Mets Chat Room: From the home of the cheesesteak.
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- April
- 18
Greetings from Philly. Thanks again to Josh for minding the store last night.
Nothing is ever easy for the Mets. Johan Santana was superb, but a three-run homer given up by Aaron Heilman made you realize how tough this is going to be. If you’re across the world or just couldn’t sleep and want to add something, please do. Will talk with you tomorrow.
IN A NUTSHELL
Johan Santana showed what all the fuss is about with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. Don’t you feel foolish booing him now?
FROM THE CLUBHOUSE
Manager Willie Randolph on Santana: “It’s what we are looking for from him. We expect him to do that kind of stuff.’’
Aaron Heilman on his troubles in Philly: “I’m certainly aware of the history.’’ That would be ten earned runs in 9 2/3 innings.
Johan Santana on what worked tonight: “The whole key is my fastball. I was able to locate my fastball and we attacked them.’’
Jose Reyes on sliding into Chase Utley’s knee: “I went to space for a little bit.’’
GAME ANALYSIS (Mets 6, Philadelphia 4)
1st INNING: Always important to get on the board first. David Wright doubled in Ryan Church. Two strikeouts for Santana. Mets 1, Philadelphia 0.
2nd INNING: Santana breezed through the second. Highlight so far is the guy sitting below the press box who caught a foul ball with his left hand while holding a beer in his right. Without spilling a drop.
3rd INNING: Jose Reyes clocked on the steal of second by Chase Utley’s knee, but it was a clean play. Mets 2, Philadelphia 0.
4th INNING: Eight strikeouts by Santana.
8th INNING: Mets gave Santana some cushion in the top of the inning. Will Willie let Santana try for the complete game? Mets 5, Philadelphia 1.
TOP OF THE NINTH: Guess not on the complete game. Not a good year so far for Aaron Heilman. Mets 5, Philadelphia 4.
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on Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 6:34 pm by John Delcos.
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anyone think Santana has a chance at turning it around tonight?
No reaction to the introduction of Carlos Beltran. The crowd did boo Hamels after Wright’s double.-JD
Good hitting by David, he looked pumped, too.
Great smile from Johan after air-mailing that one haha.
I’ve never understood why head first slides are still being used.
Ouch … that hurts. Philly fans are booing Reyes as he gets looked at. Don’t forget, this is the same sensitive bunch that cheered Michael Irvin when he was laid out by an Eagles DB at the Vet. They also booed Santa Claus.-JD
So that dude who caught that ball must have a huge right hand to be able to hold a beer and catch a ball with the same hand. May just be a typo…but I still love ya Delcos… ;-)
This is the first time I’ve seen Santana pitch live on TV (CW). He’s very efficient and confident on the mound. I’m also glad to have Ron’s comments from the booth tonight – one of the most intelligent athletes around.
Jimmy Dean: Damn, good catch. As good as his. He caught it with the left. Update: He gave it to the woman sitting next to him and his arm is around her.-JD
more showboating please….
Santana has his 40th career double-digit strikeout game.-JD
Castillo may not have the bat going right now but at least his glove still works
Delgado will be up with the bases loaded and a chance to earn a lot of good will.-JD
Can’t get that excited until I know the Mets have gotten the 27th out and driven a stake through their hearts. They are like vampires.
Suicide squeeze..old school
too bad castillo was asleep on the signs to blunder it.
damn heilman!
To JM: You were saying?-JD
JM – you were right, they are like vampires.
Heilman just lost his right to pitch in the 8th as far as I’m concerned…and quite frankly Omar should look to move him once he puts together a decent streak of games….this has gotten old in a hurry.
On top of it 2 of those runs are charged to Santana, a complete shame.
Aaron Heilman is a loser…
Trust me, Chase Utley has no reflection in a mirror.
To “Alex” re; your post earlier today.
Never again mention ‘Figgy’ being sent down to make room for anyone – Heilman is your man.
Need garlic. Need garlic now.
Its hard to get a reflection when he crowds the mirror to closely
Heilman needs to get it figured out for heaven’s sake. I don’t even wanna watch Wagner face Howard and Burrell.
Cycle time, baby!
Well, what do you know … another chance to save face for Delgado.-JD
Well, that was better than a double-play or strikeout, wasn’t it?-JD
im not confident with wags coming in.
JD,
At this point, a sac fly from Delgado against a guy throwing gas like that is all you can ask.
Nobody is confident with Wags these days..
Why aren’t people confident in Wags?
All you Wagner haters, now aren’t you ashamed? Will be back with more from the clubhouse later.-JD
OK, this game is “In the Book” – let’s hope the Mets can keep this little streak going tomorrow.
Well, it looked pretty good if you put a paper bag over all of Heilman’s work.
JD,
Just to let you know, I am not a Wagner “hater,” nor am I a hater of any other Met. Some of them, however, tend to induce heart palpitations.
And as far as confidence in Mets relievers, in case you didn’t notice what the Phils did to the Astros last series (4-run rally in the bottom of the 9th to win it), it isn’t so much about what Heilman or Wagner can’t do as it is what the Phils can do. They’ve made a lot of pitchers look very bad over the last couple years with that lineup, which has heart, in addition to that fighter’s mentality where they LIKE to be hit, just so they can get back up.
Santana was special tonight, though.
