Go Big Fatty: Mets 8, Marlins 4

by Eric Simon on Apr 11, 2009 10:33 PM EDT

Game Result

SB Nation Coverage

* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* FishStripes Gamethread

Recap

Livan Hernandez looked pretty solid tonight in his first outing of the season. He certainly wasn't overpowering (four strikeouts), his command wasn't impeccable (three walks), but he found solace in the Mets' defense as he allowed the Marlins to put the ball in play, often in hard-hit ways, mostly to good results. 6.2 innings and just two runs allowed, we'd all take that every time out.
Luis Castillo picked up four singles (should've been five), apparently inspired by a pre-game conversation with Jerry Manuel in which the Mets' manager implored Castillo to be more aggressive at the plate. More aggressive doesn't mean "swing at garbage", but it does mean to be a tad less selective and to jump on a meaty fastball when it comes your way. For one game at least, that plan worked brilliantly.
The bullpen was effective, though Darren O'Day ran into some trouble that was exacerbated by a David Wright throwing error.
Every Met starter had at least one hit, and each had at least a run scored or batted in excepting Carlos Beltran, who went 1-for-5 and watched his slash line plummet to .381/.458/.571.
Johan Santana and Josh Johnson square off at 1:10pm tomorrow, with the entire game being broadcast by SNY. The Mets will look to head into Monday's Citi Field opener with two series wins on the road to begin the season.

For more coverage, check out AshleyMarshall's recap in the FanPosts.

Swag contest results can be found here and the next game's swag form is already available. You can read more about the swag contest here.

Win Probability Added

Big winners: Livan Hernandez, +26.4% WPA, Jose Reyes, +23.7% WPA
Big losers: Daniel Murphy, -7.1% WPA, Brian Schneider, -6.8% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Reyes two-run homerun in fifth+16.4% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Hermida leadoff single in second, -9.0% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +27.4% WPA
Total batter WPA: +22.6% WPA
GWRBI!: Luis Castillo

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Num	Name	# of Posts
1	Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright	96
2	Durelo	45
3	itsmetsforme	40
4	whynot	31
5	JoeGoNets	26
6	samt	23
7	pingel	19
8	Greenpoint Ian	18
9	Prince	14
10	Endys Game	13

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Comments

10 LOB

guess that stat doesn’t really matter when the team puts up 15 hits…nice win all around.

and i can’t believe i missed the end of the BU game…the fiancee made me watch a movie tonight because i made her watch the met game last night. ugh.

by englishgrey on Apr 11, 2009 10:58 PM EDT reply actions

yeah, that sucked

I was pulling for Miami, being a #4 seed with no national titles.

2009 Mets: maybe its the Phillies turn to have a terrible bullpen?

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 12, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm worried about Voltron....

No runs scored or runs driven in? That’s like zero runs created.

Also what’s this talk of a slash line? Is he Michael Myers? Jason Voorhees? Billy Loomis?

by James Kannengieser on Apr 11, 2009 11:05 PM EDT reply actions

Not a bad night

when your worst performer by WPA was on base two out of five times with two runs scored, and the single worst play against you was a lead-off single. Fun game to watch.

'Oh yes, I know all about that duty-of-a-citizen stuff. It doesn't go. There are exceptions to every rule, and this was one of them. When a man risks his liberty to come and root at a ball-game, you've got to hand it to him. He isn't a crook. He's a fan.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 11, 2009 11:12 PM EDT reply actions

A nice bounceback from a crushing loss.

Now we get to deal with Josh Johnson, which is the sux0r because of his history against us. Hoping for the best!

I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!

by R_Adragna on Apr 11, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions

In that pic:

Is David’s neck about to explode?

I feel good for Castillo. Nice job.

" WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU'VE WITNESSED A GRAND HANDSHAKE PARADE? "

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Apr 12, 2009 12:14 AM EDT reply actions

The reason first weeks are misleading

I’m sure there are a lot of people out there (not necessarily on this site, but in general Met fandom) who are disappointed in the 3-2 start. Just want to point out that if the Mets go 3-2 over every 5 game span during the season, they win 97 games, the same as in ’06.

by cjmulrain on Apr 12, 2009 10:36 AM EDT reply actions

the way I look at it

If you go .500 on the road, and win 2 of every 3 at home, you win 94-95 games. So all I ever ask of the Mets is a .500 road trip. We’ve already got at least that, and we could get more today.

So yeah, just to reinforce your point, there’s no reason for alarm yet.

2009 Mets: maybe its the Phillies turn to have a terrible bullpen?

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 12, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions