Series Preview: Mets vs. Astros

by Matthew Callan on Apr 19, 2011 12:01 PM EDT

Astros record: 5-11

Last series: split 4-games in Houston against the Padres

Who's hot: Hunter Pence, .801 OPS thus far

Who's not: Wandy Rodriguez and our old friend Nelson Figueroa, both of whom have given up 13 earned runs in three starts

Best name on the 40-man roster: Jason Bourgeois. What a sell out, man.

The This Guy Kills Us Award: In 38 career games against the Mets, Carlos Lee has batted .344, with a tOPS+ of 137

The This Guy Kills Them Award: Jason Bay, who will reportedly come off the DL in time for the series finale on Thursday, has 15 homers and 53 RBIs in 65 career games against Houston

Probable pitching matchups

Tuesday: Jon Niese vs. Wandy Rodgriguez

Jon Niese

#49 / Pitcher / New York Mets

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Oct 27, 1986

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2011 - Jon Niese	0-2	3	3	0	0	0	0	17.0	19	13	13	2	5	15	6.88	1.41

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2011 - Wandy Rodriguez	0-2	3	3	0	0	0	0	16.0	26	13	13	1	3	11	7.31	1.81

R.A. Dickey

#43 / Pitcher / New York Mets

Height: 6-2

Weight: 220

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Oct 29, 1974

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2011 - R.A. Dickey	1-2	4	3	0	0	0	0	18.1	20	9	8	1	12	15	3.93	1.75

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2011 - Bud Norris	1-1	3	3	0	0	0	0	16.0	13	9	9	3	6	20	5.06	1.19

Chris Capuano

#38 / Pitcher / New York Mets

Height: 6-3

Weight: 220

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Aug 19, 1978

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2011 - Chris Capuano	1-1	4	2	0	0	0	0	12.2	18	12	12	3	4	13	8.53	1.74

J.A. Happ

#30 / Pitcher / Houston Astros

Height: 6-6

Weight: 200

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Oct 19, 1982

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2011 - J.A. Happ	1-2	3	3	0	0	0	0	18.2	18	12	12	1	11	10	5.79	1.55

Long story short: In my MLB previews elsewhere, I said the Astros might be the worst team in the majors, since they had little hope for this year or the future. Sure enough, they're currently playing at a .313 clip--the same as the Mets. Their woes can be attributed to the same source as the Mets' can: a pitching staff that has given the offense little margin for error. Also similar to the Mets, the Astros have lost a few squeakers in the past week, showing enough fight to make things close but not enough to win.

Unlike the Mets, who are mediocre, I believe the Astros as currently constituted are a bad team. If the Mets are truly better than what their record reflects (debatable, granted), they should be able to take this series from a struggling team that is just embarking on a grueling road trip. If not, prepare for more weeping and gnashing of teeth on the airwaves.

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Comments

Well, NOW You did it...

Thanks a lot for predicting a serikes win, Matthew. Way to put the horns on “us.”

Do you walk under ladders and bust mirrors regularly, too?

Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the street: wheredotheygo?!?!? Right here: http://myentireteam.wordpress.com/

by CharlieH on Apr 19, 2011 12:08 PM EDT reply actions

To counter-balance

I am predicting an 0-3 series for the Mets, where they will be outscored 27-0.

by CCE718 on Apr 19, 2011 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Whew!

Thank GOD for you, CCE…

Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the street: wheredotheygo?!?!? Right here: http://myentireteam.wordpress.com/

by CharlieH on Apr 19, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

7-2

We play stros, dbacks and nats next 9. if we walk out after those games 12-13 with Bay finding his stroke, Pagan heating up and the Pitching staff figuring itself out we could be in position to make at least a little noise early…

Undefeated is the new "Winning".
Duh, undefeated....

by The real Julio from Paterson on Apr 19, 2011 12:16 PM EDT reply actions

The pitching matchups appear pretty even

Though I give our offense the edge. I predict 2-1 including one awesome blowout.

by TheBigStapler on Apr 19, 2011 12:18 PM EDT reply actions

Just

Win, take two out of three in this series and then move on to the D-Backs.

Mets, Jets, Devils, United Football League

by BlueChill on Apr 19, 2011 12:59 PM EDT reply actions

I'm liking the matchups

That is all.

I believe in Dillon Gee!
Logic Your Sense Makes None.

by JoeBighead on Apr 19, 2011 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

Wow, I guess the Brad Emaus experiment is over!

DFA’d

"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"

by I'mGivingYouARaise on Apr 19, 2011 1:25 PM EDT reply actions

this series makes me nervous

because this and the D-backs will show whether we’re actually a bad team, or if we’ve just played really good teams so far. Hope we can get a couple series wins here.

Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?

by KeithsMoustache on Apr 19, 2011 1:25 PM EDT reply actions