Game #84 vs. Reds
Do you remember that eight-game winning streak? Well, the Mets are 7-9 since and if they continue their sputtering they could be in danger of giving back the ground they gained.
They’ll give the ball to Johan Santana tonight with the hope of climbing back to ten games over .500.
Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is 1-3 with a 3.40 ERA in his last seven starts. He’s been given two runs or less in six of them – all games lost by the Mets.
Last Thursday, Santana fell victim to the pitch count, leaving after 97 in a tie game eventually lost by the Mets, 2-1, at Washington.
He is 3-0 with a 3.57 ERA in four career starts against Cincinnati.
Unfortunately, the Mets seem bent on pushing the envelope with Jose Reyes, who has missed the last six games with a strained oblique.
Jerry Manuel said Reyes can hit right handed, but still feels it from the left side. Translation: He’s not ready.
Even so, Reyes could find himself in tonight’s game batting right-handed against a right-hander. For years, the Mets have been criticized for how they treat their injured players. After being so cautious with Reyes earlier this season, it seems foolish to force the issue with the All-Star break coming.
Hi John –
Looking forward to this game with Santana – so Reyes is out, but ‘available’? Here we go again….
now is it really his back or is it the thyroid again and they just dont want to tell us.
so reyes is back in the lineup. game on.. i guess.
1 more out
ROBBED!
Hi Folks …. hope everybody is doing well this evening. Good start by Santana pitching out of trouble in the first.-JD
SteveC (3): Yes, Reyes is back, but he can’t hit lefthanded. I would have thought they’d wait until he was 100 percent.-JD
Hi John – Spent the day reading in the back yard except for some time watching the Queen at the UN. Santana will be fine, I suspect – it’s Reyes that concerns me.
here we go.
7. manuel rest a severely injured player. never.
rhough i have to give him credit last night for doing what was necessary.
1,2,3 santana
BOTTOM SECOND INNING: Just wanted to point out the new poll. Do cast your vote.-JD
I keep waiting for Bay to break out the long ball …. and waiting … and waiting.-JD
Waiting for Francoeur, too.-JD
John – How big a crowd tonight? It must be awfully hot on the field.
*ugh* BUT. bay and Frenchy made the man pitch 20 odd pitches
11. already cast my vote.
Steve (16), I did, too.
Annie (14): It’s 96 at Citi Field.-JD
it was 102-105 here today.
John, Steve
Guess I’m lucky it was in the low 90′s here today with a breeze. Not bad.
Steve – those are high temps – where are you located?
9 pitch inning. near perfect!
perfect veing a 3 pitch inning :-p
rockland county NY. it was very dry and arid today. i dont have air conditioning but a stone house and fans. i would go outside then come back in the house to realize just how cool it was in my house in comparison.
Steve – sounds like a nice place.
BOTTOM THIRD INNING: Watching Tejada, I have to remind you Castillo isn’t close to coming back.-JD
John (24) That’s OK I’m not missing Castillo.
Way to go Johan!!! Do it yourself scoring.
Santana HR!!!!
23. i call it home these days
reyes is looking healthy!
BOTTOM THIRD INNING: Santana probably figured the Mets weren’t going to score for him so he might as well do it himself.-JD
another 20 odd pitches
with pitch count this kid wont last 5.
29. that would have been a 2 run RBI if tejada didnt screw up.
SteveC (30): Over 30 pitches to three guys.-JD
good inning. lets go mets get more hits!
John – I know how excited and proud David Wright is to be going to the All Star Game, but I wonder about Jose Reyes. He’s never been before, has he? Maybe he’ll learn a few things being around the players that will be there.
Annie (34): Reyes has been to the All-Star Game before.-JD
John – I didn’t know that.
John – I guess I just missed him – I’ve seen almost all of them in the past few years.
mets keep swapping 1st basemen
a lot of hits but no runs scored
80+ pitches. 6th inning maybe.. but thats it.
SteveC (39): Maloney has thrown a lot of pitches, but he’s hanging in there. Not pitching a bad game.-JD
nice play by wright.
41. absolutely he’s hanging in/ but how long will dusty keep him in ?
well maloney got a quick inning.
