Arizona Fall League

Peoria Saguaros 11, Phoenix Desert Dogs 3

• Josh Thole went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Tobi Stoner pitched two scoreless innings of relief, walking two and striking out one.
• Eddie Kunz pitched a perfect ninth, striking out one.

Hawaiian Winter Baseball

North Shore Honu 5, Honolulu Sharks 1

• Ruben Tejada went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. He also stole a base.
• Greg Veloz went 0-for-3 with a walk.
• Josh Stinson started the game and got shelled, allowing four runs in 2.2 innings on three hits and six walks. Bleah.

Dominican Winter League

Leones del Escogido 14, Aguilas Cibaenas 12

• Argenis Reyes went 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, two RBI and three runs scored.
• Ambiorix Concepcion went 1-for-1 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored.
• Fernando Martinez went 0-for-2.
• Abraham Nunez went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
• Luis Terrero went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a HBP.

David Wright is the top ranked NL 3B according to the latest Elias player rankings. ESPN.com seems to have the full list of As and Bs, and this page has the top-ranked player at each position for both leagues.

Mets Tailgate takes a look at Javier Vazquez, who is likely available and probably underrated. Vazquez's walk and strikeout rates have always impressed me, and I consider myself a big fan even though his ERAs have usually been so-so. The White Sox are reportedly making him available, and Vazquez is owed $23 million for 2009 and 2010 combined.

Six Mets filed for free agency on Friday: Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou, Ramon Martinez, Tony Armas, Luis Ayala and Ricardo Rincon. Damion Easley, Oliver Perez and Matt Wise all filed on Thursday.

At FanGraphs, Dave Cameron runs down the 2008 All Free Agent Bargain Team.

Chase Utley has a dirty !@#$ing mouth.

Paul DePodesta runs down The Plan. A lot of it seems like a fairly intuitive way to run an organization, but it's pretty great that someone of DePodesta's stature would actually put fingers to keys and put this plan on the internets for all to see.

Sound off. Me, two thirds of the way down the basement steps, peering around the corner at the lower right quadrant of the teevee. Ahh, just like old times. The Mets almost found a way to blow what should have been an insurmountable nine-run lead -- yea, insurmountable even at the CBP -- but despite their best efforts they somehow squeaked out of this thing with a win, a 3-1 series victory and just 2.5 game separating them from the division lead that they so totally don't deserve. At all. They honestly have no business being this close, and they have everyone but themselves to thank for it.

I like to think I'm pretty good at math, but even I can't begin to calculate how many babies I would have punched if the Mets had lost this game. Scores, at least. A 10-1 lead and Chase Utley out of the game and the Phillies still almost came all the way back. Some things that would have looked a lot worse in retrospect had the Mets lost:

• Yet another terrible homerun call by the umpires
• Damion Easley's non-slide that ended the top of the sixth
• Carlos Beltran's ill-advised throw in the bottom of the ninth

I'm willing to overlook all of them at this point just in the interest of moving on. The Mets could have swept this series just as easily as lost three of four, so I guess we can be grateful that they came away with the three victories. They took five of eight on the road against the Cardinals and Phillies, which is a good sign, but it'll all be for nothing, again, if they come back to Shea and drop four of six to the Giants and Rockies. They need to *win* four of six, end the traditional first half on a positive note -- possibly even pick up another game or so in the standings -- and head into the All Star break with warm fuzzies as everyone gets ready to make a sustained run at above-average-ness in the second half. If we all work together, we can do it. I know we can. "We" being the fans, of course; I'm pretty sure the Mets can't do it. But, I'm more than willing to be surprised.



Big winners: Endy Chavez, +16.2% WPA, Pedro Martinez, +9.9% WPA
Big losers: Carlos Beltran, -4.2% WPA, Brian Schneider, -2.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Wagner "saves" the game, +14.7% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Eric Bruntlett walk in 9th, -8.9% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +12.5%
Total batter WPA: +37.5%

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Game Thread Roll Call

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

Name	# of Posts
itsmetsforme	28
Endys Game	19
kendynamo	16
pingel	12
ZaBlanc	9
Reg Dunlop	9
englishgrey	7
JoshNY	6
mmxii	3
DoctorK16	2
dissento	2
LOUtheMETfan	1
Grouchoman	1
wgarrett	1
kingcritical	1