Change is a good thing. Many experiments over the years have shown that change leads to an increase in productivity. The Hawthorne Experiments in the 1920's showed that when the lighting was changed in the Hawthorne plant, their workers productivity and interpersonal relationships increased. Even when they dimmed the lights as a change, the workers productivity increase. Well Interleague Baseball is a change of pace for the Mets and lets hope that this change in game play, adding in a DH, playing in an electric stadium, will cause an increase of Bat Production and a Stable Bullpen. The Mets last year were 8-7 in Interleague Play and 3-3 vs the Yankees.
To help lead the Mets to hopefully a burst of momentum, one of the things they need (it also has escaped them all year) will be our Ace, Johan Santana. Santana over 8 games this year has a 4-2 record (really should be more than 4 wins, thanks to the Mets pen), over 52.1 innings, and has struck out 52 batters. He has a 3.10 ERA over this period of time. In 2007, he pitched a game against the Yankees where he picked up a win in 7 innings over work, allowing 2 runs, 2 walks and striking out 5. Here are some Yankee numbers against him:
Damon 5-24, 3 2B
Jeter 5-17, 3 2B
Cano 4-9
Cabrera 1-3
What separates Santana from the rest is his ability to get out trouble. He gets in trouble, he can work his way out. Perez should pay attention to this tonight so he can learn this ability.
Pitching for the Yankees tonight is Rasner. Rasner has a 2-0 record this year in as many games, over 12 innings of work posting a 3.00 ERA, a walk and 5 strikeouts. He is young (27) and over his four years of play, he has a 6-5 reocrd over 19 games (12 starts), 64.1 innings, and a 3.92 ERA. This year he has been very good:
Right Handers hit .227
Left Handers hit .190
When RISP .000
The only runs he has given up this year are two solo shots. So, like Santana, his weakness is the long ball. That RISP stat spells trouble because if he can keep cool during those situations, he can easily work through the Mets who just forget how to hit when they have RISP. Should be an interesting night. Lets hope change works! Lets Go Mets! Beat the Yankees!
