NY Mets FanSite 4/2005

4/30/2005 - Four Loses In A Row
Here is the bottom line, the Mets lost again! The Nationals beat the Mets again by a score of 5-3. It can't be said enough, Zambrano is unreliable even under the best circumstances. Of course, a soggy wet field didn't help much either - but did it really matter? Let the Mets protest yesterdays lose all they want. The unfortunate truth is very simple - the New York Mets have horrible pitching. Let's hope Heilman has a better outing tomorrow night. Let's Go Mets!

4/29/2005 - Mets Lose Again 5-1!
The Nationals beat the Mets 5-1 behind Livan Hernandez, who threw 130 pitches. On the other hand, Met fans were disappointed as Jae Seo led the Mets to another loss. He gave up three home runs over 71 pitches. That pretty much capped the entire game. Things need to improve with the Mets pitching staff. A championship team can not be built upon spotty pitching that is good one day and awful the next. What makes it even worse is how both Rick Peterson and Willie Randolph both seem to be fine with this. Their responses after another poor outing normally borders in the twilight zone! Can one of them finally say that their pitcher did not do their job today? Instead, the fans get the same old song and dance about how so and so did a good job, we saw some good stuff, etc. Come on guys, the fans aren't blind. It's OK to say that you were disappointed with another poor outing, just like we are. It's Ok to say that consistency is very important, like we also believe. This isn't to say that even the bets pitchers won't have bad games, but it just seems that with Glavine, Heilman, Seo, Ishii and Zambrano - you never know who is coming to the mound. The good, the bad or the ugly!

4/27/2005 - Mets Lose Again 8-4
Is anyone sick of seeing the so-called ace Tom Glavine! He is just no good anymore. If he was any good, the Braves would never have let him go. He gave up seven runs and twelve hits in only four innings. Glavine is now 1-7 against the Braves and with today's loss, the Braves took the three game series. The only bright side of the game was home runs by Cliff Floyd and Doug Mientkiewicz. If the Mets are ever going to be contenders in this division, they need to consistently beat the Braves and Marlins, two teams that seem to consistently beat the Mets! As frustrating as it is, it is only April. So, Let's Go Mets!

4/26/2005 - Mets Lose 4-3
Pedro Martinez gave up three runs in the first inning and held it pretty much together after that and the Mets tried rallying late in the game, but to no avail. Hopefully tomorrow will bring better results.

4/26/2005 - Ring Called Up
Royce Ring was just called up from Triple A Norfolk and will be in the bullpen for tonight's game. While Ring was called up, Mike Matthews, 1-0 with a 10.8 ERA over five 5 innings, was shipped out and designated for assignment.

4/25/2005 - Mets Beat The Braves 5-4
Heilman did it again, but this time it was a good thing! He allowed only two hits over seven innings and at one point retired fifteen Braves in a row. The the offense piled it on in the sixth inning when Cliff Floyd and David Wright both hit two run homers. Mike Piazza also got into the action with three hits. The only downside was the bullpen, they gave up three runs, including one from Looper. In the end they held it together and won 5-4. Let's Go Mets!

4/25/2005 - Lenny Dykstra Accused of Gambling & Steroid Use
The LA Times has reported that Lenny Dykstra is being sued in civil court for supposably taking steroids and illegal gambling during his baseball career. This of course is just an allegation and nothing has been proven. Dykstra has always been a NY Met fan favorite, so let's hope for the best for him!

4/24/2005 - Zambrano! It Says It All...
The Nationals poured on three in the first and the Mets answered. Piazza cleaned the bases on a beautiful bases loaded double and that is where it pretty much ended. The Mets lost 11-4 with Zambrano giving up eight runs over five innings. Even with the loss, the NY Mets pitching coach, Rick Peterson, said that he saw glimpses of where he wants Zambrano to be?!?! I wonder if he was watching the same game? Anyway, Let's Go Mets!

4/23/2005 - Seo Recalled & Pitched A Gem!
Jae Seo was recalled after Kaz Ishii went on the disabled list and remarkably he pitched very well. He allowed only one run and six hits over six innings and led the Mets to a 10-5 win over the Nationals. He also gained his first win as a starter since June 29, 2004. With Trachsel, benson and Ishii out, let's hope that Seo can contribute to the team with some more wins! The Mets offense also piled it on in the fourth and fifth inning, they batted around in both innings and scored ten runs. Victor Diaz definitely did his part, he went 4-4 with a walk, two doubles and three RBI's. Let's Go Mets!

4/22/2005 - Glavine Wins & Ishii Is Out!
Tom Glavine pitched a great two hitter, striking out seven over seven innings and led the Mets to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on cold and wet Friday evening. Cliff Floyd also hit his fourth home run of the year and in the process drove in Matsui and Beltran. Thankfully, Braden Looper held it together for his second save of the season. On the downside, Mientkiewicz took a ball to the face as he stole second on a wild pitch, thankfully he was not hurt. But, Ishii is. He was placed on the fifteen day disabled list due to a muscle strain in his side. Sadly, former Met Grant Roberts was suspended for fifteen games because he violated the minor leagues steroid policy. Enough bad stuff! Let's Go Mets!

4/21/2005 - The Mets Win 10-1
Pedro Martinez led the Mets to a 10-1 victory at Dolphin stadium tonight. He finished with no walks and struck out eight Marlins, at one point retiring thirteen in a row. What a night it was, Doug Mientkiewicz hit his first ever grand slam, Carlos Beltran hit a home run and drove in three RBI's and Cliff Floyd batted twice in the second inning, got on base and then both times successfully stole second. Let's Go Mets!

4/20/2005 - Heilman, The One Hit Wonder
Aaron Heilman, the one hit wonder, reverted back to himself and pitched an awful game against the Marlins. He gave up eleven hits in four innings and left after the fourth with a score 7-0. The final score was 9-2 and the Mets now have a 2-7 road trip for the year. Let's hope for better results Thursday night when Pedro Martinez faces Al Leiter.

4/19/2005 - Seven Home Runs In One Night For A 16-4 Win!
The New York Mets hit more home runs tonight than ever before in their history, for a total of seven against the Phillies. The last time the Mets came this close was on June 15, 1999, when the Mets had six home runs against the Cardinals. Tonight's game was just great, Jose Reyes and Victor Diaz each had two home runs, with Reyes leading off the first inning with a home run, and David Wright had a grand slam! Mike Piazza and Doug Mientkiewicz also hit home runs. The scary part of going into tonight's game was Padilla, who was 9-1 against the Mets. But, he is also coming off a triceps injury and was taken out after giving up eight runs in three innings. Let's Go Mets!

4/19/2005 - Ishii Will Be Ishii
There is not much else to say about Ishii, he will either be very good on the mound or horrible. Think about this, why would a team voluntarily want to trade a starting pitcher for a catcher? Unless that pitcher is questionable to begin with. With that said, Ishii gave up six walks and the Mets lost 5-4. The only highlights came when Cliff Floyd hit a three run homer. Other than that, it was lights out for the Mets from the first inning. On a side note, Heredia could be out and placed on the DL because of pain at the base of his thumb.

4/17/2005 - Does Tom Glavine Have What What It Takes?
The New York Mets lost 5-2 to the Marlins and finished up with a 5-1 home stand and a 6-6 record for the year so far. I don't think anyone could've expected anything more than what happened over the past few days. The Mets turned the tides and are doing great! But, does Tom Glavine really have what it takes? He has been very inconsistent and seems to regularly run into trouble on the mound. On top of that, Matsui couldn't make another effective dive to make an out and Reyes had an unbelievable two error game. Victor Diaz had another amazing game with the first home run in Shea this year by a Met. Lets' Go Mets!

4/16/2005 - The Miracle Mets!
The New York Mets did it again and have now won six in a row. Pedro Martinez pitched a good game, except for his career high three wild pitches. But Al Leiter pitched an even better game and only allowed three hits in seven innings leaving with a 2-1 lead. Then once again in the eight inning, the Mets poured it on. Carlos Beltran tied the game and Mike Piazza brought the game to a 3-2 score with a double. But Braden Looper blew the save again! Then Ramon Castro, the defensive replacement catcher, hit the game winning hit in the ninth inning.

