The John Delcos New York Mets Report Featuring Mets' commentary, analysis and news.

The Mets were struggling, in last place in the NL East when they played the Yankees for the first time at Citi Field in May.

Game #67 at Yankees

They won two of three, then shutout the Phillies in a three-game sweep, and have gone 15-6 since to pull within a half game of Atlanta.

The Mets are looking to extend their winning streak to eight games – for the second time this season – when they face the Yankees tonight at the Stadium.

Hisanori Takahashi vs. Javier Vazquez.

“When you go to play the defending world champions, you’ve got to be playing good baseball,’’ said manager Jerry Manuel. “I feel good about the way we’re playing.’’

He ought to, as the Mets will be trying for their seventh straight road win tonight. The last time they won that many was in June, 2006, when they peeled off nine straight on the road.

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Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

BAY: Day to day.

Jason Bay has a bruised left quad muscle from his collision last night with Indians first baseman Andy Marte.

Bay stayed in the game but was eventually removed when the bruise “knotted up,’’ as he put it and replaced by Jesus Feliciano.

The Mets list him as day-to-day.

It is Jerry Manuel’s policy to normally sit a player the game after he removes him because of an injury so don’t be surprised to see Feliciano start tonight against Cleveland’s Jake Westbrook.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010

Both the Mets and Yankees limp into this weekend’s series at Citi Field, but as usual there are more issues in Queens than the Bronx.

“I always look forward to these series,’’ Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. “You find out where you are as a team, and how you perform in that type of environment.’’

Doesn’t he know by now?

The Mets, despite winning last night at Washington, are reeling, almost in a free fall, and could very well be there after back-to-back series against the Yankees and Phillies.

The last-place Mets are coming off a 2-6 road trip in which they lost, by injury or performance, three-fifths of their rotation. Jon Niese, the most consistent of the three, went on the disabled list and could be joined there by John Maine, who was yanked after five pitches last night. Oliver Perez was exiled to the bullpen.

Journeyman knuckleballer R.A. Dickey replaced Perez and performed well, and long reliever Hisanori Takahashi will start tonight in place of Niese against the Yankees.
Takahashi’s move to the rotation, even temporarily, further strains the bullpen. Fernando Nieve and Pedro Feliciano, so effective in April, have been hit lately.

Further complicating matters has been an unproductive offense, which is relying on a journeyman catcher Rod Barajas and rookie first baseman Ike Davis because of the season-long power drought of Jason Bay and David Wright’s assault on the strikeout record.

Bay, although he’s been making contact lately, in on pace for four homers, while Wright is on pace for 223 strikeouts. Jeff Francoeur and Jose Reyes also aren’t hitting.

As bad as things have been, one can logically assume if Wright and Reyes, the cornerstones to the franchise, were hitting according to expectations, the Mets would be over .500 and there wouldn’t be so many rumblings about Manuel’s job security.

Despite COO Jeff Wilpon’s impromptu meeting in Atlanta in which he said he wasn’t about to fire Manuel or GM Omar Minaya, the whispers persist and are even louder after last night’s Manuel-Maine dugout blowout.

“When the owner comes down, you know something is going on,’’ said Francoeur. “But at the same time, you have to be professional. At times it can be tough, all the speculation, but I try to just play. That’s the easiest way to deal with it.’’

Manuel didn’t do much to get Wright and Francoeur on his side when he rested both this week. Both expressed displeasure at sitting, but neither criticized Manuel.

Also, neither offered much verbal support.

Before he was sacked, Willie Randolph had more verbal support from his players than Manuel has received, but the players are still hustling. That is a saving grace, but will it be enough if the Mets are pasted by the Yankees and Phillies?

Here’s tonight’s Mets’ line-up behind Takahashi:

Jose Reyes, SS
Alex Cora, 2B
Jason Bay, LF
Ike Davis, 1B
David Wright, 3B
Angel Pagan, CF
Rod Barajas, C
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Hisanori Takahashi, LP

NOTE: Luis Castillo was scratched from the line-up with a bruised left heel. … After throwing five innings in relief last night, Raul Valdes is not expected to be available for the Yankees series. … With Takahashi starting, R.A. Dickey will be the long man.

PREVIOUS POST: Feel free to comment on the Maine vs. Manuel thread.

