Brace Yourself

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 8:00 AM EDT

Sheffield is starting over Church on Wednesday. It was coming eventually, but the timing of his start is a little suspect. First, Manuel will be benching our hottest hitter at the moment, which runs contrary to his supposed "play the hot hand" philosophy. This start also comes after two botched outfield plays, the most noticeable from the Mets' early leader in UZR, have caused Manuel to re-emphasize defensive fundamentals.

Sorry if I'm repeating myself, but Gary Sheffield had a -27 UZR in rightfield, four years ago, before he got fat, old, and content DHing. How bad is -27? In just 130 games, Sheffield would completely cancel out ~~K-Rod's~~ Frankie's contributions to the team.

Thirdly, Oliver Perez is starting that game. Lennon said it best:

Yikes. Good luck to Oliver Perez with that one.

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Comments

My one question: Why?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Apr 14, 2009 8:43 AM EDT reply actions

really?

I have three questions: Why? Why?! Why??

batting helmets. batting titles. obp.

by Durelo on Apr 14, 2009 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions

At least he wont make errors.

The balls will land safely in the outfield grass.

by dtro on Apr 14, 2009 8:45 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

??

Does anyone have any kind of rationalization for this move? I have yet to come across even a bad explanation – there doesn’t seem to be any at all. Jerry doesn’t usually make moves for no reason whatsoever; is this the exception to the rule?

by maggie31 on Apr 14, 2009 8:54 AM EDT reply actions

He hasn't even gotten a hit yet, has he?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Apr 14, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Punishing Church for his good start?

(excepting that error last night, of course)

Punishing Beltran by making him cover almost the entire outfield?

Anyway, yeah, I don’t get the idea of sitting Church for Sheffield with Ollie on the mound. I also don’t understand why Jerry had to announce the move so many days in advance.

'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 14, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Because Jerry is gangsta

by ams258 on Apr 14, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Im going Wednesday

So atleast I will get to see this disaster in person…haha

by metsman07 on Apr 14, 2009 9:28 AM EDT reply actions

me too

by Endys Game on Apr 14, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

What do C. Young, Harden, Wakefield, Kazmir and J. Bergmann have in common?

They’re the only pitchers with 100IP+ who allowed a greater percentage of flyballs than Ollie in 2008.

Way to play the percentages, Jerry.

by OlStubbleBeard on Apr 14, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

According to a commentor at metsblog

Daily News is reporting that Manuel is rethinking switching Sheffield and Church and that Sheffield may be in left field instead.

by Gina on Apr 14, 2009 11:17 AM EDT reply actions

Well...

I don’t mind sitting the Hammer every so often, but hopefully this “experiment” will be short-lived

by deadspy3 on Apr 14, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

a much better idea

by jasondg on Apr 14, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe not

Anyone have any gameday type info on where Ollie’s balls in play generally go to? I’d guess more would go to LF than RF with the way Ollie’s generally able to handle lefties. I mean, I still wouldn’t start Sheff for Ollie anyway, but he’s about the only guy besides maybe Pelf I’d consider putting Sheff in RF at Citi for, just because he might not see much action out there.

by Mark Himmelstein on Apr 14, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe this is to appease Doc Gooden or something

by James Kannengieser on Apr 14, 2009 11:30 AM EDT reply actions

Is it too late to get on the

“I hate Heath Bell bandwagon?” I thought he was supposed to be losing weight playing with his toy, the Wii. Doesn’t look like he slimmed down at all.

…But I guess it doesn’t really matter how big or slim you are to close down a game. Drat!

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

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Apr 14, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

i have a suggestion

for something heath bell can do with his wiimote.

also, so nice of orel to be so candid about revealing people in the club house think heath bell is a weirdo and that he also still plays with race cars and tonka trucks. this guy sounds like a real winner. too bad we dont have him anymore.

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on Apr 14, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

he can do all the weird shit he wants

as long as he pitches well, who gives a shit

by gogomets on Apr 14, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions

its called an ad hominem

a last resort when practical critisism carries no significance.

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on Apr 14, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

why thank you

i’d never heard of that before

…

by gogomets on Apr 14, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

BWA-HA-HA-HA!

Ad hominem and douchelords. Only at AA! I love it.

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

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Apr 14, 2009 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions

So basically

Heath Bell is one of the Hanson brothers? That’s pretty rad.

