It’s been a long time since Johan Santana won a game, and most of that falls on the offense. Things have changed and if he pitches as he has the last six times out (that is if the rain doesn’t bag this) he could pitch the Mets within a half-game of first place.
They go for five straight tonight, but we know how things have been all year with this team. I have a sense something is different, but I’ve said that, too. What we do know is the season is far from over, and the team I picked to win the NL East has as good a shot as any.
63 Comments
Mets beat Koufax 10-4 on August 30, 1966. Knocked him out in the third inning. Bob Friend, only man to lose 200+ games without winning 200, won the game with 7.2 innings in relief of Tug McGraw. Friend himself had been a Mets terror beating them 12 times before losing to the at Forbes Field in 1964. Wikipedia doesn’t mention it but didn’t Friend play a role in getting Marvin Miller as head of the player’s association? The starting center fielder was Billy Murphy (Cleon Jones in right, Swoboda in left). I had forgotten he even existed. 50,840 at Shea in the first year the Mets didn’t finish last.
JD: Regarding Alou, what I’m trying to figure out is why you think anyone would be remotely surprised or shocked by the news.
That said, love the blog. Long time reader, first time poster here. Any plans on a post relating to the long awaited emergence of Mike Pelfrey? There are quite a few people (on quite a few blogs) who have a lot of backtracking to do regarding Big Pelf.
I agree with your earlier post that the Mets front office should look to pick up an outfielder given the uncertainty regarding Church. However, I’m strangely comforted when I recall that the 2000 World Series team featured an outfield of Agbayani, Payton, and Timo Perez.
Hell yeah on Pelfrey.
There’s nothing like a good young player finally Turning The Corner to spark a team… even if it took, like, two years for the team to get so depleted that they just let the young guy play without Proven Veterans™ breathing down his back.
Pity they discarded all the other young guys for the next coupla years, of course.
I posted the same on pelf yesterday, not for nothing his first year was terrible. Only teams that expect to lose want their young players to learn to play for a few years before they get it.
No one was breathing down his back unless you consider Sosa a Proven Veteran™. He sucked. Right now he is one of the better pitchers on the team. Yesterday both he and his manager said it had to do with trusting his stuff and believing which starts from winning.
I cannot think of one poster who wanted Pelf out there every 5th day after he lost 8 games.
The season is longer now than it was “back in the day” and without ANY doubt the competition is much tougher now than its ever been in the past.
From all the various countries producing ball players to how competitive college and the minors are, its deffintly tougher than ever to be a major league baseball player.
Its just the way it is, like someone said above, its progression. I mean, Kieth Hernandez used to smoke… in the dugout! Try finding a ball player do that now, or eating anything even remotely un-healthy.
I mean there HAS to be a reason whether he was productive or not, Julio Franco was able to play through the daily grind of major league baseball at the age of 48!
I notice nobody has yet made a connection with Pelfrys emergence coinciding with the change in pitching coaches. Perez seems like he too has new life. Bullpen has been much more dependable too. can this be a coincidence? Only time will tell.
I am loving the way this team is playing ball right now. Church and Alou or not, this team is playing with a passion not seen since the first half of 06. Even Delgado has come to life. Is this because of the Managerial change? Time will tell about that too, but so far I like what I am seeing with Jerry Manuel. LGM!!!
Isn’t it interesting how everyone talks about the 2000 World Series team having an outfield of Agbayani, Payton and Bell? They forget Derek Bell was the right fielder most of the year (he was a forgettable player) until being injured in the NLDS. That team also had Piazza catching, Ventura was pretty good at third and at the time Alfonso at second looked like the best player in New York. Is he still with Bud Harrelson’s team in Long Island?
But you can with with some holes, creative lineup use, luck and some good pitching. Pelfrey’s emergence has been the key. Manuel has been good and just having the managerial situation resolved helps.
Dan—That 2000 team was built backwards: They relied on power from the infield and emphasized relief pitching over starters. Yeah, they lacked a bona fide slugger in the outfield, but they were world beaters at second and behind the plate. And their bullpen was deep with reliable arms (Cook, Wendell, White, Franco, Benitez) to offset a rotation that was underwhelming. It was a very untraditional team in those respects.
If ever a team had a chance at a sweep it would be Today. If the Mets get out to an early lead I would not be surprised to see the Giants first pitch swinging to get out of here ASAP.
Anybody know why Cleveland gave up on this Reyes kid? His MiL #s are not that bad.
Ray,
The BP more consistent? Let’s not forget that the BP blew several games and almost blew several others against the Cards and Phils.
Pelfrey’s surge happened before Warthen got here. It was more mental for Pelf. Whether Peterson had some effect or not who knows.
OPs “consistency” did emerge when Warthen got here. He altered OPs delivery a little by making him kind of stop at a couple of points to get him to delivery the ball at the same release point and to put more of his whole body behind the pitch (if you noticed his velocity is up). Whether it continues we will see against the Rockies.
In any event, I think Warthen’s less complicated methods and his approach of letting the picthers throw pitches that fit their abilities may help.
The less complicating methods will probably help OP the most.
To continue I heard Warthen speak about how the Mets SP is a fly ball staff (expect Pelf) and with a big stadium and a GG CF they should throw more picthes up in the zone to get fly balls early in counts (decreasing their pitch counts and thereby letting them get deeper in games).
Peterson was dead set against this. For a guy like Maine especially, this might be part of why he struggles to get deep in games. He ought to throw more picthes up in the strike zone. His FB moves better when it is up not down. Let’s see today if this is part of the strategy.
can u believe Alou…...this guy just cant stay healthy…well he is what 42 years old?....why is omar still relying on him…..man what would this lineup look like with holliday…..anyways 5 sins in a row…..we havent done that in a while hopefully castillo never comes back and breaks this run. SWEEP TODAY>>LETS GO METS!!!
Can we just call him now…Moises Alou”ser?” :-) time to quit if this is a really serious hammy injury.