METS CHAT ROOM
Tonight’s starter, Pat Misch, Nelson Figueroa, Tim Redding and Bobby Parnell have all flashed positive signs that gives one pause to think, “maybe, must maybe, we have something here.”
Then it all goes a way in a flurry or walks and home runs, a reminder why these pitchers are journeymen to begin with. Of the four, Parnell has the best stuff and is the youngest. He has the best chance. He also needs experience. This year the Mets kept him to work out of the bullpen, then turned to him out of necessity. Next spring they should make a decision and stick with it, and that decision should be as a starter.
MISCH: Starts tonight vs.Fish
The others? Well, if Misch, Figueroa or Redding were in next year’s rotation, it would mean Omar Minaya didn’t have a good winter, somebody is still hurt, and count on another long year for the Mets.
Misch, Figueroa and Redding have shown enough positives to where they should be invited to spring training to compete for a long man role. Misch (1-1, 3.25) earned his first major league win Thursday at Colorado, giving up two runs (two solo homers) on four hits in seven innings of an 8-3 victory.
“The key was I minimized the traffic on the bases,” Misch said. “There wasn’t any one on when they got the home runs.”
The Mets will have Carlos Beltran in the line-up again tonight. Beltran was activated from the disabled list Wednesday and went 1-for-4 in his first game since June 21.
“It will probably take him a few games to really find his rhythm at the plate,” manager Jerry Manuel said of Beltran. “I think once that starts he will get on track, so to speak. He looked pretty good.”
Jose Reyes let loose today he’s frustrated in not being able to come back, with a twinge of anger at criticism he’s not doing enough to rehab is hamstring.-JD
1. Good for Jose. Everybody who doesn’t have a clue as to what is his problem is on his butt.
No Gary Cohen? Did he fall ill eating his free hot dog? I learned too much about new fishfry field to give that team 2 nites in a row!
Well, Gary is lucky he’s off!!!! Tough luck Misch. They’re all earned in the books but you should have been in the dugout clean.
So much for the protection theorists!
I don’t think Reyes is dogging with the injury. He’s always had hamstring problems. Hammys are always tricky because you never know when to test it. And, when they do they aggravate the thing again.-JD
Murphy has gotten better. Once he learns the league better and gets stronger he’ll hit for more power. If he hits 15 next year, that’s a big step.-JD
Can you imagine Jose Reyes hitting .360? What a player that would be. … Reyes still strikes out too much, and doesn’t walk or bunt as much as he should.-JD
I’ve always liked Uggla. I’d take his glove to get that bat. MIght as well stop dreaming. It won’t happen.-JD
9. Uggla is the Dunn of second base.
Harry (10): I know. I’m partial to the clunkers.-JD
I’d have the surgery, and the sooner the better. Reyes will need as much recovery time as possible.-JD
You surely must have loved Earl Weaver. Nothing at all wrong with the 3 run homer!
Harry (13): Power can make a lot of things better. If they had a couple of guys hitting 20 things would be entirely different. Sheffield leads with 10. Amazing.-JD
Those Baltimore teams had a lot of power. Brooks and Frank Robinson, Boog Powell. Don Buford had some pop. But, it was all those 20-game winners that made them as good as they were.-JD
In talking about the races, I’m seeing St. Louis as the team to beat in the NL. …. Phillies, LA and Rockies as the wild card.-JD
Yes, an incredible team those O’s were. Yet they lost to us in 69 and to the Buccos in 71. But they outpitched the Dodgers in 66 who were supposed to have an invincible staff.
With Brett Meyers back, if Happ isn’t hurt bad and is healthy in the playoffs I flip a coin between StL and Phi.
I remember bits of the 66 World Series. Davey Johnson got the last hit off Sandy Koufax. … Didn’t Willie Davis three errors in one inning. … Moe Drabowsky came out the pen and struck out 11. …. Great baseball cards that year.-JD
Well I’m gonna watch the health care speech. Get some runs in the next hour!
Harry (18): Probably so. Cardinals might have a edge in starting pitching and Phils BP has been suspect. … A lot of power everywhere.-JD
All this talk about Maine, they have to tender him a contract if his arm is still attached to his body. They don’t exactly have loads of options. …. If Maine makes it out of the season sound, they might have to consider the bullpen for him.-JD
Nice job by Misch regrouping after the first. Where’s the offense?-JD
I wish McDonald’s would sell their Egg McMuffins 24/7. That’s the only thing there I like,-JD
offense has been MIA for the first 138 games. I’d be surprised if it shows up now.
Dan (25): Yeah … been terrible. They don’t even draw walks.-JD
There are some empty seats at the ball park tonight.-JD
Yeah … Koufax could say here’s my fastball, try to hit it. He also had a nasty curve. … I liked it back then. Most every team had a stud ace.-JD
Isn’t that the dumbest thing, throwing the ball back? Wrigley fans did it first.-JD
I wonder which world series pitching record will be broken first. A starter like Gibson’s 17 strikeouts or a reliever’s (Drabowsky) 11.
Lord knows if I ever caught a ball at a game I would not throw it back. Even if it was by Chipper Jones.
Dan (30); Oooooh, that’s touch. I would say the Gibson record. Nobody would leave a reliever in that long.-JD
30/32 Drabowski came in the game in the 3rd. Today it would take 7 releivers to finish the game. More amazing about that series is the Dodgers never scored another run after Drabowski came in and he came in in game 1. Palmer complete game shut out in game 2, Bunker complete game shut out in game 3 and then McNally a complete game shut out in game 4.
I see the boys tried to make a game of it with 3 runs. Yay.
Apparently Jeter has tied Gehrig’s record.
Jeff (34): Too little, too late.-JD
What is Jeter, maybe the sixth or seventh greatest Yankee of all time?
Ruth
Gehrig
Mantle
DiMaggio
Berra,
Ford
Jeter will be out in monument park some day. So should Rivera, Williams and O’Neill.-JD
Maybe I should add Munson, Dickey, Rivera and Ruffing.-JD
My goodness the season is so bad we’re talking monument park. I’d put Rivera in the best ever list. Even when he got the big L in the D Back series it was such a puny hit…. the guy is by far and away the best modern releiver.
O’Neill??? how long was he on the Yankees?
The Fish should pay Wright’s salary for these last two games. He has been their best player on offense and defense both games!
Harry (40): Nine years, four rings, .303 career average.-JD
There is no joy in Metsville
Mighty Murphy has popped out
Ok… to O’Neill.
I don’t see much joy in Metsville for a long time.-JD
Who needs joy, when they get one free Nathan’s hotdog?
The Wilpons need to build a monument park. They can put in Reese, and Koufax and Snyder etc…. See ya!
Harry (47): See you tomorrow.-JD