SteveC (43): That was a quick inning by Maloney. It might have bought him another inning.-JD
that inning felt long.
SIXTH INNING: If Reyes is healthy enough to play, let him run.-JD
Jason is coming around, I see. Let’s hope this is the beginning of more hits for him.
nice rally. and 3-1 is maloneys swan song
Annie (48): He hasn’t hit for power but has a good chance of finishing the first half with 50 RBI. You have to take that.-JD
John – How long do you think Santana will stay in the game tonight?
51. all star break let him complete.
SEVENTH INNING: Santana has thrown 79 pitches, and we have to assume Jerry will play it the way he always has. Santana gets one more start, Sunday, vs. Atlanta. Braves winning by the way.-JD
kevin B in the booth now headed back down. was a good change of pace.
quick inning for santana. if manuel takes santana out shame on him!
SteveC (54): He’ll get the eighth then bring in K-Rod for the ninth. That’s the script. I’ll be surprised if Santana will get the ninth.-JD
John (53) How about that – I will get to see Santana live in my own living room on Sunday. First time in weeks.
It will be the final day of a golf tournament that my brother and I and about 85 others have a pool for, but I can switch back and forth.
John (55) I’ve seen enough of K-Rod in the past few days. Let him rest and give Johan the complete game.
BOTTOM EIGHTH INNING: Santana deserves the ninth.-JD
56. switch to FiOS and you get all the channels.
55. he should get the 9th KROD will blow the lead. ‘
Hey, everyone. Nice to see Johan back to pitching like Johan. Sad to have seen Uruguay get bounced from the World Cup — after Uruguay broke my heart by beating Ghana.
John (58) Of course he does.
Gil (60): No one warming in the Mets’ pen. Santana will get a chance at a complete game.-JD
62 How ’bout that! What a sad commentary on how pitchers are currently handled that it’s now rare to see a pitcher with a shutout through eight innings actually go out for the ninth.
Gil (63): That’s been a constant theme this year on the blog.-JD
be still my heart. i winder if santana had a talk with M&M regarding the complete game.
64 Yup. Seems like every year we’ve been having game chats it’s been a hot topic. Why can’t just one MLB manager buck the trend and embrace the old school ways? Do player agents and the players’ union have THAT much power and influence to pressure managers into babying their pitchers?
66. when you baby you develop a bigger baby.
when you train you train an animal!
67 LOL! Good one, SteveC.
Gil (66): It’s the safe bet. I don’t think the managers will buck it as they will opt to play it safe.-JD
Santana threw that last pitch to Rolen at 91 mph.-JD
I see the Mets outfield is now partying like it’s 1962.
ROBBED!!
All right! Leaving him in. Good deal.
Nice catch, Ike! OK, Johan. CLOSE THE DEAL!
Howie has put this nice game “In The Book”.
And it was nice – because of Santana.
Despite all the off the mound distractions, he played like the pro he is and even hit himself his first Citi Field home run.
This is a complex and complete ball player and no one plays harder and smarter than he does.
We’ll see him once more before the break – on Sunday. Then he needs to go home to Venezuela to mend some fences.
*********
These two teams play again tomorrow at the same time and same place.
See you then.
Nice, Johan. Way to handle your business.
YEAH! santana told M&M go sit down. you know if KROD took over we would have lost!
That’s an ace.-JD
more pitchers need to get that way.
look at the manager .. and say i got this go sit down.
75 Hey, Annie! Good thing Johan doesn’t play for the Arizona D-Backs and coming home from Venezuela, huh?
112 pitches aint nothing..
if manuel had taken the ball i would hand the glove and hat to M&M.
A QUICK WRAP/Game #84
FINAL: Mets 3, Reds 0.
RECORD: 47-37.
THUMBNAIL ANALYSIS: Johan Santana homered and threw a three-hit shutout.
ON THE MOUND: Santana told manager Jerry Manuel he was fine in the ninth and proved it.
AT THE PLATE: Santana homered. … Jason Bay hit a two-run single in the sixth.
IN THE FIELD: Bay dropped a pop up in the ninth. … Ike Davis made a diving catch of a line drive for the second out in the ninth.
LOOKING AHEAD: Jon Niese starts Wednesday. -JD