Open Thread - Game 5: Mets vs Braves (04/07/2007) on FOX

by Eric Simon on Apr 7, 2007 2:07 PM EDT in Game Chatters

Source: mlb.com

Be sure to check out Michael Salfino's latest article at SNY.tv on pitch type splits for New York ballplayers.
The changeup is baseball's most underrated pitch. The big-league's best changeup masher last year was White Sox DH Jim Thome, who posted a 1.424 BPS. Beltran was the best in New York at dealing with deception (1.082). Following him were Jeter (1.000), Cano (.985), Wright (.804), Reyes (.761), the now-retired Yankee Bernie Williams (.757), Damon (.710) and ex-Met (and current Cub) Cliff Floyd (.709).
Definitely some great stuff there.
Hooray! The first Joe Morgan chat of the new season is here, and FJM has the goods.
Blogger wrap-ups for last night's game from Metstradamus, F&FIF, Chicks Dig The Pitchers' Duel.
MSM wrap-ups at New York Times, New York Post, Daily News, Star Ledger, Journal News, Bergen Record.

The live win probability graph will be available at FanGraphs once the game begins.

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Comments

first

Chico, don't be discouraged,
The Man he ain't so hard to understand.
Chico, if you try now,
I know that you can lend a helping hand.

Because there's good in everyone
And a new day has begun
You can see the morning sun if you try.

And I know, things will be better
Oh yes they will for Chico and the Man
Yes they will for Chico and the Man.

love,
The Man

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 2:35 PM EDT 0 recs

Is it too early

to start the MVP chant for Reyes at Shea?

The butcher and the baker and the people on the street, where did they go? To meet the Mets!

by Rod Gaspar Fan Club on Apr 7, 2007 2:37 PM EDT 0 recs

yes

it is cold and the mets are playing in Atlanta, but I'll respect you even more if you go out to Flushing and get the chant going.

Jose
Jose
Jose Jose Jose
Jo-se
Jo-se

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 2:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'll try, but

they won't hear me from the $5 upper reserves.

The butcher and the baker and the people on the street, where did they go? To meet the Mets!

by Rod Gaspar Fan Club on Apr 7, 2007 2:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not today.

Get yourself to Atlanta. It's not like the 'fans' there will be making any noise. What's the attendance gonna be today - 20,000?

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 2:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

stimulants, adrenaline, and hatred

Tall Guatemala from Starbucks: Check
Fierce Hockey game from 1-2: Check
Rage Against Joe Buck: Check
Braves at Home: Check

should be a fun game chatter.

I am so glad we can curse here!

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 2:38 PM EDT 0 recs

all I'm getting is

pizza and birthday cake at a 4-year old's party.

The butcher and the baker and the people on the street, where did they go? To meet the Mets!

by Rod Gaspar Fan Club on Apr 7, 2007 2:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nuts to Joe Buck

I'm listening to WFAN.

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 2:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

Trax is beating the Yanks

Thru 4 innings he's tossed less than 70 pitches. He might make it into the 6th inning.

And my favorite ex-Met, Melvin Mora, is beating up Igawa (5 rbi)!

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 2:47 PM EDT 0 recs

Yankees look awful

Their pitching and defense have been dreadful so far. Yes, they have the bats to win a lot of 10-8 games, but they hardly look like a playoff team right now.

And I'm loving the booing that A-Rod gets for not batting 1.000 with 15 HRs at this point. Yankees fans are going to drive out one of the greatest players of this generation, and there'll be nobody to replace him in that lineup. Maybe Scott Brosius will come out of retirement.

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 2:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

The Booing is ten kinds of stupid

He's not even their highest paid player!

Those morons forget that the Rangers pay A-Rod about $10 mil a year to be a 'bum' for the Yankees. For what the Yankee front office pays for the guy, they should be happy.

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 3:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

right

Their highest paid player is an admitted steroid user whose defense is worse than my 92-year-old grandmother's. Also, the guy has looked terrible at the plate this season, which makes me wonder if the post-steroids body breakdown is occurring.

But he gets a pass. A-Rod gets booed. It's utter lunacy.

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 3:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

never again!

Where's your oversized 2006 plywood pennant? Oh, you don't have one to carry gingerly across your red clay infield. We will let you see ours when you come to Shea!

p.s. suck it

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Ahhh

It's been so long since I've heard Kevin Kennedy blathering nonsense on a Saturday afternoon. It's good to have baseball back.

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 3:41 PM EDT 0 recs

Nooooooo!!!!

Agh, Buck and McCarver! Couldn't they have sent this pair to San Francisco for the Dodgers-Giants game?

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 3:51 PM EDT 0 recs

I get the Dogs/Gnats game today

so I'm on the FAN for the Mets.

Lets crush us some Smoltz!

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs

My Worst Nightmare

Having to listen to these two schmucks this early in the season.

What follows is a paraphrase and my favorite bit of McCarver analysis. At the onset of the 2001 World Series McCarver expressed his opinion regarding Arizona's team MVP. In a year when Gonzalez hit 57 HRs with a gaudy 1117 OPS and Shilling and Johnson won 22 and 21 games respectively, McCarver argued that Craig Counsel was their MVP. His rational: Counsel played a lot of positions and was a good base runner.

by Shomov on Apr 7, 2007 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs

the thing that it worse about

McCarver is how little reseach he seems to do on players around the league. Its disturbing for a national TV host to spew as many falsehoods as he does.

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win!!!

by DoctorK16 on Apr 7, 2007 5:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

That Joe Morgan interview is some funny stuff.

Fyi.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 3:59 PM EDT 0 recs

DUUUUUUUCCCCC!

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 4:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Pukin' and Dukin'

yeah boiiiieeeee!!