Posted under Chat Rooms, Chat Rooms/2010, Mets Features, New York Mets 2008-09

Tabbed the Mets’ first baseman of the future, that future could be now for Ike Davis, who’ll be brought up from Triple-A Buffalo for tonight’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

While the Mets opted not to take Davis north after Daniel Murphy’s knee injury, several factors conspired into the decision being made now.

Twenty innings Saturday night forced the Mets to bring up a pitcher, Tobi Stoner, to bail out the bullpen, and expendable was the struggling Mike Jacobs, who was designated for assignment.

So, as much as the Mets wanted to avoid force-feeding the majors to Davis, necessity prevailed.
Davis, 23, the son of former Yankees reliever Ron Davis and first-round pick out of Arizona State in 2008, scorched the ball during spring training and hasn’t cooled. Davis is hitting .364 with two homers and four RBI for Buffalo and is riding a seven-game hitting streak.

Initially, I thought Davis needed more Triple-A time, and that might be the case, but as early as it is, there’s a sense of urgency for the Mets and it isn’t assured Davis will struggle at this level. Frankly, he can’t do much worse than what the Mets had been getting at first base.

While there is talk the Mets are rushing Davis, it must be remembered there is no guarantee he’ll be overwhelmed, just as there are no givens he’ll flourish like David Wright, who was promoted after only 114 Triple-A at-bats in 2004.

“When it’s time for him to come up, he just needs to remember to come in and do what he’s done his whole career,’’ Wright told ESPN.com. “I know there are expectations. I know there is going to be a lot of pressure. But he seems like he’s a tremendous player, a great guy, and will do well at this level.’’

With Murphy down, the Mets hoped to fill the position until his return with the platoon of Jacobs and Fernando Tatis. (Frank Catalanotto started at first last night).

“We just felt that we didn’t quite see what we wanted to see in that brief opportunity he was given,’’ manager Jerry Manuel said.

It was obvious Davis would be elevated when the Mets designated Jacobs for assignment rather than option him outright to the minors. In doing so, they cleared a spot on the 40-man roster for Jacobs.

POLL: Too early or deserved? Vote in the Davis poll.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010

A rough day for John Maine this afternoon, with him pitching 4 2/3 innings while being sick. Maine gave up four runs on six hits and four walks and several bouts of nausea caused by a stomach virus.

Maine was not good this spring, and while spring training numbers don’t tell the full story, they are somewhat of a measure. A 7.88 ERA is not good.

Maine is now the No. 2 starter in the Mets’ juggled rotation.

REYES WILL GO ON DL: Shortstop Jose Reyes, who missed most of spring training with a thyroid issue, will open the season on the disabled list. Reyes will be able to come off the disabled list for the April 10 game against Washington.

Reyes says he’s ready.

“My legs are ready,’’ he told reporters. “I’m not that bad swinging the bat. No doubt, I’m more comfortable.’’

RODRIGUEZ LEAVES TEAM: Closer Frankie Rodriguez left the team to attend to a family emergency in Venezuela.

General manager Omar Minaya expects to have him back for the opener. If not, the Mets, who don’t even have an eighth-inning set-up man, would have to scramble for a closer.

POSITION BATTLES: Mike Jacobs, who will make the team as the back-up first baseman, hit is fourth homer of the spring. … Once thought a sure thing to make the bullpen, Ryota Igarashi was hit for two runs in 2/3 innings. The beneficiary of Igarashi’s late spring slide was Raul Valdes, who gave up one run in two-thirds innings.

NOTE: Manager Jerry Manuel said fifth-starter Oliver Perez will work out of the bullpen the first week of season. The Mets broke camp after today’s loss. They’ll play Tampa Bay at St. Petersburg tomorrow and Baltimore in Sarasota Saturday. Mike Pelfrey will get the start tomorrow. The team will work out Sunday at Citi Field.

Posted under Mets News

You can read a couple of things into the Ike Davis demotion relating to Daniel Murphy.

One, there’s talk-show speculation Murphy was pressured by Davis’ presence and the possibility of him losing the position. Second, that the Mets still have faith in Murphy.

It’s the latter.

Jerry Manuel said Murphy is his first baseman, and it actually looks like that’s going to happen. For how long is another question.

