In-game, Mets vs. Brewers, Game 1
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- September
- 1
METS (76-61, 1st NL East):
7 Reyes, SS
28 Murphy, LF
5 Wright, 3B
21 Delgado, 1B
15 Beltran, CF
19 Church, RF
3 Easley, 2B
23 Schneider, C
57 Santana, P
— Here’s Santana vs. the Brewers’ hitters. The Brewers roughed up Santana in his only start against them this year. They beat him 5-3 in his Shea debut (in a Met uniform), touching him for five runs on six hits in 6 2/3 IP.
BREWERS (75-55, 2nd NL Central):
23 Weeks, 2B
7 Hardy, SS
8 Braun, LF
28 Fielder,1B
1 Hart, RF
25 Cameron, CF
2 Hall, 3B
18 Kendall, C
15 Sheets, P
— Here’s Sheets vs. the Mets’ hitters. He was the pitcher of record when the Brewers beat Santana at Shea.
UPDATE, 1:16 p.m.: Two quick items…
1. Jose Reyes appeared to hurt his neck when he crashed into 2B Rickie Weeks on that leadoff double. Reyes stayed in the game, and was subsequently caught stealing, but I’ll have to check on him after the game. It was a hard collision.
2. I’ll be posting in Central time because that’s what time I’m on. Please adjust accordingly.
3. Boy, they know how to eat here in Milwaukee. Everything comes accompanied with cheese. In fact, cheese and custard appear to be the two most common delicacies here in the great state of Wisconsin. … I won’t tell you who, but one fellow writer put together the following breakfast: eggs and bacon; bratwurst with nacho cheese; and frozen custard. Wow.
UPDATE, 1:38 p.m.: With the second-best record in the NL, the Brewers are obviously a good team. But they’ve been one of the best teams in baseball for a while now.
— The Brew Crew went 20-7 in August, second only to the Rays (21-7).
— They have five players with 20 homers or more, and seven of the eight starters are in double-digits.
— CC Sabathia is the second pitcher in 90 years to win his first nine decisions with a new team, joining Doyle Alexander in ‘87. (Good trade for the Tigers in the short-run, bad trade in the long run because they dealt away this guy.)
— Think the Mets’ starters have been good? The Brewers’ rotation is 17-5 with a 2.49 ERA in its last 27 starts.
UPDATE, 1:55 p.m.: Good sign for the Mets. Santana’s velocity is right at 93, 94 on every single fastball today. Despite the early run, which happened solely because there is a third baseman in left field, Santana is very sharp. He has excellent stuff, as evident by the four K’s.
On another note, this is the second time I’ve been to Miller Park. The other time it was a gloomy late-May afternoon. I thought it kind of looked like an airport hanger, like Bank One in Phoenix with a little added glass behind the CF wall. My impression has changed now. The stands are almost full (I’m guessing it’ll be announced as a sellout) and the roof is open, splashing sun on the playing surface. This really is a great place to watch a ballgame.
UPDATE, 2:23 p.m.: Apparently, even Milwaukee has caved in to the pressures of modern life. One of America’s old holdover cities has tainted one of its great attractions, the Sausage Race at Miller Park, by adding a fifth sausage, Chorizo (No. 5).
Now tell me…How many Wisconsinites eat chorizo?
At least I kept it real earlier when I enjoyed a fine brat for lunch.
UPDATE, 2:29 p.m.: Sheets has now retired 10 in a row in comically easy fashion. He’s actually retired 12 of 13, the only objector being Damion Easley, who walked in the second with two out. Sheets has thrown 54 pitches through five.
UPDATE, 2:31 p.m.: * BREAKING NEWS * Sheets was just lifted for pinch-hitter Joe Dillon after 54 pitches. He must be injured.
I’ll let you know when we get an update.
