ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Braves at Mets
That could actually have gone worse, I guess. This was the game we weren’t supposed to have a chance in but kept it close.
The Braves took a first-inning lead on an Andruw sac fly scoring Marcus. They gave it back in the second, but Langerhans drove Marcus in to make it 2-1 in the third.
Bobby made a mistake in the fourth. Carlos Delgado kills Sosa. At the time, his career average was an even .500 and he had six homers. Now it’s seven. Thing is that there was a runner at second, first base open, and a righthander (albeit the terrifying David Wright) on deck. It was an obvious intentional walk situation, but Bobby — who issues far too many IBBs for my taste — didn’t walk Delgado, who put the Mets up for good. They added another run in the fifth. Sosa couldn’t get an out in that inning, but James put out the fire. Both he and Cormier pitched two shutout innings.
Andruw added a homer in the sixth, but the Braves couldn’t score the tying run, and only mounted one semi-serious threat (Orr singled and stole second with two out).
Davies versus the Wrong Zambrano tomorrow.
“The Braves released Triple-A Richmond’s Wes Obermueller with the intent to sell him to Japan’s Orix Buffaloes
Hopefully, Davies can do something “right” versus the “wrong” Zambrano tomorrow.
I’ll reiterate what I said in a previous thread. Our rotation needs to be Smoltz, Hudson, Thomson, Davies and James. Trade Horacio and/or Sosa, assuming they still have at least a little bit of value left. As much as I like Langerhans, the honest truth is that he will never be more than a very average regular and is ideally a fourth outfielder. We could use an upgrade in LF…I like Gathright in TB to play LF and hit leadoff or I’d like to upgrade the bullpen.
Either way, get James into the rotation and Sosa out. He’s flat out not a good starter, and during the game Rick Sutcliff said he averaged 5.2 innings per start last year, second lowest in the majors. This obviously is not good for our bullpen, which is clearly the biggest weakness for Atlanta.
6-8, I don’t know what to think. Still very early but beyond maddening.
And I despise ESPN even though I watched Turner South. They are so pro-New York everything, be it the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Knick or whatever. They’re basically saying the Mets should start selling post-season tickets now.
Well, as NY METS had unfailingly pointed out, you don’t need to look at the whole thing to gain perspective. Just looking at the beginning is fine. (If it works for the season, it ought to translate to a game, right?) Therefore, the Braves scored first so that means they are obviously the superior team.
I am actually pleasantly surprised we only lost by one run. I’ve never been a Sosa fan (even before he started struggling this year), and I really thought we’d never have a chance in this one. So, thank you Braves for at least making it interesting. I can’t wait to see a healthy Braves team take on the Mets.
Hey, there’s 148 games to go & 18 vs. NYM. Just gotta make sure we don’t dig too deep an early hole.
I’ll be there tomorrow night. I certainly expect a few runs.
If this is the Pedro which the Mets are going to get this season, then I am not impressed at all. The Braves managed to score three runs off the “invincible” Pedro without Edgar and Chipper, and four of the eight Ks came from Orr and Adam. I can see the start of Pedro’s decline when his best fastball is clocked at 90mph.
Jeez, some of you guys sound like Mets fans from past seasons. OVERREACTION
Trade Sosa and Horacio “if they still have any value”? Sosa can’t pitch?
Did you guys forget that Sosa had a 2.55 ERA for the Braves last year, and went 13-3 (Pedro went 15-8 with a higher 2.82 ERA)? Sosa’s only 28, and still has great stuff. He just needs to work out some of his problems to start this season. He actually did not look that bad tonight. He held our offense in check better than most of the pitchers we’ve faced this year, including names like Livan Hernandez and Ben Sheets.
Horacio is only 26, a lefty, and also still has great stuff. He’s 25-17 for his career with a respectable 4.14 ERA. He’ll be fine too.
Do I think you guys will beat my Mets? No, I think this is our season, but you still have a very good shot at the Wild Card and around 90 wins (the rest of our division is MUCH weaker than last year). You’ve still got some real solid young players and a veteran nucleus (Chipper when he gets healthy, Andruw, Smoltz, Hudson, etc.).
Anyways, good game tonight.
I think it’s still early but also believe the sooner we take care of specific problem people the better off we will be. They are in prioritized order:
1. Horacio R. a complete waste that might have some value as only because he throws with his left.
2. Jorge Sosa it seems baseball people who said we would watch his demise are probably right. His peripheral numbers showed that his record was a positive mirage.
Others to consider are those playing LF and 1B because it isnt weorking out very well. Langerhans has been good, Laroche has shown some power but we need to upgrade those positions.
BTW, forget Gathright because he’ll make you sick with his defesive play.
Gosh, Michael, Langerhans has arguably been the best player on the team so far. I’d still pick Andruw, but it’s hard to argue with .349/.451/.628.
Actually, LaRoche hasn’t been that bad. He hasn’t been good, mind you.
Hey, Sweetman, how do you like Floyd and Beltran starting to get hurt?
How about Willie overusing both Heilman and Sanchez, who will both be worn out by July?
