Mike's Mets: July 2007 Archives

The Nationals Series

Nationals 6 - Mets 2 Mets 3 - Nationals 1 Nationals 6 - Mets 5 Mets 5 - Nationals 0 Played Friday, July 27 - Sunday, July 29, 2007 I've taken a lot of criticism from some of the readers of this site over voicing my concerns about the Mets...

Continue reading "The Nationals Series" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Questions Anyone?

The best record in the NL isn't good enough for you? If I hear one more whining Mets fan on WFAN or on the blogs, I am going to stand up and scream. What do you guys want? There can only be one best record in the league. Sure, they...

Continue reading "Questions Anyone?" »

By Dave Mills, posted at 6:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

The Early Years - How The Braves Helped The Mets

Editor's Note: We will publish a post from Barry Duchan every Sunday covering some aspect of Mets history. - M.S. Those early Mets teams were awful, of course, but they would have been even worse if not for Milwaukee Braves GM John McHale who regularly sent his team's excess talent...

Continue reading "The Early Years - How The Braves Helped The Mets" »

By Barry Duchan, posted at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'm Speechless...

I honestly don't know what to make of this team right now. They're not really terrible, but not particularly good. I keep hoping for them to turn a corner, but they're a strange bunch. I think whether they turn it around this year or not this is a club due...

Continue reading "I'm Speechless..." »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

One Bad Inning Sinks Oliver and the Mets

Pirates 8 - Mets 4 Played Thursday, July 26, 2007 We've seen this before from Perez, where things go wrong and he loses his composure. After sailing along with a 1-0 lead into the sixth, a leadoff single and then an infield hit by the pitcher put him in a...

Continue reading "One Bad Inning Sinks Oliver and the Mets" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 5:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Glavine Gets 299

Mets 6 - Pirates 3 Played Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Just playing some quick catch-up on posts for the last 2 games: I was at this game Wednesday with the great Greg Prince from Faith and Fear in Flushing. I have to admit that things weren't looking good in the...

Continue reading "Glavine Gets 299" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 4:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Deal or No Deal

As the non-waiver trading deadline approaches, it is time challenge the semi-conventional wisdom being strewn about newsprint and the Internet and to think like a general manager. In particular, a guy by the name of Minaya. Wading into the last week of July, our beloved and oft times frustrating Amazins,...

Continue reading "Deal or No Deal" »

By Dave Mills, posted at 1:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

...And Batting Cleanup, John Maine

Mets 8 - Pirates 4 Played Tuesday, July 24, 2007 If Moises Alou doesn't get back soon, he might find he's lost his job to another right-handed slugger. Besides being the best pitcher on the team this season, John Maine is also serving notice that he is prepared to carry...

Continue reading "...And Batting Cleanup, John Maine" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Belated Look Ahead at the Final 2 Months

Back during the All Star break I tried to write a series of articles on the state of the Mets just past the halfway point of the season. One thing I've learned in just a shade under two years of blogging is that you can count on not being able...

Continue reading "A Belated Look Ahead at the Final 2 Months" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

A Hollywood Ending to a Decent Western Swing

Mets 5 - Dodgers 4 (10) Played Sunday, July 22, 2007 Chip Ambres, this Bud's for you... I gave some thought to what I might write about yesterday's game, and have to admit to coming up a little dry. I won't insult your intelligence by talking about the importance of...

Continue reading "A Hollywood Ending to a Decent Western Swing" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Mets Memories - Ron Swoboda

Editor's Note: We will publish a post from Barry Duchan every Sunday covering some aspect of Mets history. - M.S. To most younger Mets fans with a sense of history, Ron Swoboda will always be remembered for his great catch and clutch hits that helped the Mets win the 1969...

Continue reading "Mets Memories - Ron Swoboda" »

By Barry Duchan, posted at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Sosa Coming Back To Earth

Dodgers 8 - Mets 6 Played Saturday, July 21, 2007 Back when Jorge Sosa was pitching great I remember thinking that on days when he didn't have the great slider things would get pretty ugly for him. Sosa's success was based on pitching backwards and using just enough fastballs to...