UPDATE, 2:38 p.m.: Cody Ross popped off yesterday in Florida in regard to Mike Pelfrey’s comments after Saturday’s game. I smell possible fireworks down the road:
â€If he wants to pop off, I’ll let him,†Ross said Sunday after reading the comments. “I figure you would do that if you were 3-0 against a team and not 0-3.â€
UPDATE, 2:47 p.m.: * SHEETS DIAGNOSIS * Ben Sheets left the game with tightness in his left groin.
UPDATE, 2:57 p.m.: During David Wright’s AB vs. Villaneuva with runners at first and third and one out, the display on the left field wall said Wright was .310, 56 HR, 400 RBI in his career with runners on. You know what I thought: Imagine what he was before this year?
With RISP this year, Wright is now 40 for 166 with four HR and 68 RBI.
UPDATE, 3:53 p.m.: * BREAKING NEWS * The Polish sausage won the race. He took it fairly easily, tying the hot dog for the most victories this year (17).
UPDATE, 4:03 p.m.: Costly balk there by Santana, who, for those following along on the ‘net, balked in Prince Fielder from third. He started to rock back in the windup, hesitated, then stepped back off the rubber.
The run gave the Brewers a 2-0 lead over the Mets, who have watched only three of their last 18 batters reach base, just one by way of a hit.
UPDATE, 4:40 p.m.: Somewhere along the way I ended up going back to Eastern time. Anyway…
That’s another stranded runner for Wright. Make it 40 for 167. … It’d even be OK if he moved the guy over to third so Delgado could hit a sac fly here, but he struck out again. That’s a lot of big K’s for Wright on this trip.
UPDATE, 4:47 p.m.: Say this about Delgado — Not only does he hit big HRs, he doesn’t let a chance to pound a middling reliever pass him by. Today’s middling reliever was Eric Gagne, who grooved a BP fastball on an 0-2 count.
UPDATE, 4:50 p.m.: Manuel letting Figueroa pitch to Ryan Braun. Close your eyes Met fans.
UPDATE, 4:52 p.m.: Not a great call by Manuel. The best hitters in baseball — Braun is one of them — simply don’t get out against Triple-A pitchers. With Joe Smith ready and extra arms in the ‘pen, I don’t know how you let Figueroa pitch to Braun.
I guess it’s an indication of how Manuel feels about Duaner Sanchez, Luis Ayala and Aaron Heilman.
UPDATE, 5:07 p.m.: Boy, the Brewers are really blowing this one-hitter/no-hitter thing out of proportion. Read what Doug Melvin had to say here. He shouldn’t expect any Christmas cards from the scorekeepers this year.
UPDATE, 5:16 p.m.: * BELTRAN UPDATE * Carlos Beltran just left the game and was replaced in CF by Endy Chavez. They announced that Beltran is day-to-day with a right knee contusion.
This is potentially big news for the Mets. Beltran, who has been just OK all season, had really begun to heat up. He had four HRs and 10 RBI last week and he had two hits and scored two runs today.
Well Met fans…let the Ed Rapuano hating begin.
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on Monday, September 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm by Josh Thomson.
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1. Reyes looks fine. But I don’t like stealing third with a top RBI man batting.
2. You are on in Central. 95% or more of your readers are in Eastern. Why don’t you adjust? And what about poor Sadecki in Arizona. He’s used to adjusting to Eastern. Now he has to double adjust just for 3 days.!
3. Wisconsin is indeed a good place to eat.
4. The Brewer announcers won’t shut up about Sabathia’s “no-hitter”. Does anybody care in the press box?
Harry…People from New York don’t care, I can tell you that.
I don’t want to steal this so I’ll give credit to ESPN Radio’s Jason Smith, who I listened to during the drive from Chicago to Milwaukee last night, but when was the last time someone tried to barehand a ball and was tagged with an error? It never happens. Never. Yet if you listen to the Brewers it was a no-brainer.
I also don’t want to disparage other writers, but I felt it was unfair the way this thing has been pinned on the scorekeeper. It was clearly a judgment call, and he tried to use his best judgment at the time. A) How did he know it could be a no-hitter? B) Why would that matter?