4/16/2005 - Who Would Have Thought?
The Mets beat the Marlins 4-0 for their fifth straight win! All hats off to Heilman. Who would have thought that Aaron Heilman could pitch a one hitter against the Marlins? Heilman has been a disappointment so far, but last night he shined like the ace the New York Mets thought he would one day be. Mike Piazza also broke out of his slump and drove in three RBI's with two doubles. Let's Go Mets!

4/15/2005 - Updates!
Mike Cameron had a cortisone shot today and was expected to come off the DL tomorrow, but he was told to rest his wrist and remain inactive for one week. Mike Piazza will be off tomorrow and Castro will be catching for Martinez. The question is...did Martinez make this request?

4/15/2005 - Saturday's Game Is A Must See
Pedro Martinez and the New York Mets -vs- Al Leiter and the Florida Marlins at 1:10 pm. Let's Go Mets!

4/15/2005 - A Team Update
It didn't take long for Cliff Floyd to take time off because of an injury! He missed the past few games because of a muscle tear in his chest that is not supposed to be that serious!?!? A muscle tear that is not too serious? The report didn't say a sprain, it said a tear. I just hope that Floyd is not too injured. Speaking of chest injuries, Kris Benson is still recuperating with no expected return date yet. Mike Cameron is expected to come off the DL on Saturday and join the team next week, but still no word on if he is capable of resuming his full time duty. Eric Valent is also out due to a hip flexor issue and Kaz Matsui is also taking time off because he has a scratched cornea from wearing contact lenses. Even with all of this bad news, who isn't ecstatic with four straight wins? All we can do is hope for continued success with everyone healthy and back soon!

4/14/2005 - The New York Mets Sweep The Astros!
The New York Mets swept the Astros and won four in a row with today's 4-3 victory! Zambrano gave up three runs over six innings, but the bullpen held it together and didn't allow anymore. Small ball and youth won this game - Reyes, Diaz and Wright were all an integral part of it in the seventh inning and the veterans weren't far behind. Piazza, Mientkiewicz and Beltran helped the cause by bringing the game to a 1-1 tie in the first. What a feeling - Let's Go Mets!

4/13/2005 - The Mets & Astros Dual To The End
Ishii really pitched a gem of a game for the Mets tonight. In fact, both the Mets and the Astros starting and relief pitchers were terrific. Then in the 11th inning, Victor Diaz walked and Jose Reyes hit the RBI single that led the Mets to a 1-0 victory.

4/12/2005 - Does Anyone Listen To How Gary Cohen...
Does anyone listen to how Gary Cohen, the New York Mets announcer, pronounces Carlos Beltrans' name? He doesn't say Beltran, he pronounces it as Beltron. All of the other announces and broadcasters emphasize the 'ran' in Beltran, but Cohen emphasizes 'ron' as in Beltron. I really would have imagined that someone in the Mets organization would have corrected him by now! It just seems a bit odd that their marque player is having his name pronounced wrong during every game. It is also probably true that the eagerness of the next game is too long away and this is just an opportunity to rant about something related to the New York Mets!

4/11/2005 - Mets Win 8-4 With An 8th Inning Repeat!
Tom Glavine pitched another gem and unfortunately did not get the win because of the bullpen blowing the lead. But, what a come back and a great opening day! The Mets didn't have any long balls, they just did what it took to win with another 5 run 8th inning. And in redemption of his previous errors and a day off, Kaz Matsui helped his cause today with a tie breaking single and he also drove in a run with a bunt single. Cliff Floyd also had a 2 run single off of John Franco for the final score, 8-4.

4/10/2005 - The Mets WIN!!!!
Floyd, Beltran and Wright all go deep and help the New York Mets win their first game of the season! But, the Mets had great pitching today from their ace, Pedro Martinez. He pitched a gem while going the distance and earned his first win as a New York Met. Hopefully this is the start of something for the Mets!

