IGT 06/06 - Mets at Giants

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at San Francisco
When: 10:15 PM ET, Friday, June 6, 2014
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
SportsDirect Inc.

Even with one of their best pitchers sidelined, the San Francisco Giants managed to add to the best record in baseball during a seven-game road trip. Now they're headed back home and getting their rotation back to full strength as they prepare to open a three-game series with the visiting New York Mets on Friday. The Mets have seen their hot streak fizzle out after being swept in a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs.

The Giants have compiled the best record in the majors in spite of the absence of right-hander Matt Cain, who is ready to return from his second stint on the disabled list this season. Cain comes back against a Mets team that struggled mightily in clutch situations against the Cubs, going 4-for-30 with runners in scoring position during the series and stranding 31 runners. San Francisco is beginning a 10-game stand at AT&T Park, where it owns the majors' best home mark at 19-9.

TV:
10:15 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), NBC Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets LH Jon Niese (3-3, 2.69 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (1-3, 3.66)

Niese has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 11 starts in 2014 and he has eight quality starts among them. He turned in a strong outing in his last turn, holding Philadelphia to two runs over eight innings, but wasn't rewarded with a win in a 4-3 victory. Niese is 1-2 with a 2.96 ERA in five games (four starts) against the Giants and suffered a tough-luck loss in the only meeting last season.

Cain has missed four starts over his two stints on the shelf, most recently with a strained hamstring suffered after three scoreless frames at Colorado on May 21. The three-time All-Star is 52-47 with a 3.16 ERA in 140 career starts at home, but he struggled to a 4-8 mark at AT&T Park a year ago. Cain is 5-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 12 starts versus the Mets and is winless in three outings against them since 2011.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Mets 3B David Wright is 11-for-25 with six doubles against Cain.
2. Giants RF Hunter Pence is riding a six-game hitting streak but is 3-for-26 with seven strikeouts versus Niese.
3. Mets OF Curtis Granderson has reached base in 18 straight games, the second-longest active streak in the majors. (Big Whoop!!)

[Edgy MD]

You just bravely jumped right back in there. I salute you.

Keith has loved Cain since he first saw him.

[Guest d'Kong76]

When you fall off your dragon you get back on!

[ashie62]

We seem to win more when Kong starts these...

[ashie62]

Matt den Dekker, cf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Curtis Granderson, rf
Andrew Brown, lf
Lucas Duda, 1b
Ruben Tejada, ss
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Jonathon Niese, lhp


Angel Pagan, cf
Hunter Pence, rf
Buster Posey, c
Pablo Sandoval, 3b
Michael Morse, 1b
Juan Perez, lf
Brandon Crawford, ss
Brandon Hicks, 2b
Matt Cain, rhp

[Frayed Knot]

WALK-OFFS: 1. Mets 3B David Wright is 11-for-25 with six doubles against Cain.

Plus a concussion

[ashie62]

Cain has been ailing himself of late...

[Edgy MD]

Hey, Brandon Hicks is on this team.

[Fman99]

Kevin Burkhardt is no Gary Cohen.

[Edgy MD]

Let's go, Curtis.

Not lookin' to get no-hit tonight.

[Zvon]

I think the Mets forgot something.



I'll take the walk tho, np.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Fman99 wrote: Kevin Burkhardt is no Gary Cohen.

No one is... I don't know why Kevin annoys people.
He's a rising guy in broadcasting and has a bright
national future in both baseball and football.

[Edgy MD]

I agree. Me gusto Kevin.

Anyhow we smoke another right into the defense.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: Fman99 wrote: Kevin Burkhardt is no Gary Cohen. No one is... I don't know why Kevin annoys people. He's a rising guy in broadcasting and has a bright national future in both baseball and football.

I think Kevin's good. But it is strange hearing his voice talking with Kieth this much. I keep expecting Garys deeper tone.

Uh-oh. Mets in trouble. You couldn't catch that denD?

[Fman99]

d'Kong76 wrote: Fman99 wrote: Kevin Burkhardt is no Gary Cohen. No one is... I don't know why Kevin annoys people. He's a rising guy in broadcasting and has a bright national future in both baseball and football.

I'm not saying he's terrible. He's still better than most. He's just not Gary. Or Josh/Howie, for that matter. He also doesn't get the same amount of practice time that those folks do.

I was impressed with Kevin's calling of NFL action last fall.

[Zvon]

UGGGGGGGGhhhhhhhh.Good throw. If that didn't hit him...

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Hey, Brown got the runner on that throw... in the ass. He got him in the ass.

Still, nice effort. Who knew Downtown was more than a RH bench bat?

[Zvon]

I did not know you could review a HBP.

Good, make him run. But not past third.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Fman99 wrote: I'm not saying he's terrible. He's still better than most. He's just not Gary. Or Josh/Howie, for that matter. He also doesn't get the same amount of practice time that those folks do.

We basically agree, not sure I'd include Josh
quite yet.

[Edgy MD]

There 'tis!

[Frayed Knot]

Fman99 wrote: Kevin Burkhardt is no Gary Cohen.

And MdD is no Lagares -- not defensively anyway.
Not an easy play on that triple but I bet Juan corrals that one.

[Frayed Knot]

This game might end at an earlier hour than many of the east coast games we've played recently.
Six complete innings tonight in under 1-1/2 hours.

Obviously the low number of hits and walks has a lot to do with it, but that's only part of the story. Watch both these pitchers work, nobody is dicking around. Get it - Throw it.

[Edgy MD]

Daniel Murphy: Also not dicking around.

[Zvon]

Wow. Muffy got allAthat one.

[Frayed Knot]

And now the hits & runs are quite as low as they were a minute ago.
That's not a cheapie in this park either.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Grandie showing Yankee Stadium power.
(actually worse)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Good (and lucky) teams take advantage of opportunities handed to them.

The Giants are good and lucky.

[Zvon]

I don't like pitchers who think they could possibly do justice to the #41.

I don't like batters that look at fat curve balls for strike three.

[Frayed Knot]

I think d'Arnaud has more GiDPs this year than hits.

[Guest themetfairy]

Dammit Carlos!