That’s right, while Don Sutton sits out with laryngitis, the injured Paul Lo Duca takes his place in the broadcast booth. How did Paulie do? We’d say stick to your day job, Paul, but, well, that’s not going so well either now is it?
Paul Lo Duca’s new gig [Ex-Mets Watch]
May 29, 2008 · No Comments
Categories: Mets · Nationals
Tagged: Mets, Nationals, Paul Lo Duca
Zimmerman misses fourth game in row
May 29, 2008 · No Comments
Ryan Zimmerman is still day-to-day with a sore shoulder, and sat out his fourth-straight game today as the Nationals were defeated by the San Diego Padres by a score of 5-2. Aaron Boone has been an adequate replacement, but the Nationals are obviously missing one of their most dynamic players in the lineup.
Categories: Nationals
Tagged: Nationals, Ryan Zimmerman, Aaron Boone, NL East
Matt Lindstrom, future closer?
May 29, 2008 · No Comments
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com takes a look at Marlins’ hurler Matt Lindstrom, who throws a 100-mph fastball and looks to ease into the set-up role in the Fish ‘pen this year. In his second year, Lindstrom says he’d like to close some day (of course, the Marlins have a good closer in Kevin Gregg at present).
“That’s something I’d really like to do in my career,” Lindstrom said of eventually closing. “I’d jump at the opportunity. It means a lot. I think first and foremost is to get those innings under me, and learning how to pitch to Major League hitters. Being smarter. A lot of things factor into it. But yeah, I’d love to close one day.”
Lindstrom is 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.27 WHIP this season. He has walked 8 and struck out 12 in 19.2 innings pitched over 23 appearances and has 5 holds on the year. Formerly a Mets prospect, Lindstrom was traded along with Henry Owens for Adam Bostick and Jason Vargas.
Categories: Marlins
Tagged: Adam Bostick, Henry Owens, Jason Vargas, Kevin Gregg, Marlins, Matt Lindstrom, NL East
Beastly Braves
May 29, 2008 · No Comments
Mark Teixiera had quite the game for himself today in Atlanta’s 8-1 win over Milwaukee, going 2-3 with 4 RBIs (including a 3-run HR) and 2 walks. And in his third start of the year, Jorge Campillo shut down the Brewers offense, going 5 innings surrendering just one run on 4 hits, striking out 6 and walking none on 73 pitches. He is 2-0 with a 0.99 ERA.
This was an important win for the Braves, preventing a Milwaukee sweep and improving the Braves’ abysmal road record to 7-18 (compared to 22-7 at home).
Categories: Braves
Tagged: Braves, Brewers, Jorge Campillo, Mark Teixiera, NL East
Pedro pitches well in rehab game, outpitched by Price
May 29, 2008 · No Comments
Pedro Martinez made his first start since April 1 last night, this one a rehab appearance for Class-A St. Lucie. He gave up 2 earned runs on 4 hits in 6 innings of work, striking out 6 and issuing no walks. Phew.
He was faced by prized Rays prospect David Price, whom Pedro called “amazing.” Price struck out 9 and walked none giving up just 2 hits and no runs in 6 innings. His fastball topped off at 97, according to Mets.com. It’s unfathomable how dangerous the Rays are going to be in the near future. I’m jealous.
Martinez is scheduled to start next Tuesday at San Francisco.
-Jonathan Kraft
Categories: Mets
Tagged: David Price, Mets, Pedro Martinez, Rays
A Character Win
May 29, 2008 · No Comments
When people speculate what can spark a team’s turn-around, they often look to an extra-innings win as a catalyst. It’s impossible to say that one game can remedy a season of mediocrity, but the New York Mets certainly made a statement Wednesday night, winning in the 12th inning on a Fernando Tatis walk-off double.
On the back of Tatis, an unlikely hero, the Mets take the series from first-place Florida, making a strong statement in the first series of the homestand after a roadtrip to forget. Of course, taking two from the Yankees elicited the same sort of “turn-around” talk from Mets fans.
But what was different last night was the fact that every part of the Mets team contributed to the victory. Oliver Perez wasn’t dominant, but still struck out seven despite giving up four earned runs in six innings. Aaron Heilman looked brilliant in two innings of work, striking out four in two innings. Scott Schoeneweiss and Billy Wagner were phenomenal in an inning each. Endy Chavez forced extras with a pinch-hit home run. Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes also homered. David Wright walked twice. And then there was Tatis, the forgotten star, who is to the Mets right now what Angel Pagan was in Spring Training–invaluable.
Sure, there were faults. The Mets left ten on base, to start. That’s been a problem all year, and it continues. The Mets are a talented team. What they have needed all year is a spark, something to start the engine of a lineup that should be producing a heck of a lot more than it has. Only time will tell, but a win like last night’s, a series win like this one, might be what it takes to jump-start this team.
-Jonathan Kraft
Categories: Marlins · Mets
Tagged: Mets, Marlins, David Wright, Aaron Heilman, Billy Wagner, Jose Reyes, Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, NL East, Angel Pagan, Endy Chavez, Scott Schoeneweiss
