Redding Is Fundamental: Mets 6, Cardinals 4

by Eric Simon on Jun 22, 2009 11:31 PM EDT

Despite ultimately allowing four runs in seven-plus innings of work, Tim Redding got things back on track a bit tonight in only allowing one walk and six total baserunners while fanning four. He pounded the strike zone in the early innings but struggled as the game wore on, allowing a two-run homerun to Ryan Ludwick in the sixth and a solo shot to Brendan Ryan before departing with none out in the eighth and a slim 5-4 lead.

John Switzer relieved Redding and struck out Skip Schumaker before a Tyler Greene single drove Jerry Manuel from the dugout again, this time for Brian Stokes. Stokes, as surprised as anyone by the call, hurriedly put his uniform on and dashed out from the bullpen to coax a double-play grounder out of mediocre ballplayer Albert Pujols to end the top of the eighth.

The Mets managed to plate a rare tack-on run in their half of the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez made short work of the Cardinals in the ninth for his nineteenth "save" of the year. Despite the rudiments of a decent start tonight I'm still plenty concerned about the long-term viability of Redding in this rotation, but the Mets happen to be long on games remaining and short on better options right now, so Redding will be given every opportunity to sink or swim. He was adequate against a mostly-mediocre St. Louis lineup -- Pujols was the only starter with an on-base percentage north of .350 -- but you can't control who you pitch against, and Redding gets $10 Joe Morgan bucks for "Keeping His Team In The Game"™ and "Pitching To The Score"™.

Omir Santos had an Omir Santos-like night, seeing just eight pitches while going 4-for-4. His .321 on-base percentage is still terrible even by catcher standards, but his .471 slugging percentage is good for third-best in the National League behind Chris Iannetta (who plays in Colorado and has wicked home/road splits) and Brian McCann (who is awesome). I rag on Santos all the time, and I'll likely continue to do so because I think time will expose his many flaws and because he's emblematic of Omar Minaya's crippling short-sighted vision for this franchise, but his .792 OPS is fourth among NL catchers, so right now it's hard to argue with the results.

Swag Contest

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

SB Nation Coverage

* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* Viva El Birdos Gamethread

Win Probability Added

Big winners: Luis Castillo, +18.5% WPA, Omir Santos, +13.0% WPA
Big losers: Jeremy Reed, -8.2% WPA, Fernando Tatis, -6.8% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Pujols GIDP to end eighth (Socks!), +12.9% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Ludwick two-run homerun in sixth, -16.0% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +21.8% WPA
Total batter WPA: +28.2% WPA
GWRBI!: Alex Cora

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by meigs1414; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Num	Name	# of Posts
1	meigs1414	61
2	wobatus	46
3	All Shook Down	45
4	Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright	35
5	JoshNY	26
6	Michkin	24
7	The Glider	23
8	lstorie1971	23
9	dcrockett17	21
10	MetsGeek	19

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Comments

wish i was watching the game when stokes got pujols to hit into the DP

just reading that on the yahoo play log spurred a small fist pump from me.

by englishgrey on Jun 23, 2009 12:03 AM EDT reply actions

Murphy was pumped up too.

He gave us the old Pedro Cerrano double play fist pump.

"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez

by nrmax88 on Jun 23, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

We've been waiting for Santos to fail for 2.5 months now.

He’s hitting .300 now. Give the man a break already.

The 2009 Amazin' Avenue: SCREW K-ROD, SIGN FUENTES! Check it out, K-Rod ERA under 1.00, Fuentes over 5.00. CASTILLO MUST GO! Castillo is hitting .300!! DON'T SIGN SHEFFIELD! Sheffield has been a great signing. OMIR WHO? Omir grand slam! OMIR SUCKS! Omir takes Papelbon deep to win. CASTRO OVER OMIR! Omir drives in every Met run, wins game! EPIC FAIL.

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 12:47 AM EDT reply actions

Very happy to see

Stokes finally get a chance and to succeed with it. This was a very satisfying win, but the Mets have no problems winning the first game of series. Lets hope we can get at least 2 more

by njmetfan12 on Jun 23, 2009 1:56 AM EDT reply actions

Just because Omir is hitting .300 doesn't mean he is good

THe .321 OBP is horrible. But I think he is doing this to make us feel stupid. So keep it up, Omir. Might as well ride it as long as it lasts.