If the top of your rotation is Pedro and Tommy in the late 90s and early 2000s, then I am completely scared. Too bad they are on the wrong side of their 30s.
You think this year is the Mets year huh? The Phillies surely thought so in the last few years. I am so sorry that you will be disappointed again.
Laroche isn’t hitting well…..he is just hitting some good hits that have brought home runners…..Craig Wilson wouldn’t be bad for Horam and about 2K.
good game
2 things
The mets beat you fair and square. We had beltran and floyd out, and you had chipper and renteria.
Your pitching was better then expected. If you continue this new found trend, this series is going to be a lot of fun to watch.
Next game is even going to more important then this one. I predicted a sweep, im 2 away. Lets see if i look more like nastradamus, or some cheep palm reader.
When I say “if Ramirez and Sosa still have value” let’s remember that when Thomson was on the trade block he instantly lost all trade value when he got injured. That goes for Horacio. As for Sosa, well, I just don’t think he can pitch, especially if the Devil Rays are willing to move him.
Langerhans has not been our best player and will soon be our 8th best position player, hence his 8th position in the batting order he started the season in. He is good defensively, I’ll admit, but I think someone like Gathright would be attainable because he would be a true leadoff hitter for us and TB needs pitching, which we have extra starters (Ramirez and Sosa). I wouldn’t be too concerned with his defense since we have Andruw lurking around in center.
Well, Adam has been striking out instead of grounding into double plays…I guess that can be considered as improvement. He is the second coming of Rob Deer!
NY METS, think hard and serious about it…last year’s Marlins have a better team on paper than this year’s Mets.
make that 3 things sorry.And yes pedro looked like crap out there tonight. I hope that was just a bad outing.
Now that Sean Casey is out, the Pirates won’t be trading Wilson.
KC:
I think that is completely in accurate. This years mets have a much better team on paper then the Marlins. But why would you even bring that up? What does that have to do with the mets and braves? And since when did teams looking good on paper matter.
I am trying to tell you your Mets aren’t that good.
Brain Hammer
1 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1/2 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
Grenadine
1 oz Bacardi or Appleton’s 151 proof rum
Use a narrow, stemmed glass that’s not too tall. Pour peach Schnapps in first, then, using an inverted spoon, pour on a layer of Bailey’s. Slowly drip grenadine through the Bailey’s, creating a brain effect at the bottom of the glass. Put another, thin layer of 151 on top. Fill a spoon with 151, light the alcohol, then carefully drip the burning rum down a long knife so that it lights the rum in the glass. While burning, drink entire beverage through a straw without stopping. (Lifted from mixeddrinkrecipes.net.)
By the way, Nastradamus used to be a good rapper, but he sucks now. You were probably thinking of Nostradamus, the French mystic.
AHH THANK YOU another Alex R. As you are right on both accounts. And to KC what would it take to convince you the mets are good? I mean you don’t think were even OK? I just don’t get it. What have the mets done so far this season to make you feel that they are not “that good of a team” Could they have played better? did they not win enough? Does our pitching give up to many runs or we just can’t seem to hit the ball? What have they done wrong, so I too can understand where you are coming from.
I haven’t decided yet whether or not I agree with giving James a spot in the rotation. Every time I look at him, I can’t help but see Horacio Ramirez all over again, for some reason. I guess he will eventually have to be given a chance though, so if Sosa continues to struggle, I guess me might as well.
However, speaking of Sosa, I thought this last year at the beginning of the year when Sosa was in the bullpen, and now that we’re getting into all this talk about replacing Sosa in the rotation, it seems like a good time to say it again. Sosa’s stuff seems to me to be tailor-made for making him a closer. I remember early last year, he had the tendency to make opposing batters look like complete imbeciles in some of his relief appearances. I remember particularly an at-bat that Jeff Bagwell had against him in the Hudson vs. Clemens pitchers’ duel early last year which might have been the most embarrassing at-bat of Bagwell’s career.
Anyway, the point of all this is that perhaps we should look at giving Sosa a try at closer. I mean, what do we have to lose? Chris Reitsma and Sosa’s starting pitching? Doesn’t seem like too much of a loss to me.
Look, the Mets are obviously playing well right now. It isn’t particularly surprising that they are. In the long term, it will be surprising if they keep playing excellent baseball, because they are an old team managed by a guy who really doesn’t know what he’s doing. But if they are really an outstanding team in the long run, then good for them.
“It’s the 58th series the Mets and Braves have played against each other since Atlanta joined the National League East in 1994. But it’s just the second time that the Braves begin one of those series trailing in the standings.”
Mac:
I thought they were a young team. Maybe not as young as the braves but wright,beltran,reyes,our pitchers minus the big two(glavine-pedro) So I don’t see how that fits into play. Yes I hate Our manager, As He has lost a few games for us in the past. But I am confident our team is so much better then last year that even that retard couldn’t screw this up. No, I don’t think the mets will finish out the season with the best record in baseball. But make no mistake. The mets really are a good team.
