Monday, June 4, 2007By Mike Steffanos
Diamondbacks 4 - Mets 1
Played Sunday, June 3, 2007
For four innings yesterday, Oliver Perez pitched as well as I've ever seen from any Mets starting pitcher in the thousands of baseball games I have watched in my lifetime. Unfortunately, Oliver had a couple of bad innings that cost him a game. Even then, he pitched well enough to earn a win but, with the Mets' injury-depleted offense, that wasn't to be.
For what it's worth, I was impressed with how Perez was able to limit the damage when he got into trouble. Not much else to say about this one -- the Mets need to start getting their hitters back, particularly Beltran.
Interesting comments by Billy Wagner after the game in the recap on Mets.com. Wagner feels that the "passion and fire" have been lacking somewhat from this team, and that they are not quite as good as they were last season because of that.
After the Mets fell behind this game I told Lisa that I didn't have the same feeling as I had last year when the Mets were behind. I really don't think they are as hungry as they were in 2006. On the other hand, I think that developed over the course of the year -- especially when they had that long, successful road trip. I'd love to see this year's team show a little more of that. They're good, but they really can be better.
| Oliver Perez (6-4) | |||||||||||
| Date | Opp. | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | HR | ERA | WHIP | Team Result |
| 4/6 | @ATL | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1.29 | 0.71 | W |
| 4/11 | PHI | 2.2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 10.12 | 3.37 | L |
| 4/21 | ATL | 6.2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 1.35 | W |
| 4/27 | @WAS | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 5.14 | 1.14 | L |
| 5/2 | FLA | 5.2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1.59 | 1.06 | W |
| 5/7 | @SFG | 4.2 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3.86 | 1.50 | L |
| 5/13 | MIL | 8.1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1.08 | 0.50 | W |
| 5/18 | NYY | 7.2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2.35 | 0.91 | W |
| 5/23 | @ATL | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.86 | W |
| 5/29 | SFG | 7.0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3.86 | 0.71 | W |
| 6/3 | ARI | 7.0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3.86 | 1.00 | L |
| TOTAL (11 Games) | 70.2 | 30 | 22 | 51 | 66 | 21 | 9 | 2.80 | 1.02 | 7-4 | |
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Comments (8)
Down on the farm,Mets release Chan Ho Park from AAA, he had a 5.57 era in 9 starts. Oh well!.. Mike Pelfrey got his 1st win, Philip Humber is 6-4.. Pedro starts to throw today..Just a thought, if and when Pedro comes back and somebody has to get out of the rotation,because Sosa is doing so good and Maine slipping of late it may be interesting who goes?
Posted by REV AL | June 5, 2007 3:03 AM
Rev - I've been thinking about that myself. A few days ago, on my second favorite blog (FAFIF), I suggested that the guy with the worst ERA, the worst W-L percentage, the worst K/BB ratio, and the worst WHIP goes down. That would be Glavine.
Whaddaya think?
Posted by NostraDennis | June 5, 2007 8:34 AM
First off I bet none of these starters go anywhere as long as they don't totally break down between now and the Pedro arrival . Not when there is an Aaron Sele on the team at least . And we all have a chance of seeing God walking down Times Square tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock if you think Glavine will be the one demoted to long relief . My money will be on Sosa or "El" with an outside posssiblity of Maine if he struggles more like May than pitching like closer to his April brilliance .
Posted by Eduardo S Fernandez | June 5, 2007 10:21 AM
Sundays are my day to work on my novel, so I didn't plan to watch the game. My other half didn't start watching until 2pm (thank you DVR) and I came out for lunch and a quick peek.
It turned into more than a quick peek, and then, when I absolutely had to tear myself away, said, as meaningfully as possible, "Please make sure you save this game for me to watch later."
I really thought that this was the moment it could have happened. I didn't listen to it on the radio because I didn't want to jinx it.
I have to agree with you on some level about the hunger. Something is missing. I don't know what it is. I think individually some of them have it, but as a team it seems to be missing, if that makes any sense.
Ed's quote above about Glavine is the quote of the month. :)
Posted by MetsGrrl | June 5, 2007 10:29 AM
Hey, Eduardo, is that God on the corner of Broadway and 47th?
No, wait...never mind. It's just the Naked Cowboy.
Seriously, though, Sosa would be my reluctant choice for long man. Not because he hasn't done his job superbly. Simply because I don't think any of the others could fill that role as well. I'd want to squeeze as many starts out of El Duque as possible until his next inevitable stint on the 15-day DL.
Six good starters is a wonderful problem to have; it's kind of like having six good outfielders. As long as at least three of those outfielders can suit up at the same time, we'll be okay.
Posted by NostraDennis | June 5, 2007 11:15 AM
Al - I still like Maine better than Sosa as a starter. Perhaps Sosa would take Sele's job as long man in the bullpen, or maybe the Mets try to deal Sosa while his value is high.
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Nostra - Now that wouldn't cause too much controversy...
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Eduardo - I really think Maine will be fine. He was so good the first month he was due for a letdown. Unless a starter gets hurt I think Sosa goes to the bullpen.
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MetsGrrl - When even the players are talking about it you know something is there. I think there was more intensity last season because there was no track record of success other than a disappointing .500 season the year before. It will be interesting to see if this team develops a little more fire as the season goes on.
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Nostra - Actually, being a 2-pitch pitcher, I still think Sosa is a reliever in the long run. He keeps making a liar out of me, which I can't say that I mind...
Posted by Mike Steffanos | June 5, 2007 1:16 PM
Nostra is right. That is Glavine is statistically the worst of the 5 Mets starters despite a 5-3 record. Ollie (6-4)is best in ERA (2.80) and Strikeouts (66) with Maine (6-3)right behind him, (2.81/64). Go figure!
I am going to get bashed but El Duque goes to the pen if my vote counted, based on prior excellence in that role. Sele follows Park (home).
Posted by Ed | June 5, 2007 4:10 PM
Ed - Not going to bash you, but I couldn't agree with you less. BTW, El Duque has a 2.20 ERA after 7 starts, best on the team and ahead of Perez and Maine.
Posted by Mike Steffanos | June 5, 2007 4:55 PM