The Mets and Brewers square off in the rubber match today. The last two times the Mets were put in a rubber match situation (Phillies and Marlins) they won the rubber game. Winning the rubber game, and winning series all year is the key to making the playoffs. It should be another good pitching match-up at Shea today when Oliver Perez will take on Jeff Suppan, who has a history with many of the current Mets from 2006 playoffs.
Suppan is off to a strong start with the Brewers. In his first two games (1-0), he has pitched 13.1 innings allowing 12 hits, 3 earned runs (2.03 ERA), walked 4 and striking out 3. In 2007 against the Mets, he pitched two games, posting a 0-1 records, 12.1 innings, 4.38 ERA, 3 BB and a K. In 2007, the Mets posted these stats against him:
Reyes 6 AB, 2 H, 2B, BB, .333 BA, .429 OBP
Castillo 5 AB, 0 H
Delgado 6 AB, 2 H, HR, 2 RBI, .333 BA, .33 OBP
Wright 5 AB, 3 H, HR, 2 RBI, BB, .600 BA, .667 OBP
The following Mets have these stats over their careers against Suppan:
Delgado 35 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Clark 31 AB, 10 H, 2B, HR, 6 RBI
Wright 9 AB, 4 H, HR, 2 RBI
Schneider 16 AB, 7 H, 2 2B, 4 RBI
What these stats show is that last year, Delgado hit Suppan slightly better than he has over his career and that Wright has been pretty consistent against Suppan. Clark's stats suggest that if they want to give Church a day off in the field, tomorrow will be a good day to do it, also if they decide to take Perez out early, and Suppan is still pitching, then Clark should go in to pinch hit against Suppan.
Perez so far this season is 1-0, 2 G, 11.2 IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 10 K, 0.00 ERA. The good Perez has showed up twice this season and tomorrow, the good Perez will try to show up for the third time this season. In 2007, 2 G, he was 2-0 vs the Brewers pitching 14.1 innings pitched, 3.14 ERA, 5 BB, and 17 K's. No one has hit him particularly well (if they have had over 10 AB against him). For example, Bill Hall has had 15 AB, 2 H, 3 RBI, 3 BB and 8 K. (He has struck out over half the times he has faced Perez!)