I heard some chatter about Renteria playing next game. I really hope he does play because i think Beltran will play . I want it to be an even playing field
NY METS, it is the pitching. An old and lack of depth starting rotation, and a surprising thin bullpen. The Mets will be a dangerous team in a short playoff series, but I highly doubt how well this team will play over the 162-game season. Also, I agree with Mac, Willie Randolph is a poor choice to be the manager of the Mets.
NY METS, I think you have forgotten Steve Trachsel, and Victor Zambrano isn’t exactly “young”. Don’t you wish to have Kazmir back?
if trax or zambrano go down heilman takes their place. Our pen will have to just step it up.Plus pelfy should be ready by the end of the season. I see great things for that kid. Yes Kazmir would be nice. That was a bad trade I’ll be the first to tell you.But it was the trade that got steve phillps canned so it was a nessecary evil(I am sure you have seen this fool on ESPN).New GM new team,new stadium soon!!!
did you ban queens team ????
If he didnt ban you he probably didnt ban Queen
Pelfrey is a good prospect, but don’t too hold high expectation on a kid.
If Heilman is moved to the rotation, who is in the bullpen besides Wagner and Sanzhez? Relieve pitchers usually only pitch around 80 innings a year you know.
I dont think he can ban me due to the fact I have aol. I have a floating IP. –thats just what he said. Queens team uses yahoo I think.
so im guessing he can ban him if he wants
ya the pen would be of a ? Im thinking Lima and heath bell will get called up. Not the best but It will have to work. Its been done with lesser players. Pelfrey will be great. He’s a big power pitcher who can locate hip pitches very well. I think he may pan out better then milledge.
that was his pitches. lol-what the hell are hip pitches!
Of course the Mets are good. Anyone who denies it is a fool. I really dislike what Omar Minaya has done(sacrificing his future for extremely short term gain) but he has in fact built a good team. One of the handful of best in the National League. Any Braves fan who denies this is foolish.
That being said, I haven’t seen anything that makes me think that the Mets are better than the Braves. I’ll say what I said before the season, the Mets Braves and Phillies are all pretty close to each other(probably 5 games separates 1st and 3rd in terms of true talent) and so literally any of those teams could pull it out.
Jorge Sosa is exactly what he was before the season, a quality 5th starter that can’t effectively eat innings. A couple of awful starts aren’t a big deal. By the end of the year he’s gonna get us 160+ IP and a 4-4.5 ERA. That’s what he is. He’s fine in the rotation.
HoRam is awful and doesn’t deserve to be in the rotation. But he isn’t anymore so that’s dealt with.
Chuck James isn’t going to be a great starter in the major leagues. He doesn’t have good stuff and he isn’t a gorundball pitcher. We call guys like him Gil Meche, or Ryan Franklin, or Casey Fossum or Scott Elarton. And at such a young age he isn’t going to be the answer to the rotation.
The Braves screwed up by building a pitching staff the way they did(projecting on best case scenario, aiming for slightly above average) and there isn’t an easy fix.
That was a good game. Considering the matchup we should be happy we had a shot to win it at all. Sosa didn’t look that bad. His control was better, though he still made some key mistakes.
NY METS, the bullpen issue…just check the Braves’ history, haha, it’s not as easy to fix as you think!
This was not a hard loss to bear. We got beat by Pedro and Wagner nailed it down. This is hardly surprising or unexceptional. I doubt that if foreshadows any pattern of Met domination. And Met fans should well remember that the Braves are playing without Chipper who has made his presence felt in these games many times.
The season is young and I think the Braves will have the ability to chase the Mets successfully if they must. That said, I tend to believe that the Phillies may provide more sustained competition.
Also, I would love to believe that Jorse Sosa is a quality starter, but so far the evidence is lacking.
Y’gotta remember, the idea was Smoltz, Hudson, Hampton, plus whatever else like Ramirez & Thomson. Before the Thomson & Hampton injuries last year, I remember thinking that, outside of Houston, nobody had a starting staff that would match Atlanta.
I still believe Hudson will turn it around (unless he’s truly hurt). I also believe Smoltz will be good. Thomson’s arm strength will come back–it’s hard to find any fault with him right now.
Davies & Sosa clearly allow way too many baserunners, but, yes, their innings can be valuable. Would Chuck James be better? Dunno.
For the time being, James might be most valuable in the bullpen. It’s never a bad thing to have a lefty who can go more than an inning at a time. You gotta like that 5th inning that James had tonight.
This team is still shaking out. The point now is to scratch back & not get buried early. Remember where this team was the past two years. In 2004, they were 34-39; in 2005, we saw some morale-dimming lows. But we know what happened in the end.
Look, if another team is going to win 10 of every 12 games, you can’t lose much sleep over that. But we know that’s not going to happen. Let’s get a good effort from Davies & scratch out a win tomorrow, then hope for a return to form from Huddy.
BeerPop top or pull tab to open. Raise arm. Enjoy.Fun game, even though we lost in the end. I’m not worried a bit.
