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With Milwaukee winning last night in the ninth to keep the pressure on, the Mets are faced with another must-win game tonight. Oliver Perez, who has pitched well in big games before for the Mets, will start against a team he hasn’t faced in over three years.
The NL East is still within their grasp, and far preferable to the wild-card. Remember, if it comes down to just Mets and Phillies for the division, the Mets win based on head-to-head. However, for that scenario to apply, the Brewers must fall completely out of wild-card contention.
Do you remember how horrible David Wright looked last week in Washington? He’s turned it around. His two-run hit last night might be one of the most important of the season.
Posted under New York Mets
This post was written by NYMR Archive on September 24, 2008
Jerry Manuel said Johan Santana wouldn’t start Saturday on short rest, but instead will slip a three-sided coin an choose among Nelson Figueroa, Brandon Knight or Jonathan Niese. Who is your choice?-JD
Pitch it like a spring training game, two innings a piece…
You know that spring training idea might just be crazy enough to work. Keep the guys off balance by giving them 3 different looks. Let Knight throw gas like he did early on in his last start between Niese and Figueroa’s junk stuff. Hmmm definitely not a bad idea.
Niese…but on a short leash.
They are liable to use seven or eight pitchers anyway, so they might as well to it by design.-JD
I have no take on Perez tonight. I can see two runs in eight innings. I can also see eight runs in two innings.-JD
Hey, Everybody, JD!
JD, was something wrong with the blog last weekend? I couldn’t access it last Sunday.
Hi Gil: Yes. The server was down for a good part of the weekend. Too bad. I imagine we would have had some interesting comments about the Atlanta series.-JD
Mets got lucky there. If the runner wasn’t going, Reyes wouldn’t have been moving to the bag and the Cubs would have had runners on the corners with no outs.-JD
John, I’ve been thinking. I think we should suspend all debates until the federal bailout goes through.
Ollies looking tough tonight. He threw alot of pitches in the first. Hope he can go 7 or 8 tonight.
Well we saw Johan last night take down the Cubs and Cousy looks like tonight Oliver will have to take down the cubs + Wolf. Awful inning behind the plate for the blue apparently some of randy’s old friends in philly reached out to Mr. Wolf.
Zambrano’s got nasty stuff so far.
Gil: You promised. … But, that was a good one.-JD
Braves take the early lead.-JD
Not feeling it hoping Brewers lose
Two innings, 41 pitches for Perez. Nice pace.-JD
Well 41 pitches through two innings and Zambrano looking tough. Wow can you say uphill.
As Jerry said as long as they get in.
Zambrano looks really good
Nothing about this so far looks good. The only batter whos worked Zambrano at all was Murphy. No big surprise. Essentially through two innings the mets have not only failed to put up runs they havent even put a dent in the pitch count.
Zambrano looks like he’s got perfect game stuff tonight.
I think ollie lost to Zambrano 1-0 once
Every game has a moment of decision for a pitcher. This is it for Perez. He can lose the game right here.-JD
This Cubs lineup reminds me of the ‘02 Angels — no soft touches and the hitters all were great at getting on base via hits or walks.
Walking the highwire with Ollie P.
Three walks already for Perez. It’s going to be a long night.-JD
You know i must take this opportunity to thank ESPN for the pure class they are showing tonight. In what will be the last nationally televised game in the history of Shea stadium. They put a cub legened in the booth whos referred to the Cubs as “Us” and “We” on at least threee occasions. On top of that they have cub fan #1 bill murray join the booth to essentially act like cheerleaders in the booth. Kudos ESPN that’s class if I’ve ever seen it.
Good approach by Argenis. Hit the ball where it’s pitched. Of course, a bad bunt takes that all away.
Come on David!
David: I’m not a fan of any team’s celebrity in the booth. Who cares?-JD
Braves lead over Phils trimmed to 3-2. How about 9 hits off Hammels in 3 innings for Atlanta? Phillies may be most vulnerable in their starting pitching.
Great at-bat by Wright. He really worked that. He has 123 RBI, one shy of the club record set by Mike Piazza.-JD
Who was the Cubs legend: Ernie Banks? Ron Santo? Jimmy Qualls?
Celebrities should be like Woody Allen: just sit in their seats and root. Dick Young said that Susan Heyward went to Ebbets Field wearing a bandana to disguise herself. She wanted to see a game, not be seen
A Walk with RISP! Move over, 27 Yankees!
well, that was simply awesome
Hell yea, I really believe Reyes got into Zambrano’s head
DELGADO RULES!!!!!
Zambrano beat himself that inning. He let the umpire get to him. Lost his composure. It was a “Bad Ollie,” kind of inning.-JD
Well its what i said prior to the game work the count and get in big Z’s head. Murphy had the big AB in my mind and setting up the blast. It’s imperative Ollie puts up some zeroes now.
Zambrano may be a great pitcher, but he’s really a huge huge baby. He is such a hot head and gets into these temper tantrums all the time.
I love to be wrong
I cant believe how far down the line Reyes was. Between the Ump and Reyes, Zambrano was freaked out.
they win tonight and it will be about Gado’s slam (rightfully so) but D-Rex and D-Wright had critical at bats
Ray,
I was at the Milledge high 5 game he did the same thing could have stole home totally freaked Benny out…
Well in MIL CC gets out of a bases loaded 1 out jam. Silver lining if you want one is 28 pitches through 1. Let’s remember he’s on 3 days rest.
