Thursday Applesauce

by Joe Budd on May 14, 2009 9:52 AM EDT in Applesauce

Can anyone find the Mets record for weekday day games? I can't remember the last time the Mets have won a game while I'm watching at work. Seriously. I might actually do real work next time.

Meet the Mets

Following his sub-par outing yesterday, Jonathan Niese was sent down to the minors, replaced by Nelson Figueroa. Mets Minor League Blog breaks down Niese's PitchFx, concluding that he's going to be alright.

For the second time in two games and for the millionth time since his 2003 call-up, Jose Reyes's base-running left Met fans scratching their heads.

Metsblog speculates on who might be called up if and when Carlos Delgado gets the hook. It's not pretty.

Bill Madden questions Jerry's leadership.

The Citi Field streaker has been released from jail and is unapologetic.

And in relatively old news, JJ Putz needs more adrenaline. Ugh.

Around the NL East

Joe Dimaggio's ghost can rest easy: Ryan Zimmerman's hitting streak ended at 30 games. The Nationals still got the W, however, with help from Nick Johnson and Elijah Dukes.

The Marlins continue in their tailspin, falling to the Brewers 8-6. Rickie Weeks homered for the third straight game and the Marlins lost a home run to instant replay. Marlin starter Ricky Nolasco got pounded, seeing his ERA rise to 7.78 for the year.

The leader of the Wolf Pack bit his former team hard last night as Randy Wolf and the Dodgers beat the Phillies 9-2. 76 year old starter Jamie Moyer was bad again through 4 innings.

Jo-Jo Reyes is not fooling anyone in the league right now and soon might be replaced with Tom Glavine.

Around MLB

Charlie Manuel has asked Joe Torre to be a coach for the National League team in the All-Star game. No word yet on whether the NL team will be practicing Manuel's famous grit drill.

A great story about former ML umpire Rick Reed who is working his way back to the bigs after two strokes.

The Angels are still waiting for Bobby Abreu's first home run, as is my fantasy team (the Putzes).

A-Rod gets support from Pete Rose. A-Rod's response: No, really Pete, I'm OK.

USA Today realizes that ERA and wins are fluky. Really?

The Miami Herald thinks that MLB shouldn't put all its eggs in the Pujols basket because of steroids. Instead they should put all their eggs in the Longoria basket.

Late night tonight. I hate the west coast trips. My sleeper team, the Giants, are making me look good, by the way.

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Comments

Mike Lamb

What would you dudes and dudettes think of that?

by TheBigStapler on May 14, 2009 10:26 AM EDT reply actions

hmm

on the one hand, he was a reasonably productive hitter from 2001-2007 (except for 2003 when he was injured). on the other hand, he’s just another MAnderson/Easley/Cora/Tatis mediocre retread. most likely a marginal improvement at best, but a marginal improvement isn’t a bad thing if it doesn’t cost you too much.

by JoshNY on May 14, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe I’m just bored but I would be pretty happy to see Fernando Martinez get called up for his first cuppa.

by TheBigStapler on May 14, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Wily Mo!

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

by squid92 on May 14, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Mo Pain is Day-to-day

with a strained calf. Sad!

by TheBigStapler on May 14, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions

i think the USA TODAY needs a little HELLO HELLO action

next topic for them to cover – are cell phones causing cancer???

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

by kendynamo on May 14, 2009 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

randy wolf

he’d look nice in the rotation right now. although his BABIP and LD% suggest he’s been lucky so far this season. still, better than hernandez/redding.

by englishgrey on May 14, 2009 11:04 AM EDT reply actions

I love

how after the Braves signed Lowe, everyone said Ollie was the next best choice. Meanwhile, people such as myself and more than a few others on AA were trying to plead the case that Randy Wolf would be a better choice, especially considering the contract. UGOHFDSHFDSL.

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

by squid92 on May 14, 2009 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions

i didn't favor wolf over ollie

but i definitely wanted wolf to be considered for the fifth spot in the rotation. hernandez and redding cost $3 million with a ceiling of league average performance. wolf cost $5 million and was a good bet to be league average, with a ceiling approaching third-starter quality pitching. figgy would have been a decent long-man/sixth starter.

by englishgrey on May 14, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah thats one of the many things about this off-season that left my scratching my head

With the market flooded with pitchers why exactly did we jump at the chance to sign Redding? We could have waited like a month and got a guy like Wolf for like 2.5 million more.

by Gina on May 14, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah man. That USA today article could have been written like YEARS ago.

But I give the authors credit. They’ve known this for a while, got a chance to write in a major paper, and use the opportunity to inform that wide audience. Good show.

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

by squid92 on May 14, 2009 11:22 AM EDT reply actions

Putz

I guess I’m willing to put a little more stock in the “needs adrenaline” thing if it’s coming directly from him (as it is in this case) than from Chris Carlin or some other SNY/WFAN/ESPN buffoon. I mean, adrenaline is a real thing that has a measurable effect on the body, so I guess it’s not entirely outside the realm of possibility that it might be playing a role here. Or he could just be making excuses.

by JoshNY on May 14, 2009 11:46 AM EDT reply actions

it's a silly excuse

what if parnell was like “i only pitch the 7th inning. i can’t get excited for that. i think it’s affecting my fastball.” these guys are supposed to be pros. find a way to get excited.

and seriously, what’s more exciting: pitching to the 3,4, and 5 hitters with a one-run lead in the eighth, or pitching to the 6, 7, and 8 hitters with a one-run lead in the ninth?

the more i think about it, the more it just seems the adrenaline comment is just an excuse by putz. there might be a semblence of truth to it, but it’s not the reason he’s not pitching as well as he has in the past.

by englishgrey on May 14, 2009 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed, how is it not "exciting" enough

The game is in his hands just as much as it is for Fankie in the 9th. He has the job to come in and hold the lead. How is it not exciting? Though in his defense he let that run score last night and then all of a sudden he “came alive”

M Prado doubled to deep left center.
D Ross bunt popped out to pitcher.
K Johnson hit for J Schafer.
K Johnson doubled to deep right, M Prado scored.
P Moylan struck out looking.
O Infante struck out swinging.

by dulciusEXasperis on May 14, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha

Maybe there is something to it. But yeah, seriously, find a way to get excited. Look at Playboy in the bullpen beforehand or something. Listen to Metallica. You’re being paid millions of dollars to come out of the bullpen. It really shouldn’t matter what inning you’re pitching in.

by Prince on May 14, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Does Red Bull

garner a 50-game suspension?

by TheBigStapler on May 14, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

did he "come alive"?

or did he strike out a relief pitcher making his sixth ever MLB plate appearance and a utility infielder with an 85 career OPS+? I tend to say the latter. he struck out Moylan on eight (really, it took eight pitches?) fastballs that weren’t any faster than the ones he threw to Prado or Johnson (a little slower actually); he struck out Infante on four sliders that didn’t break any more than the ones he threw to Prado or Johnson.

more to the point, as englishgrey says above, he’s a professional athlete who is making a lot of money to throw the ball so that other professional athletes cannot hit it. if he isn’t properly motivated/fired up/excited/adrenalized/whatever, then he’d damn well better find a way to get himself motivated. what I’m saying is, the adrenaline thing might be a credible and factual explanation, but it’s not an acceptable one.

by JoshNY on May 14, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions

just read the actual quote

and it’s ridiculous. which inning you pitch does not have any correlation with how fast you throw your fastball. shut up putz.

"I’m still trying to get used to pitching in the eighth inning, and find some adrenaline, because it’s not like pitching in the ninth, I’ll tell you that… It’s a weird mentality… You just don’t have that heart-pounding sensation, I think that’s where those two-or-three miles-per-hour are."

by englishgrey on May 14, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, that is pretty bad.

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

by squid92 on May 14, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think the adrenaline thing is that ridiculous

But why wouldn’t he get that same surge in games with small leads/when we’re behind in the 8th?

by Gina on May 14, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm gonna send him fanmail

briefly detailing the leverage index concept. Maybe that’ll tickle his fancy and get the juices flowing.

by James Kannengieser on May 14, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Nothin' like a good index

to get you jazzed!

by TheBigStapler on May 14, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

eh

i could see adrenaline enabling a pitcher to throw a couple of pitches faster than usual, but i really don’t believe that adrenaline can explain a decline in the average speed of a pitcher’s fastball. i’m not a scientist, but i don’t think that’s how adenaline works.

by englishgrey on May 14, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions