Game #85 vs. Reds
Jonathan Niese will be pitching tonight to push the Mets to 11 games over .500, which would tie their season high and pull them within a game of Atlanta with the Braves coming in this weekend for three games.
Once four games under .500 and floundering early this season, the Mets are relevant again and could be in first place by the All-Star break.
Niese is more than partly attributable to that relevancy, going 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA in six starts since his June 5 return from the disabled list. The Mets are 10-2 in his last 12 starts, including beating Washington last Friday when he struck out a season-high eight and didn’t issue a walk.
What makes him successful?
“I think if I’m able to throw all my pitches for strikes,’’ Niese said. “I think I have a good variety that keeps them off-balance.’’
Off-balance is what tonight’s Reds starter, Bronson Arroyo, has kept the Mets, going 6-2 in ten career starts against them.
Hi John – Interesting afternoon, both Jerry Manuel and Johan Santana interviewed on WFAN. It really was a great game.
play ball!
Hi Steve – looking forward to the game.
nice catch by wright.
3. yes i am.
FIRST INNING: I’m glad the Mets are saying NO to those asking for Jon Niese.-JD
1,2,3 starting out strong. lets see this last.. through 9.
6. the only pitcher they should give away is Ollie.
John (6) Right now I’d like to see the Mets keep this team together – and this year, they are a team and prove it daily.
BOTTOM FIRST INNING: I still question the wisdom of letting Reyes hit righty vs. right pitchers. If he’s not 100 with this type of injury he should be resting.-JD
PAGAN HR. do we really want beltran back?
Pagan has been playing so well – wonder how it will all work out when Beltran returns…
SteveC (8): Wishful thinking on your part. I maintain he’ll get several starts before they make a trade, if they make a trade.-JD
13. better to trade jesus. i am sure pagan can play RF
SteveC (11): Yes. And it will be a platoon with Beltran, Pagan and Francoeur. The guy whose time will be cut most is Francoeur.-JD
John (10) Reyes doesn’t take resting very well – Manuel said this afternoon that he’d play tonight.
15. with his arm. *sigh*. pagan can play LF?
SteveC (17): You’re not going to sit Bay with that contract. Just why you’re not going to mess with Beltran.-JD
Annie (16): I know what he said. I know Reyes doesn’t take resting well. He’d take getting re-injured worse. If he’s not 100 percent with this type of injury you’re taking a risk.-JD
nice catch cora. 2 good plays.. nice way to start the game
game has a good pace so far. hope it keeps
John (19)- I understand – but I wonder if Reyes does.
Annie (22): I doubt it.-JD
small ball boys small ball
John (23) I know – we’ve been through this a lot with him – I think there have been times he’s been sent to PSL when everyone up here lost patience with him.
SteveC (24): You can tell they are trying to pull Arroyo, Lefty hitters need to go to the opposite field.-JD
3 great catches in each inning.
DAMN you phillips!
tie game..
John –
You wrote a nice Santana piece today – I’m waiting until after the weekend – I’ve already written a couple about him. he’s a charmer, for sure.
BOTTOM THIRD INNING: Before anybody asks, I have no idea what Niese was thinking with the head first dive.-JD
bloody fan could have been a triple.
Niese dont slide lika that again.
manuel interview
John (29) I’ve always thought that sliding head first should be banned from the game. But I guess others think not.
Annie (31): It doesn’t get you there quicker and leads to a lot of injuries.-JD
M&M had interesting things to say about Pagan huh..
another nice catch by cora.
now its time to get a score up..
31. but it looks so cool!
John (32) Someday someone will get badly hurt and MLB will stop it.
Annie (35): You can’t legislate that stuff. It will never happen, no matter who gets hurt.-JD
NOTE: Former Met Heath Bell was named to the NL All-Star team as an injury replacement.-JD
Listen I cannot stand when anything gets banned. We are supposed to be educated adults.
banning cookies,guns sliding head first. listen… they can all be dangerous if done incorrectly. but they can all be satisfying if done correctly.
SteveC (38): For the most part, I agree.-JD
nice to see backman
pitcher’s duel.
SteveC (41): Really good game. Love these types of games.-JD
Thought the Mets had a chance to break the tie last inning.-JD
gary cohen is the kiss of death. mentioned how niese hasnt gone to ball 3. and bang a walk.
43. they have it now. small ball…rally!
John (42) Pitchers are my favorites on baseball teams, and I do love to see them work. They are all so different. Can’t wait until El Duque makes his return.
ROBBED!! again!
*UGH*
I say keep him in. the bats need to hit.
giving up only 2 runs should take from this great game.
just not in the cards. robbed robbed robbed again.
EIGHTH INNING: Good to see Niese in there, but he’ll get a short rope. Maybe just Votto.-JD
Guess not.-JD
I am nostalgic for the 1973 NLCS Mets vs Reds. I wonder if those games survive on film. Stuck in a hotel in upstate with no SNY and the computer is within the Mets zone so mlb package/ESPN is blacked out. I have to admit I never thought the Mets would be this good this year.
Niese is a pretty unflappable young pitcher and things are just not going his way tonight.
grumble grumble.
Dan (52): Hey Dan … nice to hear from you. I think you’re not the only one. The Mets have surprised a lot of people this year.-JD
52. that was me when i was in Canada. watch the play by play on website thats about all i could do. that or go drink beer and watch hockey.
its the bats everyone over swings for the parking lot. Otherwise we may have had a few runs of our own.
Hi Dan (55) I can sympathize with you – are you getting the game on WFAN? This team has really evolved into a team to be reckoned with this year. You should be proud.
Arroyo has always had the Mets’ number. Looks like it again.-JD
phillies vs Braves..whom does a Mets fans want to win? Maybe a 27 inning game. And what exactly is ESPN going to fill an hour with tomorrow when Lebron James deigns to tell us who will pay him $1 billion? Not that I plan to watch that.
60. easy answer: the mets.
BOTTOM NINTH INNING: The got Bay to hit a long ball in this situation.-JD
Howie has put this game “In The Book” and early on I thought there would be a different outcome.
However as the game went on, the Reds slowly got runs and moved ahead.
Perhaps the Mets are tiring after their road trip. Someone mentioned that the heat in Puerto Rico was excessive and took its’ toll on the team – however that was over a week ago.
Anyway there is a day off tomorrow, then games over the weekend, then the All Star Break. I think we’ll all be glad to see that.
The Mets are a very different team from last year, they really get along with each other and work hard to win, right up to the very last out. That’s a big plus for this team.
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See you on Friday evening at 7PM when the Braves come to town for the weekend.
A QUICK WRAP/Game #85
FINAL: Reds 3, Mets 1.
RECORD: 47-38.
THUMBNAIL ANALYSIS: Bronson Arroyo outlasted Jonathon Niese in a pitcher’s duel.
ON THE MOUND: Niese gave three runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings.
AT THE PLATE: Angel Pagan homered in the first and that was it. … Jason Bay popped out meekly in the ninth inning as the tying run.
IN THE FIELD: Alex Cora made a diving hit-robbing catch in the second. … David Wright committed an error. … Ike Davis caught another ball by the rail.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Mets are off tomorrow. Atlanta comes in for three to close the first half on Friday.-JD
isn’t Alex Cora the type of hitter you are supposed to pinch hit for??? The early season bugaboo, no hits with RISP returned today. Bring on the Braves!
65. Cora has broken out and is much better, you are thinking of Tatis.