David: He’ll go on three days rest again this weekend.-JD
Ed, The only thing ive seen like it is old Jackie Robinson video. Nice job of Ollie to put a zero up there after the big inning.
I like what the Mets have done recently with the numbers countdown. Ed Charles tonight. But, I would have liked to have seen more guys throughout the season. That’s just me, though.-JD
they’ll burn him out - using him like a rental
who’s pulling one Seaver
Yeah JD, would have loved to see Mota come back and pull down the 59
ED: Well, that’s what he is, isn’t he? Nobody expects Milwaukee to sign him. Doing this is only a win-win situation for CC as he showcases himself for the FA market.-JD
not if he hurts himself
Mackey: Not as much as I would have liked Steve Trachsel to pull down his number.-JD
Mentioning Mota and Trachsel reminds me of the other night when we were talking at the end of the game about the most unpopular Mets. Of course, we’ll add Heilman from this year. Who else is on the most despised list?-JD
John, Sisk was the first. Boonilla was well hated his second time around
Ray: Don’t forget Mo Vaughn.-JD
Five walks.-JD
Despised Mets:
Mel Rojas
Armando Benitez
George Foster
Kevin McReynolds
Kenny Rogers
Get him out of there.
Gil: Good list. Add Roberto Alomar.-JD
i cant believe he just crushed all that good feeling
Wow talk about taking out the garbage…
Hows the line go? million dollar arm and a five cent head?
All that momentum thanks to walks… I’d rather see hits
please pitch well sanchez
I’d rather have seen Lee and Ramirez go back to back jack.
At best we’re looking at a 5-5 game going into the bot 5th.
Roger Cedeno was another one who shouldnt have come back. Vince Coleman wasnt beloved, especially after the firecracker incident.
sigh
This just gets better and better by the batter.
I might have changed my mind on Ollie… You get a four run lead in a game your team desperately needs you cant let this happen on walks
Is there anyone at all in the Mets bullpen who doesn’t completely suck?
God on a night when the braves have jumped out 9-3 we have to watch this crap…
If the Mets lose this game and don’t get into the playoffs, this could be Perez’s last start for them. It was a performance most of us will remember of him.-JD
And Jim Wolf, the home plate ump, is an @$$hole. He keeps changing his strike zone.
I try to be as positive as i can but I have no confidence our metsies can not only comeback but hold off the cubs tonight. I’ll gladly eat crow later on.
Gil: No.-JD
That was awful… where is the urgency by the pitching staff they nibbled the entire time afraid to throw strikes
Now you’re asking the mets to get back at Zambrano. You rarely get to an ace multiple times. The mets probably had their one and only shot when they capitalized and got 4.
I know they’ve shown recsilency but after you get a grand slam off Zambrano to get all those good feeling and have the pitching staff give it all away could be crushing….
is willie back why is Marlon Anderson in the batters box
David: Mets have only two hits tonight. What the Mets have tonight is a gift from the Zambrano meltdown.-JD
Well give Marlon credit that was a smart AB not chasing.
David: The hitters should be doing that all the time.-JD
It’s clear to me now that when Warthen said three months ago “Perez is fixed”, he was simply allowing Perez to hear in the media that his coaches had confidence in him. He’s not coming back next year. I think the mets would be better off using his departure as a chance to upgrade his rotation spot. Whither AJ Burnett?
JD: True it was a gift but much like the cubs you still have to take advantage and Delgaldo did just that.
Most despised? Richie Hebner was for the one season he was here and mailed it in. He didn’t
want to be traded to the Mets but some idiot named Torre insisted thinking he could change the gravedigger’s mind.
Gift that ollie gave back
Jay L: I’d trade Burnett for Perez. But, you still have to come up with another starter to replace Pedro Martinez.-JD
Folks, if we don’t get to the Cubs in the next inning or so, we’re toast.
I’m willing to let Niese and Parnell battle it out for the fifth spot, maybe alongside a cheapo veteran (something similar to Pedro, but cheaper). Please no Kyle Lohse - I consider him a one-year wonder.
Well if nothing else. They’ve gotten Zambrano out of there after 5.
Parnell is releiver material
David: Who has the bullpen edge: Mets or Cubs?-JD
Just because Keith Law says he’s a reliever doesn’t mean its definetly true
Before the mets do anything in Free Agency pitching wise. They need be darn sure what to expect from Maine. That should play large part in what claiber guy they go after.
JD: Is that a serious question !!!
Im looking for a silver lining.
David: Sometimes it’s hard to tell sarcasm writing in this format.-JD
Big inning for the mets will prob be the bot of the 6th. You’d got to figure if the Cubs are playing it striaght up they would set up Sma—whatever the hell his name is for 7th. Marmol for 8th. Wood for 9th. Funny anyone of the 3 would be the no doubt closer for the mets.
LOL you dont come back from deflaters like that, i’ll be very surprised if this even stays close
I think Smith needs to grow out of his “i can only get righties out” and figure out a way to give us two effective innings. Manuel cant mix and match for 12 outs and not get burned.
who else thought that was gone or over his head?
Jay: Over his head for sure.
David: You speak the truth about those Cubs relievers.
David: Are you talking about Jeff Samardzija, the former Notre Dame receiver?-JD
A 5-5 game with our bullpen and the Buccos leading the Brew Crew 1-0 in the third. That’s as good as a feeling as lending a credit card to my ex-wife.
Wonder what the “rehire Minaya” press conference will be like if the team blows a playoff spot?
i know maine threw today….whens the earliest we could reasonably expect to see him (and yes, i know they will avoid it if they can, but le