IGT 5/5/13: Mets vs. Braves - The Cinco de Metsos!

[Guest themetfairy]

Let's get a win worth celebrating about!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Couldn't agree more. Maybe Niese can hang a golden sombrero on a couple of Braves.

[Guest themetfairy]

And hopefully we'll see something special from our own Numero Cinco!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Today's lineup, from Rubin on Twitter:

Tejada 6
Murphy 4
Wright 5
Duda 7
Buck 2
Davis 3
Byrd 9
Valdespin 8
Niese 1

Swap Brown for Valdespin and it might be the among the lineups with the shortest cumulative names ever.

[Frayed Knot]

Swan Swan H wrote: Swap Brown for Valdespin and it might be the among the lineups with the shortest cumulative names ever.

Reminiscent of the one-syllable Pittsburgh pitching staffs of the 1960s: Vern Law, Steve Blass, Bob Veale, Bob Friend, Roy Face, Bob Moose, Ron Kline, Tommie Sisk

[ashie62]

Cinc the Braves!

[Guest vtmet]

remind me the logic why our Ace is going to be pitching on 7 days rest so that Niese the WHIP machine pitched today...10 combined walks/hits with less than 3 innings (even walking the pitcher)...There's a reason why Niese has a career 1.4 WHIP....

[Guest Swan Swan H]

themetfairy wrote: And hopefully we'll see something special from our own Numero Cinco!

I believe a two-run homer to erase 40% of the deficit Niese and Duda have established would qualify. 5-2 Braves, middle 4th.

[Zvon]

vtmet wrote: remind me the logic why our Ace is going to be pitching on 7 days rest so that Niese the WHIP machine pitched today...10 combined walks/hits with less than 3 innings (even walking the pitcher)...There's a reason why Niese has a career 1.4 WHIP....

Home gate?

[Zvon]

Niese can't get through the 5th. NO BEER FOR YOU!

[Zvon]

JEEEEZE.How many things can go wrong in one game? From Dudas godawfulpathetic play on the fly to left to that ball in and out of Bucks glove, with misplays and errors by Wright and Tejeda sandwiched in there. Horrible game so far.

OO, theres a nice play by Wright.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

This has been the kind of game that inspires you to find other things to do on a lovely Sunday. However, if Ike can get a hold of one here it might get interesting.

oops. make that Turner.

[MFS62]

The mind wanders on an afternoon like this. Makes me wish the Mets could re-sign Timo Perez so we could see a lineup of Ike and Timo, Turner.

Later

[ashie62]

I really believe Terry is about to snap and I am beginning to believe his seat is going to be very hot soon.

Not going to bang Duda for the misplay as I know he is limited..

[Zvon]

Ashie62 wrote: I really believe Terry is about to snap and I am beginning to believe his seat is going to be very hot soon. Not going to bang Duda for the misplay as I know he is limited..

I know we are gonna have that trade off of D for O with Duda, but I'll still jump all over his shit when he plays a ball as badly as he did that one.

At seasons end if Duda has 30+ hr and 85+ ribbys, his fielding won't bother me so much.

[Frayed Knot]

vtmet wrote: remind me the logic why our Ace is going to be pitching on 7 days rest so that Niese the WHIP machine pitched today

Because you don't start tinkering with the pitching order, particularly not in early May, so that one guy with 16 ML games under his belt and never more than 160 IP in any one year takes his regular spot while others, including your opening day starter, sit for ten days or more.
Blame the off days and the rain-outs here, not bad decision making.

...10 combined walks/hits with less than 3 innings (even walking the pitcher)...There's a reason why Niese has a career 1.4 WHIP....

1.36 career actually, and coming off a season of 1.17 (w/3.40 ERA) when he began to show front of the rotation command. Harvey had a much better month, that doesn't add up to bumping in the rotation territory.

[Zvon]

I saw portions of this game and how was there not one error called on the Mets?

[Edgy MD]

Sorry we lost, but if you're going to be bumping a guy in your rotation, I wouldn't expect it to be Niese.

[Frayed Knot]

Zvon wrote: I saw portions of this game and how was there not one error called on the Mets?

BJ Upton's "hit" off Wright's glove was a joke of a call - although the one off Tejada's leather was more understandable
And Duda's adventure was one of those where he never got close enough to it to get into 'Error' territory even though that was a catchable ball
Throw in a couple of PBs/WPs and it was a real sloppy all-around game even with no official E's
Probably could have flagged Byrd for playing a 2B into a 3B early on as well.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, I think baseball would be well served by reviewing the rule that a player --- particularly an outfielder --- has to be close enough to make a play in order to incur an error, when often the reason the player isn't close-enough was because of an obviously errant approach.

It's one of those we've-always-done-it-that way things, but I think it would lead to more meaningful fielding statistics and a better appreciation of what good outfielding can bring to a team.