Continue reading "Sosa Coming Back To Earth" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Another Strong Start from Perez

Mets 4 - Dodgers 1 Played Friday, July 20, 2007 Following a night where the Mets needed 7 innings from their bullpen to notch a win, Oliver Perez provided 7-1/3 innings of high quality starting pitching, helping the Mets to take their second straight game in LA. It was his...

Continue reading "Another Strong Start from Perez" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Fine Art of Scoreboard Watching

"I t'ink we ought to knock his block off" - Mickey Goldmill to Rocky Balboa, Rocky II "He's spinning the ball on his finger! Just take it!" - Krusty the Clown at a Globetrotters game, The Simpsons Being a Mets fan this summer brings both these quotes to mind for...

Continue reading "The Fine Art of Scoreboard Watching" »

By NostraDennis, posted at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Real Meaning of Ralph Kiner Night

Every day we feel something different about the 2007 Mets. The confidence we have when we take three out of the first four games played after the All-Star break is gone in a single evening. A pitcher pitches well against us and we're certain that our offense is still it...

Continue reading "The Real Meaning of Ralph Kiner Night" »

By Dana Brand, posted at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mets Bash Their Way to an Ugly Win

Mets 13 - Dodgers 9 Played Thursday, July 19, 2007 No style points for last night's win, but it's the game many of us were waiting for all season where the bats overcame a tough night for the pitchers. None had it tougher than Tom Glavine, who was staked to...

Continue reading "Mets Bash Their Way to an Ugly Win" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Little Comeback That Wasn't

Padres 5 - Mets 4 Played Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Just a couple of quick thoughts on Wednesday night's game, which I didn't have time to write about yesterday. Those five innings against Maddux were ugly to watch, but at least this time when they were stymied it actually seemed...

Continue reading "The Little Comeback That Wasn't" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Trying Times

The midseason travails of the NY Mets continues to be both a conundrum and a disappointment to the team, its management and its fans. However, the "less-than-Amazin's" remain reasonably well ensconced in first place due to far more inconsistent and lackluster play by the Braves and the Phillies. Those teams...

Continue reading "Trying Times" »

By Dave Mills, posted at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Another Gem from El Duque

Mets 7 - Padres 0 Played Tuesday, July 17, 2007 It used to be that I was amazed at how dominant El Duque could be when he is on top of his game. In a season he has allowed 2 earned runs or less in 11 of his 15 starts,...

Continue reading "Another Gem from El Duque" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Rise of Castro

Many Mets fans adore Paul Lo Duca, for as a player and as a man, he embodies much of what we root for. He is by no means an exquisite physical specimen, as far as professional athletes go, and he has no one extraordinary talent, as his defensive aptitude pales...

Continue reading "The Rise of Castro" »

By Jack Dickey, posted at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mets Offensive Blahs

On May 17th, the Mets put out a Spring training-ish lineup vs. the Cubs. Jason Vargas started and gave up 7 runs in 5 innings, but a dramatic 9th inning comeback from a 5-1 deficit gave the Mets the win. That was the last time the Mets won a game...

Continue reading "Mets Offensive Blahs" »

By Adam Warner, posted at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Ralph

Great stuff on Ralph Kiner's tribute from Dana Brand and our friend Greg from Faith and Fear in Flushing, among others. In today's Daily News, Bob Raissman commends Saturday night's tribute to Ralph Kiner, but takes SNY to task for underutilizing the Mets icon: ...since SNY became the TV home...

Continue reading "Ralph" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

And a Fat Man Shall Beat Them

Padres 5 - Mets 1 Played Monday, July 16, 2007 I've been writing about games like this for much of the last six weeks, and frankly I feel like I'm writing the same story over and over. The way the Mets keep losing these drearily similar games has been compared...

Continue reading "And a Fat Man Shall Beat Them" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 12:42 PM | Permalink

Milledge

After a rough introduction to New York last season, Mets prospect Lastings Milledge came into spring training with a determination to change the perception about him. By all accounts, he worked very hard both on the field and with his teammates. For virtually the first time since he was signed...

Continue reading "Milledge" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

A Nice Return for Perez

Mets 5 - Reds 2 Played Sunday, July 15, 2007 6 strong innings from Oliver Perez, a decent amount of runs and some more great work from the bullpen enabled the Mets to take 3 of 4 from the Reds en route to their first series win in July. Showing...