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 14, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't get behind the Heath Bell hating

The Mets are the one who look like idiots for giving up on him and trading him for the immortal Ben Johnson.

Watching Matt Lindstrom and Heath Bell record saves against the Mets make me throw up a little in my mouth.

by Reg Dunlop on Apr 14, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

i get that same feeling

which is exactly why i root for them to fail.

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on Apr 14, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

no

just blame omar

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

cant i do both?

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on Apr 14, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I've changed my mine

both it is

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

i mean, dont get me wrong

i got nothing agasint bell personally, its just i dont have anything for him either. so while i dont doubt that he very well may have gotten a totally raw deal from the front office and screwed over by Omar, that doesnt mean i’m not going to resort to childish name calling after he shuts us down in the 9th to post the save.

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on Apr 14, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I root for them to find a team that knows how to use them

So that either 1. Omar learns a lesson and reevaluates how he evaluates players. Or 2. The Wilpons get fed up and go in another direction with the front office.

by Gina on Apr 14, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think #2 is in the cards yet

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Omar = It is what it is

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

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Apr 14, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I love Heath Bell

Heath Bell is My Boy™ as I alluded to in a fanpost last summer. He got constantly shafted by the Mets, calling him up, telling him straight up that he just isn’t good enough to be a major league ballplayer, telling him to lose weight then complaining when he lost velocity, telling him to change his delivery, learn a new pitch, it just goes on and on. He had to be traded because the Mets didn’t know what they had and weren’t willing to give him a fair chance. Personally, the trade hurt me more than Kazmir. I only wish that he called out Mets management instead of generalizing it as hating his “time in NY.”

by Sokojoe on Apr 14, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

To be fair

I seem to recall Bell singling out Rick Peterson in that pre-season article, but otherwise I got the impression that he would have liked to stay.

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 14, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I read that too

but I think he might have made other more general comments somewhere. That’s what Darling and Cohen made it seem unless they just misinterpreted his words, which is possible. Either way, I <3 Bell.

by Sokojoe on Apr 14, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep.

Free Heath Bell . . . sigh . . .

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 14, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm with you

Heath Bell has a totally legitimate gripe with the Mets organization. I don’t really care what he thinks about NY generally. I bet if he hadn’t gotten so jerked around here and then traded for a bag of balls he’d have nicer things to say.

Plus, having been such a big booster of his during the Braden Looper era, I take it as a bit of a personal vindication too.

by Straight Flushing on Apr 14, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Bag of Balls > Ben Johnson and Jon Adkins

by Reg Dunlop on Apr 14, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Nothing hurt more than Kazmir. Nothing.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Apr 14, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

To me,

Kazmir was a big giant fuck up, a perfect storm if you will. Trade deadline deal with owners thinking they can finally smell victory after years of defeat, bad scouting, etc. Those involved all regretted and tried to distance themselves from the trade even before Zambrano got hurt. Bell was a calculated offseason deal for scraps which just showed that our management didn’t value players correctly, much like Jeff Keppinger.

by Sokojoe on Apr 14, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions

They were both stupid, and I think we can add the Lindstrom deal to the Mets management greatest hits.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Apr 14, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

respect

All you haters are going to have to eat your words when the “sweetest Sheff” shows up with wheels AND a hot glove. It’s gonna happen.

Things are gonna change, I can feel it.

(Serenity now…)

The Nye Mets are my favorite squadron.

by hotspur on Apr 14, 2009 12:09 PM EDT reply actions

insanity later

by James Kannengieser on Apr 14, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: your K-Rod/Frankie correction

Is K-Rod no longer to be used? Should we switch to Frankie? Please advise.

by Straight Flushing on Apr 14, 2009 12:40 PM EDT reply actions

I believe he's called Frank the Closer around these parts.

We've got ourselves a ball club, the Mets of New York town!

by kingcritical on Apr 14, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Anything but K-Rod is fine by me

That’s just the worst nickname ever.

by Eric Simon on Apr 14, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions

K-Rod is just lazy

I’d rather call him Cassandra or Horseface. Both are preferable to K-Rod.

