“Tom Glavine”:http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=4122 said the essence of his career has been not to get ahead of himself. That’s why he’s been reluctant to talk about 300.
“You never know what’s going to happen,’’ Glavine said. “Nothing in this game is guaranteed.’’
Before Glavine can win 300 he has to win 299, and he’ll be going after that tonight at Dodger Stadium. Glavine (8-6, 4.15 ERA in 20 starts this season) is 20-18 with a 3.69 ERA lifetime against the Dodgers.
14 Comments
Difference between Willie and other managers:
Just read Bud Black is benching Marcus Giles for three games, whose stats are similar to Jose Valentin’s. So Giles gets the bench for being unproductive and Valentin’s gets rewarded, by not only being allowed to continue starting, but also bat second?
Well Giles played in 2 out of 3 games during the Mets series and went hitless. Valentin had 2 hits in the series. This is nothing earth shattering but it’s also nothing to sneeze at given the team’s recent hitting woes. Valentin’s performance last year also probably comes into play.
i think Willie wants to let jose get enough at bats to find his groove. -that said, I’m in favor of letting Gotay play right now too, but Willie’s comments about Franco being released (citing his .200 avg and how you have to produce to stay on the club) leads me to believe he’ll give Valentine a fair shake, since he did perform for him last year, but won’t die with him. -Here’s to our best baseball ahead, I’m in LA, and will be at both weekend games. -4 rows behind Sandy when we’re batting wearing my black mets hat and my david wright “5” superman T…Stop by and say hi, John
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To GD: I don’t think Willie will die with Valentin either, mostly because I don’t think he’ll be back next year. I will look for you. Stop by the press box and leave a note, they’ll get it to me.-JD
Well, the leash on Valentin better be short, and Gotay should still get a couple of starts too. It is just hard to imagine that Valentin is going to suddenly go on a tear, and get soe power back.
The lack of power has been a real problem. WIth Green and Valentin now singles hitters (if that), too many positions just aren’t showing any pop, even doubles.
Oh, this has nothing to do with Glavine, who I hope rises to the occasion. If he doesn’t have his best stuff, it could be a long night.
We reward players this year because of how they played last year?
We need a better “MANAGER” I’m glad Randolph was a good second baseman, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be or is a good manager.
It’s almost as if he’s afraid of hurting the feelings of his veterans…so in essence, they are walking all over him.
Delgado should not play today because his effort in the field yesterday was PITIFUL.
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To Jeff: Maybe one of the reasons Willie goes overboard for the vets is he doesn’t have any fallback. Think about it for a second with all the flack about Delgado. Plan B used to be Franco. Now it’s Shawn Green.-JD
GD: See you at Dodger Stadium! My wife and I will be driving up the coast to see Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s games.
No I don’t think you reward players because of how they did last year, but it’s got to figure into the equation of what Willie or any manager thinks a player is capable of. I don’t see why it wouldn’t, even if it’s only a little.
Y’know, I think that “career against a team” is one of the most meaningless stats in all sports… especially when figuring in a guy with a superlong career like Glavine.
His stats against the combined players ON the Dodgers right now or even against the Dodgers in the last two or three years might mean something but…
Stats from ten years ago when he was a Brave and none of the Dodgers were Dodgers means less than nothing.
This said, I think Glavine’s got a good shot at 299.
Let’s go Mets!
I totally agree Mike! I say that all the time. Looking at Glavine’s career stats against the Dodgers takes into account dozens of games featuring not one guy who is on the team today.
JD
Good point. But I still don’t have a lot of confidence in Randolph and truthfully felt the same way last year even though we made it to the 7th game of the NLCS….
I loved have Floyd on the team, but I never would have had him on the roster for the Cardinal series and wouldn’t have pinch hit him in that seventh game.
Randolph coaches as if he’s wishing will make it so.
Don’t like him as a manager and hope he doesn’t stay too long with the Mets.
Exactly.
Having Floyd on the post-season roster is a crisp and tidy microcosm of Willie’s weaknesses as a manager.
An indefensible use of a profoundly injured veteran that may well have cost them a trip to the World Series… and he still didn’t learn from it.
You can’t blame all roster decisions on Willie. Omar has a say too.
You could argue that except that he played him…
Batting one of the starting pitchers from the other games made more sense than hitting Floyd.
I don’t believe that if Randolph said to Omar “C’mon, clearly this guy isn’t gonna be able to play until March at the earliest.” that Omar would over-rule him.
I think of all the questionable Willie moves out there hitting Floyd over one of the starting pitchers from the other games is not the one that comes to mind.