Don't Think Chris Young Is the Answer

The Mets lost last night, 6-3, pushing them further and further from a possible post-season berth. However, if Dickey is able to get back on track on Sunday and earn his 14th victory of the season, the Mets can at least be happy with themselves for gaining a split of the four-game series with the D-Backs.

Below is a comment that I left on Mets Today which is in reference to Saturday's 14th loss in 16 games for the Mets.

Don't forget Tejada's web gem nominee in foul territory, when he had to avoid a lounging DWright to make a nice sliding catch...tonight's game was entertaining even though it ended with a loss...I agree with you on Young, maybe it's me, but I'm not getting it, I know he just came off of major shoulder surgery but he looks incomplete out on the mound and why would a ball club continue to send him out there every fifth day in that state, the Mets need wins not reclamation projects...maybe it's Alderson's way of feeling nostalgic, for his time on the West coast, particularly when he was with the Padres organization, help me on this, they release Batista without a care in the world, why not do the same with regards to Chris Young?

'A Little Frustrating' Sums Up Last Night's Loss for Mets

"The next month will determine a lot," Terry Collins professed prior to Friday night's 7-5 loss to the Braves. "We're going to know how we're standing when we get to August 1st. If we're still in the dogfight."

Listening to Collins' comments, one may suggest that the Mets skipper's confidence could be wavering just a bit. It's no help that his starting pitcher, Chris Young, allow five earned runs on six hits in just three innings of work. And that the Mets pitching staff as a whole walked eleven batters, four of them by Miguel Batista in just one-and-a-third innings of relief. Batista has been mentioned as a replacement for the injured Dillon Gee.

As for the Mets offense, they were able to put up a four-spot in the fourth inning to keep the game interesting. However, that effort was over-shadowed in the top of the fifth when they had the bases loaded and no one out and nothing to show for it thanks in part to two swinging strikeouts by Scott Hairston and Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed by a Josh Thole flyout.

Terry's Tinkering Backfires On Him

"I'm responsible for the way he pitched tonight. He's rusty. So it's my doing, not his."

I'll admit I applaud the way Terry Collins assumed responsibility for Johan Santana's performance last night against the Yankees. He really doesn't have to. Mets fans know that throughout Santana's career as a Met, he's given up his fair share of bombs.

Another way of looking at it though is that Collins may have disrupted the Mets starting rotation. I don't mind. I'm a patient Mets fan. It really doesn't bother me at all. It just puts more pressure on Chris Young. If he's able to come back from major shoulder surgery and pitch effective I'm all for it.

Sunday Night Wrap

Chris Young back on the DL

Sandy Alderson said that he would be very surprised if Young was ready to go at the end of this current DL stint, the MRI showed some swelling in the back of his shoulder in the area of an old injury – the question is whether this is a new injury or it’s an aggravation of the old injury or just an acute response to a chronic condition.

Mets Lose, 4-2

Happy Mother’s Day to young mothers and old, the Mets were unable to complete the sweep earlier today by dropping the third game after winning the first two against the Dodgers.

Andre Ethier’s 30-game hitting streak was snapped on Saturday night but he redeemed himself on Sunday going 2-for-4 with a HR, a 2-run HR that gave the Dodgers a 3-run lead which RA Dickey and the Mets were unable to recover from, but the Mets hitters had their chances. Now, off to Colorado for a 3-game series starting Monday night.

LHP - Not Ike's Forte

Ike Davis struggled today as he always does against left-handed pitching. In 24 games, including today’s, Davis was up against the best pitcher in the Dodgers rotation, Clayton Kershaw, who happens to be a lefty. Ike is batting .159 vs. LHP with 17 of his 30 SO in just 40 AB coming against left-handers. Against RHP, Davis is batting .367.

He’s also not getting on base as much against lefties, look at these numbers, .277 OBP vs. LHP/.446 vs. RHP, slugging, .250 LHP/.722 RHP and all his homers, seven, have come against righties. Those are some tell-tale numbers. Perhaps Collins should rest Davis the next time the Mets face a left-hander which is Houston’s JA Happ on Saturday evening.

Collins on Reyes
"I see a guy who loves to play, plays with passion and enthusiasm, it’s been amazing to watch him – if I was a fan, I’d make sure I’d get to see him play."

Why Can't Cappy Join Izzy and Iggy?

During Monday night’s broadcast, I introduced the idea of placing right-hander Dillon Gee into the Mets rotation which would mean that left-hander Chris Capuano would be headed to the bullpen.

With righty Chris Young on the DL with biceps tendinitis, the front office should heed the warning signs of his injury. By putting Cappy in the pen, it will take the strain off of his recovery as well as the current Mets bullpen.