Seems to me like the Brewers are just trying to make nice with Sabathia.
I was kidding you about the time zone. I’m not in New York and I don’t care either.
Ed Yost seemed to make it an issue so maybe you’re right. I think CC will go where the $$ is, regardless of the “no hitter”. Anyway its the 4th inning and the game’s on for an hour and is a fine pitcher’s duel and they are still talking about CC. If I was the scorer its a hit. If he fielded with his glove and bobbles then an error, but when he bare hands he makes it a do or die play in my mind, so too bad CC.
I agree with you guys about the scoring on CC’s error. It’s done. THey can’t reverse it. I was appalled that Kruk was pushing for a reversal on ESPN. That would be sacrilege. Do calls ever get reversed? And does instant reply have anything to do wiht this? I mean, are we honestly going to start having reviews of scorekeeping decisions?
BTW, Im “watching” the game on MLB.com gameday, so I cannot tell if SHeets is dominating. ONly 2 hits through 5. Meanwhile JOhan has given up a run and 5 hits, wiht runners in every inning (I think). Is SHeets blowing the Mets away?
Sheets is out of the game. The Brew crew announcers don’t have a clue why, but they said his velocity was lower than it usually is. Not seeing the guy I’ll take their word for it. Santana is pitching well despite the base runners.
Its funny, I was just thinking: Maybe the Mets should sign sheets. Minutes later he gets pulled. I saw him smiling in the dugout, so it cant be too bad. Maybe he on a 50 pitch count.
Brew crew guys say Sheets had tightness in his groin.
Lucky me, I get the NY announcers on my cable. Dc up 2-0 on phils. Lets go David.
Bummer. While we are on the break, I see some of our regulars under JD have left us. I miss Tiffany. Her sarcastic humor was usually good for a few laughs.
It’s time for Wright to be dropped in the order, his spot is coming up way too often lately with key RISP and he continues to fail in those spots. He is back to flailing at the slider away like he did 2 years ago, no idea what’s wrong with him but he is a cancer in our lineup at the 3 spot right now.
i am low on wright currently, but you have to ride it out. to move him to say the fifth hole would only lessen his protection in the line up…he seems to need protection. maybe moving up beltran who is hitting a little better lately?
It’s time to get David Wright out of the 3 hole. Unlike previous seasons, he looks lost in most pressure situation. A strike out flailing at two slider with the tying run on third and one out. One of many poor at bats by Wright. Move him down to five and move up Beltran to 3. Winning should trump Wright’s history. Enough is enough. If he starts having good at bats move him up again.
josh-have you asked manuel why church is not hitting #2?
displaced…Manuel just benched Church yesterday against a LHP because he hasn’t been hitting LHPers. Manuel thinks Church is struggling since his return overall. I just think he likes Murphy better right now. He raves about Murphy before and after every game.
Hey, Sadecki: The BrewCrew guys aren’t bad. They just took an hour to get CC out of their system. I’ll take them over the announcers for the Phils, Cubs, Nats, Yanks, etc.
I see that Yost has given up on the pitcher batting 8th. Take that Tony LaRussa.
Riske is the right name for this guy. Reminds me of Doug (risk) Sisk.
Chiti, Last time I heard the phils announcers they had Harry Kalas back. He is very good. Wheels and Carpenter suck.
What a bullpen. Mota is warming up.
Kalas is good but Wheels is about the worst so called analyst around. He overcomes Kalas’ talents. Carpenter is the worst play by play man. The Yanks’ guys just plain suck. Mel Allen must turn in his grave.
MVP! OMG did I just say Delgado for MVP?
For quite some time now, David Wright looks to be our version of A-Rod. (Maybe its a third base thing.) Anyway, my point is that it seems to me whenever a game is on the line, he is not the guy I want to see at bat. Most of his big hits seem to come when we already havea lead – or early in the game. I wonder what others think? I am a bit disappointed with him. I thought he would be more of a clutch-type guy.