4/9/2005 - The Mets Lose Once Again!
The New York Mets are the only team to not win a game yet! Is there anything else to really say? Today's game was no different than the others, a disaster. Brian Jordan hit a grand slam off of Aaron Heilman and Chipper Jones also went deep. The only highlights were Jose Reyes' first home run, Chipper Jones and LaRouche getting thrown out at home plate by Floyd and Matsui and Floyd both had RBI's. But other then that, the New York Mets are quickly closing in on their worst start ever. In 1962, the Mets started the season with a 0-9 record.

4/9/2005 - Cameron On DL, Heilman Back & SEO Not So Well!
Mike Cameron has officially been placed on the 15 day DL with tendinitis in his left wrist, Jae SEO had an unimpressive outing for the Norfolk Tides and Aaron Heilman has been recalled to pitch Saturdays game against the Braves.

4/9/2005 - The Mets Lose Again!
After getting off to their worst start in 41 years, the New York Mets are exactly where they never thought they would be, considering that they have the highest payroll in the national league. Matsui has two key errors in only four games of the season. Should Cairo be playing second? Absolutely! But, will it happen? No! Matsui has a hefty contract and the Mets will not bench him, especially if they had any notions of trading him. The only bright spot came when Piazza hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. But, it is still early in the season and Met fans should not lose hope yet!

4/8/2005 - I Know It Hurts!
The New York Mets opening season has been an absolute disappointment so far. Three losses in a row to start the year. I don't know if anyone has statistics on the following, but it seems that when a team does well in spring training, they have a tendency to do not so well in the regular season and of course when they do poorly in spring training, they seem to have a tendency to do well in the regular season. Of course this is not a fact and there are a million theories, reasons and rumors as to why the Mets have lost all three games of the season. But there are two important aspects to consider, there are still 159 games left of the season and when was the last time you saw the Braves come charging out on opening day? They normally have a less than perfect first half of the season and a tremendous second half. Let's hope the Mets are working out their kinks and growing pains now and come on strong when it really counts! Don't give up hope now. Let's go Mets!

4/6/2005 - Randa Is The New Met Killer!
Even though only two games have been played, it feels like a continuation of the 2004 season. The Mets lost there second straight with a score of 9-5. Glavine threw 37 pitches in the first inning alone and the Mets just seemed to spiral out of control from there. Randa, "The Met Killer", got a two run single in the first inning and a grand slam in the eighth inning off Mike DeJean. The only bright spots were Mientkiewicz and Wright, who both went deep for solo homers and Matsui hitting a nice double and scoring two.

4/5/2005 - The Orioles Want Cameron!
The Baltimore Orioles want Mike Cameron to play center and are rumored to be offering two relief pitchers in exchange. John Parrish a 28 year old lefty with a 2004 ERA of 3.46 and Jorge Julio a 26 year old righty with a 2004 ERA of 4.57. Lord knows that the New York Mets bullpen could use the help and with both valent and Diaz ready to play in the outfield, it might really make sense to do this deal.

4/5/2005 - Is Looper Going To Be Effective?
In an article that the NYMetsFanSite.com wrote on 4/1/2005, titled: "The Mets: A Look Ahead", discussed how Looper has never been really tested as a New York Met. A recent e-mail that we received stated that he, "was a great closer last year and his record proves it". Yes, his 2004 record is very good. But it doesn't tell the whole story. Looper wasn't pressured last year in any big game situations. He was the closing pitcher on a sub par team with an easy going manager. On top of that, the Mets were playing in a very weak division. This year, the Mets are far from sub par, Willie Randolph is going to demand top notch performance and the division is probably the strongest in the league. With that in mind, Looper may be feeling the pressure to perform. But then again, it was only one game!

4/4/2005 - Opening Day Was A Blast - Until The 9th!
Martinez pitched great and struck out 12 batters. Matsui, Beltran and Floyd all went deep and took the Mets to a 6-4 lead. The Mets magic was great! Piazza, Reyes and Wright got into the action and everything was working out perfectly going into the ninth inning. But, the Mets magic started to fade in the bottom of the ninth inning when Braden Looper blew the game by giving up a two run homer to Adam Dunn which tied the game 6-6 and then immediately gave up the game winning home run to Joe Randa, for a final score 7-6.

