Written by Mike Mariano | 12 August 2010

It took three starts and sellout home crowd, but Roy Oswalt delivered in a big way.  The big deadline acquisition three seven innings of shut-out ball. He allowed five hits, but K'd just as many.  Oswalt demonstrated all of his talents that made his such a desirable commodity.  Oswalt's final pitch hummed 95 mph by Matt Kemp as his 109th pitch of the night.  Some of his brilliance can definitely be credited to the big home crowd:

“There’s a lot more adrenaline than when your pitching in front of 15,000 fans trying to get to the end of the season,” Oswalt said. “I don’t get caught up looking around, but you can hear it’s a lot louder.”

Hopefully Roy can build on this because the Phillies could really use some dominant pitching with half the team on the DL.  If Roy, Roy, and Cole can pitch like this all together, the Phillies will have to be a playoff favorite.  However, we're a long way off before that, gotta make it there first.

Brad Lidge came in for the save and in typical (just kidding) Brad Lidge fashion he only needed 11 pitches to strike out two Dodgers and get a third for the quick save.  Throwing behind his only teammate Oswalt might have gotten him all jacked up, I don't know.  Regardless, it's much more fun no sweating out the ninth every once in a while.

Offensively, Ibanez continues to pace the team, extending his hitting streak to 18 games (Polanco is flying under the radar at 10 games himself).  Just when he looked like Ibanez might be washed-up, he puts this stretch together.  It's not about how you start, it's how you finish and I greatly prefer this sequence to last years.  Ibanez was certainly better in the first half of last season, but peaking through the finish line is what's important.

It's a tough one to lose Ross Gload right now.  He's been playing so well and doing a great job filling in for Ryan Howard.

Written by Nikki DeMaio | 12 August 2010

Last night was a tough game to swallow.  After Jon Niese threw seven scoreless innings, things came apart for the bullpen.  The eighth inning was ugly, culminating in Melvin Mora's grand slam that put the Rockies ahead for good.  Then there's the usual:  David Wright is back to being ice cold and took it out on his bat hardcore last night, Carlos Beltran still hasn't figured things out, etc.

But let's not forget about K-Rod (as if we could today).  After the game, he apparently was incredibly short with the media, yelling for them to get out of his way as he tried to exit the locker room.  We all know K-Rod is a hothead, as he's gotten into shoving matches and the like before.. but apparently, this time he assaulted his father-in-law.  SNY had video of the man being taken away in an ambulance, while K-Rod was arrested/detained, whatever you want to call it.  From what I've gathered today, this whole thing stemmed from the fact that K-Rod wasn't used in the 8th inning last night when things were getting sticky for the team.  I'm so tired of this "me first" crap with him.  It seems like he constantly has a problem:  he's not being used enough, he's warming up too much, it wasn't a save situation, and on and on and ON.

It's just frustrating to see this kind of stuff.  Before K-Rod went all Hulk last night, things were bad enough.  The boo birds were out in droves as things got out of control and really with good reason.  There was also a "Fire Jerry" chant going at one point.  At this point, I think Mets fans are being realistic about the fact that the season is going nowhere fast - so we're looking for some changes.  Except they don't seem to be on the way.  This is probably an extreme example, but look at what Buck Showalter has done for the Orioles.  That team had no identity or purpose... and all of a sudden, they're winning games.  I don't think it's a coincidence that when the culture changed, the team changed the way they were playing baseball.  It's something to think about anyway.

Phillies add-in: For all the Mets fans reading this here's a thinking point.  What would the reaction be if this happened in the Philadelphia?  Yeah the media will be all over this, but because the Mets are a dysfunctional bunch of misfits, not because it's some heinous incident.  If this was Philly, Benny B would have 1500 words about it before noon (with ridiculous accompanying picture of course) and JerseyBuc in the comments would be making his usual snide remarks.  Just sayin'.

Written by Mike Mariano | 11 August 2010

1. First response isn't "what happened", it's "how did the Braves do?"  It's easy to say just worry about yourself, but in the stretch run every game counts for you and your rivals.  With a Braves win, the team is 2.5 games back in the division, also 1 game back in the wild card race.  This is striking distance, anything can happen at this distance even if it's like this with only a few games to play in September.

2. Kyle Kendrick is a frustrating pitcher.  Not because he's bad, because we all know that, but he lures me in with a few good outings and then BAM! shit outing.  3.1 innings, 8 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), 1 strike out.

3. Vicente Padilla getting a win against the Phillies always pisses me off.  I was so happy to see the big Venezuelan go, but for him to be a better pitcher now at 32 than he was for the Phillies at 27 is just nonsense.

4. Andre Ethier had four hits, scored four runs and reached base six times.  I've always liked that guy.

5. It's not often that you score 9 runs on 14 hits and lose big.  If I was especially determined today I'd do some research on that for you, but I'll settle for assuming it doesn't happen all to often.

