213 Miles From Shea

The Mets donned their Los Mets Jerseys last night, and at last, they looked different. Whether you liked them or not, at least they were different. If you recall, in the past the Mets took their normal home uniforms and would post the word “Los” in tiny script on the upper corner by the “M” in “Mets”. Essentially, they added a patch to the uniform, and called it a different uniform.

Last night the Mets wore royal blue uniforms with orange script that read “Los Mets” across the chest.

Here's a photo of R.A. Dickey who wore the matching stirrups!

Good Job Mets!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, you can already buy these online. Actually, apparently they had a pre-order before the game even happened. (The website advertises three already made unis, including Reyes, Wright and….Santana? I really wonder how his jersey has been selling this season…)

The Mets start an important series tonight in Citi Field, if they want any chance of making the post season as they take on the Braves. The Mets are 8 games back in the Wild Card race, and essentially need a sweep here to re-enter the playoff picture. The Mets will be starting Dickey tonight who will be going up against Tim Hudson of the Braves.

Dickey is 5-9 on the season with a 3.77 ERA. In his last two starts he has pitched 12.2 innings allowing 5 ER which is an ERA of 3.55, slightly better than his season average. Against Atlanta this year he is 1-0 over 13.0 innings with a 3.47 ERA. The Braves have the following numbers on Robert Allen:

Hinske 3-20, 2 2B

Bourn 5-15, 3B

Uggla 0-15

Gonzalez 3-14

Prado 0-11

The Mets batters draw Hudson for the opener, who is 10-7 on the season with a 3.31 ERA. In the month of July, Hudson made 6 starts totaling 41.1 innings with an ERA of 2.83. Against the Mets this season, he is 0-2 pitching only 8 innings, allowing 7 earned runs, 8 overall. The Amazins have the following numbers against Tim:

Reyes 19-64, 4 2B, 2 HR

Wright 12-54, 2 HR

Bay 6-17, 2B, HR

Pagan 9-18, 2B, HR

Let's Go Mets!

(Note: This article was written on Monday night. I am in the middle of a move right now, so if anything happened, like a spot starter or something, this article will be out of date, and I apologize about that)

(Oh, in case you are wondering, my website, 213 Miles From Shea will now have an incredibly out of date title. It should now be 24 Miles From Citi Field)

Dillon Gee gets the nod for the Mets tonight as he takes his 10-3 record and 3.69 ERA back to Citi Field against the Marlins. He had a good start his last time out against the Nationals as he allowed 2 ER, 3 total in 6.2 innings in a winning effort picking up double digit wins for the season. He has made one start against the Marlins this year where he allowed 3 ER over 7 hits in 5 innings of work against the Marlins. The fish have the following numbers against Gee:

Infante 1-6

Morrison 1-3

Ramirez 1-2

Sanchez 0-2

The Mets will face Clay Hensley tonight for the third time in his last four starts on the season. Overall, he is 1-3 on the season in 32.0 innings with a 3.09 ERA. Since becoming a starter, he is 1-1 over 17.0 innings over 3 starts with a 2.65 ERA. Against the Mets this season (since he has been a starter) he has pitched 10.0 innings allowing 2 ER. The Mets have the following numbers against Clay:

Wright 4-17, 2B

Reyes 3-13, 2B

Bay 3-11, 2B, HR

Harris 3-5, 2B

Let's Go Mets!

The Mets have now dropped two games in a row after making a comeback in the ninth inning. On Sunday, Scott Hairston hit a solo shot to get the game into the bottom frame of the ninth and last night the Mets had a bottom of the ninth rally only to lose it in the tenth. Tonight the Mets will try to stop their three game slide against the Marlins as they play game two.

Capuano gets the start for the Mets tonight with his 9-10 record and a 4.51 ERA. It has been a bad last three starts for Chris as he has been 1-2 over 19.0 innings of work, allowing 14 ER which is an ERA of 6.63. He hasn't had much luck against the Marlins this season as he has pitched 14.1 innings against them allowing 9 ER. The Marlins have the following numbers against Capuano:

Ramirez 3-18

Cameron 4-12, 2 HR

Infante 3-10, 3B

Sanchez 5-9, 2 2B, HR

The Marlins starter, Brad Hand, will be making his seventh career major league start tonight.In his last start, he pitched 3.2 innings, allowing only one earned run and 3 hits, but walking 6 batters. So far in his young career he has pitched 29.2 innings with a 2.73 ERA. This will be his first career start against the Mets and he has not faced anyone on the Mets.

Let's Go Mets!

The Marlins come to town tonight to face the Mets, as they try to get back on the winning path. Yesterday, the Mets were able to get runners on base, but they weren't able to get them home as the only two runs in the game came on two solo shots by Scott Hairston. Tonight Pelfrey will get the start for the Amazins as he goes up against Javier Vazquez.