"The people of Houston are spending money like oil's selling at $40 a barrel."

by IanB in MD on Apr 14, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm gonna go with Cassandra

by JoshNY on Apr 14, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Then I'll make due with Horseface

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

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Apr 14, 2009 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Player's Request

Mr. Rodriguez has asked to be called “Frankie” and not “K-Rod.”

by TheBigStapler on Apr 14, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Fine

As long as he saves games, Frankie is fine

by metsman07 on Apr 14, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I call him Scooby

Not sure why.

by TheBigStapler on Apr 14, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Sheffield

I understand the guy needs playing time since he is here but starting him in the outfield with a fly ball pitcher on the mound is just plain nuts. Its a crazy senseless move. Not only is Church a better outfielder than Sheff but so is Murphy right now as sad as that may be. If you have to get his bat in the starting lineup once in a while, say one game a week, why can’t he spell Delgado at first? In any event, to start him with Perez on the mound is the worst option possible. I would accept anything else as being better than this.

On another somewhat related note, its odd that the Mets are not going to face any left handed starters for a while and it looks like this may actually hurt the team as it seems to be limiting Jerry’s flexability.

by Endys Game on Apr 14, 2009 2:33 PM EDT reply actions

1st base

Wasn’t him playing 1st the whole reason he had the blow up with the Yankees and Torre?

I wouldn’t want to risk that. Tatis can spell Delgado when he needs it.

by metsman07 on Apr 14, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Can someone explain this

Maybe this makes sense, but Jerry seems adverse to playing Sheffield when Santana pitches because it will be low scoring and runs will be at a premium. I understand not playing him with a fly ball pitcher on the mound, but shouldn’t runs also be important in a high scoring game – losing 9-8 because of an error is just as bad as losing 2-1. And with Perez there is more likely to be runners on base when a bad defensive play is made and he is less likely to recover from it, so besides all the other questions, I don’t understand why Jerry’s OK with Sheffield for Perez but not for Santana.

by Mount17 on Apr 14, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

neither does Jerry

this is just a dumb dumb move all the way around. Church and Murphy are hitting very well and aside from one misplay from each(ok one very bad misplay from each) their defense has been quite fine. And yet when they are going hot, you will now remove one of them for a guy who by his own admission is not ready to play the field. I am really shocked that the media hasn’t been more all over the Mets and Jerry for this blunder. Other than Gary Cohn last night on the broadcast I really haven’t heard any talking heads or writers bring this up.

by Endys Game on Apr 14, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't use him with Johan either

because I want to boost Johan’s stats for the Cy Young…and he’s a flyball pitcher. But you make a good point. I’d use him with Pelfrey pitching, if we must use him at all.

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait

Does that mean Johan is only Cy Young worthy with a good defense behind him? Is the Cy Young given for great pitching or defense behind the pitcher?

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

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Apr 14, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions

both

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions

It means

that because voters value ERA and wins above everything else and have never heard of this new fangled stuff called “defense independent pitching statistics,” putting the best defense behind johan gives him the best chance to have a good ERA and W/L record

by gogomets on Apr 14, 2009 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm all for advanced stats

but I think it would be a mockery to give the Cy Young Award to a pitcher who had great defense independent stats but was extremely “unlucky” and had a bad record and high ERA. Actual results DO matter, even if you get helped by your teammates to get them.

by cjmulrain on Apr 14, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

but process>results

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Apr 14, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

tell that to the 2008 Mets

I absolutely, 100% disagree that process is better than results. I agree that if you’re building a team and looking at the future it’s better to base your decisions off the process, b/c they’re a better predictor. But when I’m rooting for a baseball team I could care less if the numbers say they should be winning, I want them to be winning, even if it is completely based on luck.

by cjmulrain on Apr 14, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

The 2008 mets were bad because of a bad process

by Gina on Apr 14, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Not bad but didnt win the division

by Gina on Apr 14, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions

huh

I thought the Mets underperformed their pythag by a few games last year, but a quick glance at BB-reference shows they actually finished with the same record as their pythag. Either way, I stand by the rest of my post.

by cjmulrain on Apr 15, 2009 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions

My guess is

Jerry has some data that suggests Perez just doesn’t have as many balls hit to the right side as Santana, which makes some sense. Santana throws more straight, offspeed stuff to lefties, so he’s going to get pulled sometimes, and even to righties they’ll be serving the change to RF sometimes. Its a lot harder for lefties to pull Ollie and a lot harder for righties to shoot his offspeed stuff the other way, because it breaks towards them.

by Mark Himmelstein on Apr 14, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions