Results tagged ‘ Ramon Castro ’
A Bid to Stay…
With Brian Schneider eligible to come off of the DL on Saturday, Omir Santos seemed like the logical choice to be sent down to Buffalo. He started the season as a relative unknown and Ramon Castro has a Major League contract. He has, however, held his own in Flushing. The only statistic that Castro really out-performed Santos was in throwing out runners (Castro has thrown out 7 of 15 and Santos 5 of 17). Santos began his pledge to stay last Saturday night by taking Papelbon deep with a runner aboard in the 9th to give the Mets a 3-2 lead and ultimately the win. Tonight, he continued…
Down 1-0 in the fifth against a pitcher the Mets had never seen (only his 2nd career start), Omir Santos lines a ball deep down the left field line for a game-tying HR. Up to that point, the Mets only had 1 hit. Then, in the 11th inning, after Sheffield’s lead-off single and a throwing error by Marlin catcher Ronny Paulino that allowed Sheffield to get to 3rd, Santos lined a single into left field for the Mets 3rd walk-off win of the season.
Obviously, Castro and Schneider are not going to be sent down. Both are proven veterans who have Major League contracts. Both have their strengths (Schneider has been a great defensive catcher and Castro has a lot of pop in his bat). Santos is kind of caught in the middle. He apparently does have some power and is not a liability on defense, but how long can he keep it up? My guess is that Santos will stay…for the time being. Using 3 catchers can be risky, given that it can shorten your bench in other areas. But, he has been such a vital part of the Mets success, it is just too hard to get rid of him.
Fernando Martinez is the most likely candidate to be sent down. He has gone 0fer since he had been called up and just didn’t really look comfortable. He needs to be playing everyday. With Sheff needed in the lineup and Pagan playing well, he won’t get that chance. He did not start tonight, but pinch hit and flew out in the 8th. F-Mart still might be an every day player for the Mets (if not a potential star), but the time is not now. He still needs more seasoning.
Not to be forgotten is Mike Pelfrey. If you can pitch better than he did Saturday in Boston, he did tonight. Pelf went 7 2/3, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 BB, and 6 Ks. The chatter on Pelfrey is that he needs to cut down on walks and miss more bats. He did both tonight and is really becoming a quality pitcher. His ERA is now below 4 at 3.88. Unfortunately, he is getting the Santana treatment and is not being scored for. His best 2 starts of the year have resulted in no-decisions.
**Just as I am writing this**
Mets trade Ramon Castro to the White Sox for 2005 1st round pick P Lance Broadway. Broadway will join the starting rotation in Buffalo…I guess that makes a couple of previous paragraphs unnecessary…
Walk-offs:
- The Mets acquired OF Emil Brown from the Padres on Friday…kind of an interesting move, considering the Mets have too many outfielders. He will start in Buffalo.
- Marlins starter Sean West pitched very well Friday. He went 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 BB, and 2 Ks. The Mets also have a history of hitting poorly against pitchers they have never seen.
- The Mets have now not committed an error in 5 straight games…not that that is a great accomplishment, but for this team it might be, right now.
- Ramon Martinez went 2 for 3 tonight…maybe he has been reading my writing and trying to make me look foolish…that’s ok with me, Ramon. Just keep hitting!
- Matt Wieters made his MLB debut for the Orioles. He went 0 for 4. That one is for you, Josh…
- Kind of bummed to see Castro go. He has done a great job as a backup catcher for the Mets over the past few years. Thanks a lot, Ramon and good luck in Chi-town!
Saturday, 1:10, Citi Field, Johnson vs Redding…
David, the Giant-killer…
So, I had a couple of softball games tonight, which caused me to miss the first 5 innings of the game. No problem. I used the DVR function on MLB.TV. Well, after the 6th inning, it logged me out and wouldn’t let me back in. Yay. So, its 2:15am and I am excited and ready for the the last couple innings and I had to miss them and just look at the final score. It’s a good thing they won…
Well, John Maine pitched very well. He was rather erratic in the 1st inning, walking 2, throwing 2 wild pitches, giving up 3 hits, and allowing his only 2 runs. He also threw 30+ pitches, I believe. After the first 2 runners reached base in the 2nd, he seemed to flip the switch. Not only did he get out of that inning with no runs, he did not encounter another jam until the 6th. All in all, he went 6 2/3, 7 hits, 2 runs, 4 BBs, and 4 Ks. He should have gotten the win, but Bobby Parnell (who will be the set-up man…I presume…until Putz deals with his bone-spurred elbow) couldn’t hold the save. Luckily for Parnell, the Mets offense responded and tallied 3 in the 9th, allowing K-Rod to get his 10th save of the year.
