Happy Recap: Mets 9 Brewers 2

The Mets complete a huge sweep of a potential postseason opponent.

Once again the Mets got off to a fast start and were able to hold on to the lead, with a little help from the bullpen. And also some tack on runs.

It's amazing that the Mets struggled so much early in the season with the bases loaded and now they have two grand slams in one week. Ryan Church really improves the lineup when he is batting 6th and hitting for power.

Brian Schneider's power surge continues but I'm not quite sure why Manuel hit him behind Castillo.

Daniel Murphy survived his first slump as a Major Leaguer and is 9 for his last 18 starting with that key double against the Phillies.

Another good start for Oliver Perez. Too many walks, too many pitches and too many deep counts, but if a bad start for him is two runs in nearly 7 innings then I think the Mets will take it.

Once again the Mets bullpen came through with 2 1/3 scoreless innings this time. But I don't understand why Manuel went to Sanchez and Schoeneweis with a 6-run leads. He needs to be judicious in the way he uses those guys down the stretch. And a huge lead like that probably would have been a good time to get Carlos Muniz, Al Reyes or even Bobby Parnell in the game.

But other than that there is nothing to criticize about the job Jerry Manuel is doing. Let's hope he can keep it up against the Phillies.

Happy Recap: Mets 6 Brewers 5

Another huge win and this time the big contributions came from some unexpected sources.

The bullpen pitched 7 shutout innings, which is quite remarkable. Nelson Figueroa and Brian Stokes are proving to be very valubale additions to the bullpen. It seems clear that Manuel is not going to use Smith or Feliciano for more than one batter for the rest of the season. And Ayala got another save, but it's never easy.

But the Mets pitchers also got help from some great defense. David Wright is playing a great third base even though he hasn't been hitting.

But Carlos Beltran came up big with the glove and the bat. First was his 3-run homer in the third to give the Mets the big lead. It was his 5th homer in the past 9 games, maybe a sign that is going to get hot at the right time. But he also made the biggest play of the game by nailing J.J. Hardy at the plate to end the 4th inning and keep the Mets out of further trouble. And a great job blocking the plate by Robinson Cancel.



Also coming up big with the bat and glove was Endy Chavez. What a beautiful throw he made to second to get Weeks. And then he hit the game-winning sacrifice fly. It shocked me to learn this but the Mets actually lead the NL in sac flies.



And the Mets capitalized on a huge mistake by the Brewers. Jose Reyes should not have been bunting in the 10th inning, he's too good a hitter. But because he did, and because Weeks was late covering and because Kendall's throw was into the runner, the Mets won the game.

Now on to Jonathon Niese. I put no stock in his performance in this game. He was clearly nervous in the first inning. And he may have run out of gas by the fourth. Hopefully he can come out on a more even keel next time, start better and last longer. But if we've learned anything this season, it is not to write off a young pitcher too soon.

Happy Recap: Mets 4 Brewers 2

Carlos Delgado is absolutely unbelievable right now. For the third time in 2 weeks he got an absolutely huge late game hit to turn a likely loss into a win. His turnaround is just incredible.

I said through most of the early part of the season that the Mets struggles were mostly caused by lack of timely hitting. Well, they are certainly starting to get timely hitting now. Three of the last four wins have come on huge late game home runs that turned deficits into leads.



Excellent performance by Johan Santana, after the first inning he was dominant, striking out nearly everyone, and I think he might have gotten out of that mess in the 6th had it not been for that balk. Which was a good call by the way.

The Mets dodged a major bullet when Ben Sheets left the game.

The bullpen was also excellent and Feliciano and Joe Smith struck out all 3 batters they faced. Hopefully they can excel in reduced roles.

And Luis Ayala racking up another save. They are going need him to continue to nail down that closer's role.

Carlos Beltran has two more hits, but let's hope he wasn't seriously hurt when he slid into the umpire.



What is wrong with David Wright? He struck out again with a man on third and only one out. Then he struck out with a man on second and nobody out. In man on third, fewer than 2 out situation he has 9 sacrifice flies, and 9 strikeouts.

