Gee Outduels Jurrjens in 5-0 Win Over Braves

The Mets shut out the Braves tonight to even up the series.

• Dillon Gee went seven strong innings, not allowing a run and giving up just four hits. He struck out two and walked two. He is now 6-0 and is the first Mets rookie ever to win his first six starts.

• Jair Jurrjens shut down the Mets until the seventh inning. Jason Pridie got the Mets on the board with a bases loaded single, and Jose Reyes broke the game open with a three-run triple. Reyes has now hit ten triples this season.

• Daniel Murphy had another multi-hit game, going 2-4, and is now hitting .3o3.

• Most importantly...THE BULLPEN DIDN'T BLOW IT. Pedro Beato and Tim Byrdak each pitched a perfect inning of relief.

Next up: The Mets finish their series with the Braves tomorrow night on ESPN. Game time is 8:05 p.m.

Mets & Braves: Here's Hoping For a Complete Game From Gee

June 4, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Dillon Gee (5-0, 3.83 ERA)

Gee looks to become the first Mets rookie since Jon Matlack to win six consecutive starts. Against the Braves, he is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA.

ATLANTA BRAVES

Starting Pitcher: Jair Jurrjens (7-1, 1.51 ERA)

In each of his first nine starts this season, Jurrjens has gone at least six innings and has not allowed more than two earned runs in a game. Jurrjens is 8-2 with a 2.54 ERA against the Mets.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Turner-3B, Beltran-RF, Murphy-1B, Pagan-CF, Bay-LF, Thole-C, Tejada-2B, Gee-RHP

Mets Morning News: Wright & Ike Updates, Gee Has Support From Matlack

Ike Davis spoke with reporters at Citi Field on Friday, saying he is inactive as he waits for the bone bruise in his left ankle to heal.

David Wright will not be able to begin baseball activity for another three weeks. After learning the results of Wright's physical exam at the Hospital for Special Surgery, GM Sandy Alderson stated:

"I was a little surprised by the result. I had hoped if David had been asymptomatic he would be cleared for baseball activity, but the doctor felt -- and rightly so -- that this is something that needs time to heal and typical time frame for that is around six weeks."

Former Mets pitcher Jon Matlack told the Daily News that it's about time another Mets pitcher, Dillon Gee in particular, made a run at breaking his rookie record of six straight wins.

"That would be cool. It's about time somebody broke that record, and he sounds like my kind of kid. Like I said, he'll keep pitching until the game stops him."

What a Mess, Mets Blow Another

The Mets bullpen blew another game. Shocking, I know.

• Jon Niese pitched a fine game, going 7.2 innings and giving up two runs on eight hits. He struck out seven and walked just one.

• Daniel Murphy had another multi-hit game, going 2-4 with an RBI.

• Jason Isringhausen, who appears Terry Collins is trying to pitch to death, blew the game in the eighth inning with a little help from Jose Reyes. On a routine ground ball by Alex Gonzalez, Reyes simply didn't reach the ball and as a result, Dan Uggla scored the tying run.

• Francisco Rodriguez gave up three more runs to the Braves in the ninth on an Eric Hinkse home run and a two-run double by Freddie Freeman. For those of you keeping track at home, yes, he did get a game finished tonight.

For the better part of this week, the bullpen has been useless. Starting pitchers need to start being conditioned to go longer in to games. Forget about teams protecting their pricey investments. They are getting paid to pitch, let them pitch.

Next up: The Mets send Dillon Gee to the mound tomorrow night to face Jair Jurrjens.

Mets Take On The Braves On "Don't Trade Reyes Night"

June 3, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Jon Niese (4-5, 3.92 ERA)

In 6.1 innings of work his last time out, Niese threw a career-high 122 pitches and struck out six. In five career starts against Atlanta, he is 1-2 with a 3.04 ERA.

ATLANTA BRAVES

Starting Pitcher: Derek Lowe (3-4, 4.03 ERA)

Lowe has been struggling as of late, and hasn't won a game since May 6. He did beat the Mets earlier this season. He is 5-5 with a 5.51 ERA against the Mets. 