Offensively, the Mets looked good all game…despite getting only 4 runs through the first 8 innings. The Mets heart of the order (Beltran, Sheffield and Wright) went a combined 7 for 12 with 3 RBI. In the 9th, Beltran doubled with one out and stole 3rd. After Sheffield walked, Wright singled home Beltran to take the lead. Both Sheff and Wright would later score on a clutch 2 out single by Ramon Castro, giving the K-Rod the 7-4 lead.
Frustratingly, I was unable to see the exciting conclusion of this game, but all is well that ends well. After a rough loss on Wednesday afternoon and a long plane ride to the Bay Area, a road-trip-opening win is very satisfying…
Five Smooth Stones:
- David Wright reached base all 5 times today, going 3 for 3 with 2 RBI and 2 BBs…He also had 4 steals…
- The Mets stole 7 bases in total…wow…that was a team record…
- The Mets have not won a road trip opener in San Francisco since 1988…
- Jose Reyes had the day off because of a sore calf muscle…Delgado will not play in this series and JJ Putz is still iffy/day-to-day…
- The Mets are now back to 4 games over .500, 8-2 in their last 10, and have their largest division lead of the year…2
Friday night, AT&T Park, 10:15, Hernandez vs. Lincecum…
Four Victories, Four Saves…
After Pelfrey gave up 3 hits and a run to the Phillies in the Top of the 1st, the Mets came out blazing in the Bottom of the 1st. One-out walk to Castillo leads to a Beltran 2 run shot to left. After Delgado doubled to the right field corner, Wright launched another bomb to dead center, making it 4-1. Reyes hit a solo shot in the 2nd, and Castro doubled in 2 more runs in the 3rd, expanding the Met lead to 7-1. That was it for Moyer. He went 2 1/3, 7 hits, 7 runs, 2 BBs and a K. Mike Pelfrey took over from there, going 4 more innings. He worked out of a jam in the 6th, as well. In all, he went 7 innings, 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 BB, and 0 Ks. This was Pelfrey’s best start of the year. He did give up a few runs, but went the deepest in a game of any Met pitcher, not named Santana. Plus, with the lead he was given, he threw strikes and not too many pitches, resting the bullpen. Pelfrey has now improved to 4-0 and lowering his ERA to 5.46. Not great, but on its way down. Pedro Feliciano pitched the 8th, but surrendered 2 more runs on a 2 run homer by the newest Met-killer, Jayson Werth. K-Rod came in 9th, made it relatively interesting after a 2 out walk to pinch-hitter Matt Stairs, but got Rollins to pop out to Castillo. K-Rod has now pitched in 4 straight games, saving the 9th inning in each, and tying again for the MLB lead in saves with 9.
The Mets announced they were placing Ollie Perez on the DL today. Now, after his last “start” last Saturday, he complained of some pain in his knee. This is an interesting situation. There is great debate in Metsland. Is he really hurt? Is that his/the team’s way of “sending him to the Minors?” What is the best move? Well, I was thinking about it a couple days ago and I was thinking a DL stint might be the best move, regardless. First of all, there is no way Perez is going to start a game in the next couple times through the rotation. Second, out-right sending him down could have an adverse affect on his confidence, something that is essential to any pitcher and especially Perez. This way, while on the DL, he can have as many rehab starts and workouts as he/the Mets would like. And, the Mets can audition a spot in the rotation…Friday night Jonathan Niese will get his shot. He looked OK in his attempts last year but hasn’t done well in Buffalo this year. Some people have said the Mets should cut Perez. These people need to learn a little more about baseball before spouting off. Perez can be a good pitcher. Since we are going to pay him a lot of money, anyway, we might as well have the option of using him. If something is wrong with him, that could be why he is struggling. DL him, send him down, but cutting him isn’t an option, yet.
Sub-Plots:
- The Phillies bullpen looked great today, going 5 2/3 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 BB, and 1 K.
- David Wright looks to be coming around. He went 3 for 3 with a HR, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
- Ramon Castro also continued his hot hitting going 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.
- The Mets went with their “all-right-handed” lineup against the lefty Moyer: Tatis for Murphy and Sheffield for Church.