Are the Mets a good team? Yes, they are. These aren’t the terrible Mets of the last several years. I think it’s obvious that these Mets have more in common with the late 90s Mets. They will be a force through the end of the season. However, I also believe that the Braves are just as good, if not slightly better. If both lineups are all together, the Mets have only a slight edge, at best, and with our lineup being better than we thought, maybe that’s even offset. Our starting pitching should be better on paper, and you can tell that that’s starting to come around. The only edge their bullpen has is a closer who isn’t guaranteed to go on a five-game blown save streak at some point in the season. And we have a sizeable edge in managing, especially over the 162-game season. So while they’re really hot now and we’re not, at some point in the season that is going to be turned around. Really, if both these teams don’t make the playoffs one way or the other, I’ll be shocked.
JPMouton, I agree with your main points but disagree with your assessment of Chuck James. From what I’ve seen of him, I realize that he has a thin margin for error, but I think he is capable of surviving within that. After all, Gil Meche and Ryan Franklin’s problems weren’t so much that they had terrible stuff as that they were young Seattle Mariner pitching prospects, and so their arms got wrecked almost from the word go. Chuck is in a far better situation with the Braves.
I would place his potential more alongside pitchers like Kirk Rueter and Denny Neagle, left-handers who survived, and pitched quite effectively for a few years, with a mixture of stuff and guile.
If Hampton where in the rotation I’d like it more. I can admit that. But the Braves erred by not replacing him. The Braves made a number of errors in regards to their pitching staff this offseason.
Hudson and Smoltz are both going to be good pitchers this year.
Hudson has basically 0 chance of being great. He isn’t a great pitcher. The Braves think he is. Error 1 is overvaluing Hudson.
Error 2 is oivervaluing Smoltz. The Braves didn’t leave themselves any room for a decline from Smoltz.
Error 3 was undervaluing Thomson. This has been rectified. Thomson is an above average pitcher, nothing more. He’s a steal on the contract he is on. The Braves didn’t value him properly in regards to his position on the team(3rd best pitcher) or in the trade market(a slight upgrade or linear move at 1B?).
Error 4 was convincing themselves that the back of the rotation(Sosa, Ramirez, Davies, James) was going to be average. They figured that in the end they’d get 100 or so starts of league average ball out of those 4(plus whatever trash time Travis Smith type emerges). There isn’t a league average pitcher in there. Sosa is slightly below league average, Davies is pretty close behind him. Ramirez and James are pretty much replacement level starters at this point. The solution to this was evident all winter. Cheap pitching. Paul Byrd, Tomo Ohka, Jeff Weaver, 100 fricking AA pitchers were all readily availble and affordable to the Braves. Replace Sosa/HoRam/Davies/James with Ohka/Byrd/HoRam/Davies and you’ve got a signifigant upgrade at a non-signifigant cost. The Braves had payroll room this offseason, and didn’t spend it. They should have.
Error 5 was the foundation of the bullpen. The Braves looked at their bullpens from the past 15 years and noticed that there were a bunch of journeymen/no names and that the bullpens were actually pretty good. What they didn’t notice was why. RP are a fickle bunch, randomly having good and bad stretches of their careers. A RP with a new pitch or new velocity can easily give you 50 good innings. Mike Remlinger doesn’t have a new pitch or new velocity. Actually he lost velocity. I don’t think the Braves should have spent the money to get Bob Wickman or Trevor Hoffman or whoever. I do think the Braves should have taken a page out of the A’s notebook and assembled cheap pitchers with somewhat of an upside. Kazhuito Tadano ain’t hard to acquire. But he’s good pitching depth. The Mariners gave Marcos Carvajal away because they didn’t have room for him on the roster. Any live arm in the low minors gets us him. And he’s a useful pitcher. The Rule 5 draft held a couple of live arms that we probably couldn’t have stashed away for an entire season, but would have been worth picking up because they have far better potential than Mike Remlinger, even for this season. Or we could have gone with a Buddy Hernandez type, as there were some of them around as well.
The error int he bullpen was that the Braves assembled a bunch of shitty RP hoping a couple would stick. But they forgot to assemble high end RP to help weed out the crappy ones, and they forgot to get shitty RP that at least could have surprised.
AAR, James isn’t anywhere close to the pitcher that Denny Neagle was. Neagle had far superior stuff. Neagle actually had pretty darn good stuff. James has AAA stuff. James “guile” or “intelligence” is actually his pitchability, or the fact that he isn’t retarded and knows what he is doing. And this pushes him from AAA to AAAA, from nothing to above replacement level. James is actually a useful piece to have around. And to be honest, he does have the potential to surprise. He isn’t a non-prospect or anything, he’s just not a pitcher who’s ready to contribute as a SP in the major leagues right now.
I hate Chuck James repertoire. That’s the scout in me talking. His stuff outside of his FB is fine, but a huge chunk of a pitchers value is in his FB. The sabernerd in me looks at Chuck James’s minor league numbers and goes hell-fucking-yeah. 11K/9 and 4/1 K/BB? Yes please, may I have another. But then you look closer. He hasn’t been young for any of his levels. His flyball tendency is borderline anamolous. The baseball evaluator in me says that he should have been placed in AA this season, adn then after 10 or so starts moved to AAA.