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Turner-3B, Beltran-RF, Bay-LF, Murphy-1B, Pagan-CF, Thole-C, Tejada-2B, Niese-LHP

NOTES:

The Mets called up Manny Acosta from Triple-A Buffalo to take Mike O'Connor's spot on the roster.

The folks over at The 7 Line have coordinated a "Don't Trade Reyes Night." Fans will meet on the Shea Bridge in the fifth inning of tonight's game to begin a "Jose chant," and let ownership know just what Reyes means to the fan-base.

Mets Morning News: Trading Wright, Turner's Award, and Roster Moves

According to Andy Martino of the Daily News, trading David Wright will not be easy for the Mets.

"The $16 million club option for 2013 belongs only to the Mets. If the Mets trade Wright this offseason, the acquiring club would control him for just one year, with no contract option for 2013. Wright would become a free agent after next season.

That information is a game-changer for the third baseman's trade value. It makes Wright a one-year rental, and reduces the package that the Mets could get in return."

Justin Turner has been named National League Rookie of the Month in May. He is the first Met to win the award since it began in 2001.

"It means I was good this month. It will be something really cool to look back on down the road, but now I've just got to show up tomorrow and get ready for tomorrow. There's no time to pat myself on the back."

Mike O'Connor was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Manny Acosta is expected to take his place on the roster.

Mets Show A Little Fight In Comeback Win

The Mets were trailing 7-0 early on, but rallied to beat the Pirates 9-8. It was their biggest comeback since 2000.

• Mike Pelfrey went five innings, giving up seven runs on ten hits, while striking out three and walking one. Pelfrey, in a word, stunk.

• Carlos Beltran was 2-4 with four RBIs. He got the Mets on the board in the third inning with a three-run homer.

• Ruben Tejada had a two-run single in the sixth inning. He ended the day with three RBIs in all, with the third being the go ahead run in the eighth.

• The bullpen held it together for the most part. Tim Byrdak, Bobby Parnell, and Jason Isringhausen went a combined three scoreless inning. Francisco Rodriguez allowed a run in the ninth.

• The eighth inning was one of the most dysfunctional innings I've seen since, well, yesterday. Luckily, it was the Pirates who were making mistakes for the most part. Willie Harris was brought in to pinch-run for Ronny Paulino, and Chris Capuano was brought in to pinch-hit. Apparently Terry Collins trusts Capuano to get a sacrifice bunt down more than any other player on his bench. Pirates pitcher Jose Veras balked on a 1-1 pitch to Capuano, allowing Harris to get into scoring position. Veras then followed with a wild pitch, which moved Harris to third. In the middle of all this, Capuano was replaced by Josh Thole in the middle of his at-bat. Capuano had failed to get two bunts down. Clearly Collins was not joking yesterday. If you can't execute plays, he's going to make a change.

Next up: The Mets welcome the Braves to Citi Field for a three-game series beginning Friday night. Jon Niese will take on Derek Lowe.

Pelfrey, Mets Try To Even Up Series With Pittsburgh

June 2, 2011

1:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Mike Pelfrey (3-4, 5.00 ERA)

Pelfrey pitched well in his last outing, but took a no-decision. He went 7.2 innings and struck out a season high six batters. He is 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA against the Pirates.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Starting Pitcher: Paul Maholm (2-7, 3.18 ERA)

Maholm has not allowed more than two runs in seven of his last 11 starts this season. In his last start, he threw a shut-out on just 91 pitches. He is 3-3 with a 4.60 ERA against the Mets.

Mets Morning News: Terry Erupts, Bullpen Stinks, and Parnell's Command

In case you missed last night's post-game, Terry Collins flipped out about the Mets sloppy play, and another blown lead in the seventh inning.

"I'm running out of ideas here. Do we play hard? Absolutely. That's not the issue. The issue is not effort. That's not it. It's about execution. We have to add on some points when we get the lead. And I'm not looking for home runs. I'm looking for quality at-bats. We can't make careless mistakes. We do. We give up at-bats. We can't do that. We don' that kind of team."

