Sunday, May 21, 2006
Wagner's whacky weekend
It was all about Billy Wagner at Shea Stadium this weekend. He won the opening game, blew the second game and saved the finale in the Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees. Each game was decided by a run. Yankee closer Mariano Rivera lost the opener, won the second and didn't pitch Sunday night. So you couild say it was all about the closers at Shea this weekend.
Wagner alllowed two singles, but was able to shut down the Yanks in the 9th, giftwrapping the Mets 4-3 victory and series winner. Like Saturday, the Mets had their shakey moments, especially in the 4th when infield mishaps (a lost pop fly and David Wright's failure to nab Derek Jeter's grounder) led to 2 questionable runs. The Yankees, playing "small ball," added another run in the 8th against Duaner Sanchez, but mostly squandered opportunities, leaving 15 runners on base and bouncing into 3 DPs (1 by rally killer Alex Rodriguez).
The big blows by the Mets came off the bats of Carlos Delgado and Wright, who went back-to-back in the 4th - Delgado's (his 15th) high and deep to right and Wright's (his 6th) a 450-blast that carried beyond the leftfield bullpen. That's all the offense the Mets needed.
Tom Glavine, not his usual pinpoint self, pitched out of trouble in 6 innings of work; he gave up 7 hits and 4 BBs, plus hit 2 batters. It was Glavine's 282nd lifetime win, upping his record to 7-2 (he's one of 5 pitchers with 7 victories - Scott Kazmir, Freddie Garcia, Brandon Webb and Kenny Rogers are the others). Wagner earned his 9th save in 12 tries (Saturday's debacle was not credited as a blown save).
MORE PITCHING NEWS
* Jose Lima and Bartolome Fortunato were "designated for assignment," which means their careers with the Mets are over.
* Cuban defector Alay Soler, currently in Double A where he's 1-0 in 3 starts, will make his Met debut against the Phillies either on Wednesday or Thursday. Jeremi Gonzalez will start the other game; Steve Trachsel (2-4) will open the series on Tuesday against Gavin Floyd (4-2).
* Buster Olney at espn.com recommends the Mets pick up starter Dave Williams, who was "designated for assignment" by the Reds. He writes: "It wouldn't cost them much more than the prorated portion of the $1.4 million he is making in salary. The Reds probably would be thrilled to simply rid themselves of the contract. At a time when the Mets don't want to trade top prospects, and may prefer not to try to count on pitchers who have never worked above Class AA, Williams would seem to be a sound mid-level gamble. If he flames out and continues to struggle - so far this year, he has a 7.20 ERA - then it would only cost the Mets a bit of cash. Williams is only 27 and he generally has been at least adequate for much of his career, accumulating a 4.56 ERA in his 74 games (66 starts). Williams is much better suited pitching for the Mets, in spacious Shea Stadium, than he was pitching in Cincinnati, because he has an acute tendency toward generating fly balls. The quality the Mets need more than any for the back end of their rotation is to have someone who is not overwhelmed. Williams might be that guy."
* Meanwhile, Ex-Met Kazmir won his 7th game for the Devil Rays, blanking the Marlins, 3-0 (he went 8 innings). Double ouch!
Wagner alllowed two singles, but was able to shut down the Yanks in the 9th, giftwrapping the Mets 4-3 victory and series winner. Like Saturday, the Mets had their shakey moments, especially in the 4th when infield mishaps (a lost pop fly and David Wright's failure to nab Derek Jeter's grounder) led to 2 questionable runs. The Yankees, playing "small ball," added another run in the 8th against Duaner Sanchez, but mostly squandered opportunities, leaving 15 runners on base and bouncing into 3 DPs (1 by rally killer Alex Rodriguez).
The big blows by the Mets came off the bats of Carlos Delgado and Wright, who went back-to-back in the 4th - Delgado's (his 15th) high and deep to right and Wright's (his 6th) a 450-blast that carried beyond the leftfield bullpen. That's all the offense the Mets needed.
Tom Glavine, not his usual pinpoint self, pitched out of trouble in 6 innings of work; he gave up 7 hits and 4 BBs, plus hit 2 batters. It was Glavine's 282nd lifetime win, upping his record to 7-2 (he's one of 5 pitchers with 7 victories - Scott Kazmir, Freddie Garcia, Brandon Webb and Kenny Rogers are the others). Wagner earned his 9th save in 12 tries (Saturday's debacle was not credited as a blown save).
MORE PITCHING NEWS
* Jose Lima and Bartolome Fortunato were "designated for assignment," which means their careers with the Mets are over.
* Cuban defector Alay Soler, currently in Double A where he's 1-0 in 3 starts, will make his Met debut against the Phillies either on Wednesday or Thursday. Jeremi Gonzalez will start the other game; Steve Trachsel (2-4) will open the series on Tuesday against Gavin Floyd (4-2).
* Buster Olney at espn.com recommends the Mets pick up starter Dave Williams, who was "designated for assignment" by the Reds. He writes: "It wouldn't cost them much more than the prorated portion of the $1.4 million he is making in salary. The Reds probably would be thrilled to simply rid themselves of the contract. At a time when the Mets don't want to trade top prospects, and may prefer not to try to count on pitchers who have never worked above Class AA, Williams would seem to be a sound mid-level gamble. If he flames out and continues to struggle - so far this year, he has a 7.20 ERA - then it would only cost the Mets a bit of cash. Williams is only 27 and he generally has been at least adequate for much of his career, accumulating a 4.56 ERA in his 74 games (66 starts). Williams is much better suited pitching for the Mets, in spacious Shea Stadium, than he was pitching in Cincinnati, because he has an acute tendency toward generating fly balls. The quality the Mets need more than any for the back end of their rotation is to have someone who is not overwhelmed. Williams might be that guy."
* Meanwhile, Ex-Met Kazmir won his 7th game for the Devil Rays, blanking the Marlins, 3-0 (he went 8 innings). Double ouch!
