213 Miles From Shea

The Mets finally end this 11 game road trip today as they take on the Padres for the series. So far on the trip, the Mets took 2 of 4 from the Diamondbacks, 3 of 4 from the Giants, and 1 of 2 from the Padres. A win today would mean that the Mets have won or split a series three times in a row. Matt Harvey will get the start for the Amazin’s as he takes on Jason Marquis.

Matt Harvey is 1-1 over two starts this season with a 1.59 ERA while pitching 11.1 innings. In that stretch he has allowed 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned has walked 6 batters and struck out an amazing 18 batters. Being the third start in his major league career, Harvey has not seen any of the batters on the Padres roster before in the majors, thus there are no batting statistics to report.

Jason Marquis, the pitcher who annually calls the Mets for employment, makes the start for the Padres this afternoon. On the season he is 6-10 over 18 starts, 102.1 innings of work with a 5.54 ERA. With the Padres this year, he is 4-6 over 11 starts and 68.1 innings of work. His numbers were better over the course of July as he made 6 starts, 36 innings of work with an ERA of 5.o0, but his last start was a stinker as he allowed 7 ER in 6.1 innings of work. In 2011 he pitched in two games against the Mets allowing 4 ER over 9.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Jason:

Bay 16-45, 4 2B, 3B, 5 HR
Wright 14-34, 3 2B, 2 HR
Cedeno 7-16, 4 2B, 3B
Murphy 3-9, 3 2B
Hairston 1-7
Davis 2-3

Let’s Go Mets!

Busy weekend for those of you who follow the players of the 2006 Mets team as two of the Mets fan favorites from that season are on the move.

First, the Orioles designated Endy Chavez for assignment in order to make room for Nate McLouth. Buck Showalter, the Orioles Manager, is quoted in MLB Trade Rumors saying that the GM will try to do something with Endy. You may recall that there was some minor interest from the Mets last winter for bringing in Chavez who ultimately signed a one year, 1.5 million contract with Baltimore.

I’m not sure if the Mets should be interested here. We have a lot of OF. We have also have had limited success with a lot of outfielders. So I doubt but secretly hope that he ends up back in a Mets uniform, even though I think it would be a dumb move.

Xavier Nady was outright released by the Nationals last month, and it looks like he has signed a deal with the Washington Nationals.  It looks to be a minor league contract, which he signed from the Nationals last January.

The Mets and Padres play game two today as the Mets continue their 11 game road trip. Yesterday the Mets dropped the game by the score of 1-3 with their 1989 road uniforms. Jeremy Hefner gets the nod for the Mets as he lines up against Volquez.

Hefner is 1-4 over 14 games and 5 starts this season with 44.0 innings of work while posting an ERA of 5.52. In his last two games he has pitched 11.2 innings allowing 7 runs, 6 earned 5 BB and 12 K’s. One of his worst starts of the season came against the Padres as he allowed 9 hits and 6 earned runs in 3.2 innings of work. The Padres have the following numbers against Hefner:

Maybin 2-3
Venable 2-3, 2 2B
Alonso 1-2, 2B
Cabrera 1-2
Guzman 1-2
Headley 0-2

The Mets bats will try to score runs against Volquez today who is 7-7 over 22 games and 133.1 innings of work while posting an ERA of 3.51. In his last two games he has pitched 12 innings with 7 ER and 13 K’s. Earlier this year he made one start against the Mets pitching 5.2 inning allowing 2 hits and 2 earned runs. The Mets have the following numbers against Volquez:

Wright 1-7
Cedeno 0-8
Baxter 2-6, 2B, HR
Hairston 0-4
Murphy 2-3
Bay 0-3
Davis 0-3

Lets Go Mets!

The Mets start the last series of their West Coast road trip as they travel into San Diego for a three game set. Their road trip started off by splitting a four game set in Arizona followed by winning three of four against the Giants. Tonight R.A. Dickey takes the start for the Mets as he faces Clayton Richard.

Dickey is 14-2 over 22 games, 21 starts and 146.1 innings with an ERA of 2.83. His last start was a good one as he allowed 1 ER and 4 H over 7.0 innings, 3 BB and 8 K’s. He faced the Padres earlier this season and he allowed no earned runs over 7.1 innings while striking out 10 batters. The Padres have the following numbers against R.A.:

Kotsay 4-9, 2 HR
Maybin 4-12
Venable 3-9, 3B, HR
Forsythe 2-5, 2 2B
Guzman 2-6, 2B
Cabrera 0-3
Headley 0-3

Clayton Richard is 7-11 over 22 starts this year with a 4.14 ERA over 145.2 innings of work. He was 2-3 in 6 games in July with a 5.09 ERA over 40.2 innings. He picked up the loss against the Mets earlier this season when he allowed 4 ER over 6 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Richard:

Torres 5-19
Wright 3-10, 2B
Bay 2-5
Davis 0-6
Hairston 2-3, HR
Johnson 2-3
Murphy 1-3

Let’s Go Mets!