My point isn’t that James is a bad pitcher. It’s that hes a bad SP right now.
JP, I’m sure that you’re a far better scout than I am. And I agree, I don’t expect Chuck to develop into a 20-game winner like Denny. But Rueter really didn’t have great stuff. I mean, he really, really didn’t. He sort of had a fastball, and sort of a changeup, and sort of some other junk–he was exactly the same as every other back-of-the-rotation starter. I realize that “guile” is essentially saying “the guy’s lucky.” But somehow Rueter survived by the skin of his teeth long enough to became a hundred-game winner and a staff ace for a couple years, ending up with a very similar career record and numbers to Neagle; he’s high on Neagle’s comparables list, and vice versa.
Neagle had better stuff, but underachieved because of Colorado and a little hooker problem. Rueter found himself in a nice pitcher’s park and stymied hitters far longer than he ever had a right to.
James is not a major league number 3 starter right now, Heaven knows. But he’s probably a major league number 5 starter. If he can hit his spots well enough to set up his changeup, he’ll do fine. Hell, Trevor Hoffman’s fastball is just 85 miles an hour.
Caipirinha
2 shots Caxaca (sugar cane tequila/rum-ish liquor)
3 cut up limes
Lots of sugar
Ice
In a glass, muddle (mash up)limes and sugar. Add ice and caxaca. Tilt glass, close eyes, and ignore insanity outside hotel.
I’m not going to put too much stock in one game one way or the other, but JP’s analysis is pretty close to my thoughts as well – I will say that predicting RP performance short of a releif ace type is an inexact science at best though. Still, there are bound to be some good surprises (Langerhans a quality hitter?) to go with the bad (Sosa really was doing it with mirrors).
AAR, I have yet to have any formal scout training so I’m sure you are just as good at it as I. I just rely simply on what I’ve taught myself from observing baseball(stopped playing in 8th grade to focus full time on Soccer, and then blew out my knee in 11th grade so sports were over for good). But, I think you are underestimating the difference between Neagle and Jame’s stuff. Neagle was a 3rd round pick. Teams don’t pick “pitchability” guys in the 3rd round. And of what I remember from Neagle, he had pretty damn good stuff. He wasn’t Barry Zito, but he wasn’t Kirk Reuter(stuff wise, not career or value wise in which case he kind of was).
And I don’t think Reuter is a perfect comp for James either. Keeping in mind that the times have changed to more BB and more K, Reuter never BB’ed anyone. But he never K’ed anyone either. James has relied to this point in his career on an exceptional K rate and an exceptional HR rate. It’s my estimation that neither of those will hold fast in the majors, as popflies by A ball hitters turn into 450 foot shots by Albert Pujols. And players that can crush crueves and sliders don’t play in the minors for long, so it’s much easier for a pitcher with no FB to thrive and K players down there.
So if James K rate and HR rate normalize the way I think they do, then he becomes a 5 SP. Which is what I think he will become. But I don’t think he is that now. Right now I think he’d be opne of the 30 worst SP in the MLB(which technically makes him a 5 starter, but in reality makes him replacement level).
Probably fair. But right now I’d be happy for replacement level performance, given what our starters were giving us as of a few days ago.
Come on, Kyle Davies! All you have to do is give up less than 5 runs, and Victor Zambrano will take care of the rest!
Hudson obviously ain’t great anymore, but there was a time when he was. He was a .700 pitcher until he got to Atlanta.
So Mac basically wrote that “NY METS” is ban-proof? That sounds like what you’re saying NY METS.
Wow, there’s a lot of post game discussion in here. I feel like I have been missing out on this.
First, I take umbrage with JP Mouton on Chuck James. We simply don’t know anything yet. As a reliever he’s looked fantastic at times and at this point, at 6-8 with at least on terrible starter (Sosa) and one who’s not stopped being a terrible starter (Hudson) and one who has yet to show the promise we expect (Davies) the Braves have absolutely nothing to lose by placing James in the rotation. With the current 5, the obvious one out should be Sosa. I think James’ relief appearance of Sosa last night was telling–and even with Chuckie had runners on, he got out of it like a Vet.
Second, I am the biggest panicker in the universe and even I am not willing to concede the division yet to the f-ng Mets. Oh please. Pedro is a line drive off the toe from rendering this rotation completely harmless. Glavine will be solid throughout the year–some great starts, some average ones, end up with a 3 something ERA. That’s a given.
But if you honestly are going to convince me that Victor Zambrano, Steve Traschel & rookie Bannister are going to get this team enough quality starts…and that Heilman, Sanchez and Julio are going to be consistent enough bullpen stoppers before Wagner comes in, I am not buying it. It’s a house of cards.
The Mets can pull the wool over ESPN’s eyes (because that’s what ESPN wants…they are in love with the idea of a great NY team and also finally getting the Braves out of the way, something ESPN has dreamed of seeing) because that’s what ESPN WANTS. But that is not enough pitching to get it done. Sorry, I don’t buy that Zambrano, Traschel, Sanchez, Julio & Heilman have all become studs overnight?