"Put it in the books. The Mets are the 2006 National League Eastern Divison champions"--Howie Rose

by firejerrynow on Jun 23, 2009 7:09 AM EDT reply actions

I wouldn't say .321 is horrible.

Certainly not good, but I think Jimmy Rollins has trademarked the word “horrible” for 2009.

Jerry Manuel...stop being....stupid...

by MetsGeek on Jun 23, 2009 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Especially for a leadoff hitter

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

This is ridiculous.

Our offense, on a healthy day, has Reyes and Wright and Beltran and Delgado. We’ve got Daniel Murphy, who’s defense is AWFUL, but his bat is apparently so good we keep him in. And you guys, seriously, BITCH and MOAN about your .300 hitting catcher and apparently have forgotten how BAD Schneider and Castro were. CASTRO WAS NOT A HALL OF FAMER for crying out loud.

I have never, ever heard so many so-called fans bitching about your successful, great-story catcher so much. Meanwhile, Josh Thole is treated like a God and he’s not even a real catcher. Give Omir a freakin break, he’s done a GREAT JOB for us this year, he is one of our few success stories!!!

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Omir has been good.

I will completely agree with this. His slg% has been nice out of the catcher slot. But when the season ends these numbers will not look the same.

by andy.ss80 on Jun 23, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

You don't know that.

Stop with the but, but, buts unless you’re saying Omir has saved our butts a few times. He’s done a great job. Nothing else to say.

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions

...except that his OBP sucks big sweaty meatballs.

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

by squid92 on Jun 23, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Murphy hasn't been horrible defensively at all...

he has actually done a nice job…..UZR likes him at first base, they even had him as a 4.3 UZR/150 LF despite the miscues. Go back to Metsblog.

"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez

by nrmax88 on Jun 23, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

He's at 1B because he got fired from Left Field.

In one thread there is an insistence that Omir is a failure and Daniel Murphy is Willie Mays. What?

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I think you're right

I’ve been really hard on Omir Santos. While I don’t like his impatient style, we should be happy with the results and root for him to prove us all wrong.

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

But the thing is,

we all root for him, but up until he got hot in his last handful of AB’s, he has a sub.300 OBP. Everybody talks about his clutch hits. Is getting clutch hits really a sustainable quality? It isn’t as if he had a 900 ops and everybody was killing him for no reason. The guy has pretty much hovered around .270/.290/.450 for most of the year, and I don’t think many people believe he is a .450 slg type of hitter. I like him, I hope he does well, but that is my heart talking, my brain is a tad more skeptical.

"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez

by nrmax88 on Jun 23, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions

I expect him to come down crashing

but that doesn’t mean I can’t be happy when he does something great.

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

If Manuel decides

to use him as a pinch hitter for Sheffield, or bat him 5th or something stupid like that, we can complain. But even then, we should complain about Jerry, not Omir.

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions

I totally agree...

I just find people like ZaBlanc (and especially his signature) irksome. I totally root for Santos and want him to do well, but it just is funny to me when a guy comes in bragging like a proud parent telling everybody I told you so about a guy with 130 PA SLG like he has never experienced before and despite being “red hot” only sporting a .320 OBP. I know it isn’t Omirs fault that they traded a better player away so he can start, but that is what happens. It wasn’t Jared Jeffries fault that Isiah Thomas is an idiot, no more was it Chris Drury’s fault that Glen Sather is also an idiot. That’s just the way it works though, ya know?

"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez

by nrmax88 on Jun 23, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Word

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

by BlackOps on Jun 23, 2009 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

My sig is supposed to be irksome

It’s a simple reminder that going along with the official AA stance doesn’t mean you’re right and the experts are wrong. Minaya has done a good job this year and he doesn’t get enough credit.

There’s been a trend on AA over the last couple years to pull completely inane and obscure stats out a collective set of asses. K-Rod, who has been brilliant for years, was suddenly cast as end of the road. Brian Fuentes was lauded because his RAPP was sub-1.0 and his HBIPPSA was 3rd best in the NL. K-Rod has a low ETPPA and that spelled trouble.

Well, sometimes your eyeballs have to come to use. Brian Fuentes lost his job a few times over the years. K-Rod never loses his job. K-Rod has won a championship. K-Rod set the saves record. Done.

