IGT #14 4/21 Plawecki Home Opener vs Braves

[Ceetar]

Niese vs Cahill

Niese trying to tie Seaver(among others) for second place among Mets pitchers with a 5-game hitting streak.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Guest

[Guest d'Kong76]

Atlanta at NY Mets
When: 7:10 PM ET, Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

The New York Mets became the first National League team to reach the 10-win mark over the weekend, but it has come at a high cost. The Mets, who have lost two top-of-the-order hitters and a key reliever in the last week, attempt to remain undefeated at home and extend their winning streak to nine games on Tuesday when they open a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves.

New York placed All-Star third baseman David Wright on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a right hamstring injury and will be forced to do the same with catcher Travis d'Arnaud (broken right hand) as well as reliever Jerry Blevins (left forearm fracture) after the pair were injured in Sunday�s 7-6 victory over the Miami Marlins. "It's not a good day," manager Terry Collins told the Newark Star-Ledger. "It's a good day we won. We'll take that away and we'll get billed for the next day.� Highly-touted minor-league catcher Kevin Plawecki will try to replace the Mets� leading run producer (d'Arnaud) in his big-league debut against the Braves, who took two of three from the Mets in Atlanta from April 10-12. The Braves improved to 5-1 on the road Sunday, winning two of three in Toronto after Jonny Gomes drove in four in a 5-2 victory.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsSouth (Atlanta), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Trevor Cahill (0-1, 15.43 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jon Niese (1-0, 1.59)

Acquired on April 2 from Arizona in exchange for minor-league outfielder Josh Elander, Cahill struggled in his last Tuesday�s season debut � an 8-2 loss versus Miami. The 2010 All-Star recorded only seven outs, surrendering four runs on five hits and three walks in his shortest start since leaving a June 2013 outing after one inning due to a hip bruise. Cahill faced the Mets only once last season, yielding a run on three hits and three walks during a two-inning relief appearance in May.

Niese worked in and out of trouble all game long in his last outing, scattering nine hits and walking two in 6 1/3 innings before collecting his first victory of the season in Wednesday�s 6-1 win over Philadelphia. The 28-year-old Ohio native has been a bit lucky to give up only one earned run in each of his two turns as he has recorded a 1.76 WHIP and allowed opponents to bat .314. Niese logged three starts versus the Braves in 2014, going 1-2 with a 2.61 ERA.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Minor-league RHP Hansel Robles will get the call to replace Blevins, who did not allow a hit in seven appearances spanning five innings prior to his injury.
2. Braves RF Nick Markakis, who went 2-for-13 in his team�s first series against New York, reached base safely in 11 of his 14 plate appearances against Toronto.
3. Plawecki batted .309 with 11 home runs and 64 RBIs in two minor-league stops last season.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Pretend lineup:

Grandy
Flory
Doody
Cuddy
Muffy
Laggy
Wecky
Campy
Neesy

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pretend lineup: Grandy Flory Doody Cuddy Muffy Laggy Wecky Campy Neesy

it is curious to see who on the back end of the lineup gets bumped to the dangerous two-hole. Flores hasn't shown a walk tool, but Laggy isn't exactly a paragon of strike zone judgement either. Muffy has experience out the chute in that spot, but then they have to flip-flop Cuddyer and Duda.

Maybe they stick Lagares in the leadoff spot and drop Granderson to two.

[TransMonk]

I don't know if Terry will mess with Curtis and his league-leading walk total in the lead-off spot.

I think you're right about moving Muffy up and flipping Cuddyer and Duda. I think that is what I would do. It leaves a potentially weak-looking bottom half of the lineup, but Campbell, Flores and Lagares have provided some spark from down under during the winning streak.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pretend lineup: Grandy Flory Doody Cuddy Muffy Laggy Wecky Campy Neesy

The Nine Dwarves.

[Centerfield]

Bat the kid second. Let's see what he's got.

[Guest d'Kong76]

@cgrand3 RF
@juanlagares2 CF
Duda 1B
@mcuddy23 LF
Murphy 2B
Campbell 3B
@kplawecki26 C (MLB debut)
Flores SS
Niese P

@kcmets #cpftoocool

[Guest d'Kong76]

Maybin CF
Markakis RF
Gomes LF
Freeman 1B
Johnson 3B
Simmons SS
Bethancourt C
Gosselin 2B
Cahill P

[G-Fafif]

Kevin Plawecki don(n)s 22 to(k)night as he attempts to nail down the World Series MVP hardware.

Hansel Robles provides subliminal advertising for the Celebrating Jesse Orosco bobblehead just announced as coming to Citi Field on August 29 by wearing 47.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I like 22 for Plawecki; somebody has to wear that number if the Mets are going to win a World Series.

I also, however, think he would have looked good in an 8.

[Edgy MD]

I see Duda without a Twitter address and I'm wondering what he would tweet if he did. Pictures of milkshakes? Lists of things he's smashed?

Or just cryptic tweets that just include a hashtag: #feelingangry #MyCatFeelsSoft

[Zvon]

22 is a special number with us. Agreed, we don't go anywhere w/o a 22.



[youtube:1mrdvv8g]8QghwNqlCRE[/youtube:1mrdvv8g]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Good rip for the kid on a 2-0 outside fastball... right to Freddie F. Freeman.

[Zvon]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Good rip for the kid on a 2-0 outside fastball... right to Freddie F. Freeman.

F'k'n' figures.

The Braves unis must be great looking on a black and white TV set.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

After one trip through the lineup, Hawky's mojo is working. Not coincidentally, so is his curveball.

[Zvon]

I think Plawicki's parents are better than d'Arnaud's parents.

[Zvon]

Niiiiiiece. gets FFF with 2 on & 2 out

[Lefty Specialist]

It's painful to watch Steve Gelbs interview people. He should stop.

[Zvon]

Niiiice. Plawicki's first MLB hit, a single through the hole at short. Gratz kid.

[Zvon]

Lefty Specialist wrote: It's painful to watch Steve Gelbs interview people. He should stop.

lol. Agreed. He got all excited at the prospect of making that nice lady cry.

Flores keeps it going. Slap on your rally cap!

[Zvon]

Griiiice. Grandy drives in 2 with a single. Mets up 3-0.

Thanks for playing out of position FFF.

[Guest themetfairy]

Obi Juan Lagares plates two more!

[Lefty Specialist]

I like big innings. This is fun.

[Zvon]

themetfairy wrote: Obi Juan Lagares plates two more!

One now and one later in the game.

[Guest themetfairy]

Gotcha - I forgot about Niese's RBI and lost track.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I went outside to see The Space Station!

[Zvon]

themetfairy wrote: Gotcha - I forgot about Niese's RBI and lost track.

no biggy. You know I do that all the time.

d'Kong76 wrote: I went outside to see The Space Station!

Could you see it? I missed Plawicki's throw.

Saw the tail replays and they really should have challenged.

[Frayed Knot]

We've been quite fortunate with muffed potential GiDP balls so far this season. At least 3 that I can think of (maybe more) and not even all of them courtesy of Ian Desmond.
And how about that stat they gave earlier: Braves = 1 error coming into tonight. Desmond alone has I think 8

[Guest d'Kong76]

Zvon wrote: Could you see it?

Yes... moving dot lol... but Keith's directions were spot on.