IGT 7/24/15 LAD @ NYM: She's Having Zack's Baby

[G-Fafif]

Zack Greinke is off being paternal, so he will not shut the Mets out on three hits Friday night at Citi Field. Let's reach back to the golden year of 1974, when the pitching-rich Los Angelenos were bound for October and the team from Flushing batted a robust .235, and dedicate this one to Emily Greinke, or as Paul Anka would have called her, Mrs. Zack Greinke.

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Mets will instead face Ian Thomas, not necessarily the same Ian Thomas whose biggest hit, "Painted Ladies," reached No. 34 in 1974.

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Ian Thomas had only two fewer hits than all the Mets did against Clayton Kershaw.

Will Zack's well-timed trip to the Paternity Leave list make a difference? Can Jon Niese deal with the standard four days' rest? Will Michael Cuddyer magically transform into Michael Conforto?

For the answers to these and other brain teasers, tune in Friday night at 7:10 on 710 WOR (or SNY).

[Edgy MD]

Wash your hands, Zach. Come back not-so-soon.

[TransMonk]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy MD wrote: Wash your hands, Zach. Come back not-so-soon.

I mean, at least he's pretty cool about loosey-goosey poo hygiene and al-- oh, wait.

[Guest d'Kong76]

LA Dodgers at NY Mets
When: 7:10 PM ET, Friday, July 24, 2015
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

The New York Mets will avoid baseball's most vaunted 1-2 pitching tandem - at least temporarily - when they continue their four-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Zack Greinke, who is riding a 43 2/3-inning scoreless streak, flew back to Los Angeles to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's first child and will miss Friday's scheduled start.

The Mets could use a reprieve after they managed only three hits and were blanked for the 11th time this season by reigning Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. Left fielder Michael Cuddyer (knee) remains a candidate to go on the 15-day disabled list for New York, which fell to 2-5 in its 10-game stretch against three division leaders to open the second half. The front office whistled Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah out of their assholes Thursday afternoon on news that Captain America will soon be back to save the day and hope his buddy Cuddyer can get better before then. Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez was 3-for-4 in the series opener, giving him multiple hits in five of seven games coming out of the All-Star break. Left-hander Ian Thomas, who has two relief appearances for Los Angeles this season, makes his first career start Friday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNLA (Los Angeles), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Ian Thomas (0-1, 5.23 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jonathon Niese (5-8, 3.36)

Thomas, who was acquired from Atlanta at the end of May, was knocked around for four runs on five hits over three innings in his debut with the Dodgers on July 2. The 28-year-old followed that up with two hitless innings of relief against Philadelphia five days later. Thomas, who was 1-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 16 appearances with the Braves last year, was 4-1 with a 6.30 ERA in eight outings (five starts) at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

After going nine starts without a victory, Niese remained undefeated in July by tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings of five-hit ball in a no-decision at St. Louis last time out. He gave up three runs over 14 2/3 innings in winning his previous two starts and has not permitted more three three earned runs in his last eight turns. Niese split a pair of decisions last year versus the Dodgers and is 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA against them.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Dodgers SS Jimmy Rollins hit his 31st career homer against the Mets - the third-most against them among active players.
2. Mets RF Curtis Granderson has hit safely in eight straight games after breaking up Kershaw's perfect game in the seventh inning.
3. Kershaw and Greinke - who could pitch over the weekend - have combined to allow one run in 56 innings in July.

[G-Fafif]

The Overconfident Visitors:

Pederson CF
Kendrick 2B
Turner 3B
Van Slyke 1B
Guerrero LF
Puig RF
Rollins SS
Barnes C
Thomas P

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Colon for Rollins. Let's do it right now.

[G-Fafif]

Curtis Granderson - RF
Ruben Tejada - SS
Daniel Murphy - 3B
Wilmer Flores - 2B
Lucas Duda - 1B
Juan Lagares - CF
Michael Conforto - LF
Kevin Plawecki - C
Jonathon Niese - LHP

Niese, on edge of his own bout with new fatherhood, listed as SP after all.

Seven-hole hitter not "Cuddyer" misspelled.

[G-Fafif]

BTW, good for TC benching useless righties vs LHP Thomas. Enough matchups for Mayberry, Campbell.

[Ceetar]

G-Fafif wrote: BTW, good for TC benching useless righties vs LHP Thomas. Enough matchups for Mayberry, Campbell.

I'm okay with Mayberry getting some spot starts if/when he starts swinging a hot bat.


anyway, what's up with Niese? wife in labor or not? I mean, it's 4:30, he's not getting home until like midnight if he pitches..

[G-Fafif]

Mayberry has started every game vs lefty this year. It's a good spot to stop being robotic about it.

[G-Fafif]

What I just said.

[TransMonk]

LRLRLRLRL

I like it.

[Zvon]

That's on Plawecki. He was too far in front of the plate. The throw had him.
This is the kind of mistake we can't afford to make.

1-0 LA

[Zvon]

Unfkin believable. Turner homers.

Conforto hit it hard first time up, pulled a grass-cutter to first.

Puig goes yard.

Niese, go have your baby.

6-0

[ashie62]

This team is horrid.

[Edgy MD]

Don't mistake the tree for the forest.

I mean, sure, this pace suggests a 45-0 outcome, but the actual difference probably won't be much more than 30 or so.

[Frayed Knot]

Doesn't help that their side has more HRs (2) than ours does balls hit out of the infield (only Plawecki's FO to Puig).
Oh and btw, we're the ones facing the 28 y/o career independent league guy making his 1st ML start.

[ashie62]

Dang that Turner guy.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Frayed Knot wrote: Doesn't help that their side has more HRs (2) than ours does balls hit out of the infield (only Plawecki's FO to Puig). Oh and btw, we're the ones facing the 28 y/o career independent league guy making his 1st ML start.

I have no doubt we'll bat this guy around eventually but bad night for Niese.

[Frayed Knot]

He's probably not going to hang around long enough for us to bat him around.
Either way, it's a good thing we're not seeing Greinke tonight otherwise we might be getting 2-hit or something.

[Lefty Specialist]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I have no doubt we'll bat this guy around eventually but bad night for Niese.

If they bat him around, it'd have to be in the parking lot after the game, because they can't seem to hit him when it counts.

[Frayed Knot]

13 Mets to the plate, 5 Ks + 1 GiDP; 2 singles, one of which left the infield, and one out left the infield.
All off a guy who I think Gary said was pitching for the Canadian Mounties rec league team until recently.

[Edgy MD]

Terry's looking pretty darn bad for starting Niese.

[Zvon]

Nice quick throw by Flores on the relay. Good play. Plawecki still could be closer to the plate. The tag would have been easier.

[Frayed Knot]

The OF gets an assist on plays like that?!?!
Based on what Gary said they do. If true I not only had no idea but I also don't think they should.
Hockey goals get two assists. A single out in a baseball play shouldn't.

[Zvon]

Rib eye steak there for ya Conforto.

[Zvon]

A productive out. Nice.

6-1

[Edgy MD]

My pants split when I watch Lucas stretch like that.

[Fman99]

Jon Niese gave birth to a six run turd on the mound tonight. YUK