Omar has done a great job. We’d be coasting in first right now if not for the most odd display of injuries we’ve seen in years. This is baseball for christ sake, who expects the whole lineup to die and the only guy left to have just 4 homers this year. AA certainly didn’t.

Putz hasn’t been great, and maybe not even good, but he’s hurt, too, and let’s face it — Endy hasn’t done anything for us since 2006. Let’s get over ourselves. End and Ramon Castro are not Hall of Famers. They aren’t even All-Stars. THEY AREN’T EVEN STARTERS.

JJ will have more to say on this season. And hopefully so will Reyes and Beltran and Delgado and we can win this thing if we just grission out the next few weeks so just hang in there and STOP BUSTING ON PLAYERS AND GM’S THAT ARE *BUSTING THEIR ASSES* FOR US!

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Okay

First, I wasn’t reading AA regularly this offseason when we signed Frankie, but he does have a violent delivery that can cause an injury, not saying definitely but probably. Also his stats have been declining, from before this year. However, I think the biggest protest would have been the money he was supposed to get, I don’t know for sure, but when he got the contract he did from the Mets, I’m sure many people were more than happy with the signing. That was why I didn’t want him over Fuentes, (I really had no preference) but when I saw his short and rather cheap contract, he was supposed to get over 50 mil, I was more than happy. With Sheff, a team paying him 14 million dollars this year, and still paying him released him, that should be a sign. He’s been great, saved our asses more times than one this year, but it was a lucky signing. Castillo is no longer batting .300, hits for as much power as I do, and been terrible on defense. The only thing he’s done well is get on base with his .380 OBP.

Now Omir, Omir, Omir, what can we say about Omir. Like nrmax88 said, no one roots against him,fans don’t root against their team, but there is no way he keeps it up. He has zero discipline at the plate and no player has ever sustained their performance with his kind of plate discipline. They don’t even have to throw him strikes. Just look at some of the Gameday pictures of him swinging at strike three in the dirt.It was a bad move to trade Castro in favor of Santos, especially when you didn’t have to and got nothing back for him. You know what you’re getting from Castro, a solid back up with pop. With Omir you’re getting a guy who has been a hot hitter since he came up, that what everyone says right? This hot hitter has a .321 OBP. What’s it gonna be when he cools off? I’m happy for what he’s done, but he’s just not good enough to keep it up. Hopefully we’re all wrong.

"We must win and we must know how to win rather than win because we have statistical people."

by Evan_S on Jun 23, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Criticizing Omir is a premeditated tactical decision (by Mets fans) to prolong his hot streak

I agree, no one roots against him. Just check the gamethreads. Every time he gets a hit, fans here go “Omir! Short Swingz! Grission!”.

It’s a legitimate doubt that he can sustain his performance (298 .321.471) until the end of the year, given his minor league numbers.

It’s just that whenever they throw him a ball, he has the urge to swing at it. I’m under the impression that he is improving a bit and not swinging at any junk.

by Michkin on Jun 23, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Steve Phillips is an expert.

Thus, case closed.

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

by squid92 on Jun 23, 2009 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I WANTED K-Rod

and even I knew that setting the saves record and winning a championship mean jack shit for acquiring him.

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

by squid92 on Jun 23, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

If we got a few more clutch hits...

We’d be several games in first place, now, wouldn’t we?

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the Santos thing is mostly based on

1) Jerry’s seeming love affair with him when he wasnt doing ANYTHING but being “clutch” – most notably the “Short Swing” pinch hit against Florida.

2) his overall representaton of a shortsightedness of both the General Manager and Manager in dealing with evaluating talent. Which worries most of us because the Mets have a pretty good looking catching prospect (who is everything that Santos isn’t) in AA right now, who could be offerred in trade to a much smarter organization.

We all want Santos to succeed, but are increasingly worried that at some point he will regress to the point of his carreer numbers and that despite the regression he will still be given a long leash by the GM and Manager. While at the same time convincing the management that players like Josh Thole are expendable.

I love Omir Santos 4-4 days, but I worry because history has shown that he’s now due for 3 0-4 days and because he doesn’t walk or see pitches, his value will eventually become sub-replacement level, and that he will continue to play regardless.

by mets81 on Jun 23, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

He's hitting .298

Ramon Castro is hitting .237. Which is great cause he’s a career .235 hitter. GET OVER YOURSELF. You’ve been talking about Santos losing it for a month now. GET OVER IT. He’s the freakin’ catcher. He’s doing ONE HELL OF A JOB for us.