Why was Daniel Murphy bunting in the first inning? What a horrible decision. It's too early to play for one run and worst-case a lefty should be able to make an out to the right side that gets Reyes to third.

Here are the stats on Delgado's turnaround:
Before June 26: 280 at bats, 11 homers, 35 RBI, .232 BA, .304 OBP, .400 SLUG
After June 26: 225 at bats, 20 homers, 60 RBI, .298 BA, .385 OBP, .627 SLUG

Unhappy Recap: Brewers 9 Mets 7

Everything that's wrong with the Mets was on display in this game. The starting pitching is inconsistent, the bullpen sucks, the team is old and slow and they can't hit with runners in scoring position.

This is the problem with Oliver Perez. You get two very good starts then a third one in which he gives you almost no chance to win. It seemed like he was trying too hard to pitch with a lead, and all his pitches were right down the middle.

The Mets will probably not win a game all year when the starter goes less than 5 innings. The bullpen just isn't good enough for four pitchers (or 5) can come in and not allow a bunch of runs.

5 double plays? 5 double plays! The two most harmful ones were the two hit right at Fielder, so there was an element of bad luck there, but 5 double plays is just too many. That cost the Mets the game.

Carlos Beltran is 0 for 5 in close and late situations. Carlos Delgado is 1 for 9.

The Mets are 2-0 when Mike Pelfrey and Nelson Figueroa start, but they are 2-4 when Johan Santana and Oliver Perez start.

Unhappy Recap: Brewers 5 Mets 3

The big question when the Mets got Santana was were they getting the Santana from 2004 to 2006 or the beatable Santana who went only 15-13 last year and allowed 33 homers. You can't make a judgment based on only 3 games but he is 1-2 so far and allowed 3 homers in this game, in Shea Stadium, one of the best pitchers parks in the NL.

Last year with the Twins Santana was consistent, allowing more than 4 earned runs only twice, but he allowed 3 or 4 runs 13 times. If he does that for the Mets he is going to lose a lot of games. As good as we think the offense is, it really isn't. This team does not score a lot of runs, and Santana is going to lose a lot of games like his last start (1-0 when he left) and almost every game like this time (5 runs allowed).

David Wright is becoming a butcher at third base. I have no idea how he won the Gold Glove last year (name recognition?) but his throwing is becoming a major problem. He had 2 errors in this game and 2 more bad throws that Delgado prevented from being errors. Plus he is having trouble on bunts. He and Schneider screwed one up the other day and him and Santana (mostly Santana) screwed up one up in this game that allowed Hart to score the first run. Wright should have back pedaled when Santana fielded it, and called for him to look Hart back to the bag.

If Reyes is out any length of time it should be Castillo first and Pagan second.

Happy Recap: Mets 4 Brewers 2

An excellent performance by Nelson Figueroa, 2 hits, 2 runs, 6 innings is probably the upper limits of his potential. So I don't think we should expect anything like this the next time he takes the mound. Also, he did get some favorable calls on strikes that the overhead camera revealed to be just off the plate.

I know it sounds like I'm really picking on Delgado but his RBI single should have been scored an error on Fielder. It was supposed to be a double play. But the Mets got good situational hitting from Easley (I will never complain about a sacrifice fly) and Raul Casanova.

And of course the red hot Angel Pagan got another key hit with men on base to bring home a very crucial insurance run.

But there is no situational hitting from Carlos Beltran. For the second day in a row he left a man on third with fewer than 2 outs. This time he did hit the ball hard, but it was right at the pitcher for an easy inning-ending double play.

I think Willie made the right move by trotting Heilman out there again. Now he can rest tomorrow and not have to think about all his bad performances.

It was nice to see Billy Wagner get a 1-2-3 save especially against Fielder, Braun and Hall.


But any game that includes Jose Reyes leaving early with an injury is worrisome. But I had a feeling something was wrong when he grounded into a double play.