Pelfrey is coming off a critical start as he pitched a complete game allowing only 2 earned runs giving the pen a much needed rest. On the season he is 6-9 with a 4.55 ERA. He has pitched 17.1 innings against the Marlins this season allowing 10 ER. The Marlins have the following numbers against Big Pelf:

Ramirez 10-41, HR

Infante 13-23

Dobbs 7-20, 2B, HR

Sanchez 5-13, 2 2B, HR

The Mets will get a look at Javier Vazquez tonight who is 7-9 on the season with a 5.10 ERA. In the month of July he pitched 31.1 innings pitched with a 3.16 ERA. In one start against the Mets this year he allowed 4 earned runs, 7 runs total over 2.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers on Javier:

Reyes 4-21, 2B, 3B

Bay 2-17

Wright 3-14, 2 2B, HR

Paulino 5-12, 2B

Murphy 2-8, 2B

Let's Go Mets!

The Mets try to get back on the winning path this afternoon against the Nationals and Jordan Zimmermann. Jon Niese will get the start for the Amazin's today with his 10-8 record and 3.97 ERA. The last two starts have been a struggle for Niese as he has allowed 10 ER in 11 innings of work. He has made one start against the Nationals this season, where he pitched 7 scoreless innings allowing 6 hits. The Nationals have the following numbers against Jon Niese:

Werth 4-11

Desmond 1-8, 2B

Gomes 3-7, HR

Morse 1-6, 2B

The Mets will get a look at Jordan Zimmermann today who is 6-9 on the season with a 3.27 ERA. Jordan has also struggled in his last two starts as he has pitched 11.2 innings allowing 12 ER. He has made two starts against the Mets this year where he has totaled 10.2 innings of work while allowing 7 ER. The Mets have the following numbers on Jordan:

Wright 2-13, 2B

Pagan 3-12

Reyes 3-11

Murphy 4-9, 2B, HR

Bay 3-6

Let's Go Mets!

This hat is ridiculous, but its a Mets hat! Nothing says you love your team like your logo embedded in the state.

Source

(Note: This Game Preview was written at 7:15 AM. At that time, the Nationals still have Jason Marquis as a starting pitcher. There is a chance he may be traded at some point today, so obviously he would be pulled from the start)

The Mets and Nationals play the second game of their set tonight as the Mets try to make it 6 games in a row. Last night continued the tradition of getting a lot of hits and scoring a bunch of runs as the Mets scored 8 runs again, which is the 4th time in a row they have done that. The Mets will rally behind RA Dickey tonight as he takes on Marquis (possibly, see note at start of Preview) of the Nationals.

Dickey is 5-8 on the season with a 3.74 ERA. He had two sub-par starts in a row in the month of July but returned to form in his last start allowing 2 ER in 6.2 innings of work. He has a 3.86 in 11.2 innings (2 starts) against the Nationals this season, who have the following numbers against him:

Werth 6-17, 2 2B, HR

Ankiel 5-14, 2 2B

Zimmerman 2-10

Desmond 1-10

Espinosa 0-8

Jason Marquis is drawing some attention from contending teams this year with his 8-5 record and 3.95 ERA. In the month of July he has pitched 21.1 innings over 4 starts with a 5.48 ERA (which is being heavily impacted 1.1 inning, 6 ER performance at the start of the month). He has made one start against the Mets this year where he allowed 3 ER over 6 innings of work and 7 hits to the Mets, who have the following numbers on Jason:

Bay 16-43, 4 2B, 3B, 5 HR

Wright 13-32, 2 2B, 2 HR

Reyes 11-31, 2B

Pagan 3-13

Murphy 3-9, 3 2B

Let's Go Mets!

Earlier this season I wrote a fairly angry article about the Brewers' Military Appreciation hat night, where the team essentially played dress up soldier with their hats, but at least on the web when you go to buy the hat, it doesn't say anything about money going to help veterans.

The Mets and Nationals start a series tonight in the Nation's capital as the Mets look to make it five straight wins. The Mets are fresh off of a four game sweep of the Reds, where in the last two games the Mets scored 18 runs without Carlos Beltran in the lineup. Dillon Gee will be taking the mound for the Amazin's tonight as he faces Chien-Ming Wang, who will be making his 2011 debut.

Gee is 9-3 on the season with a 3.75 ERA. In his last two starts, he has pitched 12 innings, allowing 5 ER, which is an ERA of 3.75. Gee faced the Nationals earlier this season, and it was one of his best starts as he lasted 7.2 innings, allowing only 2 hits, and no runs. The Nationals have the following numbers against Gee:

Bernadina 0-6

Desmond 0-5

Espinosa 0-5

Werth 1-5

Cora 1-3

The Mets will get the first look this season at Chien-Ming Wang. As fans of a team in New York, you are all probably familiar with Wang's story as he was great, ran into some trouble, has bounced around in the minors between teams the last two years, mainly due to injury, and he is finally coming back. In 2009 he was 1-6 with a 9.46 ERA with the Yankees, but he has a a career ERA of 4.16. Overall this season, in 4 minor league levels, he has an ERA of 3.14 (6.00 in A, 0.00 in A+, 0.00 in AA, and 6.75 in AAA). The Mets have the following numbers against him:

Wright 2-11, 2B

Reyes 2-8, 2B

Harris 2-5

Murphy 0-3

Let's Go Mets!