A Change in Strategy?
It seems like the Mets began this road trip with a new philosophy in several different areas. Maybe the Mets coaches Met on the off-day Monday and discussed the following changes:
1) Batting Wright 3rd, Beltran 4th and Delgado 5th.
This makes a lot of sense because Wright is hitting for a higher average and reaching base more often than Beltran. And although we think of Beltran as faster, Wright has more steals and a better percentage this season.
2) Using Sosa in pressure situations.
Looks like Jorge Sosa is in the bullpen to stay, and he's going to get more chances in close games (this happened before this series as well). The Mets need someone to step up and Sosa has been doing a pretty good job. If he can keep going well, then the Mets can take a bullpen of El Duque, Sosa, Heilman, Feliciano and Wagner into the postseason, and feel pretty confident.
3) Lastings Milledge gets more playing time.
Lastings Milledge got a start over Shawn Green against a righty in the first game of the Pirates series. This has to happen more often. At this point in their careers Milledge does everything better than Green. He's faster, he plays better defense, he hits for more power and average and his aggressive base running produces runs. Green should be a lefty pinch hitter off the bench for the rest of the season.
4) Late inning defensive replacements.
When Shawn Green and Moises Alou are in the game the Mets are very weak at the corners. I look for Willie to replace them in the late innings of almost every game down the stretch with Milledge and Chavez (when he comes back). It will also be interesting to see if Willie continues to pull Delgado (he replaced him with Green).
1) Batting Wright 3rd, Beltran 4th and Delgado 5th.
This makes a lot of sense because Wright is hitting for a higher average and reaching base more often than Beltran. And although we think of Beltran as faster, Wright has more steals and a better percentage this season.
2) Using Sosa in pressure situations.
Looks like Jorge Sosa is in the bullpen to stay, and he's going to get more chances in close games (this happened before this series as well). The Mets need someone to step up and Sosa has been doing a pretty good job. If he can keep going well, then the Mets can take a bullpen of El Duque, Sosa, Heilman, Feliciano and Wagner into the postseason, and feel pretty confident.
3) Lastings Milledge gets more playing time.
Lastings Milledge got a start over Shawn Green against a righty in the first game of the Pirates series. This has to happen more often. At this point in their careers Milledge does everything better than Green. He's faster, he plays better defense, he hits for more power and average and his aggressive base running produces runs. Green should be a lefty pinch hitter off the bench for the rest of the season.
4) Late inning defensive replacements.
When Shawn Green and Moises Alou are in the game the Mets are very weak at the corners. I look for Willie to replace them in the late innings of almost every game down the stretch with Milledge and Chavez (when he comes back). It will also be interesting to see if Willie continues to pull Delgado (he replaced him with Green).
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posted by Paul at 12:06 AM
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