IGT 7/8/2012 CHI @ NYM: Spin Citi

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Jordany Valdespin gets the start in center field, with Hairston in left and Nooey observing. Ryan Dempster returns from the DL to get his pride injured by the Mets.

The lineup for the good guys:

Ruben Tejada, ss
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Ike Davis, 1b
Lucas Duda, rf
Scott Hairston, lf
Jordany Valdespin, cf
Josh Thole, c
Jon Niese, p

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I didn't know Valde played center.

[Ceetar]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: I didn't know Valde played center.

this was a late spring experiment when everyone was getting hurt. He's played there some (left field yesterday) in the minors now too.

Probably ups his versatility (trade!) and personally I think he's a much better outfielder than infielder.

[Frayed Knot]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: I didn't know Valde played center.

When your nominal CFers hit like they're hitting, he becomes one rather quickly.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'd be a lot more worried about the outfield defense if Ex-Hawkman hadn't turned into a ground-ball specialist (22nd in MLB in GB%, 81st in FB%) this year.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Expect Keith to bring up Davey Johnson's Sid Fernandez defensive alignment no later than the second inning.

[G-Fafif]

There's a touch of Kevin Mitchell circa 1986 to this kid. Just (allegedly) hide the cats down the road.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

The Cubbies go righthanded vs. Niese, including the usual place on the pine for all-star Bryan LaHair.

Johnson CF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Soriano LF
Baker RF
Soto C
Barney 2B
Valbuena 3B
Dempster P

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Yoicks! Niese looks like a Red Sox pitcher in the first. 4-0 Cubs before the Mets step to the plate.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

A Hairy three-bagger brings up the CF du jour with one out.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Valdespin lines out to second, leaving it up to Buster Posey's knuckleball consultant.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I predict that the Mets will win a wild one today. Hairston will hit for the cycle. Johan will get the Save. And Ralph Kiner won't be overcome by the heat.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I predict batmags is right, but the comeback will have to wait until at least the third. I hate stranding one-out triples.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Dempster looks pretty good out there. Leaving runners on third with less than two out is not the way to play catch-up.

[Frayed Knot]

Getting down by four in the 1st inning is one thing - it happens (and the Cubs didn't exactly smack the ball around that inning either).
But then allowing two consecutive opportunities to slide by without scoring -- runner on 3rd w/1 out; 1st & 2nd w/no outs and 2-3-4 coming up -- is the type of thing that comes back to haunt you.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Dempster DID pitch Murph and Wright REALLY well there, though. (The changeup that got SugarPants was filthy.)

[Guest Swan Swan H]

OK, Niese has settled down. The Cubs are stuck on four. Time for the Mets to begin working on getting five.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Why do people wear team gear-- jerseys, hats, etc.-- from other sports to baseball games? It's just... strange.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Why do people wear team gear-- jerseys, hats, etc.-- from other sports to baseball games? It's just... strange.

My guess is they're fans of neither team playing. If I went to a Yankees-Mariners game, say, I might not want to wear a Mets shirt, but might go with a NY Rangers or NY Giants shirt.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Dempster out due to pitch limit, and Maholm is greeted by singles by Murphy and Wright. Duda up, two on, one out.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Alderson in the booth, post-Ralph (who-- it pains me to say-- is really starting to show the age, voice- and observation-wise). Some nuggets:

BULLPEN: We should expect changes in the "10 days or so, following the [All-Star break]," with guys like Mejia or Edgin getting a call up. Trades may come after more internal options are explored, but likely not before.

VALDESPIN: "He brings a lot.. a lot of things to the table. Some of those... things we don't have, you know?"

HARVEY: "It's possible that Johan will get stronger, it's possible that Niese continues to develop... but if we have a need, Harvey's getting a LOT closer... the pitches and sequencing are really coming along. A month down the road, he could certainly be a possibility."

[Frayed Knot]

And now they blow a third good chance at chopping away at the lead!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

And Castro gives the Cubs a lead that will require more than chipping. 7-0 Cubs.

[Frayed Knot]

Thole definitely has his weak ground-ball stroke down pat.
Three in a row so far today resulting in four outs and several potential rallies killed.




In recounting his ASG appearances, Keith is conveniently forgetting the '85 game where, as he recounts in his 'If At First' book, he declined the opportunity to be an addition to that squad (albeit a last-minute one).

[ashie62]

Sandy is such a tease.

How about..Bay in left as a righty bat...Torres and Newie share CF...Hairston & Duda platoon.

Bullpen...He better find out about these internal options before the deadline. He seemed to infer that Harvey still has command issues with his secondaries.

Sandy did not say anything I have not read on this board.

So..see how it flies and we still make need an external Right bat and RP..

[Frayed Knot]

Great NYM pitching today ... for 7 of the 9 innings.

Sucky NYM hitting today for 9 of the 9 innings.

Edited July 8, 2012 by Guest

[bmfc1]

At least it was over quickly. What a stinker and it's the last game until Friday.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Phils-Braves on TBS. You can hear Ron Darling and watch two teams that don't look any better than the Mets.

[ashie62]

These team is not good enough to lose two of three to the Cubs..

Anyway, nice first half but could have been better. Nice job by Terry...Sandy we shall see.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I was actually considering going to this game. I'm glad that the motivation never kicked in. It takes a lot of effort for me to get to Citi Field and it's especially important to avoid the dud games.