Game #107 vs. Braves
RA Dickey remains one of the few positives in a season that has turned negative. In a little less than a month the Mets have gone from two games behind Atlanta to 7 ½ games, plus eight back in the wild card race.
A 6-16 slide will do that to a team.
The Mets have already lost their first must-win game of this series and will give the ball to Dickey tonight and hopes he can keep their slim hopes alive.
DICKEY: Mets anchor
Dickey has been brilliant since joining the rotation, giving up three earned runs or less in 12 of 14 starts. Like most Mets pitchers, Dickey has been a victim of non-support, getting three runs or less six times.
With a little help, Dickey, who made his first start May 19, could have as many, or more, wins than Mike Pelfrey.
“He does a tremendous job,’’ manager Jerry Manuel said. “He right now seems to get through the lineup two or three times relatively easy. And, that’s tough to do at this level – for anybody.’’
At 35, Dickey was brought in as a stop gap, but has been so good that it is hard to imagine him out of the rotation next year.
Next year, it seems, is getting closer and closer.
If you haven’t already, vote in the latest poll.-JD
Hi John (1) I have voted. It seems to be unanimous.
Annie (2): Yes, it does. Too bad.-JD
John (3) Did you hear about what happened in Manchester today – an employee shot 8 co-workers and then killed himself. It’s been on TV most of the afternoon.
Annie (4): I heard. Tragic.-JD
FIRST INNING: Pagan is still hitting. He’s been the most consistent Met. Maybe their MVP.-JD
Beltran is coming along slowly. I wonder if he’ll ever reach that level again.-JD
John (7) I don’t know about Beltran – he’s so quiet it’s hard to figure him out.
9. Didn’t he have some issues with the Mets medical staff?
Annie (9): Yes, plenty of issues. They appear to have been resolved.-JD
Thole in a bit of a slump. He’s come back to earth.-JD
I wonder where Francoeur will end up next year. Hard to see them bringing him back. If only he kept the same mentality he had at the beginning of the season.-JD
I heard that there was some team making inquiries about Francoeur, but don’t remember which team. I’m thinking Texas???
Annie (13): It was Kansas City.-JD
Hi, everyone.
You know, every time I hear R.A. Dickey’s initials I have to chuckle. Why? Because I think of that scene in the 1969 cult classic film, “Putney Swope.”
If you haven’t seen the film, or just want a giggle, check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7IVhpzDpCQ
BOTTOM SECOND INNING: Runners at the corners. Dickey has been pretty good at getting out of trouble.-JD
Hi Gil – I never even heard of that film = it’s a classic?
Hey. So far this is a marked improvement over last night. Only trailing by one after two innings!
Gil (15): Greetings. Welcome to the Braves early lead.-JD
Gil (18): Ahhh …. progress.-JD
They are showing the replay of the Braves’ run. It looked as if Jose Reyes had a chance for the DP, but he didn’t throw to first.-JD
Interesting stat: Only 14 times have the Mets come from behind to win. Ouch.-JD
17 Hey, Annie. Yes, a CULT classic. Made in 1969 by Robert Downey, Sr. It’s a very avant garde satire on race relations, institutional racism against blacks in corporate America and the racism of black militants against whites. It also skewers the advertising world, sexism and machismo. Definitely bold for that era and ahead of its time. Kinda like Mel Brooks’s “Blazing Saddles” would be in the ’70s, after its release.
18 I made this bet with my dad: I bet him that R.A. Dickey will not be in the Mets’ starting rotation next year.
See where the Phillies put Ryan Howard on the DL.-JD
Gil (24): Wouldn’t surprise me any.-JD
Why does Luis Castillo remind me of an Ewok from “Star Wars”? Is it that both he and the Ewoks have facial hair, are short, sometimes wield sticks when on the offensive and waddle when they walk and run? Just asking.
Gil (27): Ouch. Perfect description.-JD
Gil (23) We’ve come a long way baby – tomorrow is the birthday of the first biracial President of this United States. And soon we will have three female Supreme Court Justices.
BOTTOM THIRD INNING: Pagan misjudged that. It has been a long time since he made a mistake like that.-JD
29 Hallelujah! now if we could just get the Senate to get climate change and energy done…
Well we have a tie score — at least the Mets are on the board.
FIFTH INNING: Castillo leads off with a double and Dickey does his job. Up to Reyes.-JD
Another opportunity wasted.-JD
One very nice thing about being in LA these days, being a Mets fan, is comiserating with equally disappointed Dodger and Angel fans…
Gil (35) misery loves company, right?
Gil (35): I’m surprised mostly by the Angels. I thought they’d have made a move on the Rangers.-JD
Gil – Are you familiar with Steve Somers of WFAN?
i am not really watching, but i hear them talk about how luis cant field his position anymore and they need to protect him because he cant hack it. just another bad signing by our superscout. he has not earned his contract and will not.
i read something the other day that with him, ollie and a few others we are talking a bay like contract for players who we do not need.
talk about spending foolishly.
dave (39): Castillo’s range is so limited that they have to position him better to compensate.