Happy Recap: Mets 12 Brewers 4

The Mets started this one off by giving Brian Lawrence a lead on doubles by Wright and Delgado, and an RBI single by Alou.

Lawrence then came out and shut the Brewers down in the first inning (other than a double by Braun), with his fastball in the low 80s. Lawrence waited until the second inning to get Tom Glavine Fever, giving the two runs right back. Then in the 5th after Wright gave him the lead with a home run, he gave up a home run to the first batter in the bottom of the inning, Corey Hart.

But Lawrence got the win thanks to an inside the park home run by Damion Easley. It should have been a double but Bill Hall got too close to the wall, and it hit the part that juts out and the ball scooted past Hall to his left. It wasn't even a close play at the plate.

The Mets broke it open in the 7th. After Castro struck out with the bases loaded, Milledge singled (it should have been a 2-base error on Hardy who just misplayed a grounder in the hole), then Sosa ripped a double to make it 8-3. They added four more in the 9th on a double by Anderson and a homer by Reyes.

Brewers catcher Johnny Estrada nearly got into a fight with manager Ned Yost in the dugout after the 7th inning.

The Mets last saw Brewers starting pitcher Chris Capuano on May 13. Coming into that game he was 5-0 with a 2.31 ERA. But the Mets pounded him that day and since then he is 0-8 with a 6.27 ERA.

Jorge Sosa looked decent in relief and will probably stay in that role even though I was very unimpressed with Lawrence.

Happy Recap: Mets 8 Brewers 5

Oliver Perez started this game with another huge error, on an easy 1-6-3 double play he threw one not even close to Castillo at second base. And once again he allowed the error to linger in his head and he threw one right down the middle to Prince Fielder who crushed one to straightaway centerfield to give the Brewers an early 3-0 lead.

But the Mets stormed right back. Delgado walked, Alou singled, Anderson singled then the great Ramon Castro crushed a 3-run homer to left to give the Mets the lead. Willie absolutely has to give Castro at least 2 starts a week when LoDuca is healthy again. It just makes no sense to bench a guy who is hitting so well, especially when LoDuca is doing so poorly.



But once again Oliver Perez hurt himself with bad defense. He walked the 8th hitter then fielded the sac bunt by the pitcher and fell right on his ass. He did get the out at first but could have gotten the lead runner or maybe even a double play. The next batter singled to tie the game. Then Shawn Green took a belly flop after a bloop landed in front of him -- no way he could have caught it -- and cost the Mets another run...and the lead.

But the Mets stormed back again, Castillo hit an infield single (he can't hit the ball out of the infield), Wright walked and they both scored when Marlon Anderson hit a 3-run homer. Anderson was in centerfield tonight, nothing wrong with Milledge, apparently Willie was just playing a hunch, and it worked out.

Then the Brewers brought in Manny Parra, the only pitcher they didn't use in the first game of the series. He shut the Mets down, striking out 8 in 6 1/3 innings. But he did allow a home run to Shawn Green. It was Green's first in more than 100 at bats and it came just as the announcers were talking about his 4 home run game.

But Oliver Perez also settled down allowing only 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7 in the 3rd through 6th innings. For the game Perez struck out 11 in 6 innings.

Mota pitched two good innings to get to Wagner who saved his 25th of the year (in 26 chances), it was a little rocky but Wagner got it done.

Unhappy Recap: Brewers 4 Mets 2

This was like 2 different games, the first part was a clean crisp pitching duel with Glavine trying to get his 300th win. The second part was a laborious struggle for either team to get a runner on, over and in.

Glavine pitched very well through six innings, allowing 2 hits, though he did give up 5 walks. He had about 30 friends and family with him including his wife, parents and kids who were interviewed and shown incessantly on SNY. Glavine left with the lead but the bullpen couldn't hold it.




The managerial chess match and the overuse of the bunt started in the 6th inning. Jose Reyes doubled and Castillo sacrificed him to second (bad move: too early to start playing for one run, especially when Reyes is already at second and the heart of the lineup is coming up). But that worked itself out when Ned Yost brought the infield in (bad move: you can let in the tying run, just not the go ahead run) and David Wright singled through the drawn in infield and later scored on a sac fly by Alou to give the Mets the lead.