The flipside is as much as I want my hands around his Auburn throat right now, I simply refuse to believe Tim Hudson is going to have an 8.00 ERA all season. I also think Chipper and Rentaria will be back soon.
This division will shake out. Unless it hit’s July and the Mets are 7-8 games up on us and the rest of the division (or more) then I will concede thinks look gloomy. It feels gloomy right now but it’s April, they are the Mets and I don’t believe that staff holds up over 162 Games.
Oh, one more thing.
Was anyone on here going to correct NY METS when he said that Floyd didn’t play last night. That’s a lie. Floyd may have come out but he did play from inning 1 on.
Does anyone know if Chuck James wears #43 because of Richard Petty?
Anyone catch Maddux’s gem last night? 8 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 6 K, 87 pitches. Absolutely vintage (except he would have finished the start in the old days 🙂
oops, that last one was from me. Sorry.
Maddux is having a really great season so far, best he had in a few years now.
The Braves are okay. They’ve lost a bunch of one-run games, which smarts, but there haven’t been any blowouts. They’re settling in.
David,
It’s like Francouer…he had a run of bad luck to start (a lot of hard hit line outs) and like 1 run games, those things eventually turn around.
I though Sosa pitched better last night then he had so far this season. H reall only threw two bad pitches. On the Delgatto homer they should have gone up and in, instead of pitching him low. I think that might have been McCann’s fault.
On another note, I think we need another pitcher who can strike guys out. Our defense is good, but it is not great. There were some balls put in play last night that should have been caught (LaRoche!)
Alex, I know you say that you’re the biggest panicker in the world, but that’s one of the most comforting things I’ve read in a long time! I totally agree with you, and I’m really glad to see you say it.
I think that after midseason, when Willie Randolph has abused the bullpen into submission and Pedro’s toe is barking uncontrollably, their pitching staff will start to look like ours at the beginning of the year. Likewise, Hudson will stop doing his HoRam impression.
Kyle, I’m glad to see that about Maddux… it looks like Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz are all pitching well right now, after the big two had down years last year. I’m happy.
I second, third and fourth the comments re: ESPN’s biased coverage last night. At the end of the game I thought the Messiah had materialized on the friggin pitcher’s mound, they were so excited. And they said something like, “the Mets Overpower the Braves for Game One of this Series.” My ass they did, really it was a very tight game capped by one homer by Delgado. It could have gone either way. It wasn’t some type of drubbing “statement game.”
I stand by my prediction that the Mets media pressure will cause them to fold in the weeks leading up to the All-Star game. Rubbish. ESPN Blows.
JH
AAR-
Glad to see you’re with me about Glavine and rooting for the guy to be good (just not against us, especially tomorrow night).
I always want him to do well. My father and I have never been treated better by a player then Glavine back in ’95.
In fact, what I read in Schuerholz’s book about the whole Glavine thing to me, there was no bad guys except Glavine’s agent, Greg Clifton. Tommy wanted to stay in Atlanta for less money but the evil money grubbing agent did what evil money grubbing agents DO–talked him out of it and got the Union and fehr to apply pressure. What a shame.
But I consider it a compliment to the Braves organization as to how hard Glavine wanted to try and make it work. I think Schuerholz understands this too. I also think Tommy shouldn’t be upset by JS putting this into words. Tommy should know that many of us still root for him and look forward to him going to the Hall as a Brave.
Ok, I am off my Tommy Glavine soap box but it needed to be said.
Again, we are only 14 games into the season and you have to believe Davies and Hudson will come around and Sosa will not stay in the rotation. Once those things are fixed, we will have more starting pitching then the Mets, end of story.
Jac Holtzman-
Preach on, brother. Amen to every single thing you said. You couldn’t be more right. I want to stab Rick Sutcliffe, Woody Paige, Peter Gammons and every other biased ESPN person in the eye with a pencil right now, but let’s just all wait for the inevitable Mets collapse and the Braves to turn it on.
First of all we don’t need an upgrade in LF, especially right now. I am not giving up Langerhans for this line.
Joey Gathright:
AVG .179 | HR 0 | RBI 1 | OBP .361 | SLG .214
Pain in the Arse.
Langerhans has been hitting line drives almost every at bat. He looks like a young Chipper from the left side.
I do agree that Victor Zambrano sucks, but I’m not sure Carlos Zambrano is actually good enough to call Victor the “wrong Zambrano.” Carlos has good stuff, but when one little thing doesn’t work, he goes absolutely nuts, throwing fastballs as hard as he can, trying to convince the world he can actually throw it by the guy. And when he give up another two homers doing this, he starts throwing at people’s heads. He’s more entertaining than Victor…I’ll give you that.
Alex, I think I speak for nearly everyone when I say this: I am so in favor of your stabbing Woody Page in the eye with a pencil, that I’m willing to start a collection to support you. Sort of like a Walk-a-Thon, except for a better cause.
I’m prepared to commit $10. Who else will chip in?
