IGT Tues Jul 17 Mets at Nats

[Fman99]

Niese vs. Ross Detwiler. Time to get off the shnide.

[TransMonk]

I'm going to be taking advantage of the free MLB Extra Innings preview this week and will watch this one from the comfort of my living room couch rather than the comfort of my office chair.

My old roommate from 1995 will be visiting and watching the game with me. He was originally from Bayonne and is the only other Wisconsin Mets fan I've spent anytime with. He has lived in California for several years, but it will be nice to catch up over some pizza and a Mets game.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

TransMonk wrote: I'm going to be taking advantage of the free MLB Extra Innings preview this week and will watch this one from the comfort of my living room couch rather than the comfort of my office chair. My old roommate from 1995 will be visiting and watching the game with me. He was originally from Bayonne and is the only other Wisconsin Mets fan I've spent anytime with. He has lived in California for several years, but it will be nice to catch up over some pizza and a Mets game.

That definitely sounds like fun, but I may have to add 'They have pizza in Wisconsin' to the 'Things you only learned recently' thread.

[TransMonk]

Whoa!!! I think pizza is pretty a pretty national thing. If you ever visit, I'll have my wife make you some from scratch. Her's is the best...but we will probably end up with delivery tomorrow.

Oh...and they'll be beer tomorrow. That shouldn't be as shocking.

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: Whoa!!! I think pizza is pretty a pretty national thing. If you ever visit, I'll have my wife make you some from scratch. Her's is the best...but we will probably end up with delivery tomorrow. Oh...and they'll be beer tomorrow. That shouldn't be as shocking.

It's not .


But I imagine the cheese gives Wisconsin a leg up on everyone but New York and St Louis.

[bmfc1]

My guess at tonight's lineup against Detwiler (LHP):
1. Tejada
2. Murphy
3. Wright
4. Hairston
5. Bay
6. Davis
7. Nickeas
8. Torres
9. Niese.

Cedeno could play 2B. Thole could catch but it's not a big deal either way (Nickeas is 0 for 5 v Detwiler). Turner (1 for 6) could play 1B and then make a critical mistake that costs the Mets at least one run but hey!, they'd have his potent bat in the lineup. Torres could bat #2 but that puts two left-handed bats in the 2d half of the order.

No matter how you look at it, it's an embarrassment of riches!

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/batvspitch/_/id/28895/ross-detwiler

[Ceetar]

I'd move Bay ahead of Hairston. Hairston, even against lefties, is still a lot more of a feast or famine guy, where Bay is more likely to get on making it more likely Hairston's hit drives in runs.

[bmfc1]

That's a lot of pressure on Bay, first game back. You wouldn't want him to feel any heat... it's not like the team is depending on him to help improve how poorly they've been doing against LHPs. But if I see Shorty, I'll pass on the suggestion.

[Edgy MD]

Didn't go for Cede�o or Turner over Moiphy. Interesting.

I really like Tejada and Murphy at the top of the lineup, but not necessarily against lefties.

I'm fine with Hairston in front of Bay. It's the middle of the lineup, so we're not looking of table setters, I'm not convinced he's a better one than Hairston anyhow, and he has enough problems without having to bat cleanup against a first-place team on his first day back.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Asked if he�d rejoin the Mets if the decision were up to him, Bay said, �That�s a good question. I�m going to see what they say. If you ask any guy, they�re going to stay, �Get up there.� I just want to make sure it�s the best thing.�

Boy if that doesn't whet your appetite for hot Jason Bay Action, I don't know what will. Maybe he'll show up with the flu again and smash his head into a fence.

[TransMonk]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Maybe he'll show up with the flu again and smash his head into a fence.

BOC!!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I'd move Bay ahead of Hairston. Hairston, even against lefties, is still a lot more of a feast or famine guy, where Bay is more likely to get on making it more likely Hairston's hit drives in runs.

Maybe in years past, but this year Hairy's OBP vs. LHP is a few ticks higher than Bay's (.333 to .321). If and when Bay can prove he's not that hitter he deserves to move up.

[bmfc1]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Asked if he�d rejoin the Mets if the decision were up to him, Bay said, �That�s a good question. I�m going to see what they say. If you ask any guy, they�re going to stay, �Get up there.� I just want to make sure it�s the best thing.� Boy if that doesn't whet your appetite for hot Jason Bay Action, I don't know what will. Maybe he'll show up with the flu again and smash his head into a fence.

Thanks for quoting this, JCL. He should say "I can't wait to get back in the lineup and help the team" but he manages to say exactly the wrong thing.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Didn't go for Cede�o or Turner over Moiphy. Interesting. I really like Tejada and Murphy at the top of the lineup, but not necessarily against lefties. I'm fine with Hairston in front of Bay. It's the middle of the lineup, so we're not looking of table setters, I'm not convinced he's a better one than Hairston anyhow, and he has enough problems without having to bat cleanup against a first-place team on his first day back.

He's supposed to be a slugger. Batting in the cleanup spot and driving in David Wright is pretty much exactly what he was signed for. Maybe there is more comfort and familiarity with it than pressure.

Swan Swan H wrote: I'd move Bay ahead of Hairston. Hairston, even against lefties, is still a lot more of a feast or famine guy, where Bay is more likely to get on making it more likely Hairston's hit drives in runs. Maybe in years past, but this year Hairy's OBP vs. LHP is a few ticks higher than Bay's (.333 to .321). If and when Bay can prove he's not that hitter he deserves to move up.

