IGT 05/02 - Metsies at Rockies

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at Colorado
When: 8:40 PM ET, Friday, May 2, 2014
Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
SportsDirect Inc.

The status of Colorado slugger Carlos Gonzalez is uncertain due to a finger injury as the Rockies attempt to defeat the visiting New York Mets for the second straight night on Friday. Gonzalez homered in the first inning of Colorado�s 7-4 victory on Thursday but left the game in the fourth with a badly bruised left index finger. Adding to the concern is that Gonzalez missed the final two months of last season with an injury to his right middle finger.

Colorado's Nolan Arenado extended his hitting streak to 21 games, tying Larry Walker (1999) for the fourth-longest streak in franchise history behind Michael Cuddyer (27 games last season), Dante Bichette (23, 1995) and Vinny Castilla (23, 1997). New York center fielder Juan Lagares (hamstring) was activated prior to Thursday�s game and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his first appearance since April 14. Curtis Granderson continues to struggle with a .141 average and has posted just one multi-hit performance this season (April 3).

TV:
8:40 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets RH Zach Wheeler (1-2, 3.99 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (2-3, 5.23)

Wheeler received a no-decision against Miami in his last start despite striking out 10 in six innings. He gave up one run and four hits while reaching double digits in strikeouts for the second time in 22 career starts. Wheeler never has faced the Rockies, with Drew Stubbs (1-for-2) being the only current Colorado player who previously has batted against him.

De La Rosa has won back-to-back starts while giving up two runs and nine hits in 12 innings. He was sharp against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, when he allowed one run and four hits in seven frames. De La Rosa is 4-1 with a 4.55 ERA in 10 career appearances (four starts) against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS:
1. New York 2B Daniel Murphy was hitless in four at-bats on Thursday as his 10-game hitting streak came to an end.
2. Colorado C Wilin Rosario (hand) went 0-for-3 with a walk after returning from a four-game absence.
3. Mets 3B David Wright is 3-for-10 with five walks against De La Rosa.

[Frayed Knot]

WALK-OFFS: 1. New York 2B Daniel Murphy was hitless in four at-bats on Thursday as his 10-game hitting streak came to an end. ... 3. Mets 3B David Wright is 3-for-10 with five walks against De La Rosa.

Be nice if Murphy and/or Wright come ready to swing tonight.
Other than David's 1st inning line-out there were some bad ABs by both on Thursday, often either leading off innings or w/MoB and on a night where the guys surrounding them (Lagares, Duda & CYoung) rang up five hits.
Murph taking a tepid swing--seemingly content to simply slap the ball the other way in a situation where the count was in his favor and a runner needed at least moving over if not driving in--was particularly frustrating.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, guys, swing like it's Coors Field. I want Eric Young to hit at least four homers tonight. Balls were flying yesterday. I would have been tempted to go with a four-outfielder alignment.

Meanwhile, how many pitches at the knees has Granderson ripped into one hoppers right at the firstbaseman the last ten days? Or one hoppers right at the second baseman? Or drives right at the rightfielder?

One doesn't want to make too much of the Citi Field Factor, but it seems the balls that die in the alleys at home discourage the players from getting too much elevation, but that habit turns around and serves them badly when they reach Citizen's Bank Park and Coors Field, where elevation serves you well. (How many corporate sponsors did I work into that paragraph.

Anyhow, one doesn't want to make too much of that.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Bad ABs notwithstanding, Wright had two decently-hit balls-- the liner to Tulowitzki and the third-base-line grounder robbed by Arenado-- that go for hits in a fair world.

The thing is, the Coors Field offensive advantage has proven at least as much due to the spacious outfield as it is to the thin-air/home-run thing, hasn't it? Batting averages on balls in play are higher, not just ISOs/HR rates; the "CitiField approach" wouldn't necessarily constitute a disadvantage here, I'd imagine.

[Edgy MD]

Well I'm sort of speaking of balls --- like the Wright ones you describe --- that the Mets got on top of. I was just thinking that Rockies balls that would have died at Citi were flying over the Mets' outfielders' heads.

[Frayed Knot]

If this is ____day it must be ______ ________ hitting clean-up.
No CarGo for the Rox



Juan Lagares, cf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Chris Young, lf
Curtis Granderson, rf
Josh Satin, 1b
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Ruben Tejada, ss
Zack Wheeler, rhp



Charlie Blackmon, cf
Nolan Arenado, 3b
Troy Tulowitzki, ss
Justin Morneau, 1b
Wilin Rosario, c
Chris Dickerson, lf
Brandon Barnes, rf
D.J. LeMahieu, 2b
Jorge De La Rosa, lhp

[ashie62]

Arenado 21 game hitting streak...

I miss EYJ

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I really don't miss EYJ, especially since he's, y'know, on the end of the bench there for PH/PR duty as needed.

On the other hand, I am glad Johnny Lags is back.

[Zvon]

I won't be missing what EYj brings if Lags ends up on second first inning of every game.


1-0 Mets on WP.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Oh, Murph.

[Zvon]

What an embarrassing way to end the streak. And pretty stupid.


Wright would have drove him in with that single.

[Guest d'Kong76]

He won't do that again!

(hopefully)

[Zvon]

What did he need? Two more to break McReynolds record?

Well, the record don't really mean jack but it would have been nice, historically speaking.

[Zvon]

Settle down Zack.

[Zvon]

Tulo.
1-1

Still 2 on, no out.

[Zvon]

Morneau-double

2-1
2nd & 3rd no out..

Shit, a bunt that won't go foul.

3-1

[metirish]

Christ , a weird inning, Wheeler looks like he's got good stuff but it getting hit

[metirish]

Barnes with a look at WheelerPro after getting pitched inside

[Zvon]

metirish wrote: Barnes with a look at WheelerPro after getting pitched inside

I like how Keith said do it again.

[Zvon]

I would NOT have given him a hit, guys.

[Zvon]

Grandy, on those outside pitches you have to allow your hips to go that way. Stop trying to pull the outside pitch.

[ashie62]

Zack needs to up his game before Syndergaard and Montero are ready...

[Zvon]

Ashie62 wrote: Zack needs to up his game before Syndergaard and Montero are ready...

You think he was a little spooked by the Coors Field factor? I do.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I'm flipping, but the Rangers' game is admittedly a little
more interesting tonight.

[ashie62]

Zvon wrote: Ashie62 wrote: Zack needs to up his game before Syndergaard and Montero are ready... You think he was a little spooked by the Coors Field factor? I do.

Could be.... I am banking on the Mets being contenders this summer so that all the starting pitchers need to be on top of their game....

[Fman99]

Meh.

[Guest themetfairy]

Obi Juan Legares is our only hope.

[Guest d'Kong76]

This is going to go on until midnight!

[Zvon]

We got a lil something going here. Nice KaBOOM from Granderson.

7-3

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Four straight on base and a Let's Put On A Show, Guys rally from the bottom of the order? Someone must have told our folk it was the ninth or something.