Why wouldn’t you be confident in Wagner? He’s looking absolutely great this year, 0 hits thus far, and his stuff is filthy. High 90’s fastball, his slider looks good, he’s throwing it in good counts, and the windup I think is helping him, people haven’t seen it before. Billy looks good. Now, admittingly I’ve defended Heilman in the past, he’s given us a lot of good innings, he’s also had some bad ones, but something about tonight just turned me off, it wasn’t even the HR, but giving up another shot to the warning track that looked gone. I mean, he has good stuff, I don’t know what happens to the guy, but just keep the ball down for christ sake, you do that, he’s good, but c’mon Aaron, get it together. It was the 2nd pitch of that AB wasn’t it? Ugh, how do you do that? If he would have blown the game for Santana, it would have been bad, real bad. But what a game from Santana, he looked filthy. It’s still early, he usually doesn’t start going real deep into games until later in the year. But 7 good innings from him, dominant innings, I like it. Fastball at 93, hit 95 once, and his slider, wow, I didn’t even realize his slider is that good.
metsfan,
You said, Santana was filthy. He earned his money tonight, boy.
A great win considering how well Hamels had been pitching and that the team had to be tired coming off that game last nite.
Sanatana better take it a little easier w/the bat and the running to 1st base. It seems that each time he hits, he struggles a little in the next inn.
And Willie better learn that Santana is a 100 pitch pitcher. That is twice now that he left him in too long. He got away w/it tonite, but not the last time.
Fans should be use to Heilman getting off to slow starts. He has done it for 3 yrs. Last yr he gave up 6 HRs in the first half and 2 in the 2nd. Last yr he was not scored upon in 32 of his last 35 appearances.
If Wagner can pitch this few inn, maybe he won’t run out of gas at the end of the yr this yr.
JM, know doubt Phils have a karma or something for come back wins (48 was tops last yr).
Maybe playing in that silly place gives them a confidence boost. Or maybe it is just b/c they can really hit. Fortunately they can’t pitch.
Can the Mets do something off of the Met killer Moyer? we’ll see tomorrow.
annie—as much as we might all like to send heilman down to the minors after yet another big spot homerun given up i think we both know that is highly unlikely. though i wouldn’t be surprised if sanchez comes in tomorrow in the 8th instead.
i wouldn’t be too keen on moving heilman either…though if duaner can re-establish himself as the shut down set up guy then perhaps i’d reconsider. especially because heilman probably would bring back the most out of any of the other bullpen guys.
and, to clarify, i never suggested sending figgy down. as a fellow brandeis graduate, that’s the last thing i’d want for my boy. i just said that it was being talked about as a possible solution to the potential overcrowding in the pen that will develop once wise is back.
if it were up to me, i’d just keep wise at aaa for a while until things became more clear.
Yeah, can’t move Heilman, can’t even consider it. He will be better, and the Mets don’t have anyone to replace him. Plus, you can’t count on Duaner in the long run, not yet.
Considering that the Phils owned Wags last year at CBP I was a little nervous but I am glad that Wags shut them down.
Look I have been a Heilman supporter/defender over the past few years. We all know middle relievers will be good, bad and in between, that’s why they aren’t closers…but at some point you have to look at the hits being given up….way way way too many are HRs. Right now the numbers say Heilman can’t pitch to lefties…at all…and that’s just sad.
BH,
Good call on Heilman, lefties are hitting him at .429 clip, while righties are hitting him at .045! But over the last 3 seasons, he’s pretty much even (.228 to lefties, .222 to righties), so we have to hope he’s just in a funk out of which he can snap.
Alex –
Thanks for the clarification.
I think Figueroa is the ‘feel good’ story on the Mets so far this season, and his pitching is solid as well.
Did you play ball at Brandeis, too?
metsfan not: I’m sending what you wrote to Aaron.. then he’s gonna cry knowing the biggest wussy little metsie in the world has turned on him. how dare you criticize a metsie. you aren’t even a fair weather fan. your metsies win a game and it isn’t good enough for you.
As JK says you are a “despicable” fan…. He was talking about you metsfan not. YOU…......
JK: We are pals now. we think alike we both know how “despicable” these little metsies are…...
Hello from DC: What? Are you Daffy duck? Did you really just use the word “despicable”? Twice? Wow.
Thanks for the laugh. Got anything from Yosemite Sam in your repetouire?
The Mets? Are we seeing the team moving in the direction we all hoped? I think so. But this is the Mets. There will be bumps in the road!
clm. I am so happy a little metsie is smiling. most of you look like Aaron Heilmann. However, clm the credit for defining your very own fan base as “despicable” goes to one of your very own…
MR JK last weekend defined you very own metsie fan base as “despicable”... If the the word “despicable” is a ggod enough definition for the best little metsie and the smatest little metsie in the whole world, then that’s what the metsie fan base is…. “despicable”. So please thank Mr JK, and not me…..
Mr clm do you know why little metsie are this way? It because they are jealous of the fact that no matter what happens the NY Yankees are the # 1 team in NYC forever, and the metsies will always be relegated to 2nd place at best, actually 3rd because even your owner likes the Brooklyn Dodgers more than he likes his own team. And everybody ;likes the GIANTS more than the metsies… Why? because unlike the mesies clm, the GIANTS are not chokers. ARe the metsie gonna have CHOKER day this year to honor the GREATCHOKE of ‘07 by the NY Chokers.
What you gonnado, when they send you off to war and all you got is some metsie chokers to defend you????