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

Game #132 at Braves

Once again, welcome to the expanded Mets Chat Room. I’ve linked up with Metsmerizedonline.com to bring you to the ground floor regarding chat rooms and blogs.

In addition to being hooked up to another successful Mets blog, we will eventually be linked to other blogs from around baseball.

To access, please click onto the Mets Chat Room icon to the left of this post. It will bring you to another page. At the bottom on the right is where you can click on to register. If you can use your same screen names that would be great. If not, do the best you can.

This is an experiment. It is a work in progress. I am greatly optimistic about the future of this type of chat room.

I thought last night went very well with a lot of engaging talk.

Thanks for your participation.

Tonight the Mets will give the ball to Jonathan Niese, who is coming off a terrible start in which he gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings against Florida.

Here’s a number that carries volumes. David Wright is batting .070 (3-43) in 12 games against the Braves this year. The Mets have scored three runs or less in 11 straight games against Atlanta.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

The Mets will try to win their first road series tonight since a three-game sweep of Cleveland in mid-June. They are 10-20 on the road since then, a stat that pretty much says it all about their slide from contention.

Game #121 at Astros

They’ve only won two road series this season, both in interleague play.

Here’s another one: they are hitting a major-league worst .214 since the All-Star break. For good measure, they haven’t scored more than three runs in six straight games.

The frustrating thing is their weakness going into the season – their starting pitching – has been lights out lately. Definitely good enough to contend if they had any offense.

Tonight it will be Pat Misch going for the Mets.

The Mets activated Rod Barajas this afternoon and he’ll be in the lineup tonight. Jerry Manuel said the Mets are still in the race and Barajas is likely to get more playing time than Josh Thole.

The catching situation typifies the dysfunctional nature of the Mets. They are carrying three catchers, which makes no sense in the National League. And, making it worse is they continue to play shorthanded because Oliver Perez is useless.

Here’s tonight’s lineup at Houston:

Jose Reyes, SS

Luis Castillo, 2B

Angel Pagan, CF

David Wright, 3B

Ike Davis, 1B

Jeff Francoeur, RF

Chris Carter, LF

Rod Barajas, C

Pat Misch, LP

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Games #109-111 at Phillies

Here it is, the Mets’ last stand for 2010. Either they show some life and take care of business in Philadelphia or they can say goodbye for the summer. An awful lot of things have to happen for the Mets to make the playoffs, but the bottom line is they have to win two of every three down the stretch to have a chance.

That’s .666 baseball. The devil you say.

That’s a tall order for a .500 team, and one that has shown little sign of life for over a month now. One that hasn’t won two straight games since late June. Mathematics say the team is alive; mathematics also say the odds are getting longer and longer.

On a side note, the Chat Room is open but I had to go to Ohio to visit family this weekend. I set it up so the Chat Room will be open but I won’t be able to monitor the games.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Game #91 at Giants

No question, Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito had a lot to do with it, but the Mets’ offense has been in a funk before coming to San Francisco.

The Mets, on a 1-5 slide, have scored just six runs in that span and hit a composite .222. They’ve been shut out three times, including the first two games of this series.

It won’t get any easier tonight against Matt Cain. They will be trying to avoid being shut out in three straight games for the first time since July 25-27, 1992.

Read More…

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

The Mets limp home tonight from their 2-4 road trip to face the Florida Marlins at Citi Field, with knuckleballer R.A. Dickey going against Anibal Sanchez.

Game #55 vs. Marlins

Dickey has been surprisingly good since he was brought up from Class AAA Buffalo, May 19, going 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA. He did it against Washington, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, all three possessing strong offenses.

“He battles,’’ manager Jerry Manuel said. “I think he deserves another shot, no doubt about it. In all of his starts he’s given us a chance to win. When you get that, you’ve got to keep going with it.’’

Since beating the Marlins on Opening Day, the Mets have lost six straight games to them. Something has to give because the Mets have won their last five at home and 15 of 19.

Read More…

Posted under Chat Rooms, Chat Rooms/2010

Game #47 vs. Phillies

The last time the streaky Mets won four straight games this season, they went on to win eight in a row.

The Mets, who won two of three games over the weekend against the Yankees, will be going after their second straight series win tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hisanori Takahashi, who replaced the injured Jon Niese in the rotation, threw six scoreless innings in a no-decision last Friday against the Yankees.

The left-handed Takahashi made the club out of spring training because of his ability to work in long relief. He so impressed in that role that he was the first choice when Niese went down.

The Mets lost three-fifths of their rotation during the last road trip, but received Takahashi’s strong game and two strong games by knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.

Dickey threw six scoreless innings last night in arguably the Mets’ most complete game of the season.

The Mets are starting to feel good about themselves because of Jason Bay and Jose Reyes, both of whom struggled out of the gate, could be hitting their strides.

Over the last five games, Bay is 11-for-20 (.550) with two homers, five RBI and eight runs scored. In that same span, Reyes is 9-for-24 (.375) with five runs scored.

Posted under Chat Rooms, Chat Rooms/2010

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.

Posted under Chat Rooms, Chat Rooms/2010, Mets Features

David Wright said this is a slump, that nothing is wrong with him and he’ll snap out of it.

“We’re 10-9,’’ Wright told reporters. “We’re winning right now. There’s no reason to panic. … I’m seeing the ball pretty well. I’m taking some good swings. But, you could do everything right and not get the results you wanted. I feel comfortable at the plate. I’ll see some results.’’

Then again, Wright said the same thing last year about his power drought. However, a difference between last year and this is he hit .300 last year and currently is batting .222.

Wright also struck out a lot, which he’s doing again this spring. He takes a stretch of striking out in 12 straight games into today’s doubleheader against the Dodgers. He has 24 strikeouts in 19 games.

Wright said he feels comfortable, but just isn’t getting the results he wants.

“There’s no to hit the panic button this early,’’ Wright said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve struggled in my career.’’

For now, Jerry Manuel has no plans to sit Wright and will let him work himself out of it. Then again, that could change in the second game of the doubleheader against knuckleballer Charlie Haeger.

NOTEBOOK: Manuel plans to keep Jose Reyes in the third spot in the order. … Gary Matthews was in the line-up last night and is expected to play in one of the games today. … The anticipated rotation for Philadelphia is Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010