Sunday, May 28, 2006
Mets even series in FLA
What a difference a day makes. On Friday night, David Wright was hobbling around with a bad back and for the first time this season didn't play. On Saturday afternoon, Wright returned to the lineup and promptly went 4-for-4. With Wright at the bat and Tom Glavine on the mound, the Marlins had little chance of upsetting the Mets yesterday. They didn't, as the Mets knotted the series in Miami, winning 7-4.
Glavine earned his 283rd career victory and upped his record to 8-2, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and striking out 9 in 7.2 innings, He's the second MLB pitcher to reach 8 wins (the D-Backs' Brandon Webb is the other).
With Marlins lefty Dontrelle Willis pitching, MGR Willie Randolph rested LF Cliff Floyd and 1B Carlos Delgado in favor of righty subs Chris Woodward and Julio Franco. This strategy payed off with Franco and Woodward combining for 3 hits, 2 runs and an RBI. Amazingly, Willis lost his 6th game. Will he be traded before the July 31 deadline? Will the Mets offer Lasting Milledge for the Marlins' All-Star?
Speaking of pitchers, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez (2-4, 6.11) makes his debut in Mets blue and orange today vs. Ricky Nolasco (3-1, 2.89); 1:10 pm start on Channel 11 & WFAN. And the Mets made their 3rd trade of the week on Friday, sending Jeremi Gonzalez to the Brewers for reliever Mike Adams. The Gonzalez and Jose Lima experiments, which resulted in 4 losses, couldn't have ended too soon. Alay Soler survived the week of pitching moves that also saw the Mets pick up Reds' starter Dave Williams. Soler will start on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.
The Mets (29-19) and Braves (26-23), who beat the Cubs, 2-1, remain 3.5 game apart in the Al East. The Phillies (24-24), who lost to the Brewers, 9-6, fell to 5 games back.
Met stat report
• Wright's .330 BA is 4th-best in the NL and 10th-best in MLB. He's tied for 3rd-most hits in the NL with 60.
• Jose Reyes is tied for 7th-most runs in the NL with 37. He's tied for 2nd-most triples in the NL and MLB with 6. He leads the majors with 19 stolen bases.
• Carlos Beltran is tied for 8th-best slugging percentage in the NL at .601.
• Tom Glavine's 2.59 ERA is the 4th best in the NL and 5th best in MLB.
• Pedro Martinez leads all pitchers with 80 Ks.
• Billy Wagner is 6th in he NL and MLB with 11 saves.
Around the horn
• The Yankees (27-20) pounded the Royals, 15-4, evening that series. Alex Rodriguez belted 2 HRs. In Boston, the Red Sox (29-18) defeated the D-Rays, 6-4. Curt Schilling notched his 200th career victory. The Bosox are still 2 games ahead of the Yanks.
• Barry Bonds' agonizingly slow march to surpass Babe Ruth on the all-time HR list continued yesterday in San Francisco. Read my brother Barry Bloom's MLB.com coverage
Glavine earned his 283rd career victory and upped his record to 8-2, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and striking out 9 in 7.2 innings, He's the second MLB pitcher to reach 8 wins (the D-Backs' Brandon Webb is the other).
With Marlins lefty Dontrelle Willis pitching, MGR Willie Randolph rested LF Cliff Floyd and 1B Carlos Delgado in favor of righty subs Chris Woodward and Julio Franco. This strategy payed off with Franco and Woodward combining for 3 hits, 2 runs and an RBI. Amazingly, Willis lost his 6th game. Will he be traded before the July 31 deadline? Will the Mets offer Lasting Milledge for the Marlins' All-Star?
Speaking of pitchers, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez (2-4, 6.11) makes his debut in Mets blue and orange today vs. Ricky Nolasco (3-1, 2.89); 1:10 pm start on Channel 11 & WFAN. And the Mets made their 3rd trade of the week on Friday, sending Jeremi Gonzalez to the Brewers for reliever Mike Adams. The Gonzalez and Jose Lima experiments, which resulted in 4 losses, couldn't have ended too soon. Alay Soler survived the week of pitching moves that also saw the Mets pick up Reds' starter Dave Williams. Soler will start on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.
The Mets (29-19) and Braves (26-23), who beat the Cubs, 2-1, remain 3.5 game apart in the Al East. The Phillies (24-24), who lost to the Brewers, 9-6, fell to 5 games back.
Met stat report
• Wright's .330 BA is 4th-best in the NL and 10th-best in MLB. He's tied for 3rd-most hits in the NL with 60.
• Jose Reyes is tied for 7th-most runs in the NL with 37. He's tied for 2nd-most triples in the NL and MLB with 6. He leads the majors with 19 stolen bases.
• Carlos Beltran is tied for 8th-best slugging percentage in the NL at .601.
• Tom Glavine's 2.59 ERA is the 4th best in the NL and 5th best in MLB.
• Pedro Martinez leads all pitchers with 80 Ks.
• Billy Wagner is 6th in he NL and MLB with 11 saves.
Around the horn
• The Yankees (27-20) pounded the Royals, 15-4, evening that series. Alex Rodriguez belted 2 HRs. In Boston, the Red Sox (29-18) defeated the D-Rays, 6-4. Curt Schilling notched his 200th career victory. The Bosox are still 2 games ahead of the Yanks.
• Barry Bonds' agonizingly slow march to surpass Babe Ruth on the all-time HR list continued yesterday in San Francisco. Read my brother Barry Bloom's MLB.com coverage