The Mets offense struggles started in the 7th when Castillo and Wright left the bases loaded.

Heilman came on to get a huge double play in the 7th inning, but he started the 8th inning and began the Mets' undoing. He allowed a single to Hardy. Then Feliciano (who has been terrible lately) came on to face Fielder and only Fielder...and he hit him in the arm.




Willie then went to Mota to face Bill E. Hall and Hall doubled to tie the game. It could have been worse though as Mota struck out Miller with the bases loaded and one out. Then he got Graffanino.

The Brewers got the leadoff man on in the 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th and 13th innings.

In the 9th, the Brewers loaded the bases in part due to a horrible error by Delgado (who was also thrown out at home plate earlier in the game after jogging around the bases), but Lastings Milledge saved the day with an incredible diving catch.



He'd make another diving catch later in the game but that one was because he originally misjudged the ball.

Wright and Delgado walked to lead off the 10th inning but old, slow Alou swung away (bad move: a bunt would have put the winning run on third with one out), he probably couldn't be trusted to get the bunt down, and instead he hit into a double play.

In the 11th the Brewers got the first two men on but the sacrifice bunt was thwarted when the Mets got the lead runner at third.

After a single by Fielder in the 12th the Brewers got down a successful sacrifice but couldn't get the hit to drive him home.

Similar situation for the Mets in the 13th except Easley failed to get the bunt down but Alou stole second instead, but was left stranded,

In the bottom of the inning, Graffanino doubled to lead off the inning, and the next batter probably should have bunted, but instead Jenkins hit a home run off Aaron Sele to win the game.

Final word on bunting: Sacrifice bunting early in the game is usually bad. Late in the game when one run really does matter sacrificing with a man on first and none out is not a great play because you only have two chances to get one hit, low percentage. But with a man on second and none out you should bunt because the next batter should be able to drive a man from third in with either a hit or an out, about two-thirds of the time.

Willie left Billy Wagner in the bullpen for a save opportunity that never came. I hate that move. Get your best pitcher in early, worry about later later.

He used Jorge Sosa meaning El Duque will probably pitch Thursday and Maine on Friday, thanks to Monday's off day.

The Brewers pulled a similar move using Wendesday's starter Dave Bush in relief, moving up their other starters.

I was not impressed with Luis Castillo in his Mets debut. He made a couple good defensive plays but he looks lost at the plate. He has zero power and can't even pull the ball. It was like watching Julio Franco.

Ramon Castro and Lastings Milledge had a tough game, going a combined 0 for 11. And in the 13th with Alou on second they both made out.

Happy Recap: Mets 9 Brewers 1

This is why Oliver Perez is so maddening. He can pitch like this, or he can pitch like complete crap. He was awesome today. Every out was a weak fly ball. Through the first five innings there were no assists, 11 flyouts and 4 Ks. Overall, of his 25 outs, 2 were ground balls. And he was awesome.




Damion Easley is quickly becoming 2007's Jose Valentin. I don't know what they are going to do when the Stache returns but they cannot sit Easley. He is doing too well right now. He was only one fewer homer than Wright and Delgado combined. He's jacking one once every 10 at bats. I think Randolph should leave him second in the order for now. I don't think he can afford to bat Wright second with Alou out. That would make the bottom half, Green, LoDuca, Chavez & Easley.

Plus Wright is finally beginning to really break out of it. He had 2 more hits and 3 stolen bases.

Reyes stole his 21st base and hit his 7th triple of the season. That's pace for 31 triples and 95 steals.



And Reyes' future running mate made his major league debut. Carlos Gomez, a speedy rightfielder with a strong arm had two hits and a stolen base in his first game in the bigs. Gomez is only 21, and he projects to be a Reyes type player, with speed and a modicum of power, when he fully matures.