We’re all in agreement on these bad contracts. Perez and Castillo and Cora add up to about $20 million. It’s up to over $40 million if you count Beltran.-JD
Bay has given them nothing, and you might as well write off this year. I won’t say until next year whether it was a total bust.-JD
BOTTOM FIFTH INNING: Dickey did a marvelous job of pitching out of that jam. Let’s see if he woke up the offense. Teams can feed off of what Dickey did.-JD
john(41)
yes. he has been a big disappointment.
however, he is not the hack in the field i was led to believe.
dave (43): He’s played good defense and he never fails to hustle. He’ just not hitting.-JD
BOTTOM SIXTH INNING: It seems every time I watch Dickey pitch he’s in the sixth inning and has given up only one run.-JD
Ooops. I spoke too soon.-JD
41 I’ll say it: Bay is a bust. With the Mets needing to rebuild in the next few years, no matter what he does, his contract hangs like an albatross over the Mets’ necks, that they won’t be able to unload to get some value in return. Even if Bay returns to form next year, what good would 30 HRs and 100 RBI be on a bad ballclub?
Oliver Perez’s current contract, though, might be the worst of all time. So far the Mets have paid $12 million for each of the three wins he has earned in a year-and-a-half.
Gil (47): I can’t say bust just yet for Bay. If he hits 30 homers and drives in 100 it would mean a lot to the Mets because that’s why they signed him. That being said, the Mets need a lot more than Bay. Agree on the Perez deal. It was bad then, it is worse now.-JD
SEVENTH INNING: Francoeur walked. The sun will rise in the west tomorrow.-JD
gil
that is a 12 million well spent.
isnt carter supposed to stroke it right about now?
48 But the Mets never NEEDED Bay.
Let me make this very cynical statement: The Mets signed Bay for appearances’ sake. With the Yankees winning a World Series and making big moves, the Mets were desperate and needed to make some kind of impact signing.
They desperately needed starting pitching last winter. Omar failed to procure it. Unless of course, R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi count.
As I wrote yesterday, Bay’s first season rivals only Vince Coleman’s as the worst debut as a Met. George Foster, Bobby Bonilla and Carlos Beltran actually had better first years with the Mets.
Sure Bay’s a nice guy, hustles and is decent in the field — oh and unlike Coleman, he doesn’t gamble in the clubhouse, maim little kids in stadium parking lots by tossing firecrackers at them and get brought up in Spring Training gang-rape allegations — but by any definition, he has been a bust.
ok
the minor leaguer comes thru.
whats with the nickname?
At least the Mets are keeping up with the opponents tonight….
It’s good that they took Dickey off the hook for the loss. He can still win it if they take the lead and hold it.-JD
gil(52)
i agree. bay was a window dressing signing.
however, we did need an OF, just not as much as starting pitching.
and no dickey’s garbage dump minor league signing does not count.
can jose not make a level swing? must everything be an uppercut?
56 Dave: Omar could’ve had an outfielder — Corey Hart. The Brewers wanted to swap him even-up for John Maine BEFORE Minaya signed Bay. From a financial and performance standpoint, Hart — now an All-Star — made a ton of sense and much more than Bay. And of course, maine became a sore-shouldered, no-velocity-having, clubhouse malcontent who will never again throw another pitch for the Mets while Hart is having a career year and was yesterday rewarded with a three-year extension that is far more affordable than Bay’s contract.
that is our talent evaluator.
Gil (57): Would like to have Hart.-JD
59 Yeah and the sound dude at Citi Field could’ve always played that ’84 pop classic “Sunglasses at Night” every time Hart came to bat.
and billy grooves a fastball.
how fast was it?
NINTH INNING: Francoeur must feel like a weight has been taken off his shoulders.-JD
I’m shocked. What’s next? Luis taking Wags deep?
Francoeur hits a home run and there are Mets smiles all around.
64 Game’s far from over, Annie. Especially with the Mets at Turner Field. And especially with Frankie Rodriguez coming in.
Howie has put this game “In The Book” and the Mets have won.
Somehow the whole personality of the Mets team has changed in the few minutes since Francoeur’s home run – it’s a happy, congenial group again.
Amazing.
Any way tomorrow is the last game in this series, before the Mets move on to Philly for more fun.
See you then.
OK, good win. In the long run, it won’t matter all that much, but a moral victory is a good thing.
66 Sorry, Annie, but I’ll take an ornery and cantankerous group if it wins, rather than a mediocre happy and congenial one.
Gil (68): I’d take the winners, too. No matter their personalities.-JD
ahh
they are positive.
the mets are within reach.
Glad Frenchy was the hero. He needed it.
I still think M&M micro managed the game.
Not sure why they took Dickey out. seems like Jerry never wants him to finish a game.
52. actually they stated the other day that Beltran and Bay had the same Avg. and issues their debut. they paired them up almost identical.