Continue reading "A Nice Return for Perez" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 12:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

298

Mets 2 - Reds 1 Played Saturday, July 14, 2007 No one can accuse Tom Glavine of backing into 300 wins. The Mets seem determined to make him earn each one. This one took 8 innings of 2-hit ball and a 2-out RBI from Lastings Milledge in the bottom of...

Continue reading "298" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Honoring Ralph Kiner at Shea

I wasn't really expecting the Mets' tribute to Ralph Kiner to be very good, because these things can be very disappointing. You have all of your emotions and there you are at the mercy of stadium sound systems, and athletes and officials and the way they use words. And then...

Continue reading "Honoring Ralph Kiner at Shea" »

By Dana Brand, posted at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

What's The Catch? The Mets' Strange History With Catchers

Editor's Note: We will publish a post from Barry Duchan every Sunday covering some aspect of Mets history. - M.S. In December, the Mets lost their best catching prospect when Jesus Flores, inexplicably left off the 40-man roster was selected by Washington. Sure, he may be offered back to the...

Continue reading "What's The Catch? The Mets' Strange History With Catchers" »

By Barry Duchan, posted at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Why Can't It Be Friday the 13th for the Other Guys?

Reds 8 - Mets 4 Played Friday, July 13, 2007 The season of Schizophrenia continues for the Mets, as they could look very sharp one night and then get pummeled the next. Last night John Maine looked rusty from the break, and was also betrayed by his defense. In an...

Continue reading "Why Can't It Be Friday the 13th for the Other Guys?" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

El Duque and Hustle Win the Day

Mets 3 - Reds 2 Played Thursday, July 12, 2007 Watching Orlando Hernandez struggle through the second inning of last night's game, then walk Ken Griffey leading off the third, you had to wonder how long the veteran right-hander would last. It turned out that Griffey would be the last...

Continue reading "El Duque and Hustle Win the Day" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Rickey Will Save This Club

Not really, but I'm sure that Rickey believes he will, and that's all that counts. Look, I've always hated firing a hitting coach or a pitching coach as a way of motivating a ballclub. I think there are literally a handful of hitting and pitching coaches that have more than...

Continue reading "Rickey Will Save This Club" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The New Hitting Coach

Wow. The struggling Mets offense will be under new leadership tomorrow. According to Newsday: The Mets will begin the season's second half with a dramatic change in their coaching staff, Newsday has learned. Rick Down is out as hitting coach, and Rickey Henderson is in. Down said that Willie Randolph...

Continue reading "The New Hitting Coach" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Mets at the Break: The Bullpen

Last year, due to injury and the inefficiency of the early replacements, the Mets had more guys passing through their starting rotation than Paris Hilton has passing through her bedroom. Ordinarily, this would kill a team's post-season chances, but one of the best bullpens in the league saved them. All...

Continue reading "Mets at the Break: The Bullpen" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Mets at the Break: Starting Pitching

We begin our look at the Mets season so far with the starting pitching. Here is a look at the starters as a group: Mets Starters -- 87 Games Innings ERA Hits/9 K/9 BB/9 HR/9 AVG OBP SLG 521.2 4.05 8.1 6.2 3.5 1.1 .241 .315 .395 While the numbers have trended down over the last 6 weeks, it's hard not to like what the starting...

Continue reading "Mets at the Break: Starting Pitching" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Williams' Return Provides More Questions than Answers

Astros 8 - Mets 3 Played Sunday, July 8, 2007 I'm sure in Dave Williams' fantasies, his first start since returning from the neck injury would solidify his spot on the roster. After giving up 8 runs while failing to make it out of the fourth, it will be interesting...

Continue reading "Williams' Return Provides More Questions than Answers" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Long Night

Mets 5 - Astros 3 (17) Played Saturday, July 7, 2007 The Astros have one of the worst bullpens in the National League so far, and Woody Williams has been one of the league's worst starting pitchers this season. Going in, if I was told Tom Glavine would pitch 7...

Continue reading "The Long Night" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, Let's Try This Again

Sorry to be out of action for a couple of days again. I've been pretty sick, and a couple of things that I tried to write wound up not being worth the cyber ink spilled for them. We're going to catch up today with something brief on the last two...