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:01 PM EDT 0 recs

LAAAAARRY!!!! LAAAARRY!!!!

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 4:02 PM EDT 0 recs

Larry Larry Larry.

Your karma is showing.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:02 PM EDT 0 recs

I like your style, Ian. You've got moxie.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:03 PM EDT 0 recs

Wow - the Giants have Ray Durham

hitting cleanup? And Russ Ortiz on the mound? Ay gavalt. (I don't know what that means, but it seems like the right thing to say.)

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:06 PM EDT 0 recs

Tim Hudson

Isn't even pitchin this series.....

He called him LARRY!

"I dont neva talk i let my Visa speak" Lil Wayne

by erik from the bx on Apr 7, 2007 4:08 PM EDT 0 recs

Ha Ha!

Tim Hudson just called the Braves 3B "Larry Jones".

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 4:09 PM EDT 0 recs

I'm feeling better about Glavine in a Mets uniform

But if Larry Jones ever suits up for the home team in Flushing I'll be sick.

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 4:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

Can we get a double-play?

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 4:17 PM EDT 0 recs

Glav needs to gethimself out of this inning.

He does sometimes struggle early.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:18 PM EDT 0 recs

Delgado didn't help things

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 4:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

True, but the 2 walks were no good either.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

Uh oh.

A-Rod's up with in the bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, 2 outs, Yankees down by 1. I'm not sure if he's getting booed already.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:20 PM EDT 0 recs

Ooh - he comes through with a salami.

Well-played, Orioles.

That, of course, denied Trax his win, much to everyone's chagrin, I'm quite sure.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

You know it sucks for the O's

When the most hated player on the team beats you. Oh jeesh.

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 4:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

rough first

for both pitchers.

i just got home. tv on, laptop on, game on.

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:22 PM EDT 0 recs

A-rod

so clutch!

no wonder the fans love him

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:26 PM EDT 0 recs

A-Rod

His only sin is that he is not a shortop win no rnage who hits cheap singles the other way.

by Shomov on Apr 7, 2007 4:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Jeter

I know we hate him. But he did OPS 900 last year, not exactly cheap singles

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win!!!

by DoctorK16 on Apr 7, 2007 5:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Actually

His OPS was 849. Good enough, but not elite.

by Shomov on Apr 7, 2007 8:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

it was 900

http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jeterde01.shtml

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win!!!

by DoctorK16 on Apr 8, 2007 1:10 AM EDT up 0 recs

they'll boo him tomorrow

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 4:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

ouch Chris Ray

on my fantasy squadron

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:29 PM EDT 0 recs

me, too

That only doubles the pain.

by IanB in MD on Apr 7, 2007 4:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

You guys obviously need to take a few

fantasy lessons from some of the other folks around here with clearly superior baseball acumen.

http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/b1/295764

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

its really early still

baseball is long long season. Plenty of time to catch you

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win!!!

by DoctorK16 on Apr 7, 2007 5:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Chris Ray is killing me

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win!!!

by DoctorK16 on Apr 7, 2007 5:43 PM EDT up 0 recs

i cannot believe what happened there

its only april. he'll suck soon :)

Back in...well not black, actually orange and blue :)

by 2QYankeehater on Apr 7, 2007 5:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

i'm in first

maine and perez were pretty good pickups!

i'm no steve phillips!

mets get out of the inning. runs please!

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:41 PM EDT 0 recs

Maine and Perez

Thanks, yeah, I traded Curt Shilling for Maine, so I'm pretty much of a genius, I believe that's clear to all concerned.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:43 PM EDT up 0 recs

Glavine

51 pitches after 2 innings. Thank Allah the bullpen is rested.

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:43 PM EDT 0 recs

51 pitches already for Tommy Two Teeth.

Only 30 for Balding Geebus Freak.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:44 PM EDT 0 recs

stache

hard to RF. he's coming around!

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:45 PM EDT 0 recs

Our thought process was similar, pj

but I believe I succeeded in being more blasphemous than you.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:45 PM EDT 0 recs

I forgot to mention it earlier

but Jeannie Zelasko was looking more road-killish than usual this afternoon.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:46 PM EDT 0 recs

her secret garden

got a good watering when Arod homered

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 4:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nice comment, pj.

Though it made my nostrils twitch, for some reason.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Silence

Mr Met: Now then, tell me. What did Miggs say to you? Multiple Miggs in the next cell. He hissed at you. What did he say?

Jeanie Z: He said, "I can smell your hoohoo."

Mr Met: I see. I myself cannot. You use Evian skin cream, and sometimes you wear L'Air du Temps, but not today.

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 5:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

I have no idea what that means.

But it sounds pretty funny anyway.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 5:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

modified classic quote

from Silence of the Lambs.

Hannibal Lecter famously wafts the air to get a whiff.

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 5:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

It's time for C Dawg to get it going.

He needs to make up for that 1st inning error.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 4:59 PM EDT 0 recs

Ortiz just walked in a run.

I'd like to take a moment to thank the baseball gods for not letting that guy anywhere near my team.

Watch me paste this pathetic palooka with a powerful paralyzing perfect pachydermous percussion pitch.

by Mr. Met on Apr 7, 2007 5:00 PM EDT 0 recs

DW

having trouble with smoltzie today

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Apr 7, 2007 5:03 PM EDT 0 recs

Andruw Jones

For all the talk about what he will command on the open market, who is going to give him the money? The Mets and Yankees both have CFs under contract. The Dodgers and Angels both gave awful contracts to mediocre CFs. The Cubs have Soriano.

Boston?

I just don't see where the $150 million would come from.

Driving the Oliver Perez bandwagon!

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 7, 2007 5:05 PM EDT 0 recs