213 Miles From Shea

The Mets beat the Astros to a score of 12-1 today, making the losing streak from the Astros go to 19 (16 losses and 3 ties). Matsui at one point in the game was a nice 2-39, which shows how much they are struggling in Spring. Now your Spring record really does mean nothing, but it can show a lot of issues going on in camp. For example, the lack of wins by Astros has to be related to the lack of well played defense, which just didn't exist today. They won 86 games last year, so you have to think they should do about the same this season. Anyway, this is a blog about the Mets and not the Astros. Here are some box highlights for the Amazin's today:
The Good:
    Reyes 2-3, R, 4 RBI, 2 2B
    Tatis 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B
    Evans 3-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI
    Martinez 2-3, 2R
    Pelfrey 6.0 IP, 3H, ER, BB, 3K
    Green 1.0 IP
    Muniz 1.0 IP, K
The “Bad” (No one was really bad at all in this game)
    Sullivan 0-4, R, RBI
    Cora 0-2
Pelfrey was on mark today. He started off the game retiring 13 batters in a row and when he got in trouble, he was able to get out of it. These are two great back to back starts for Pelfrey and you have to start to get excited for what he could do this year. He has a frontdoor two seemer working now on lefties and if that becomes a reliable pitch, then he can easily be the number 2 pitcher on this team and a big force in the National League.
On the bat side, Reyes really came alive today knocking in two good looking doubles and bringing home 4 runners (sending him into double digits for RBI's on the Spring). Evans is really making a strong case to go to the big league squad as he showing off his power. I really like the way he is playing, and I really wish we had another spot on the field we can put him if he is going to continue to hit like this. (To quote Keith “save it for April!”.) On the topic of Keith, in response to the numbers that Matsui has this Spring, he said “that will drive you to drink.” And this is why he is one of the most entertaining commentators out there.

Hold your breath, its not that bad. Wright fouled a ball off his foot yesterday and it made perfect contact with his toe, splitting the nail. He got some Xrays, and everything looks good so he will play this weekend in LA in the semifinals. Its a good thing he has a few days to keep some weight off of the toe. This is one the few baseball injuries I can relate to, and the first day or so is the worse, the problem is there is a nagging pain, really really really slight nagging pain for a few weeks. Anyway, Wright went 0-4, with an RBI and BB last night as USA lost to Venezuela, they will face the winner of pool 1. On the Venezuelen side, they won 10-6, and Krod played, got an inning in where he allowed a walk and a strikeout and thats it. They will play the loser of Japan vs Korea.

For the forth time this classic, Japan will face Korea tonight to find the pool winner. Last night in a 2006 Classic rematch, Japan knocked off a strong Cuba team again and now Japan will have to beat Korea, something they havn't done since the first time they met this tournament. In the fist game, it was a rout, and Japan and just destroyed Korea. Then in the next two matchups, Korea won 1-0 in a Classic game, followed by a 5-0 win or in other words, shutting out Japan twice. Just because this game determins seeding, do not expect these players to take this game lightly because this is a major sports rivarlry, and it would be something, and highly possible, that these two teams will meet again in the Championship game. Over the last few years now, Korea has a two game advantage over Japan (that is how close these two countries are). Lets finish up this amazing WBC!

