Game Preview (8/26): Mets @ Phillies

The Mets start an important two game set tonight in Philly. Winner tonight takes the lead in the East. Both teams are playing hard right now in a race that will most likely go to the end of the season. This is where the Mets started to falter last year, against their division rivals. Tonight the Mets will send up Pedro to take on a tough Jamie Moyer.

Moyer is having one of his best years in a while. Right now he is 11-7 with a 3.54 ERA. This is his best ERA since 2003. He has really turned it on this month, to make things even tougher. In four games in August he is 1-1 over 24.2 innings pitched with a dazzling 2.19 ERA. He has brought out his best stuff against the Mets this year as well. He has faced the Mets 4 times already this year with a 1-1 record over 25.2 innings pitched with a stunning 2.81 ERA. (Last year over the same amount of games, he pitched 26 innings with a 3.12 ERA. Some Mets have hit him hard, some Mets have not:
    Delgado 30-77, 7 2B, 8 HR, .390 BA
    Beltran 10-49, 2 2B, .204 BA
    Reyes 10-32, 2 2B, 3B
    Wright 13-30, 4 2B, 2 HR
Delgado had an amazing night last night, and Beltran had an amazing afternoon the day before. Delgado knows how to hit Moyer, and has seen him a lot over his career, Beltran gets fooled a lot by him. Wright will be going for his 100th RBI again tonight. What is key for the Mets offense tonight is to strike first, strike often, and don't give up opportunities. The Phillies have won their last two games by shutting down the Dodgers once the Dodgers got people on base. The Phillies did not allow those players for second base and third base cross the plate. The Mets cannot let that be them tonight.

Pedro will try to light it up for the Mets tonight. On the season he is 4-3 with a 4.97 ERA. Here are his stats against the Phillies over the last couple of years:
    08: 1-0, 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
    07: ND, 6 IP, ER, 0 BB, 9 K
    06: 2 G, 0-1, 8 IP, 9 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
He was effective the last time he faced him. In 2007, he was brilliant (the Mets bullpen then let it go). In 2006, not so effective. Pedro is going have to reach down tonight in the part of him that is sending him to the Hall of Fame and pitch amazingly in this big game. Earlier this month, he put on an impressive show. He can do it again. Here are some Philly hitting stats against him:
    Rollins 9-30, 2B, HR
    Burrell 1-23, HR, 9K
    Utley 7-21, 2B, 3 HR
    Werth 2-9, 5 K
I love looking at Burrell's numbers agianst Pedro, that is owning a hitter. Utley is as dangerous as always. Rollins has been a slump for the past week or so, except he broke out of last night. Did he actually break out of it? We'll find out tonight as the Mets try to tame him.
Lets Go Mets! Beat the Phillies!

Previews just like this can be found at 213 Miles From Shea and Metsmerized Online before every game!