Every day, it gets harder and harder to discount the Florida Marlins as a fluke. Yes, their pitching is thin. Yes, their team is young. Yes, one of their best players is on the DL. But the team keeps winning, somehow. Tonight, young Andrew Miller and the Marlins shut out Dan Haren and the Diamondbacks 4-0. Miller, who struggled in the beginning of the year, allowed 5 hits on 107 pitches in 7 innings, walking 1 and striking out 9. That’s pretty remarkable stuff against a hot-hitting Arizona team. The Marlins continued to capitalize from unlikely contributors, tonight’s being Wes Helms (who drove in 2 on a pinch-hit double in the 7th) and Jorge Cantu. Does NL Beast think this team is going to peak at some point in the not too distant future? Absolutely. But the Marlins have proven NL Beast wrong for about the last month on that call, so who knows?
Marlins beat Dan Haren [Flying Fish]
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
Categories: Marlins
Tagged: Andrew Miller, Dan Haren, Diamondbacks, Jorge Cantu, Marlins, NL East, Wes Helms
Ugly Mets
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
More to come on this in the morning, but the Mets lost their fourth straight tonight in Atlanta as Johan Santana couldn’t prevent the surging Braves lineup from overtaking the struggling New York club. The Mets have now lost seven of their last ten, have a losing record, and are 4.5 back of the Marlins (who beat Dan Haren tonight after beating Brandon Webb yesterday). It may not yet be time to panic, but it’s getting close. The fans are frustrated, the players are frustrated, the manager is frustrated, and one has to believe that the owners are frustrated, as well.
The Mets head to Colorado now to take on the struggling Rockies. The fate of Willie Randolph could very well rest on how the team performs in the next three games. Let’s not forget that the only reason why the Mets are still competative in the division is because of similarly mediocre play by the Braves and Phillies. Both of those teams seem to be turning a corner. The Mets are not following suit. A change has to be made, and the manager is the first one to go. Ultimately, the blame might rest on Willie, it might rest on Rick Peterson, it might rest on Howard Johnson, it might rest on Omar Minaya. But the manager is the one who is held accountable at the end of the day for the performance of his team on the field. Right now, that performance is unacceptable. As much as I like Willie, he’s a lame duck in my eyes. The blame might rest elsewhere, but it’s time for a change, and the first step has to be replacing Willie Randolph as manager.
-Jonathan Kraft
Categories: Mets
Tagged: Brandon Webb, Braves, Dan Haren, Howard Johnson, Johan Santana, Marlins, Mets, NL East, Omar Minaya, Phillies, Rick Peterson, Rockies, Willie Randolph
Beast goes to Houston
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
I’ll be in Houston this weekend watching the Phils take on the Astros. I get to see Brett Myers take on Brian Moehler Saturday night and Cole Hamels take on Chris Sampson on Sunday afternoon. I’ll be updating throughout the weekend and I’ll be sure to post pics of the Phils in Texas.
As for tonight: Kyle Kendrick takes on Roy Oswalt in the first of a four game set. Kendrick is coming off a virtual non-start in the rain-delayed game against the Blue Jays on Sunday. Kendrick ended up only pitching 1 inning because of the break in action. In his start before, however, he went 6 innings, allowing only 3 run. The Phillies have won six of nine starts with Kendrick on the mound.
Who knows what we’ll see from the Phillies bats this weekend. All I know is that Lance Berkman scares th *&^% out of me.
-Greg Berlin
Categories: NL East · Phillies
Tagged: Kyle Kendrick, Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Astros, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, Brian Moehler, Chris Sampson
***Dr. James Andrews of Birgmingham, Alabama Alert***
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
Austin Kerns is off to Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Alabama. Kearns has swelling in his right elbow, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com:
Nationals general manager Jim Bowden acknowledged that he is concerned about outfielder Austin Kearns’ sore right elbow.
The GM said the swelling had not gone down and the team had not ruled out putting Kearns on the disabled list. Kearns has loose bodies in his right elbow.
For now, the team will send Kearns’ MRI to Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., and Dr. Timothy Kremchek in Cincinnati to get second and third opinions, respectively.
“We are hoping the swelling goes down and he can play this weekend,” Bowden said. “If he can’t play by Monday, we have to disable him.”
Hopefully Kearns won’t be a out an extended period of time. But a stint on the 15-day DL might do Kearns some good considering how bad he’s playing this season.
-Greg Berlin
Categories: NL East · Nationals
Tagged: Austin Kearns, Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham Alabama, Jim Bowden, Nationals
Postgame: Phillies 12 - Nationals 2 [BEAST-OFF]
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
What a game last night. The Phils blogosphere was bashing Ryan Howard unendingly yesterday. I didn’t think the verbal punishment was necessary, and last night Howard stood up for me. He went 3/5, he two homers and a double, and knocked in four. Howard is now hitting .269 for the week with 4 dingers and 8 RBIs. Those are the kind of numbers to expect out of the big man. Last week I said Howard was back. I’m sticking by words.
Jamie Moyer continued to defy reality last night. He pitched 6 innings and allowed no runs and 7 hits. Cole Condrey contributed with a 3 inning save. But the pitching wouldn’t even matter last night. Evidently, the team decided they were sick of all the talk of slumps and followed Howard’s lead. Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz combined for 3 hits a piece, and Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Chris Coste all had two hits. Pat Burrell didn’t get the memo, he was O for 4.
Oh, the Nats? Matt Chico was out after 5. He only let up 4 of the runs. Jesus Colome was put in to endure a beating of his own. He let up 6 earned runs in the 6th inning. Chris Schroder let up two himself in relief of Colome.
-Greg Berlin
Categories: NL East · Nationals · Phillies
Tagged: Chase Utley, Chris Coste, Chris Schroder, Cole Condrey, Jamie Moyer, Jesus Colome, Jimmy Rollins, Matt Chico, Nationals, Pat Burrell, Pedro Feliz, Phillies, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino
Alou back to New York for MRI
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
Moises Alou will go back to New York to get his left calf checked out. He had to leave the game last night and was initially diagnosed with a “mild strain,” according to Adam Rubin of the Daily News. Willie had hoped to play Alou tonight, but obviously that’s not going to happen.
Categories: Mets
Tagged: Mets, Moises Alou, Willie Randolph
The Mediocre Mets
May 22, 2008 · No Comments
What a horrible game, what a horrible series, what a mediocre season. Sure, the Mets had some “momentum” coming out of the Bronx, but, at the end of the day, they beat a Yankee team mired in even more mediocrity. Take that series away, and you find a Mets team that, in the last week, has dropped three of four to Washington and at least three of four in Atlanta. Now the Braves are playing good baseball, but there is no reason why the Mets should have scored only seven runs in the past three games against Atlanta.
The Mets are a team whose offense is often stagnant if Jose Reyes doesn’t hit, a team whose pitching is atrocious if Johan Santana isn’t on the mound and a team with no heart. They take the field every night making baseball look like a job. Once a week, maybe, you’ll see the joyful atmosphere of two years ago, with the Mets scoring 12 runs and Reyes running around dancing with everyone in the dugout. The rest of the time, either David Wright is “embarrassed” of the team’s performance, Billy Wagner is calling someone out for blowing the game, or Willie Randolph is making excuses for why his job should not be on the line.
Something has got to give here. This team has far too much talent to continue to under perform to the degree that it has. I’m not jumping on the Fire Willie bandwagon…yet, but I’m not far away. If this team loses today and loses the series against lowly Colorado, that all might change quickly.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Mediocre Mets.
-Jonathan Kraft
Categories: Mets
Tagged: Billy Wagner, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Mets, NL East, Willie Randolph
