Tonight’s lineup
Jose Reyes, SS
Angel Pagan, CF
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Jason Bay, LF
Chris Carter, DH
Rod Barajas, C
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Ruben Tejada, 2B
RA Dickey, RP
Jun
11
Tag Archives: Chris Carter
Jun
07
Expect Jesus Felciano shortly.
In what has the potential to be a feel-good story of the highest degree, the Mets are expected to call up 31-year, 13-year minor league outfielder Jesus Feliciano from Class AAA Buffalo for the San Diego series.
If the Mets make the announcement today, it would fall on his 31st birthday.
FELICIANO: Another bat is coming.
“All he does is hit,’’ said a minor league scout. “The issue is where to play him. They’ve had him play some center, but he doesn’t have great range and he doesn’t have the arm to play right.’’
The Mets have had Feliciano play center in preparing him to back up Angel Pagan, but because of his range questions that might be better off on the road. Initially, he might be used to give Jason Bay a day off or as a pinch-hitter.
Feliciano, who had five hits Saturday – his second five-hit game of the season – leads the International League in hitting at .392. Amazingly, despite his age, he’s never even had the proverbial cup of coffee in the major leagues, most likely because he doesn’t fit the speed or power prototypes.
But, he does stroke line drives.
May
18
May 18.10: Chat Room, Game #40 at Braves: Can they score for Johan?
Say what you will about the Mets’ current problems, but at least the team doesn’t quit. That sounds so cliché, but it is true. We’ve seen sloppy play, we’ve seen physical and mental breakdowns, but we haven’t seen a lack of hustle.
No Met has dogged it like the Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez did the other day in Florida. Jason Bay isn’t hitting for power but he busts it every time out of the box. The same can be said for most Mets, and that’s a reflection on the manager.
A manager still has his team when it plays hard for him, and that’s something working for Jerry Manuel.
The Mets snapped their five-game losing streak last night behind Mike Pelfrey and will attempt to win for just the third time in nine games tonight behind Johan Santana against the Braves. Pelfrey gave the Mets 7 2/3 strong innings to become the first starter to win in 16 games.
“Pitching is the key,’’ Manuel said. “If we continue to get this kind of pitching, it at least gives us a chance.’’
Pelfrey pitched big when it counted, limiting the Braves to 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. He had to, because he didn’t get much help, something Santana is familiar with when the comes to facing the Braves.
Santana (3-2, 3.88 ERA this year) is 1-4 with a 2.05 ERA in seven starts against the Braves. He has received two or fewer runs in each of those starts.
Here’s the line-up behind Santana that needs to improve on those numbers:
Jose Reyes, SS
Luis Castillo, 2B
Chris Carter, LF
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Angel Pagan, CF
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Johan Santana, LP
NOTE: I’ve got class tonight and won’t be back until nine.
May
18
May 18.10: Tonight’s line-up at Braves
Here’s tonight’s Mets’ lineup in Atlanta:
Jose Reyes, SS
Luis Castillo, 2B
Chris Carter, LF
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Angel Pagan, CF
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Johan Santana, LP
NOTES: Jason Bay gets the night off. Chris Carter is hot so the Mets are riding him. … David Wright is on pace to whiff 212 times. … Jeff Francoeur is still fighting to get out of his slump which started with the 20-game at St. Louis.
May
17
May 17.10: Chat Room, Game #39 at Braves: Pelfrey tries to stop slide.
COO Jeff Wilpon and GM Omar Minaya met with manager Jerry Manuel prior to tonight’s game at Atlanta.
“I didn’t come here to fire anybody,” Wilpon said. “If I was going to make a change that quick I would have done something last year.”
According to all parties, the meeting was about how to improve what’s there with the present pieces. However, the whispers of Manuel’s job security will continue until the Mets give them reason to stop, and their play on the road isn’t it, where they are 1-8 in May and 4-12 overall, the latter a NL worst.
The Mets are coming off being swept out of Florida in four games by the Marlins. They’ve also lost five straight and 11 out of 15 games to go from first to worst in the NL East.
“We’ve got to get some things straightened out,” said Manuel, the master of the obvious. “We have to make decisions and find the pieces that can get it done.”
One aspect of the team not getting it done has been the starting pitching, which has gone 15 straight games without a win. Mike Pelfrey, despite his hot start, is now part of the slide. Pelfrey won his first four starts while posting a 0.72 ERA, but has gone 0-1 with a 6.88 ERA in his last three starts.
Pelfrey is coming off a 119-pitch no-decision against Washington in which he went 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and seven hits.
With Oliver Perez not getting out of the fourth Friday night – and subsequently dropped from the rotation – and Jon Niese leaving in the third inning yesterday with a right hamstring injury, the Mets bullpen has been severely taxed.
The Mets are expected to dip into the minor leagues for a starter Wednesday in Washington and go with Hisanori Takahashi Friday night against the Yankees at Citi Field.
Here’s tonight’s line-up:
Jose Reyes, SS
Luis Castillo, 2B
Jason Bay, LF
Chris Carter, RF
David Wright, 3B
Ike Davis, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Gary Matthews, CF
Mike Pelfrey, RP
NOTEBOOK: Reliever Ryota Igarashi (left hamstring strain) continues his rehab assignment tonight at Class A St. Lucie. Barring a setback, he will pitch back-to-back games for Class AAA Buffalo Thursday and Friday and then be activated. …. Reliever Kiko Calero, who at one time looked like he’d make the major league roster coming out of spring training, was released by Buffalo.