Langerhans is fine and will continue to get better. Watching Diaz pinch hit scares me, along with Jordan and Pratt. Our bench doesn’t look very good at all (excluding Betemit). Orr looks absolutely terrible at the plate right now, but he might get better. If not, could Pena be that much worse than Orr right now. I dont ever recall watching him swing the bat.
LaRoche is absolutely God-awful and we need to do something w. him and Jordan isnt the answer. Lets see Jurries for about 1 month.
Nick, are you crazy? Carlos is one of the best pitchers in the league. Three straight years in the top ten in ERA from 22-24? Not common.
Yes, Queens T has been banned. I could ban NY METS but only by banning several regulars. I dislike having to ban anyone but I also dislike people who are the cyber equivalent of home invaders.
Just looking at the Braves website and they show that Hudson, Smoltz, and Davies will be pitching Wed, Thurs, and Friday. Any reason why we would be skipping Thomson and Sosa or are we just setting up the rotation for the next meeting w/ the Mets
A few things that have kinda been irking me lately.
Everyone needs to calm down. Patience is a good thing in baseball.
Sosa didn’t look that bad last night. He made a few bad pitches and they cost him. We all knew he is not the kinda pitcher that’s gonna pitch into the 8th and 9th (or even the 7th) innings. All our starters have gotten off to a rough start, let’s give them a chance to turn things around before we start throwing untested rookies into the rotation. (HoRam, on the other hand, is proven to suck and arguments for throwing him to the dogs will meet only agreement from me).
This Langerhans-is-our-8th-best-player thing is just silly. He may have been that before the season started, but, if you’ve missed the games and the box scores, he’s been great thus far. Yeah, he may regress, but let’s give him a shot to cool off before we pronounce him a mediocre 4th outfielder. Just b/c he came up as a rather unheralded prospect/4th OF, doesn’t mean that’s all he can ever be. Give him a chance to prove himself. Our OF is fine so far, let’s not tinker just to tinker.
Finally, can we please not feed the trolls. I doubt that these kids are out of high school, but even if they are, they clearly aren’t capable of comprehending what we’re saying, basic logic, or even simple grammar and spelling. It’s a waste of time and only encourages them.
Sorry, just wanted to rant a bit. And, umm, keep the drink recipes coming.
I agree, Carlos Zambrano is sick; and considering all the hype that Cubs staff has received over the past few seasons, he’s been their ace and most consistent starter. His peripherals, with the exception of occasional wildness, are excellent.
I didn’t see the ESPN coverage, but like all sportswriting – especially that done early in the season – its a bunch of hype to create a draw when there probably isn’t one. I mean, most baseball fans understand that a series in April is often played with growing pains and an early season feeling-out process. But this series is getting hyped by the baseball writing world (across the board) because it’s a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday series and really, what else are they gonna talk about? So let everyone write the Braves off. Who cares? It’s a long season and the Mets haven’t done anything for years… if they win, good for them, but until that happens there’s actually 148 games left to play.
any news on Renteria or is he still day to day!
CSG, Cox announced that he would miss at least 6 games, but acknowledged “that might be wishful thinking.” They’re probably doing all they can to avoid DLing him, but it may happen.
Prairie Fire
2 oz tequila
Tabasco
Put dash (or more) Tabasco in the shot of tequila and enjoy the burn!
Also, in honor of the banned QueensT (thank you, Mac!):
8th Birthday
3/4 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
1/4 oz Dark Creme de Cacao
1 oz vodka
1 oz milk
Shake with ice and enjoy!
who would like to see Kolb come in and try to save a game next week.
I have recently started RedBull Margaritas (unfrozen). They are spectacular.
JH
Hey did anyone else see this:
Bowden arrested for a DUI.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2412654
That’s too perfect!
Yeah, sad, but I thought it explained a lot.
Maybe he was trying to forget how much his team sucks. Or he was reading this board and decided to try some of the recipes.
What an idiot. And what is it about Florida? Wasn’t Tampa Bay’s assistant GM arrested for DUI during spring training?
Hey, easy on Florida, Jenny.
Let’s just say that Florida is a rather unique state.
Yeah, I’m ok with its uniqueness. I live across the street from the beach, so that’s nice
Yeah I enjoyed all the times that I have spent in Florida, but it does seem a little easier to let loose, and get drunk there.
Let’s just say that Florida is really several kinds of states: Panhandle-to-Orlando is an extension of South Georgia/Alabama; The East & West Coasts is Elderly Yankeeland; and South Florida is decidedly Latino, especially Cuban, with plenty of New York & New Jersey thrown in for flavor. (Plus, there are tourists of all types in almost all areas.) It’s quite a mosh of cultures.
What a slow day…This page has turned into the Travel Channel.
Really? I’d say it was more like the Food Network.
I hope davies can pitch like he did from the second inning on the other night.
Hmm… just read this on the MS Braves page…
Macay McBride is slated to make his final rehab stint tonight in relief.
…so looks like he should be back soon… he must have meant Tuesday would be his last day when he said he was going back on Tuesday
Lay off Florida, its a pretty cool place to live. I’m an actual native, born in Cocoa Beach, now live in DeLand, birthplace of Larry Wayne Jones.