Continue reading "Okay, Let's Try This Again" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mets' All-Time Homegrown All Star Team

Editor's Note: We will publish a post from Barry Duchan every Sunday covering some aspect of Mets history. - M.S. There have been many all-time Met teams listed in the past, but most of those include a few players such as Keith Hernandez, Howard Johnson, and Mike Piazza who were...

Continue reading "Mets' All-Time Homegrown All Star Team" »

By Barry Duchan, posted at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Really Bad Stuff

Astros 4 - Mets 4 Played Monday, July 2, 2007 It took Wandy Rodriguez all of 105 pitches to spin a 4-hit shutout against the Mets last night. It's something we've seen all too often since early June. Granted, Rodriguez was throwing strikes and home plate umpire Larry Vanover was...

Continue reading "Really Bad Stuff" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 4:50 PM | Permalink

An A-Plus for Effort

After the lockout in 1995, I was pissed at Major League Baseball. The fact that the Mets were "The Worst Team Money Could Buy" (and who could disagree with Bob Klapisch's assessment?) made it that much easier for me to shake my fist at the lords of baseball and send...

Continue reading "An A-Plus for Effort" »

By NostraDennis, posted at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Should-Have-Been All Star

Mets 6 - Astros 2 Played Thursday, July 5, 2007 While less deserving pitchers are honored with an place on the National League roster next Tuesday, John Maine quietly makes a case for being one of the top hurlers in the league. By dominating the Astros last night, Maine won...

Continue reading "The Should-Have-Been All Star" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

All-Snubbed Maine?

During the offseason amidst the constant bleating about why the Mets hadn't overpaid for some mid-rotation starter, you could always make the case there was no reason a guy like John Maine couldn't put up at least those sorts of numbers. Like the 12-10, 4.00 variety that was worth $10...

Continue reading "All-Snubbed Maine?" »

By Adam Warner, posted at 3:08 PM | Permalink

Short Stops

The Maine Man To say John Maine deserves to be on the NL All-star pitching staff is an understatement. The real issue for the Senior Circuit, and its millions of fans, is don't they need him to try to shut down the powerful AL lineup for an inning or two?...

Continue reading "Short Stops" »

By Dave Mills, posted at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Rocky Mountain Lower

Rockies 11 - Mets 3 Played Tuesday, July 3, 2007 Rockies 17 - Mets 7 Played Wednesday, July 4, 2007 I try not to spend too much time talking about personal stuff on this blog. While I have enjoyed becoming friends with quite a few regular readers, I understand that...

Continue reading "Rocky Mountain Lower" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Rocky Mountain Low

Rockies 6 - Mets 2 Played Monday, July 2, 2007 Tom Glavine managed to escape some first inning difficulty last night, but the third inning wouldn't be quite so kind to him. The Rockies sent 11 men to the plate as they utilized 5 singles, a home run and a...

Continue reading "Rocky Mountain Low" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Confessions of an Amateur Dabbler

On Friday I wrote about the coverage in the Daily News of Paul Lo Duca's clubhouse blowup the night before. While the beat writers for most of the area papers seemed to go out their way to give Lo Duca a break in their stories of what happened, the News'...

Continue reading "Confessions of an Amateur Dabbler" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 7:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Mets Can't Pull Off the Sweep

Phillies 5 - Mets 3 Played Sunday, July 1, 2007 It seemed like a lot to ask coming into the game for a team that had been sucking wind a week and a half earlier, particularly when I heard Oliver Perez wouldn't be making the start. Mike Pelfrey, while still...

Continue reading "Mets Can't Pull Off the Sweep" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Mike Pelfrey 2007 Season Pitching Stats

Updated Tuesday, January 1, 2008 Mike Pelfrey (3-8) DateOpp.IPRERHKBBHRERAWHIPTeam Result 4/13WAS5.22262403.181.76W 4/20ATL54463217.201.60L 4/25COL366811118.003.00L April (3 games)13.21212206727.901.981-2 DateOpp.IPRERHKBBHRERAWHIPTeam Result 5/1FLA6.13353304.261.26L 5/6@ARI5.13331405.061.31L 5/12MIL5.04483307.202.20L May (3 games)16.210101671005.401.560-3 DateOpp.IPRERHKBBHRERAWHIPTeam Result 7/1@PHI53243313.601.40L 7/6@HOU64475216.001.50L 7/13*CIN1.11121106.751.50-- 7/28WAS63385104.501.50L July (4 games)18.111102114724.911.530-3 DateOpp.IPRERHKBBHRERAWHIPTeam Result 9/1@ATL61117301.500.67W 9/7HOU5.122103213.382.25W 9/11*ATL21131204.502.50-- 9/19@WAS53394305.402.40W 9/24WAS5.27653519.531.76L September (5 games)24141328181524.881.793-1 Season (15 Games)72.2474585453965.571.714-9...

Continue reading "Mike Pelfrey 2007 Season Pitching Stats" »

By Mike's Mets, posted at 12:34 PM | Permalink

Revitalized Offense Helps Mets Take Series

Mets 8 - Phillies 3 Played Saturday, June 30, 2007 The Phillies seemed to have Jorge Sosa on the ropes a couple of times yesterday, but he managed to dodge the worst of the bullets. What he couldn't evade was a hamstring injury while preventing himself from being doubled up...

Continue reading "Revitalized Offense Helps Mets Take Series" »

By Mike Steffanos, posted at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Old Time Mets: Would You Believe Wilbur Huckle?

Editor's Note: We will publish a post from Barry Duchan every Sunday covering some aspect of Mets history. - M.S. Every so often on eBay, someone auctions off a political button that reads "Wilbur Huckle For President - Metropolitan Party". Who was Wilbur Huckle, some obscure third (or 4th) party...

Continue reading "Old Time Mets: Would You Believe Wilbur Huckle?" »

By Barry Duchan, posted at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mike's Mets

New York Mets discussion, news and historical perspective -- now getting by with a little help from my friends.

July 31, 2007

The Nationals Series

July 30, 2007

Questions Anyone?

July 29, 2007

The Early Years - How The Braves Helped The Mets

July 28, 2007

I'm Speechless...

July 27, 2007

One Bad Inning Sinks Oliver and the Mets

Glavine Gets 299

July 26, 2007

Deal or No Deal

July 25, 2007

...And Batting Cleanup, John Maine

July 24, 2007

A Belated Look Ahead at the Final 2 Months

July 23, 2007

A Hollywood Ending to a Decent Western Swing

July 22, 2007

Mets Memories - Ron Swoboda

Sosa Coming Back To Earth

July 21, 2007

Another Strong Start from Perez

July 20, 2007

The Fine Art of Scoreboard Watching

The Real Meaning of Ralph Kiner Night

Mets Bash Their Way to an Ugly Win

The Little Comeback That Wasn't

July 19, 2007

Trying Times

July 18, 2007

Another Gem from El Duque

The Rise of Castro

July 17, 2007

Mets Offensive Blahs

Ralph

And a Fat Man Shall Beat Them

July 16, 2007

Milledge

A Nice Return for Perez

July 15, 2007

298

Honoring Ralph Kiner at Shea

What's The Catch? The Mets' Strange History With Catchers

July 14, 2007

Why Can't It Be Friday the 13th for the Other Guys?

July 13, 2007

El Duque and Hustle Win the Day

July 12, 2007

Rickey Will Save This Club

The New Hitting Coach

July 11, 2007

Mets at the Break: The Bullpen

July 10, 2007

Mets at the Break: Starting Pitching

Williams' Return Provides More Questions than Answers

The Long Night

Okay, Let's Try This Again

July 8, 2007

Mets' All-Time Homegrown All Star Team

July 7, 2007

Really Bad Stuff

An A-Plus for Effort

July 6, 2007

The Should-Have-Been All Star

All-Snubbed Maine?

Short Stops

July 5, 2007

Rocky Mountain Lower

July 3, 2007

Rocky Mountain Low

July 2, 2007

Confessions of an Amateur Dabbler

Mets Can't Pull Off the Sweep

Mike Pelfrey 2007 Season Pitching Stats

July 1, 2007

Revitalized Offense Helps Mets Take Series