With Hernandez going 5 innings today, the feeling has to be now that he is the clear front runner for the last starting spot. In my personal opinion, I think the only hting that could be holding back the announcement could be Figueroa. He has shown with the PR that he can pitch and pitch against good talent. Figueroa can bring a lot to the Mets because he has shown he can pitch effectively on back to back days meaning he could be a short man in the pen, a long man in the pen or a starter. Even though Hernandez is the fifth starter for now, Figueora's success, if it continues, can keep him on a short leash. Anyway, here are the box highlights for today's game:
The Good:
   Green 1-1, HR, 2RBI, R
   Tatis 1-3, HR, 2RBI, R, 2BB
   Reyes 1-4, SB
   Hernandez 5.0 IP, 5H, ER, 3K
   Villone 1.0 H, BB
The Bad:
   Garcia 2.0 IP, 7 H, 5 E, 2K
   Murphy 0-3
   Chuch 0-3
   Evans 0-3
The big contrast in this game was Hernandez vs Garcia. Hernandez got up there and eventhough he doesn't have a lot of velocity, he was hitting his pitches and getting the Braves to swing and get themselves out. He also showed off the glove and really had an impressive outing, in fact if this was a really game, we would be talking about him as one of the stars of the game. Garcia could not get it going again, and really today might have sealed his fate of not getting into rotation. He will probably start the season in the minors (if he wants to) and will get called up if needed. Between Hernandez, Figueora and Niese, I don't know how needed Garcia will be and I also wonder what will happen with Redding gets off the DL, because Parnell could easily slip into the Mets pen and when it comes down to it, the Mets want Niese, Parnell and Figueora in these spots because not only are these their guys, they are really popular with the Mets fans (especially Figueora being from New York, I would love to see him be successful this season). 

Alright, so maybe we can't go that far, but two important myths were expelled last night. David Wright is not clutch. Team USA does not play with energy. Well with one swing of that bat that all changed. In a very tight game that was played very well, Team USA came up down two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Before the ninth inning they were down 4-3, but the PR tacked on a huge insurance run in the top of the ninth to make the lead 5-3, and the way things were going for Team USA, it seemed like a taunting task. With a couple of lead off hits, walks and so forth, team USA loaded the bases with one out. Youkillis was at bat and he drew the critical bases loaded walk. That means Team USA was down by one, with one out, with the bases loaded, and David Wright was at the plate. Yes David Wright, the player being called on WFAN 660 AM as the Mets unclutch player. He saw a few pitches and just deposited one down right field line. Roberts and Rollins scored and team USA won!

Team USA doesn't show emotion. Wrong. The entire team got out on the field and basically mobbed Wright and the celebretaion continued. It was actually exciting to watch Team USA play and now they will go to the semi finals (after playing Venezuela again to determine seeding). Here are some of the box highlights that Mets fans would be interested in:
    Beltran 0-3
    Delgado 1-3, K, 2 RBI, BB, HR
    Figueora 2.1 IP, 2K
    Feliciano .2 IP, H, BB
    Wright 3-4, R, 2RBI, BB, SB
    Putz 1.0 IP, 2K
The Mes get a lot out of this game. As good as PR played, it is time for them to come back to Mets camp, and they all did really well and now we get to see them play for the Mets and bring those bats home. Something that is not shown in that box line is that Beltran has been smoking the ball in the WBC, just had an off night last night, and last night he robbed McCann of a homer, something he will hopefully be able to do more in the season against the Braves. What I am most excited about is Figueora pitching for the Mets again. After last night, I think he now has a legitimate shot now of making that fifth spot, and that would be great.

The Mets are going to play the Braves a lot now for a period of time and today they lost to them by the score of 5-1. The bats really went cold today as really Church and Murphy provided the only offense. Niese was starting pitcher for the Mets today, and if you stretch out his work to 6 innings, then he did have a quality start, but for him to get that last rotation spot he has to get better than QS. Hernandez will probably not hold the fifth spot the entire season, so Niese has time to get his stuff tuned in the minors before eventually coming up the majors again this season. Anyway here are some box highlights for the Mets today:
The Good:
    Muprhy 3-4, 2B
    Chuch 1-3, HR, R, RBI
    Parnell 1.0 IP, K
    Stokes 1.0 IP, K
The Bad:
    Anderson 0-3
    Valentine 0-4
    Evans 0-4
    Niese 4.0 IP, 2H, 2ER, 3BB, 3K
    Fossum .2 IP, 3H, 2ER, BB
The Mets apparently are going to let Cherry go back to the Orioles today, which is shame because I really like him but at the same time he is very similar to O'day, who has a good chance of making the team (he pitched 1.1 IP today and let up a run). Today was basically a very quiet game, and a lot of that had to do with the bench guys who all had quiet days at the plate. Anderson, Valetine and Evans, all went 0-11. For Anderson that doesn't mean much because he will be on the team, for Evans that is sorta important because he is fighting for that last spot, but in recent days he has had some big days and for Valetine, he is just slipping farther behind the pack, but starting camp he wasn't expecting to make the major league roster.