6. 12 pitchers threw today and all but three of them allowed earned runs.  Octavio Dotel (.1 innings), Contreras (1), and Durbin (.2) all accomplished this amazing feat.  The bullpens combined for 10.2 innings, 18 hits, 14 runs.  Abominable.

7. The top four hitters in the Dodgers batting order -- Scott Podsednik, Ryan Theriot, Ethier and James Loney -- had 11 hits and scored 11 runs.  That might actually be the recipe for pitching failure.

8. Maybe it's the position?  Ross Gload jacked two two-run-HRs in the game and is doing a fantastic Ryan Howard impression these past few games he's been out.  Gload hasn't been a huge spark this year off the bench, so this stint as a starter is a great time for him to get his mojo going as a big bat down the stretch.

9. It sucks that Domonic Brown's first career home run came in a downer.  It would have been nice for it be at a time we could celebrate it, but it's sweet nonetheless.  Let's call it the first of many. Hopefully... DoBro is the future around here.

10. If I just posted Charlie's quote about the game I could've saved us all a long of time in this recap: "We got so far behind it was hard to catch up," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Our guys swung the bats well, but we couldn't stop them."

11-12. Werth and Ibanez continue to play well reaching base a combined 5 times, but unless they hit a combined 5 home runs, I'm not sure they could've saved the Phillies today.  Ibanez's hit streak continues to 17 games.

13. Gibbons returned to the major leagues on Aug. 8. His homer off David Herndonwas his first since July 17, 2007, while with the Baltimore Orioles.  Grrrreat.

14. Every Phillie had a hit but Chuuch Ruiz.

15. Every Dodger had a hit except Jamey Carroll who went 0-5.  Tough day when the team finds 18 hits and you can't get even one.

Written by Mike Mariano | 09 August 2010

If only you could vote for this because I would be there all day clicking away.  Joe Posnanski recently wrote an article breaking down the "Worst Everyday Player in Baseball" and of course there had to be a Met or two on there right?  Low and behold it was Jeff Francoeur.  He didn't win, but it is truly an honor to be nominated:

Jeff Francoeur is simply not a good enough hitter to play every day in the big leagues. Nobody is happy about this. Francoeur is by all accounts a terrific guy, he plays hard, he cares a lot, he has some defensive value. But, no matter how hard he tries, he cannot make the adjustments. His .295 on-base percentage this year is not good enough to be an every-day outfielder. Everybody who knows Frankie loves the guy, which is why he leads all of baseball in “Adjustment Could Pay Off This Time” stories. But after a rookie rush that landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated, he has now had more than 4,000 plate appearances with a .307 on-base base percentage.

The 2011 commitments: 

Santana $22.5 million 
Carlos Beltran $18.5 million 
Jason Bay $16 million 
David Wright $14 million 
Oliver Perez $12 million 
Francisco Rodriguez $11.5 million 
Reyes $11 million 
Luis Castillo $6 million 
Ryota Igarashi $1.75 million 
16 players at major league minimum: $6.4 million 

Total: $119.65 million

Written by Nikki DeMaio | 09 August 2010

As the Mets limp home to Citi Field, I'm not entirely sure what to say.  After going 2-4 on a "make or break" road trip... it doesn't look good.  In addition to falling below .500, (again) the Mets are now nine games out of first place and seven out of the Wild Card where they are also trailing five teams.

With the Mets, it always seems like when it rains, it pours.  On a day where Roy Halladay was touched up for 5 runs, the Mets couldn't pull off a win as R.A. Dickey finally came back down to earth.  Dickey can't take all the blame for this one - out of the 6 runs he allowed in 3 innings, only 4 of them were earned, and David Wright and Carlos Beltran combined to go 0-8 at the plate with 6 strikeouts.  If the two of them are not going to hit, the Mets don't realistically have a chance.  I know Beltran needs to get his feet under him, just like Reyes did at the beginning of the year, but it's August.  Do the Mets really have time to wait for Beltran to find his swing?  Of course not, but that's what they are going to do.  It also seems pretty clear that Beltran has lost a step in the outfield BECAUSE HE HAS NO KNEES.

One thing I do like is the fact that Fernando Martinez and Ruben Tejada are going to see some more playing time.  If things are going to spiral out of control, we might as well give those guys a chance.  If nothing else, it gives me hope that the team is phasing Luis Castillo out despite his crazy contract.  Maybe he's a loss they're willing to cut next year - which would be a win as far as most Mets fans are concerned.  Right now, that's my silver lining... let me know if you find another one.

Written by Mike Mariano | 08 August 2010

Game time, 1:35 p.m., Roy Halladay faces off against R.A. Dickey.  Rubber match.  The Mets cost the Phillies a full game in the standings with the win last night and the 2nd place Phils need to gain it back with their ace on the mound.  Knuckleballers obviously give the Phillies trouble, but maybe another time around with afford the Phillies some better fortune against Dickey.

