Nick Evans Applesauce - Mets are 'Bad', Mejia hits 102, Rollins benched

by Joe Budd on Jun 26, 2009 9:50 AM EDT in Applesauce

A half game. Wow. For all our kvetching and all the injuries and all the horrible losses and all the terrible managing, the Mets are just a half game back at the end of June. Wow. The NL East has just been terrible, hasn't it... But, thems the rules.

Meet the Mets

Following yesterday afternoon's 3-2 win, Jerry Manuel told the Times in regards to Nick Evans that "You keep hitting, you keep playing. Period." That's news to me and Ryan Church.

More random Jerry news, in SI's MLB Power Rankings, Ted Keith lists the Mets at a justified 12th while saying that "Jerry Manuel, normally not even the best manager named Manuel in his own division, may be doing the best job of any skipper in the league this year."

Ted Berg sits down with triple-A pitcher Brandon Knight.

Henrry Mejia hit 102 mph on the NYSEG Stadium gun. Mejia will join Wilmer Flores in the Futures Game.

Josh Thole added another two hits and Jonathan Niese won his 3rd in yesterday's minor league action.

Ralph Kiner is awesome.

Brian Bruney has apologized to Francisco Rodriguez. Hopefully this is the last we will ever hear of this story.

Toby Hyde makes a better comparison than John Olerud = Daniel Murphy. Fernando Nieve = Jorge Sosa.

There is a Met hat cameo in Michael Jackson's music video for 'Bad.'

Marlon Anderson has left the Newark Bears looking to rejoin the Met organization.

Around the NL East

John Smoltz made his first appearance of the season last night against the Nationals and it did not go well. Jordan Zimmermann led the Nats to a 9-3 victory, which reminded me of MY defining National moment.

Nationals' president Stan Kasten thinks of himself as the "village idiot."

Thank you Tampa Bay. Prior to the Philly loss, Charlie Manuel announced that he will bench 2007 MVP Jimmy Rollins for at least two games.

The Phillies have more pitching woes with Antonio Bastardo leaving yesterday's game in the fourth inning with a shoulder strain.

The Marlins swept the Orioles with a Hanley Ramirez grand slam and homers from Cody Ross and Dan Uggla.

Oliver Perez Derek Lowe lasted 3 innings, giving up 11 hits and 8 runs in the Braves 11-7 loss to the Yankees. Alex Rodriguez homered and drove in 4.

Following Wednesday's loss to the Yankees, Brave reliever Jeff Bennett broke his hand after punching a door.

Around MLB

Cubs' catcher Geovany Soto tested positive for marijuana while at the World Baseball Classic.

MLBTradeRumors.com gives us a preview of next year's Type A Free Agents. And Type B.

The Yankees have parted ways with Casey Fossum.

Roy Halladay, Adam Wainwright, and Javier Vazquez have good curveballs.

For the love of everything holy, people of Tampa: GO SEE THE RAYS.

Xavier Nady leaves rehab after reinjuring his elbow.

Anxiety disorders are being treated more in MLB players.

Joe Mauer is an SI cover boy again.

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Comments

You know it's a good Applesauce with a line like this:

Jerry Manuel told the Times in regards to Nick Evans that “You keep hitting, you keep playing. Period.” That’s news to me and Ryan Church.

Nice work there Joe

by meigs1414 on Jun 26, 2009 9:59 AM EDT reply actions

meh Church hasn't hit that well.

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

by Sam Page on Jun 26, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions

While that may be true

there have been numerous cases this year where a guy has a good day at the plate and then he is benched the next day without cause. Meanwhile, when Jerry was replaced by Willie, he wanted to reward players by giving them more at bats when they performed well.

As Lt. Kaffee asked Col. Jessep, “Why the two orders, Colonel?”

by meigs1414 on Jun 26, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

EX: Murph after his 5 RBI game.

by ljshorty89 on Jun 26, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Isn't it about time to move Thole up to AAA?

by ams258 on Jun 26, 2009 10:18 AM EDT reply actions

I think he's blocked by Cancel

They need a Major league ready catcher in the minors in case something happens to Schneider or Santos. Thole needs to play every single day and he can’t do that with Cancel up there.

It’s a tough situation because Thole can work on his game behind the plate at any level but needs to be at AAA for a challenge at the side of the plate.

by TheBigStapler on Jun 26, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions

Nobody should have to suffer in Buffalo, it's almost soul crushing.

Seriously though, Triple-A is really for old pros and guys who aren’t good enough for the majors. It seems like most of the prospects spend most of their time in Double-A and only move up when they are planned on being caled up sometime that year/

And, even thought this really shouldn’t effect the decision making that much, let him catch and get comfortable catching Mejia and Holt. The hope is they’ll all be up here together.

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

by Evan_S on Jun 26, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions

this.

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

by kingcritical on Jun 26, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I care a bit less now that Mejia and Holt are in Double-A. But before then, it seemed like of all the players to put with all those old folk, a catcher who could/should have a chance to earn a starting job next year would be the one guy.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Jun 26, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Lets hope that when gut check time comes again the Mets will pass it with flying colors.

by kendynamo on Jun 26, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Helen Lovejoy

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

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Jun 26, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Pretty sure only the WBC tests for marijuana, or at least the MLB just doesn’t release that info….

by ljshorty89 on Jun 26, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

MAnderson?

Let’s hope he and Omar aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on that possibility.

by JoshNY on Jun 26, 2009 11:17 AM EDT reply actions

It's just so blatant.

No one else would even consider signing him. It’s:

Marlon Anderson is believed to have left the Bears with the hopes of returning to the Mets organization, and will apparently retire if he is unable to do so.

What an insult!

by JohnPeterson on Jun 26, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions