IGT 07/20 -- Mets at Padres

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at San Diego
When: 4:10 PM ET, Sunday, July 20, 2014
Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California
SportsDirect Inc.

The New York Mets look to win their fourth straight series when they visit the San Diego Padres for the rubber match of their three-game set Sunday. New York went 8-2 on its 10-game homestand prior to the All-Star break and kicked off the second half of the season with a triumph in the series opener Friday. The Mets' four-game winning streak came to a screeching halt Saturday, however, as they managed only five hits in a 6-0 setback.

All-Star Tyson Ross was brilliant for San Diego, posting only his second win in nine starts despite allowing fewer than three earned runs for the seventh time in that span - and sixth time in as many outings. The Padres recorded a first this season, hitting three home runs in a home game as Yasmani Grandal, Will Venable and Seth Smith belted solo shots. San Diego has scored a total of 10 runs over the first two games of the series after being shut out in each its previous two contests before the break.

TV:
4:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets RH Zack Wheeler (5-8, 3.90 ERA) vs. Padres RH Odrisamer Despaigne (2-1, 1.35)

Wheeler registered his fourth superb effort in five starts July 11, limiting Miami to one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings en route to his second consecutive victory. The 24-year-old has allowed one run in each of his last three outings and tossed his first career shutout June 19 before surrendering six runs in only two frames against Oakland in his next turn. Wheeler lost his first career decision versus San Diego on June 14, when he was reached for four runs over five innings.

Despaigne is coming off his first loss in the major leagues, even though he allowed only two runs and seven hits in seven innings against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on July 10. The 27-year-old Cuban yielded a total of two runs in 19 2/3 frames while going 2-0 in his first three starts. Despaigne, who will be facing New York for the first time, is holding opponents to a .202 batting average and has not issued a walk in two of his four outings.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Mets C Travis d'Arnaud has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games.
2. Grandal's homer Saturday traveled an estimated 440 feet - the longest blast at Petco Park this season.
3. Padres manager Bud Black has anointed RHP Joaquin Benoit the team's new closer following Friday's trade of All-Star Huston Street to the Los Angeles Angels.

[ashie62]

David Wright's shoulder is starting to frighten me...

[ashie62]

Unfamiliar tough pitcher ...

Padres RH Odrisamer Despaigne (2-1, 1.35)

[Guest d'Kong76]

Curtis Granderson - RF
Daniel Murphy - 2B
David Wright - 3B
Lucas Duda - 1B
Travis d'Arnaud - C
Bobby Abreu - LF
Juan Lagares - CF
Ruben Tejada - SS
Zack Wheeler - RHP

[Frayed Knot]

Can we call this pitcher Adele Dazeem just to make things easier?

[Guest d'Kong76]

Can't hit the ball if you look at three strikes, David.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Dazeem's stuff sings, though. Can you blame him for being Frozen?

Edited July 20, 2014 by Guest

[Lefty Specialist]

That last curve to David was Wainwright-esque.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Two-out bleeders/cue shots notwithstanding, Wheeler's looking breezily dominant, as well.

[ashie62]

Pitchers duel..

[Zvon]

The only highlight so far on MLB.tv is the 105 yr old lady throwing out the first pitch, and that can't be bad. The lady, btw, was awesome. Wind-up and all

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That Padres high-end market-- Rube Goldberg fresh OJ machine, store-made charcuterie, carafes of local wine-- seems like a fantastic option for fans who love food-shopping at the ballpark, or those who kinda dislike watching baseball.

Speaking of tantalizing/frustrating options, Wheeler's inning-ending curve there was TASTY... but the pitch count (50ish through 3) implies we may not be seeing much more of it this afternoon.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Eephus!

God, I love Cuban pitchstuff.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Venable robs Duda of otherway extra-baseitude, and Dazeem's Let It Go without letting up a hit through four.

[Zvon]

crap.

Not a pitch I would think one could pull out.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

No doubt completely without any sort of newfangled drug coursing through those bulging forearms, Grandal one-hands a home run on a downstairs, well-located heater.

[ashie62]

We cannot lose 2 of 3 here....

[Frayed Knot]

Wheeler once again figuring out how to throw 100 pitches before the 7th inning despite keeping the run total down.

[ashie62]

You betcha...

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Cheeky little move there by Dazeem, trying to drag-bunt with two out/two on. Dude hits like a smartass Bartolo.

[Edgy MD]

Nice flashback to see the Pads back in the chocopoop caps.

[Edgy MD]

I'm feeling ugly feelings about Cuba.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm a little unconvinced of the chocopoopwear's aesthetic value, though they do go nicely with the lollipop curves and marshmallow bats.

[Edgy MD]

Well, it's enhanced by childhood association, but yeah.

Meanwhilst... clobberin' time.

[Frayed Knot]

Getting totally out-hit this entire weekend by the Padres who themselves are in the midst of an historically bad offensive season.
Finding comparisons to what the SD bats are doing this year requires trips back to the dead-ball era.

[Zvon]

Yes, that would be something Keith. Something I'd rather not experience, tyvm.

[Edgy MD]

No more All Star games for Muphi.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The quick Wheeler half-inning is heartening.

The continued quick Met at-bats... Less so.

[ashie62]

Mets.... we need a HIT!

[ashie62]

Frayed Knot wrote: Getting totally out-hit this entire weekend by the Padres who themselves are in the midst of an historically bad offensive season. Finding comparisons to what the SD bats are doing this year requires trips back to the dead-ball era.

Or to 1968 when the MFY's hit .217 as a team...