Written by Mike Mariano | 08 August 2010

Now that's good baseball. Two fantastic pitchers duke it out over seven innings and it takes a late home run from Jeff Francoeur for the Mets to grab the 1-0 win.  Francisco Rodriguez came in for the 5 out save and fairly easy work of the Phillies from there.  Cole Hamels and Johan Santana allowed a combined 11 hits and if it wasn't for Francoeur's bomb they would've matched scoreless frames.  Neither team managed a single hit with runners in scoring position the entire game.  It was a tremendous pitching effort from both sides and it's a shame that Hamels got tagged with the loss for it.

"Unfortunately, one bad pitch decided the game," Hamels said. "It was a change-up and he went out and got it."

There weren't many highlights otherwise because the pitching stifled all offense and scoring chances.  From the game notes it says Shane Victorino might begin rehab assignments next week, we could really use the guy.

Written by Mike Mariano | 08 August 2010

In the eighth inning of a 2-1 game, the Phillies finally broke through and put up six runs to take the lead and the game. Jon Niese and Joe Blanton battled like Santana and Halladay, each throwing a great seven innings.  Blanton left in line with the loss, but Chad Durbin ended up getting the win after Bobby Parnell and the Mets bullpen imploded.  Let's look at the stat lines of the eighth inning:

and the scoring summary:

	8th	B Francisco singled to center, M Sweeney scored, J Werth to second.	2	2
	8th	C Ruiz singled to center, J Werth scored, B Francisco to second.	2	3
	8th	R Gload walked, B Francisco scored, C Ruiz to third, W Valdez to second.	2	4
	8th	J Rollins singled to left, C Ruiz scored, W Valdez to third, R Gload to second.	2	5
	8th	P Polanco hit sacrifice fly to center, W Valdez scored.	2	6
	8th	M Sweeney singled to center, R Gload scored, J Rollins to third.	2	7

And that's really all there is to know about this one.  Beating the Mets makes me happier than just about anything else in the sports world so obviously this was a great one.  Let them get anxious and excited for a win, then sweep the rug out from under them with a good old fashioned bullpen beat-down.  Good times.

Of course the Phillies bullpen nearly blew it themselves, but that's neither here nor there.  Brad Lidge came in and shut the door, who figured that he of all people would stop the bleeding?

Written by Mike Mariano | 06 August 2010

As if Mets v. Phillies wasn't fun enough, here's some quotes from Adam Martino regarding the two teams:

This is what characterizes the Phillies of this era, and what separates them from the Mets:

Swagger. Arrogance. Condescension toward opponents.

Woah there partner, where did that come from?  The Phillies and Mets really haven't had to many problems this year.  That was a cheap shot!  Don't mistake our confidence for arrogance.

Then it keeps rolling, and there is talk that the Mets and Phillies are basically the same team, but...

It all adds up to a "(expletive) you" edge that the Mets lack. From the general manager to the coaching staff to the star players to Chris Carter and Jesus Feliciano, they are almost all nice people. Maybe too nice.

So the Phillies have been winning with dirtbags and sleezeballs?  Ridiculous.  Okay, that's not his point, but it's a tough rap regardless.

The collective personalities of both clubs are clear, and in direct contrast with one another. Wounded by divisional collapses in 2007 and 2008, the Mets lack a cocky culture of winning. This weekend, they will field a team comparable in talent to the Phillies, and filled with people you might rather have dinner with. And, sadly for the Mets, that is part of their problem.

Before I can respond to this, let's defer to a man smarter than I, Craig Calcaterra:

At the heart of this article -- like so many other article analyzing the Mets' recent failures -- is a fallacy: that the Mets are as talented as the Phillies have been over the past few years.  They're simply not.

The Phillies have not gone into any season over the past three years with the kinds of black holes in the lineup like the Mets have had in right field and second base or the kinds of nearly season-long injuries like those to Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes last year (and into this year). At the same time, the Mets don't have a single pitcher close to Roy Halladay's quality (sorry Johan) or a position player as good as Chase Utley (sorry David Wright).  Add in the fact that their manager can't hold a candle to Charlie Manuel and the notion that all that separates these two teams is likability or swagger is laughable in the extreme.

It's a comforting idea I suppose -- we'd win if only we weren't so nice! -- but it's hogwash.  Baseball rewards intensity and emotional demeanor less so than any other sport. The games are too long. The season is too long. Calm calculation is just too important.  Attitude can only take you so far.

Ultimately, winning baseball is about talent and execution.  The Mets could fill a wagon with swagger and it wouldn't do them a damn bit of good. Because the Phillies are just better.

I apologize to Craig for stealing his entire thought, but it was too refreshing not to.  If you don't read his regular stuff at Hardball Talk you are a fool, because he is the best out there. The Phillies are winning 1-0 as we speak, Mets suck.

Written by Mike Mariano | 06 August 2010

There's no better time to make or break your season than beating your least favorite team in the league.  The Mets got their three-game-shutout-sweep in May, but I'm expected a vastly different outcome this time around.  7:35p game time and it's Niese v. Blanton.  Mets come in needed to make up serious ground and the Phillies come in attempting to gain even further on the Braves and on the wild card.