Ray,
We really do need to start the Delgado for MVP discussion. I am as floored as anyone else who saw the man TRY to hit for the season-and-a-half before one Willie Randolph was fired. But he has been so clutch for this team.
I hope Beltran is ok. He didnt look too comfortable after his takeout of the umpire. He has just started hitting too. Delgado has by far been the most clutch Met since Steamboat departed. A big September could do it.
Are all you Wright bashers the same guys who wanted Delgado, released or traded in favor of Carp a few months ago?
I don’t have as much of a problem with Figueroa facing Braun. I’m no less confident in Figgy than anyone else in the bullpen at this point.
Silence fills the room….
I like the way Jerry is handling the bullpen. Using Figgy showed he is not afraid to give the callups a chance. Last year, Willie would keep using “his guys” until they were exhaused at the end.
Ray…I understand what you’re saying, but that easily could’ve blown up in Manuel’s face. He basically decided that he’d rather Smith face Corey Hart and Mike Cameron than Ryan Bruan. I don’t get that. Braun is infinitely more dangerous.
It looked bad when Braun smashed the ball to the wall, Figgy got through the 7th 1-2-3. Jerry was trying to get one more batter out of him. He wanted to save Smith for the 2 righies after Fielder. Point is, He is trying to give the guys a bit of a rest when he can.
Harry is right about David Wright. You cant jump shit because he’s had some tough AB’s with RISP. The guy is hitting over .300 for the month of August with 20 RBI. He had homered in the previous 2 games coming into today. Once giving the mets the lead the other time putting them ahead. I understand its frustrating as hell watching some of the AB’s but to call him a cancer or say he’s queens version of a choker is a little much.
Ray:
Good to see you around. Good call on Figgy he pitched a nice 7th inning and there was no reason to burn joe smith in that spot, at worst Braun could of made it a 1 run game. If he were the tying run that I would question the move a little
Sorry I mean jump ship on My Wright comment about not the other 4 letter word.
Josh, I’ve gotta disagree with you….yes Braun is more dangerous, but he’s just one guy, who in that case did not have the ability to tie the game with one swing. And I’ve seen Hart and Cameron hit their share of big HRs….who was going to face them if Smith was only used for the one batter before being lifted for the Feliciano-Fielder showdown? Figgy was as good an option as anybody right now to handle the one batter assignment of Braun. Stokes needed a rest, Ayala was the closer, and the only other guy to bring in for that was Heilman or Sanchez. Over those two, I take Figgy right now. I’m dont think Sanchez and Showenweis will have few if any high-pressure assignments again this year.
They all got you on the Figgy non-move Mr Josh. Braun couldn’t tie the game, Figgy had a good inning, a true Metpen novelty, so why take him out. The more pitchers you use the more likely it is one will suck; aka GAGNE!!!!!!.
And David agreeing with the late Chiti. My my the world is going upside down isn’t it?
So Beltran got hurt at the plate! I was shocked the ump was OK and got up like nothing happened.
I didn’t realize I was “bashing” Wright. I think he’s not very effective with RISP or the game on the line. I think he is pressing an awful lot. If that’s too harsh for some of you, well…
David, Good to be here. I really just come to see Chiti bait the writers who run the blog here. Very nice win by the Metsies. I would be pissed if Beltrans injury is serious, though. How many injuries can this team stand? Do you know how many phillies have gone down this year? Rollins missed a few weeks. thats about it.
I’m not jumping ship on Wright, I wasn’t suggesting anything insane, just that he be dropped in the order. For whatever reason the 3 spot has seen a ton of big RISP situations recently and David is not even doing an average job right now in those spots. He can’t even advance runners, he is K’ing or popping out. That can’t happen over and over right now.
Harry,
Im not one to hold any kind of grudges just voice my opinions and will give everyone their due when need be!