Tag Archives: Lost

Dec 03

K-Rod pleads guilty; what of his Mets’ future?

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Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez pleaded guilty this morning of assault, a move that spared him jail time but will bring him an additional 52 weeks of anger management classes.

RODRIGUEZ: Pleads guilty; at least one more year

His plea also bought him an additional season with the Mets for $11.5 million. It was the best case scenario for the closer who not only lost his temper but is losing his fastball.

For one more year at least, the Mets will have a closer. He Rodriguez finishes 55 games in 2011, he could stand to make an additional $17.5 million for 2012.

If Rodriguez does not finish 55 games and he fails a physical after the 2011 season, the Mets will have a $3.5 million buyout.

That, along with the books cleared of Oliver Perez and Carlos Beltran, would open up the Mets’ wallet to be big players in the 2011 free-agent market.

Rodriguez is young enough at 28 where he could regain his form, but there are concerns that with his motion and delivery the downhill slide might not be reversible.

All this is very interesting. Will the Mets limit his appearances to stay away from the option kicking in? If they have a competitive team all summer I doubt it, especially if Bobby Parnell doesn’t perform and show he’s capable of assuming the closer role.

Of course, if the Mets don’t shore up their rotation and the bridge to Rodriguez, he won’t have that many save opportunities to begin with.

Aug 16

Mets Chat Room; K-Rod done for year.

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Game #118 at Astros

The homestand that was supposed to be their last chance has ended in mediocrity, and now it is on to Houston and Pittsburgh, two teams with offenses even worse than the Mets.

The road trip begins with the news Francisco Rodriguez could be lost for the season after tearing a ligament in his right thumb sustained in the altercation with the father of his girlfriend. Then again, what good is a closer if you’re not scoring any runs.

The offense is hitting less than .200 in August, and the slide is personified by David Wright, who is batting .114 with no RBI in August.

Jon Niese, one of the positives of this season, goes for the Mets tonight.

Aug 03

Mets Chat Room; Dickey to keep pulse going.

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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.

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Jul 30

Mets Chat Room; Pelfrey needs to get it straight.

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Mike Pelfrey was better in his last start, but he’s still not there. At one time he was 9-1, now he’s 10-5. He needs to get back to his earlier form starting tonight against Arizona if the Mets are to break out of their downward spiral that has been the month of July.

Game #103 vs. Diamondbacks

Without a sound Pelfrey the Mets have no chance of making a second-half run at the NL East, which is slowly fading away, and made even more unlikely with the Phillies’ acquisition of Roy Oswalt.

Pelfrey is 0-3 with an 11.40 ERA in his last four starts. Included in that span was giving up four first-inning runs in his last start against the Diamondbacks.

The first inning has been a recent trap for Pelfrey.

“(In eight of my) last nine starts, I’ve given up a run in the first inning and I need to find a way of stopping that,’’ Pelfrey said. “Whether it’s throwing more pitches in the ‘pen, I don’t know.’’

Pelfrey gave the Mets a chance in his previous start last weekend at Los Angeles, giving up two runs in five innings. Even so, he still threw a lot of pitches and was removed for a pinch-hitter.

It was the first time in five starts that he made it through five innings. The Mets have lost four of those games.

Pelfrey is 0-5 with a 6.75 ERA in six career starts against Arizona.

Jul 28

Mets Chat Room; Santana goes for series win.

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Isn’t that the way it always is?

Game #101 vs. Cardinals

When the Mets flourished in June, Johan Santana struggled, going 1-3 with a 4.68 ERA. Then as the Mets hit the skids in July Santana has been brilliant at 3-0 with a 0.71 ERA.

But all that talk of him losing it in June was just that as Santana proves that on any given night he can be as great as anybody.

At 8-5, his record is mediocre, but his 2.79 ERA suggests he’s anything but.

Santana has a no decision in eight of his 21 starts, with the Mets going on to lose five of those games.  And in those games he’s given up a total of nine runs, three times not given up a run. There have been nine games in which the Mets scored three or less runs.

The Mets are currently 6 ½ games behind Atlanta. Reverse the outcome of the no-decisions in games lost by the Mets in which he’s pitched then the race has a different complexion to it.