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Calm the fuck down.

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

by squid92 on Jun 23, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Seems silly to argue about Santos/Schneider/Castro

when they’re all pretty cruddy, regardless of who the best one of them is.

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

+1111111111111111111111111111111

by cjmulrain on Jun 23, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

This is why I've largely stayed out of the back-and-forth

Well said.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Jun 23, 2009 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I am a long time suffering Mets fan from Florida. I hardly ever get to watch my team on TV so it was great to not only watch them last night but win. The only real news I get about them is from this blog. I hate going to to their website because they always put a happy face on everything. I was wondering if anyone has heard any tread rumors that seem plausible? I think we can all say that there is a great chance that they will pick up someone. I just hope they do not give the farm away for some washed up bat with a name or some has been pitcher that wash good 10 years ago.

by Mustangruben on Jun 23, 2009 8:26 AM EDT reply actions

Few rumors/talks this far from the trade deadline

But Nick Johnson for Parnell was rumored and mostly panned. Adam Dunn seems like a possibility, Brad Hawpe seems out of rumors due to the Rockies playing just well enough not to be sellers. Mark DeRosa has been admired for his utilityness but hasn’t been linked to any specific rumors. Aubrey Huff seems like a possibility as well. Adrian Gonzalez is going nowhere.

Same with Roy Halladay. Brad Penny seems likely to be traded but hopefully not to us. Pedro Martinez is drawing little interest.

Some radio talk show host in Boston suggested a blockbuster of Jose Reyes for Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Michael Bowden and Jed Lowrie. So that was fun.

…and now you’re caught up!

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Notes

- video Socks making Pujols GIDP (plus Murphy fist pump)
- outfielders went 2-12, Tatis GIDP twice
- Tatis was caught between 2B and 3B to end the 1st inning
- Razor Shines “aggressivelly” sent runners home (twice). In the 4th, Molina couldn’t get the ball. I think there was another play when the runner barely escaped the tag at home (help please?)

by Michkin on Jun 23, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions

Castillo

Was the guy who narrowl avoided Molina’s tag. He was dead to rights at the plate too. If the ball wasn’t up the line and Castillo didn’t recognize it and come to the inside of the baseline, he would have been out by 10 feet. Not a good call to send Castillo on Ankiel’s arm there, plus Castillo wasn’t busting it to third. They showed the replay and he was looking back at the ball. The Mets got very lucky there.

"You know I am only teasing. I love you gals out there -- always have." - Keith Hernandez

by OSUmets on Jun 23, 2009 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks

That was in the 8th inning?

by Michkin on Jun 23, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes

That was the insurance run they got in the 8th.

"You know I am only teasing. I love you gals out there -- always have." - Keith Hernandez

by OSUmets on Jun 23, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Lol....

Razor Shines just sends everybody home. No matter what. Seriously he just sends you. And he yells stuff like “Gotta be aggressive bitch!” as guys turn third and get thrown out by 35 feet. He is truly Jerry Manuel’s 3rd base coach.

"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez

by nrmax88 on Jun 23, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

The guy is awesome, no doubt

But he’s wave-happy

by TheBigStapler on Jun 23, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

"Gotta be aggressive bitch!"

"You know I am only teasing. I love you gals out there -- always have." - Keith Hernandez

by OSUmets on Jun 23, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Jerry on Stokes last night:

Yeah, that was huge for us… That gives us, again, now we begin to have length in our bullpen… and that’s crucial for us.

From Metsblog

Does Jerry think that Stokes came up with the new guys yesterday?

by mets81 on Jun 23, 2009 9:18 AM EDT reply actions

That would explain so much...

by deadspy3 on Jun 23, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

HAHAHAHAHA!

My gosh. :-)

by ZaBlanc on Jun 23, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I think

Stocks or Socks! need to be added to the meme thread, no?

by deadspy3 on Jun 23, 2009 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

I like Cohen, Keith and Ron, but

They and Carlin and Ojeda were ready to hand Redding the Cy Young for a 7 inning, 4-run performance. Isn’t that a ERA of about 5? The bar is so low for this guy (who now sports a 6.08 ERA) it’s unreal. Let’s just take it easy. When Maine comes back, Redding has to be the one to go.

by David G on Jun 23, 2009 12:41 PM EDT reply actions