In addition to Gomez the Mets have an 18 year old, named Fernando Martinez at Double A Binghamton. Martinez turns 22 on 10/10/10. Between him and Gomez the Mets feel like they can afford to part with Lastings Milledge.

Unhappy Recap: Brewers 12 Mets 3

This game was actually closer than the final score indicates and the Mets had a good chance to win.

But instead Mike Pelfrey fell to 0-5 and he may get one more start, he might as well, but he has to be sent down when El Duque returns.

Pelfrey is just too hittable, and walks too many guys. 11 base runners in 5 innings today. Trailing 2-0 in the fourth Pelfrey loaded the bases with one out. Then a very strange play happened. Fielder hit a pop up to short right, which Gotay caught easily, infield fly rule was on. Remember that clause in the infield fly rule that states runners can advance at their own risk? Counsell took advantage of that Gotay was so shocked he uncorked a horrible throw home. Then JJ Hardy took off for second and LoDuca fired to Reyes. The Mets took too long to get Hardy in the rundown and Tony Gwynn Jr. scored. Two runs on a popup to the second baseman.

But the Mets weren't dead. They scored 3 in the fifth to cut the lead to one, the last two came on a David Newhan homer.

David Wright led off the 6th with a walk but Beltran and Delgado both struck out and Moises Alou looked like he wished he had the day off. Alou has been struggling with an injured knee. In this at bat he shook his hand as if he'd hurt his thumb, then limped down to first on his groundout and Chavez replaced him. He's too old to play day games after night games.

Pedro Feliciano got Aaron Sele out of a jam in the 7th inning but it all came crashing down in the 8th. You knew Feliciano and Smith couldn't go the whole season without giving up any runs so I guess it's better that this happened in a game the Mets were losing, not one they were leading.

Graffanino singled, then Counsell got hit by a pitch trying to bunt. Smith came in and hit Gross to load the bases. After a single, JJ Hardy hit a grand slam to break the game open 9-3. Brewers added 3 more in the 9th off Schoeneweis.

The Brewers had the leadoff man on in 8 of the 9 innings. It's amazing they hadn't blown the game open earlier.

Hardy leads the NL in homers and RBI.

Rubber game tomorrow, Capuano vs. Perez.

Happy Recap: Mets 5 Brewers 4

Both teams got their leadoff hitters on via walk in the first inning but couldn't score. David Wright hit one very deep to right, but Mench caught it at the wall.

Next time up, in the fourth, Wright would not be denied. He blasted a homer to left center, then after Beltran was ruled safe on a close play at first, Delgado smoked one, also to left center. Usually most of Delgado's power is to pull. Then Alou came up just short of the third homer of the inning with a double off the wall in dead center. LoDuca drove him home with a single.

Geoff Jenkins got one run back in the fifth. After Sosa made him look bad with a couple sliders, Jenkins got under one with his huge left handed uppercut stroke and crushed one to rightfield. Prince Fielder crushed a homer to right also, but almost the exact opposite of Jenkins', it was a straight line drive.

Another solid start for Jorge Sosa, he gave up 2 homers and left with some trouble in the 7th for the second straight game. Seems like his is a 6 inning pitcher, which is fine for a 5th starter on a team with an offense as good as the Mets have.

Pedro Feliciano struck out Corey Hart with two on to end the threat in the 7th.

Damion Easley trying to stay one home run ahead of Wright and Delgado homered in the bottom of the 7th. That turned out to be huge because Aaron Heilman came on to pitch the 8th.

Gary Cohen mentioned that he had retired 16 straight coming into this game but Weeks reached on a comebacker that Heilman couldn't handle, and JJ Hardy cut the lead to 1 with a homer to left.

Carlos Beltran walked to lead off the 8th, and the Brewers still used an incredibly exaggerated shift against Delgado. This would be the perfect time to bunt. Anything fair would be an easy single, but he refuses to try it. Instead he popped out to left field.

Wagner came on for another 1-2-3 save and the Mets draw first blood in the battle of the best teams in the NL.

The game lasted only 2 hours and 18 minutes probably the fastest game of the year, even though there were 6 home runs hit.