There were two incredible games last night, one that featured 6 Mets, so lets talk about the game without the Mets first. Mexico last night lost to Cuba, as Cuba stays alive for another day. Mexico is now out of the WBC, and Cuba has to see which Juggernaut will fall today. Will Japan beat Korea and get into the Semifinals, or will Korea win it. Loser has to face Cuba to get to Semi's. Every team is good now at this point. The other game last night was incredible.

Venezuela beat Puerto Rico to a score of 2-0. It was an amazing game. Before we get to the details of the game, this game has a lot of reprecussions for the USA. USA now has to face a stronger opponent tongiht in Puerto Rico, and the loser will go home. So Team USA, who is struggling with injuries will try to avoid another early knockout by winning tonight. This game should be very good tonight, but it could also end up like their first meeting when the PR just embarresed the USA. Anyway, here is how the Mets did last night:
    J Feliciano 0-5
    Beltran 1-1, 3 BB, 2B, SB
    Delgado 0-3, BB
    Cora 0-4
    P Feliciano .2 IP
    KRod 1.1 IP, 2K, Save
Beltran had another great game last night, and although his team didn't win, I am starting to get really excited about what he will bring to the Mets once the season starts. Krod got another save last night, and once again it was a four out save and once again I have the same comment about it. I cannot wait to see his energy in New York, it is going to be electric.

Yesterday started March Madness with brackets everywhere and while College Basketball gets ready for an amazing three weeks of sports, Baseball is fully underway with the second round of their World Tournament. Only two Mets played yesterday, but it was a memorable day overall. Japan showed the world that pitching is better than hitting as they were able to quiet the potent of bats of Cuba to a 5-0 shutout setting up a classic matchup with Korea. This Pool 2 Matchup is a game I am really looking forward too, and if you like baseball, you should be too. These two countries have an intense rivalry and so far in this classic there has beena 14-7 rout of Korea and then a 1-0 Korea win in an amazing game.

Team USA at least delayed an early exit last night while knocking out the darlings of the tournament Netherlands. Wright went 1-3 and RBI in the game as USA rolled on to win 9-3. I think USA needs to hope for the PR to win today so they can face Venezuela. If they have to face PR in the elimination game, I don't know if USA can win. So, lets hope for a PR tonight and then a USA win against Venezuela to set up an incredible semi-final game of USA-Puerto Rico.

Mexico is on life support after a pretty shotty performance by Perez with 4.2 Innings pitched, 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and three homers allowed. With Cuba losing yesterday, Mexico will have to fight back against a very strong Cuba team for a chance to play either Japan or Korea for a chance to come out of this tournament. My personal opinion is that it won't happen and Cuba will eliminate them.

