IGT 05/11 - Phillies at Metropolitans

[Guest d'Kong76]

Philadelphia at NY Mets
When: 1:10 PM ET, Sunday, May 11, 2014
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

In a series that began featuring two struggling teams where something had to give, it's the Philadelphia Phillies who have rebounded this weekend. The Phillies look to sweep their three-game set at Citi Field when they take on the rapidly fading New York Mets on Sunday afternoon. The Phillies had lost six of eight entering this weekend while the Mets now have lost eight of their last nine games, including five defeats in their opponent's final at-bat.

Marlon Byrd's 11th-inning double lifted Philadelphia on Friday before Ryan Howard capped a four-hit night with the go-ahead, ninth-inning single on Saturday. Howard and Chase Utley each have five hits in the series, while Jimmy Rollins is coming off a four-run night on Saturday. David Wright has reached base eight times in the series on six hits and a pair of walks, although he fouled out to end Saturday's contest with the tying run in scoring position.

TV:
1:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Phillies LH Cole Hamels (0-2, 7.02 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jonathon Niese (2-2, 1.82)

Hamels has more career losses against the Mets than any opponent, as he enters this matchup 7-14 with a 4.65 ERA versus New York. The former World Series MVP took on the Mets on April 29 and gave up six runs in 4 2/3 innings, during which he issued eight hits and five walks. He was somewhat better Tuesday against Toronto, yielding five runs in six innings, including the first two home runs he has surrendered this season.

This will be Niese's 17th career start against the Phillies - a new high for him against any opponent - and he is 7-6 with a 3.00 ERA against them. He faced Philadelphia two starts ago on April 29 and allowed one run and four hits in seven innings en route to a 6-1 victory. Niese's last outing was a no-decision against Miami in which he yielded five hits over seven scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Utley, Howard and OF Domonic Brown - the Phillies' top three lefty hitters - are a combined 5-for-49 all-time against Niese.
2. Wright (.333 with five homers in 66 at-bats) and 2B Daniel Murphy (.405 in 37 at-bats) have both enjoyed significant success against Hamels.
3. New York pitchers are 0-for-60 on the season.

[MFS62]

A blind dog hits an occasional fire hydrant.
One day, a Mets pitcher will swing a bat where a ball is being pitched, and will get a hit.
And we will rejoice.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: A blind dog hits an occasional fire hydrant. One day, a Mets pitcher will swing a bat where a ball is being pitched, and will get a hit. And we will rejoice.

I'm more worried about the hitting of the other eight guys.




Ashie, though maybe not Asche, gets his wish.

Eric Young Jr., lf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Chris Young, rf
Eric Campbell, 1b
Juan Lagares, cf
Anthony Recker, c
Ruben Tejada, ss
Jonathon Niese, lhp



Tony Gwynn Jr., cf
Jimmy Rollins, ss
Chase Utley, 2b
Ryan Howard, 1b
Marlon Byrd, rf
Domonic Brown, lf
Wil Nieves, c
Cody Asche, 2b
Cole Hamels, lhp

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

The Mets should bunt repeatedly until the Phillies decide to move Asche to the left side of the infield.

[Edgy MD]

"Heydie-ho there, stranderinos!"

Agree with the bunting strategy.

[Frayed Knot]

How many friggin' Strike 3's' are we going to look at?
Striking out as often as they do is bad enough. Doing so with the bat on your shoulder is infuriating.



And the Mets have to settle for just one run has been chosen as the official slogan of this season to date.

[Frayed Knot]

Just repeat after me: Ryan Howard gets an infield single and then evades a tag at home to score a run

[Edgy MD]

Welcome to the hit parade, Eric Campbell.

"Congratulatons on the hit, Eric, and for having a great-looking mom." --- Ralph Kiner

[Edgy MD]

Hey, Souperstar, you've got to tag on that!

[Edgy MD]

Lookin at strike three for Niese.

Bad call but..

[Edgy MD]

Hang in there, Youngie.

[Edgy MD]

Nope. Three more stranderinos.

[Edgy MD]

Ballpark ain't helping us today.

[Frayed Knot]

Met players ain't helping us today.

This has now morphed from merely frustrating to stunning incompetence.

[Edgy MD]

Niese pitching angry.

[Edgy MD]

Cody Asche sounds, to me, like that great Japanese vet, Kodiashi.

[Edgy MD]

Those were all ballz, Cole.

[Edgy MD]

Left field is not cooperating.

[Edgy MD]

Not sure I don't go with Flores here.

[Edgy MD]

And I'm now retroactively DEFINITELY sure I'd've gone with Flores.

[Edgy MD]

Tie to the runner! Tie to the runner!

[Frayed Knot]

I don't overturn that one if I'm the guy deciding.
And besides, does it really matter whether the Mets get the leadoff runner on or not? - lately it seems to decrease their odds of scoring.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Tie apparently defers to the umpire.

[Edgy MD]

Well, that mighta been a run.

[Edgy MD]

Gotta be swinging, Daveed.

[Edgy MD]

Al Holland in the game for Philly. Pound him.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Al Holland in the game for Philly. Pound him.

Didn't we do that like thirty years ago?

[Edgy MD]

Need some Nieuwenhuis for the late-inning heroics.

[Guest d'Kong76]

They showed someone in the stands that I know from
somewhere. Gonna drive me nuts.

[Edgy MD]

Edgy MD wrote: Need some Nieuwenhuis for the late-inning heroics.

I'm calling for an encore.