- Jayson Werth might be my newest “scary Phillie” as he continues to tear up the Mets. Tonight, 4 for 4, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored…
- The Royals won their 6th in a row and hold a 2.5 game lead in the AL Central. Meanwhile the cross-town Yanks have lost their 5th in a row…
- Manny Ramirez failed a drug test and will be suspended for 50 games. He said it was a personal subscription, not a performance-enhancer. And, he owned up to it and took responsibility for the mishap. I don’t believe he was on steroids…
Friday, 7:10, Citi Field, Karstens vs. Niese…
Sweep!
So, I almost had to re-do my entire entry for tonight. Like any writer, I was putting my thoughts together and organizing how I was going to write everything down, when the bottom of the 9th happened. My TV’s life was extended after Ryan Church caught Chipper’s attempt to win the game for the Braves. With a 4-1 lead and 2 down in the bottom of the 9th, K-Rod gives up a hit and a walk, when Omar Infante pops up a bloop right to Delgado. I was about to walk into my kitchen, but thought that nothing is a sure thing (especially with the Mets) and stayed to watch Carlos flat out DROP the ball. Funny thing is, if everyone runs it out, the runner on 1st is at least on 3rd and Infante is easily on 2nd, instead of 1st. He would then have scored on Escobar’s single, tying the game. Thankfully, Omar loafed it, made it to 3rd on the single, and was stranded on Chipper’s flyout.
Up until the 2 out roller coaster ride, the pitching for the Mets was amazing. Livan went 6 1/3, 7 hits, 1 run, 2 BBs and 2 Ks, only throwing 75 pitches (discounting the Ollie start, it was the Mets 4th straight quality start). He totally could have gone at least another inning, but got into a bit of a jam, and Manuel decided not to push his luck (not a bad decision at all). Parnell, Putz, and K-Rod did their respective jobs. K-Rod’s would have been smoother, if not for Delgado’s error. In keeping with the theme of not allowing runs, the Mets defense (in the 1st 7 innings) was great. They turned 3 double-plays. And on Prado’s run-scoring double, Murphy made a great play, cutting the ball off, otherwise, Schafer probably scores and ties the game at 2. Then, the defense went downhill, as Castillo and Delgado made routine-play errors.
Offensively, the effort was mixed. They got 11 hits: good. Only 4 runs (including leaving 2 on in the 9th…2nd and 3rd with no out and neither scored): bad. 4 players wth multiple hits, including Castro with 3: good. Leaving 12 on base and goin 3 for 13 with RISP: bad. Luckily, the pitching out-weighed the hitting and the Mets got away with a sweep in the ATL…
Points for your morning coffee:
- Daniel Murphy had a nice game. He went 1 fo 4 with a run scored. Also, he saved a run with a nice defensive play in the 7th. And, after a botched throw by Chipper in the 9th, moved up to an un-occupied 2nd base. That forced the Braves to walk Beltran, creating a big opportunity for Delgado. As defensively challeneged as he was to start the year, I’m enjoying watching his progress, not only as a fielder, but as a baseball player.
- Despite his almost biffing the game away, Delgado did have a huge hit in the 9th with the bases loaded, plating the soon-needed 2 runs. Give and Take, I guess…
- The Mets have swept a series -albeit a mini 2 game series- in Atlanta for the first time in 2 years…winning there will never get old for me.
- Yunel Escobar is just adding to the log-jam of great short-stops in the NL East…he went 3 for 5 with an RBI tonight…
- Johan Santana has given up 4 earned runs this year. That is fewer than 3 Mets relievers (Putz, 6; Feliciano, 5; Green, 12 -yikes)…
- Is anyone else excited about the Royals? The epitome of a small market team and they are leading their division by 1.5 games (I know its early May, but let’s enjoy it while we can). Greinke has 37.5% of their wins…
- This is fun: the Nats and Astros had their 10-10 game called in the 11th inning today because of rain. The game was played in DC. But they don’t play again until July 9th (in Houston). That will be the date that this game will be continued. So, the home team will wear gray in the1st game? And, given the probable lack of success of both teams (sorry, Nats and Astros fans *Cassie*) and it being near the trade deadline, how will they handle players who won’t be on the roster then and players who weren’t today but will be on the roster then? Yay for tight schedules and short series…
- Also, tough loss for the Wings to the Ducks tonight…sometimes, life just isn’t fair…not much else you can say about that game…
Quote of the Night:
“Keith, its your favorite song.” “[Its] all around major league baseball. You just can’t get away from it.” -Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez, upon hearing the sound bite “Everybody Clap Your Hands.”
Wednesday, 7pm, Park/Santana…
mlblogssportfan
Recent Comments