With Murphy hitting below the Mendoza line this spring, and him not having much power to begin with, first base could be a black hole offensively for the team.
Murphy, at this stage of his career, is not a power hitter, but that’s not to say he can’t develop more power.

All along we’ve heard how the Mets rush some players and don’t have patience with others. Murphy has gone through a lot, enough to earn the Mets’ patience for now.

With David Wright ahead of him, Murphy, a natural third baseman was moved to another black hole, left field, at the end of the 2008 season.
He showed enough to where he was the starting left fielder last season, but it didn’t take. The Mets once considered him as a possible second baseman, but saddled with Luis Castillo’s contract, that didn’t work either.

So, it was on to first base a couple of months into last year, where Murphy played surprisingly well considering. The only problem is he doesn’t hit for the prototypical power of a first baseman.

But, he’s only 24 with one full season on his resume. But, after he settled in at first, he become more comfortable at the plate, made some adjustments, and hit .282. He also hit 38 doubles, which is an indication of some pop, and led the team with 12 homers.

Who knows? Maybe he’ll develop into a .300 hitter and hit 20 to 25 homers. It could happen.

But, if the season hinges on Murphy hitting for power, then the Mets are in big trouble anyway. Theoretically, they’ll get power from Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur. All should hit close to 30 homers.

If Murphy doesn’t, then so what?

Let’s take a look at this team. There are questions in the bullpen and the rotation has been horrid this spring. The Mets need a bounce-back year from Wright, and Beltran, and possibly Jose Reyes will open the season on the disabled list.

So, Murphy not hitting more than 20 homers seems to be low on the priority list.

Posted under Mets Commentary

Jerry Manuel said if prospect Jenrry Mejia makes the roster coming out of spring training, it won’t be in the set-up role but in low pressure situations.

If that’s the case, then isn’t he better off in the minor leagues pitching in the role the Mets envision for him immediately?

I just see the Mets doing the same yanking around with him they did with Bobby Parnell. Speaking of Parnell, his spot on the roster could be in jeopardy if fifth-starter candidate Hisanori Takahashi makes it as a reliever.

Takahashi will start the March 27 game against Washington. He has worked 8 1/3 scoreless innings in three appearances in competing with Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve for the fifth-starter role. The more I think of Takahashi as a fifth starter, the more I wonder. His numbers are good, but he hasn’t exactly been stretched out this spring and one start won’t do it, thereby making him more suitable for the bullpen.

PEN NOTES: Kiko Calero and Ryota Igarashi are in good shape as far as making the roster. … Pedro Feliciano was hit on the right knee by a grounder and left last night’s game. Feliciano was able to throw warm-ups after the injury and is expected to be fine. … Either Sean Green or Parnell could also be in trouble if the Mets sign left-hander Joe Beimel.

LIKING JACOBS: Manuel likes Mike Jacobs as a back-up first baseman and pinch hitter. The word is he’s been better than expected defensively. Jacobs has two homers this spring.

MANUEL ENDORSES CORA: After last night’s game Manuel endorsed Alex Cora over Ruben Tejada to play shortstop while Jose Reyes is down. That’s not to say Tejada will automatically be ticketed to the minor leagues.

Posted under Mets News

Responding to some news items:

REPORT: Mets out of money?

Considering nobody has access to the Mets’ finances outside the team, I don’t know how they could report that and be totally accurate. Maybe the Mets just don’t want to spend the money. A team out of money doesn’t spent $66 million on Jason Bay.

I think the Mets looked at the FA landscape, saw they couldn’t win without breaking the bank and opted just to be competitive instead. Competitive keeps the fans coming all summer.

* I do think, however, it is a mistake not to take a look at Chien-Ming Wang. Reports have been good on his shoulder and would be worth the gamble. Certainly, he would have come for less than Ben Sheets, another injury gamble.

* I was pleased to see Keith Hernandez working with Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans. I always knew he would if he were asked. Not to use a valuable resource like that is foolish.

In a conference call, Hernandez said: “For Dan last year, in midseason, to have to move over to first base and basically learn on the job at the major-league level, that’s a lot to ask; and I just thought that he really did admirably. I was surprised at how he played first base. It was much better than I expected.’’

* ESPN is reporting the Mets are close to re-signing first baseman Mike Jacobs.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010