4/4/2005 - Kaz Does It Again!
Kaz Matsui homered in his first at bat for the second season in a row. He did it last year against Ortiz and the Braves in the 2004 season opener and he did it again today against Wilson and the Reds.

4/4/2005 - Opening Day & Benson Is On The DL.
Today is opening day for the New York Mets. Let's Go Mets! The Mets take on the Cincinnati Reds on a beautiful 70 degree day this afternoon in Ohio. The Mets have a great opening day track record, they have won 27 of their last 35 opening day games. On the downside, Kris Benson was placed on the DL with a strained pectoral muscle.

4/3/2005 - Mike Cameron Has Tendinitis
Mike Camerons' MRI revealed no major damage, just a case of inflammation above his wrist causing tendinitis. His doctor recommended rest and anti-inflammatory medicine. Cameron also hopes to be in the line up on Monday.

4/2/2005 - The Mets Trade Matt Ginter
The New York Mets acquired 26 year old left handed relief pitcher Steve Coyler from the Detroit Tigers for 27 year old right handed relief pitcher Matt Ginter. Coyler had a 1-0 record last season with the Tigers with an ERA of 6.47 in 41 games. He also went 0-2 this spring with an ERA of 6.75 in 11 game. This trade is very strange indeed. Ginter pitched very well this spring and was the candidate for the fifth spot on the rotation before acquiring Ishii. Why then did the New York Mets make this trade? It was probably all about the money and making room for Felix Heredia, who really stinks. If Heredia was any good, do you think the Yankees would have jumped at the opportunity to unload him!

4/2/2005 - The Mets Release Stinnett
A few days after signing catcher Kelly Stinnett, the Mets release him. He reportedly had some pain in his right shoulder after he caught six innings in a minor league game on Wednesday. The Mets must have known that his shoulder pain was related to his 2004 season ending Tommy John surgery or they wouldn't have let him go.

4/1/2005 - Kris Benson Has An MRI & Mike Cameron Needs One!
Kris Benson had an MRI today for a pulled muscle in his chest. His scheduled start for Tuesday will be scratched and he will trade rotation spots with Kaz Ishii, who will make the third start and Benson the fifth start next Saturday. Mike Cameron also looks like he will be scratched from the starting day line up because of hand and wrist difficulties. It is being reported that he is having problems with his grip and can not grip a bat or ball. He has an MRI scheduled for tomorrow.

4/1/2005 - The Mets: A Look Ahead
The Mets have upgraded their offense and defense tremendously this off season by finally acquiring a real center fielder with Beltran and a real first baseman with Mientkiewicz. Now that the outfield and infield looks good, the only concern is going to be health and performance. As long as Reyes, Cameron and Floyd can stay healthy, Matsui can play second base under pressure and Wright can adjust to batting in the 8th spot - the Mets look very good. The problem, yes there is more, is going to be pitching.

The Mets have a good starting rotation, not a great one. First off, Martinez should do very well. As far as Glavine goes, he hasn't looked like the old Glavine since he left the Braves, except for the first half of last season when he pitched like a true ace. Then we come to Benson, who should do well if, and only if, he stays healthy, which has been one of his problems for his entire career. Lastly we have Zambrano and Ishii who are both wild pitchers with very high pitch counts and too many walks (stock up now on anti-acids when watching either one).

But, the worst part is the Mets bullpen. It's absolutely terrible. Outside of some minor market teams, the Mets have the worst bullpen in the Majors. The Mets have spent a fortune upgarding the team, but the bullpen has gone untouched. Who is going to pitch in the 7th and 8th inning? Who is going to take the ball from the starting pitchers in a close game? The current cast of bullpen hopefuls are pretty dreadful.

The Mets are currently relying on DeJean to be the set up man for Looper. The problem is that DeJean is recovering from a calf strain and Looper really hasn't been tested as a Met. But, he was tested with the Marlins plenty of times, most notably against the Yankees in the World Series. But, in the end he lost his job as the closing pitcher. It could have been politics or it could have been that someone in the Marlins organization didn't believe that Looper could handle the heat when necessary. Either way, only time will tell as as the season progresses and hopefully the heat intensifies as the Mets chase a championship.