They play a game on a radio station down here called “Florida, Ohio or Germany” and they read a weird news story, and you have to guess which one its from…its about a 30-30-30 split, but there are some real wacko’s in Ohio.
BTW, going to see Stetson University and Bethune-Cookman College play baseball tonite, has there every been a Major Leaguer from either school?
Stetson? Yeah, a few cup-of-coffee guys. As for B-C, I only remember Larry Little of the Miami Dolphins.
How would this look for tonights line-up. Of course it wouldn’t ever happen
Langerhans
Giles
Betemit
Jones
McCann
Francouer
LaRoche
Orr
Davies
I like it,
but yea I doubt it would ever happen!
I’d go Giles-Betemit-Langerhans (if Giles is to be our leadoff hitter, let’s leave him there), but other than that, I like your proposal.
With the bottom four there striking out the side, it would be like batting only seven innings to the Mets’ nine.
Maybe that is why LaRoche bats in the middle of the lineup. Bobby doesn’t want to have a situation where the opposition can take any inning off.
I think that is one reason he bats Betemit around 8 in the order.
Florida sucks. I am a GA native and FL is definitely not the south. Most people from Florida are pricks w/ a big chip on their shoulder. Not much actual culture either.
You haven’t been to the Panhandle. The beaches along the Panhandle are referred to collectively as “the redneck Riviera.”
Are the beaches along the Panhandle referred as “the redneck Riviera” by pricks w/ a big chip on their shoulder? I think that is the question. JK!!!
100 game suspension
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5496056
I’ve actually enjoyed the peace and quiet around here today, but as I say this it appears that school is out and the children will be here shortly.
Does anyone actually think we will make a trade any time soon? I have this feeling that we may have to wait until 10 minutes before the deadline to possibly bid adieu to HoRo or Sosa. I get this feeling because I’ve noticed that Smitty’s barber has been very quiet on the trade front lately.
Actually, here in Pensacola, the phrase is used more as a self-deprecating term of affection rather than a derogatory slur. The point is that this is, indeed, the South. We’ve got rivers, swamps, pecan orchards, pine barrens, miles of cotton and soybean fields. It’s beautiful, really.
But, being from Atlanta, I do miss the hills of the Piedmont.
Why is there a Food Channel and not a Drink Channel?
Is everyone as excited about the game tonight? I am not trying to be a home invader. I don’t want to talk smack. I just want to talk to some of you about our teams. Im not gonna bother you guys all that much any more. As I said before, Im sorry I was a Dick. I just want to talk baseball. With that said, this game is HUGE!!! if you guys win this puts the series at an exciting one game playoff. If we win we got what we needed to get done.
I for one just cant wait. How weird would it be to see the Mets and Braves face off in the playoffs. That would be my best case scenario. I think both will make the it, but I do expect to win the division.
Some of you are all over the idea of us falling to pressure or our penn falling apart. Why?? It’s not going to happen. When you talk about things that have not even happened yet that’s when I know your looking for anything you can to discredit the mets. We are a good team. We will see you in the playoffs. There will be no “mental break down” or what ever other prediction some of you are counting on to happen. The mets will play good, the braves will play good, and after the season it will all be decided who really has the better team. No, one series will not prove anything other then if we win, your mental dominance over the mets will be over. That doesn’t mean we are going to win every game against you. It just means that mentally we will be on the same playing field. I think that makes for a better game anyway don’t you?
does everyone on AOL have a floating IP ?
Ice Water
H20
Ice cubes
Put the ice cubes in a glass, add H20, and enjoy!!!
I do believe that all on AOL have a floating IP.
Word on the Street on Logan Young’s death:
Sources now saying Logan Young was drunk at the time of his death. He was under house arrest as part of a plea deal – as part of that deal, he was not to consume alcohol. Following kidney surgery, he was on a drug called Coumadin to thin his blood. He fell, bled perfusely due to the drug, didn’t call 911 for fear of legal trouble?, and died. Alcohol led him to kidney failure, and it appears it may have led to his untimely passing.
Reply to Mac Thomason:
I’m not too worried about Beltran’s and Floyd’s injuries. They seem to be minor. I’m more interested in the Mets fans finally starting to embrace Beltran. Fans were being way too tough on him, and it was really getting to Carlos. We had an important game (the one against the Nats where Pedro plunked Jose Guillen twice) recently where Beltran almost did not come out for a curtain call after a home run. It was actually Julio Franco who went to him and got him to go out for his curtain call. After that, he really seemed to relax and get in a groove, and fans have not been booing him at all. Good news for our franchise since he’s signed for another 5 years.
Willie is not really over-using Heilman and Duaner Sanchez. Their number of games played is high, but remember, we had a day off and a rain out already. They’ve both gotten their rest between outings.
I think Pedro still has plenty left. He missed most of spring training, and his toe is really just now healing (yesterday was his first start where it was not bleeding).
Tommy Glavine has looked even better. He’s started throwing his curveball again, and pitching inside more. I think this will definitely be his best season as a Met.
Well, game is about to start. Take care guys. Let’s go Mets!