Friday Morning Applesauce: Mets Rally Late, Final Homestand Looming

by Stephen Schmidt on Sep 23, 2011 9:54 AM EDT in Applesauce

The Mets surprisingly won in dramatic come-from-behind fashion yesterday, scoring big in the late innings to beat the Cardinals. The loss forces St. Louis 2 games behind Atlanta in the race for the wild card as the season continues to near it's conclusion. Your recap can be found here, and the boxscore can be found here.

The really big news around the team seems to be that changes are looming to Citi Field. Sandy Alderson approached several of the players before the game yesterday and talked to them about some of the alterations being considered. It will be interesting to see what the club does with the park, as there are certainly plenty of interesting proposals out there.

Theo Epstein apparently thinks Omar Minaya is still in charge of the Mets. The Red Sox are so depleted in the pitching department that they reportedly tried to aquire Chris Capuano earlier in the week for cash. I hear Jason Bay pitched once...

The front office does have a few decisions to make shortly. As the season winds down we're likely going to hear more about the coaching staff in the next several weeks.

Hunter Pence may miss a few of the games this weekend as he's listed as day to day with a knee injury at the moment.

Around MLB:

Josh Weinstock at THT takes a look at Changeups and BABIP. It's an interesting read to say the least.

FanGraphs has a little meetup in the NY area scheduled for this weekend. There's a few names on that list you might recognize, so if you're in the area it might not be a terrible way to spend the afternoon.

BtB takes a look at John Lackey and Fenway Park. Anyone else wish that Omar's bad deal of 2009 was Lackey instead of Bay?

Like the NL Wild Card race, the AL lead sits at only 2 games as the struggling Red Sox are being chased down by the Rays. The Rays drubbed Bartolo Colon and the Yankees yesterday by a score of 15-8.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Bartolo

has turned into Shartolo. Guess their post season lineup is CC, Nova, Hughes, AJ?

The artful muppet formerly known as KrmtDfrog.
Please read my sardonic wit and over-blown sense of self over at headkicklegend.com

by Cory Braiterman on Sep 23, 2011 10:32 AM EDT reply actions

Or CC, Nova, Hughes, CC

I believe in one Dickey, Maker of knuckles and balls

by HotChipWillBreakYourLegs on Sep 23, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions

yea the thought of AJ

in a crucial situation is loltastic

The artful muppet formerly known as KrmtDfrog.
Please read my sardonic wit and over-blown sense of self over at headkicklegend.com

by Cory Braiterman on Sep 23, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Cant bartolo just

~~take another illegal shot~~ ~~pay the devil~~ conjure up some true Yankee pride?

Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524

by CharlieIsles on Sep 23, 2011 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

You mean BLARTolo, yeah?

Proud supporter of a New York baseball team and a Boston football team. Yeah, deal with it!
"We don’t listen to the hype. I don’t think we ever have. We really take after our coach and he says ‘When you win, say little. When you lose, say less.'"--Tom Brady
The 2011 New York Mets: I don't know what to describe them as...
Staunch Parishioner Of The First United Church of R.A. Dickey

by R_Adragna on Sep 23, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

the question with TC

is to extend his 3rd year correct? He is already on the books as being our manager next year… but that DN article is saying we should extend his 3rd year now???

That seems silly and very old mets to me.

I think it was Bobby V who said: "You are never as good as you are when you are at your best, and you are not as bad as when you are at your worst."

Like the really funny uncle with a healthy bourbon habit who matches every brilliant Thanksgiving story with one or two ill-advised racist jokes or boob grabs, we’re stuck with Melo. So we might as well learn to love him — quirks and all. http://knickerblogger.net/2011-report-card-carmelo-anthony/

by gbaked on Sep 23, 2011 11:03 AM EDT reply actions

that is so that he is not seen as a lame duck.

One day, this team is going to kill me.

by fxcarden on Sep 23, 2011 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

But, are the Mets willing/able to eat his 2013 salary?

I agree with a commenter on the New York News site who said the Collins was the spark the Mets needed to burn off their lethargy, and he’s a good coach for a rebuilding team, but his in-game decisions are… bad, and I don’t see him as a long term solution.

If you like the job he did this year, pay him a bonus and tell him in no uncertain terms that he’s your guy until October 3rd, 2012, then wish him well and send him home for the winter. Leave 2013 alone, unless you’re planning to write that one off, too.

by Curtis3331 on Sep 23, 2011 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions