz, 1b
5. Baxter, lf
6. Thole, c
7. Loewen, rf
8. Flores, 3b
9. den Dekker, cf

Gee, sp

1. Santiago, ss
2. Boesch, rf
3. Cabrera, 3b
4. Fielder, 1b
5. Young, lf
6. Avila, c
7. Inge, 2b
8. Laird, dh
9. Berry, cf (Rerun?)

Scherzer, sp

Mets	=#FF8000]Tigers

[Ceetar]

Turner! because of Cedeno's injury perhaps.

[MFS62]

Not Fred, he was too heavy.
Maybe Ken could play center, like his major league namesake.


If I were pitching, I'd try for a lot of strikeouts.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Ceetar wrote: Turner! because of Cedeno's injury perhaps.

Sure, and Tejada's. But they they have Valdespin available. So they clearly want to get a good look at whether Turner can hack it during the regular season.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Ceetar wrote: Turner! because of Cedeno's injury perhaps. Sure, and Tejada's. But they they have Valdespin available. So they clearly want to get a good look at whether Turner can hack it during the regular season.

yeah, that's what I meant. Testing him there as a backup. Can't be that horrible can he?

[Edgy MD]

I'm sure he'll play like a major league athlete, but yeah, I think, as challenged as the Mets defense looks, that he'd be a most unappetizing selection at shortstop.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: I'm sure he'll play like a major league athlete, but yeah, I think, as challenged as the Mets defense looks, that he'd be a most unappetizing selection at shortstop.

Sure. But I guess they're hoping he can be a passable guy that they put out there to rest Tejada for say Niese starts with high Ks, versus awkwardly asking Santana to try to make sure the hitters hit the ball to the right side or in the air or phoning Alex Cora to see how he's doing.

[Edgy MD]

We're in warmups here in our Pi Day matchup with the Tigers. Jordany Valdespin should be straining his quad right... about... NOW.

Matt Harvey throwing in a minor league game today, reportedly hitting 96 pretty consistently.

Asked what he thinks about that, Steven Matz reported that he likes turtles.

[Ceetar]

I kinda want to watch Turner. disappointed.

[Edgy MD]

Turner singles in the first, caught stealing. Trying to do too much.

[Ceetar]

Boesch was scratched for Matt Young btw, on the Tigers side.

[A Boy Named Seo]

FYI - game's on ESPN if you you're playing hooky or have TV at work.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

who's winning

[Ceetar]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: FYI - game's on ESPN if you you're playing hooky or have TV at work.

wish. And I don't trust the bars around here to have Spring Games on, or I'd have taken a 1-2 lunch.

I hear the Mets are rocking it though, and Turner made a good defensive DP start. via Twitter.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: who's winning

Key detail.

Mets have the Tigers burning bright to the tune of 4-2. Mets got all their runs without extra base hits, opting instead for piling singles and walks on top of each other for a four a four-run rally in the third.

Fielder took Gee for a two-run homer in the fourth. Otherwise, he struck out five and walked one, pitching deep into the game than any Metrician this spring.

[TransMonk]

Gee's pithcing looked good in the one frame I saw while home for lunch (bot 3, granted it was against 8-9-1 in the order).

I still think his chin looks like something someone pulled out of a YMCA shower drain. I'm hoping it doesn't travel north.

[Frayed Knot]

Tigers now up 6-4 thanks to a sloppy inning. Flores & Turner among the culprits.
Chuck James pitching. He walked a few but also deserved better.

[Edgy MD]

Taking over at shortstop: Lucas May.

For reals!

Shmets still trail, 6-5.

Terry must be a swirling tornado of anger.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Taking over at shortstop: Lucas May. For reals! Shmets still trail, 6-5.

Do we read into that? Do they like May's bat and want to see if he can be versatile?

[Frayed Knot]

May is an ex-SS who only converted to catcher a few years back. That probably means he was never a very good SS to begin with but for a backup role that's fine.
In the meantime that kind of versatility can be valuable as it helps solve the problem of two catchers not being enough and three being too many.
Keep a guy like him who can play elsewhere and it's like having 2-1/2 catchers.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: May is an ex-SS who only converted to catcher a few years back. That probably means he was never a very good SS to begin with but for a backup role that's fine. In the meantime that kind of versatility can be valuable as it helps solve the problem of two catchers not being enough and three being too many. Keep a guy like him who can play elsewhere and it's like having 2-1/2 catchers.

same with Rottino i imagine.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: May is an ex-SS who only converted to catcher a few years back. That probably means he was never a very good SS to begin with but for a backup role that's fine. In the meantime that kind of versatility can be valuable as it helps solve the problem of two catchers not being enough and three being too many. Keep a guy like him who can play elsewhere and it's like having 2-1/2 catchers.

Hasn't played short since 2005, but.. Go Lucas! Go Terry!

Meanwhilst, the Mets tie it up in the eighth on two walks, ground out, another walk, a wild pitch. They have 10 walks. I think that means we all get pizza.

[Edgy MD]

Derwood Gorski making his debut in the ninth. Single, sac bunt. One out

[Edgy MD]

Fly out to left. Second single. First and third.

Both hits were infield hits directed at May, now playing third. Gulptastic.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy DC wrote: Fly out to left. Second single. First and third. Both hits were infield hits directed at May, now playing third. Gulptastic.

I never, EVER thought I'd ever think-- much less say/write-- the phrase "poor man's Brandon Inge."

[Guest vtmet]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Fly out to left. Second single. First and third. Both hits were infield hits directed at May, now playing third. Gulptastic. I never, EVER thought I'd ever think-- much less say/write-- the phrase "poor man's Brandon Inge."

except Brandon Inge can play defense...maybe a poor man's Ty Wigginton with less power...and judging by May's throws to 2nd yesterday, Wiggy could probably do better if given the chance...