The Mets opened up this game allowing 4 runs in bottom of the first inning to the home team, the Florida Marlins. They then would score 10 runs themselves allowing the Marlins to score only one additional run to win the game with a score of 10-5. One player that it wouldn't be fair to put either in a Good or Bad category today was John Maine because he really had two performances. In the first inning, he fell apart allowing a two run double and then a two run homer. He then came out though for three more innings, and had over his four innings, five strikeouts and no walks. So he was very very bad, and then he was very very good. I really wonder what we will get out of him this year because when he is on, he is very on. His line today was 4.0 IP, 5H, 4 ER, 0BB, 5K. Here are some box highlights from the rest of the Mets today:
The Good:
    Castillo 1-3, R, 2RBI, 3B, BB
    Kielty 2-4, R, RBI, BB
    Evans 1-3, 2 RBI, 2B
    Green 2-3, 2R
    Tejada 2-5, 2B, 2R, RBI
    Green 1.0 IP, K
    Fossum 1.0 IP,
    Muniz 1.0 IP, H, K
The Bad:
    Anderson 0-2
    Sullivan 0-4, SB, R
A rare bad day for Anderson and Sullivan, meaning the next time they take up a bat, they will be slugging. Castillo had a very nice triple today and he also had a nice defensive day. I was listening to the game on the FAN today and they brought up a good point, that is easy to forget and I forgot it, Castillo is a carear .290 hitter, its almost certain that he is going to have a better year this than he did last year. Kielty continued to show that he has the ability to bring a lot of power from the bench, its going to come down to how the Mets want to play him with other players options vs him having to go through Waivers. Evans also got into double digit RBI's for the Spring, and he is really tearing it up. I am very glad I do not have to decided the Mets bench because they have a lot of players who, at least statistically, are bringing very similar numbers down to thw wire.

Redding has been shut down, Garcia has been pretty terrible and Livan Hernandez has been tolerable. That is the state of the Mets fifth rotation spot. The struggles of these three has left the door open for Niese, and the door possibly open for bringing back Pedro but there is another pitcher who is starting to impress in my mind and that is Figueroa. Figueroa has pitched 8 innings this spring between the Mets and the WBC (official games). Over those eight innings he has been very, very good:

     Mets: 2 G, 3.0 IP, H, K, BB
     PR: 3 G, 5.0 IP, 2H, 4 K, 3 BB

Over these eight innings, he is yet to allow an earned run, and when he gets in trouble, he gets out of trouble without allowing anything to effect the score. He is pitching at least well enough to be allowed to compete for that last starter spot when PR's ride is over with the WBC. There are also a few things that will work in his, and the Mets favor. The Mets do not need to declare their fifth starter at the beginning of the season because they can survive at first with a four man rotation thanks to off days. That means the Mets will have more time for deciding their fifth starter. Also, the fifth starting spot will probably change as the season goes on, so there is nothing wrong with starting with Figueroa and then switching over to a healthy Redding, or whoever on the Mets decides to wake up one day and take that last spot.

That being said, this is probably extremely unlikely. It seems right now that the Mets will either go with Hernandez in the pen as the long man and Niese as the fifth starter, or just Hernandez period as the fifth man, and neither option is a bad option. This entire situation will become more clear as we get closer to opening day.

Two big games today as the Netherlands faced Venezuela and the US faced the PR. The bottom line was it was a good day for Mets players. When Krod came out today with two outs in the eighth, you can just sense the energy he brings to the ballpark. He came out with his finger up high and all I could think about is how I can't wait for this guy to pitch in New York. He is really ready for a big stage because he seems like he is the guy who is going to feed off the energy of New York. Anyway, here are some Mets stats from today's World Baseball Classic action:
    Krod 1.1 IP, H, 2K, Save
    Wright 1-3
    Putz 1.0 IP, H
    Figueora 1.1 IP, 2H, K
    Beltran 3-3, 3R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, SB
    Delgado 1-4, 2 RBI
One last note on Krod. Last season, he had no four out saves. Today he got one. Putz had a good day. If this is what we can look foward to this season, its just going to be overall a much better season. Figueroa had another really good game and I am starting to seriously think that he could enter himself into that fifth starter race if the Mets do not persue Pedro, because his pitching right now better than Garcia, and Redding is out right now thanks to injury.
Even though Delgado was only 1-4, it was a nice hit. I am surprise he is htting right now because he is normally a very slow starter for the season. Beltran also had a monster game. Ever since Wright and Reyes starting having big seasons, attention has really drawn off of Beltran, and he is really consistently putting up really great numbers. With him hitting now and Delgado as well I am really getting excited for this up coming season.