Frayed Knot

Adam Rubin: Left-hander Steve Matz, the Mets' top pick in the 2009 draft (second round/72nd overall) out of Ward Melville High School on Long Island, underwent Tommy John elbow surgery on Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, agent Rob Martin of ICON Sports confirmed. The 18-year-old Matz's elbow flared up while working last week in extended spring training, Mets minor league field coordinator Terry Collins said. "The benefit of Steve being young, he still could be in high school now," Martin told ESPNNewYork.com. "He's very young for his age." Martin said he expects Matz to return as strong, if not stronger. He was throwing 95-96 mph pre-surgery, the agent said. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Matz signed last Aug. 17 for $895,000 -- more than the $506,700 guideline for slotting by the commissioner's office. Newsday reported the need for elbow surgery earlier Tuesday. Pretty much came out of nowhere too, although I suppose that's what happens when a guy hasn't even reached the radar screen yet. Second time in the last 5 years that a 1st round pick needed TJ almost right out of the gate (Humber in 2004). And, yeah, you can say that he wasn't all that close to helping at the big league level and talk optimistically about how they sometimes come back just as strong ... but sometimes they don't too and it's at least a years set-back.

That the answers were more intelligent than the questions is a better sign of a good chat than the other way around.

Hanley falling back on the 'Fredi doesn't understand because he never played in the majors' reasoning.

I was very against Mejia starting the year both in the majors and in the pen - but, in all, things didn't turn out so bad. He got his feet wet and showed he can complete at this level despite his youth and small amount of pro experience. It also served to keep his overall innings count down as compared to what it was likely to have been if he went wire to wire as a starter. Now **hopefully anyway** they can/will build him back up to throwing starter innings in an environment where development takes precedence over winning the game and, as long as they don't feel some sort of need to rush him back as a ML starter according to some timetable that's based on everything except his needs, this could all work out for filling a rotation spot later in the year.

Hamley Ramirez got his ass benched during last night's loss - either for loafing or being hurt (or disguising one as the other). Basically he was going out for an over the shoulder pop-up catch but couldn't reach it. OK, no problem yet, but in missing it he accidently kicked it past the incoming LFer and towards the LF corner. He then proceeded to chase it down at a rate somewhat slower than Bengie Molina's HR trot. Earlier he had fouled a ball off his ankle and was hobbling somewhat - but he also talked them into letting him stay in the game and looked OK running after the pop-up right up until he kicked the ball.

Pelfrey - 4.5 Feliciano - 0.6 Rodriguez - 1.0 Barajas - 1.5 Carter - 1.2 Reyes - 0.9 Bay - 0.3

Acosta - 1.0 Rodriguez - 0.5 Cora - 1.0 Bay - 1.0 Pagan - 1.0 Blanco - 1.0 Carter - 0.5

Acosta - 0.5 Feliciano - 0.5 Castillo - 1.5 Wright - 1.5 Reyes - 1.5 Bay - 1.0 Barajas - 1.0 Carter - 0.5

Philly thumps Pitt Fish lose to Snakes Nats trailing 6-2 in StL heading for the 9th So we gain a game on 3 of the NL-Easters

When does Papelbon get saves? Every time I see this guy I swear he suxx.

BRAVO PEDRO!!!!

Maybe it wouldn't have mattered anyway, but the bad call at 1B early tonight on GMJ's swinging bunt changed things from a 1st+3rd/1-out situation to man-on-3rd/2-outs. Even with the pitcher coming up - maybe especially with the pitcher coming up - that could have screwed us out of a run or three.

Yale's 'The Whiffenpoof' song, or Warren Zevon's 'Johnny Strikes up the Band' Maybe if there were a Whiffen[u:2elir45v]proof[/u:2elir45v] song it would help.

I think Jerry is going to pull a deal where GMJ starts three days in a row while Frenchy, Pagan, & Bay each sit a day (or more in Francoeur's case).

I think this was triggered by the non-DP call on the line-out in the first inning of Saturday's game. While Maine absolutely dug his own grave there, if he gets that call he may very well have gotten out of the inning (next batter K'd prior to a two-run single) and it could have been an entirely different ballgame. Ditto Sunday if Wright catches the flip on the bad bunt and turns that DP. But that's the way things go when you're going bad, minor setbacks - whether your fault or not - blow up into huge messes. The number and pct of two-out runs the staff has given up recently is proof enough of that.

Ceetar wrote: I've been out of commission most of the weekend (public speaking, drinking from a flask, dancing, broadway). Did I read somewhere that Omar is meeting the team in Atlanta? can we say post-game firing, win or lose? Replacement waiting back in NY when they finish the road trip? GMs travel with the team all the time so this one doesn't necessarily mean anything is afoot. You can read things into the fact that Omar wasn't previously scheduled to make this specific trip but it may just be a 'see for myself' kind of thing which could nudge him towards (or away) from making a change in the near future, not that a decision has already been reached.

metirish wrote: I didn't see much of this series.....watched a movie Saturday night and went to the Zoo yesterday.. Well, Saturday's game was like seeing a bad movie and Sunday's was like watching monkeys play ball ... so you sort of did see them.

Sometimes these situation of players agreeing to go to the minors even though they can refuse is a matter of negotiation. The player saying right of the top that he's not going isn't surprising as that's what they all say at first. But maybe a confab with manager, GM, and agent, along with an explanation about how his recent pitching has left them without a defined role for him right now, and how it's the only way to get regular pitching in, and quite probably a promised time limit on when he'd be back convinces him to do otherwise. And if not he might find getting back to the rotation his way even harder than the Buffalo route ... unless Niese's leg is disconnected again in which case he may not even miss a start.

I saw just recently - in a theatre on a big screen although not 3D. My review: Eh

On the positive side, Jason Kubel just Grand-Slammed Mariano's ass to cap off a 5-run Twinkies 8th. Now 6-3 Minnesota as they look for their first win at Yanqui Stadium since, I believe, early in Nixon's first term.

Well it's official, it's all MY fault. I got disgusted when it was 6-0 a while back and left. Came back after about an hour - figuring the game was probably already over - only to discover it was 7-6. Seconds later came the 3R HR. I should be put on an ice floe and shoved out to sea ... at least for a week or so.

Hey, at least we followed that disaster up by going down 1-2-3 on 8 pitches. But on the bright side, Wright won't have anyone on base when he strikes out to lead off next inning.