Bay has merely 28 PA against lefties this year. It's hardly meaningful data. Bay as a general rule is the more patient hitter. Then again, hitting inbetween Scott and David, you'd have to be a fool to walk him.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Ceetar wrote: Bay has merely 28 PA against lefties this year. It's hardly meaningful data. Bay as a general rule is the more patient hitter. Then again, hitting inbetween Scott and David, you'd have to be a fool to walk him.

So you'd rather pitch to Bay than Hairston? How does that justify hitting him higher in the order?

[Edgy MD]

Ceetar wrote: I'd move Bay ahead of Hairston. Hairston, even against lefties, is still a lot more of a feast or famine guy, where Bay is more likely to get on making it more likely Hairston's hit drives in runs.

Ceetar wrote: He's supposed to be a slugger. Batting in the cleanup spot and driving in David Wright is pretty much exactly what he was signed for. Maybe there is more comfort and familiarity with it than pressure.

Which is it --- that Bay should bat before Hairston because he's a better bet to get on, or that he should bat before Hairston because he's a better bet to drive in runs?

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Ceetar wrote: I'd move Bay ahead of Hairston. Hairston, even against lefties, is still a lot more of a feast or famine guy, where Bay is more likely to get on making it more likely Hairston's hit drives in runs. Ceetar wrote: He's supposed to be a slugger. Batting in the cleanup spot and driving in David Wright is pretty much exactly what he was signed for. Maybe there is more comfort and familiarity with it than pressure. Which is it --- that Bay should bat before Hairston because he's a better bet to get on, or that he should bat before Hairston because he's a better bet to drive in runs?

I think he's a better bet to get on. I also don't think there is any 'omg I have to suddenly carry this team and I can't handle the pressure of cleanup'. It's presumably the role he's most comfortable in.

The flip side of that argument to me is that I think a pitcher is much more likely to pitch to Bay and NOT walk him, with Hairston and Wright sandwiching him. It ultimately comes down to if Bay can capitalize on perhaps a couple more hitable pitches.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Asked if he�d rejoin the Mets if the decision were up to him, Bay said, �That�s a good question. I�m going to see what they say. If you ask any guy, they�re going to stay, �Get up there.� I just want to make sure it�s the best thing.� Boy if that doesn't whet your appetite for hot Jason Bay Action, I don't know what will. Maybe he'll show up with the flu again and smash his head into a fence.

Almost snarfed my sandwich reading this.

I'd go:

Tejada
Murphy
Wright
Hairston
Davis
Bay
Torres
Nickeas
Niese

If the idea is that Hairston and Bay smash lefties, then you'll want to buffer the slowly-reheating Ike against the mid-game LOOGYing (and Wright/whoever's cleanup against a RHP), no?

[Edgy MD]

I'd probably bump Ike up like that also.

[bmfc1]

METS:
Tejada-SS
Cedeno-2B
Wright-3B
Hairston-RF
Bay-LF
Davis-1B
Torres-CF
Nickeas-C
Niese-LHP

Q DFA'd.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Guest

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ceetar wrote: I'd move Bay ahead of Hairston. Hairston, even against lefties, is still a lot more of a feast or famine guy, where Bay is more likely to get on making it more likely Hairston's hit drives in runs.

Totally agree with you on this one, right down to the rationale. Bay before Hairston.

[duan]

I wouldn't have any problem at all with us having a total platoon outfield. Valedspin - Nieuwy - Duda vs righties, Bay - Torres - Hairston vs lefties.

Valedspin's ability to play the infield makes that a possibility. Give it a run for 2 weeks and see how we go. Between PH'ing and relief pitchers we'll see who steps it up vs the other hand.

Keith Law made a good point a couple of weeks ago, the important is to get value of what people CAN do rather then obsessing what they can't. Put them all doing things they can do and we get the most out of them.

If we put them in the position to succeed and they still don't we'll be out of the race and can trade the parts to get better for next year (you'd have to think Hairston, Byrdak and maybe even Rauch would net something worthwhile.

[Edgy MD]

Keith Law made a good point a couple of weeks ago, the important is to get value of what people CAN do rather then obsessing what they can't. Put them all doing things they can do and we get the most out of them.

Absolutely. Major leagues here. All the best managers have learned this, and didn't seem to undermine careers along the way, either.


Totally on board with the triple platoon outfield. Baxter can displace Valdy or knock him back to the infield when he comes back.

[Edgy MD]

Lucas Duda preps for game by getting an anti-inflammatory shot in his hammy.

[batmagadanleadoff]

duan wrote: Keith Law made a good point a couple of weeks ago, the important is to get value of what people CAN do rather then obsessing what they can't.

Yes. And then tell that to Dave Magadan's Met managers.

[Vic Sage]

stengel, weaver, larussa... all the best managers have always operated this way.
i have absolutely no problem with a platoon system.

[Edgy MD]

The problem is the idea that you're somehow stagnating a player's development by constricting his role. That platooning is for washouts, but not for developing players

I would say that showing a player that he has skills that make him a successful and vital --- if not everyday --- part of a winning big league team is not going to undermine him. The idea remains to win, and the best gift you can give Lucas Duda is a chance every day to be on the team that's winning.

[Zvon]

[ashie62]

TOTALLY AWESOME!

[Ceetar]

Let's do this. I'd put my money on Teddy winning the race over the Nats winning tonight.