"That seventh and eighth inning are my players that I put out there. I truly believe in them. Therefore maybe I've got to make some adjustments. And, by god, they'll be made. I don't know if it comes with finding different players. But they'll be made. Something is going to be changing."

To watch Collins rip into his players, click here.

The Mets bullpen struggled mightily in last night's loss, and has now allowed 32 runs in the past 25 1/3 innings over ten games.

Terry Collins would like Bobby Parnell to regain his command with the Mets, not with Triple-A Buffalo.

"If there's one guy that knows him, it would be [pitching coach] Dan Warthen."

Mets Lose Another Game and Terry Collins Just Plain Loses It

• Following tonight's disaster, Terry Collins flipped his lid in his post-game press conference. Collins was almost in a blind rage while talking to reporters.

• Chris Capuano went six innings, giving up five runs on eight hits, while striking out two and walking one.

• The bullpen was horrible once again. Pedro Beato gave up three runs on three hits. Mike O'Connor was next in line out of the bullpen, and he couldn't get anyone out, giving up a run.

• If you didn't think Willie Harris was awful before, you must after tonight's game. Harris was 1-4 at the plate and struck out three times. In the field, he did not get his foot on third base to make a force out, and he failed to field a bunt.

• One bright spot from the evening was Justin Turner's solo home run in the eighth inning. It snapped the Mets' ten game home run drought.

• With Jose Reyes returning to the Mets tomorrow, the Mets announced that Taylor Buchholz is being placed on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue.

Watching the seventh inning tonight reminded me of watching a bunch of five-year-olds run around the field, clueless as can be. Simple plays could not be made by just about every one it seemed. Tonight's loss clearly sent Collins over the edge, and who can blame him. Look at the players he has to work with. Granted, a majority of them should be in Triple-A or on the bench, but these guys were messing up routine plays.

I praise Collins for his fiery interview. It's something I haven't seen in a long time, and it's something this team needs to hear. Hopefully the players take his words and find whatever motivation they need. If not,well, Collins may be making some moves.

"Maybe I've got to make some adjustments. And, by god, they'll be made. I don't know if it comes with finding different players. But they'll be made. Something is going to be changing."

Players beware: You're days in New York may soon be numbered.

To view Collins' interview, click here.

Next up: The Mets finish up their series with the Pirates with an afternoon game at Citi Field, Thursday. Game time is 1:10 p.m.

Mets Look To Bounce Back After Last Night's Debacle

June 1, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Chris Capuano (3-5, 4.94 ERA)

In his last outing, Capuano went six strong innings against the Phillies, giving up two runs and striking out eight. Against the Pirates, Capuano is 3-6 with a 6.46 ERA.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Starting Pitcher: Kevin Correia (7-4, 3.44 ERA)

Correia is 6-1 on the road, and has gone at least six inning in nine of his last 11 starts this season. Lifetime against the Mets, he is 1-3 with a 2.94 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

Pagan-CF, Turner-2B, Beltran-RF, Bay-LF, Murphy-1B, Paulino-C, Harris-3B, Tejada-SS, Capuano-LHP

Nobody Wants To See A Met At The All-Star Game?

Apparently not.

Major League Baseball released early balloting results for the All-Star Game, and Mets players aren't getting any love from fans.

The only players who appear to have collected any votes are David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran. Who knows if any of them will even be with the Mets by July.

I can't say I'm all that surprised by the results. The Mets are a below .500 team. Players from below .500 teams are not in demand at the ASG.

This is what happens though when you leave these kinds of things to the fans. It becomes a popularity contest.

What was the saying MLB came up with for the ASG a few years back? This time is counts?

No, MLB. If it really counted, players would be chosen based on stats and performance through the first half of the season. Not because a fan was able to sit at their computer and vote 25 times.

Mets Morning News: Injuries, Trading Wright, Reyes' Return

Ike Davis will wear a boot for the next three weeks, and is most likely out until the All-Star break.

"The only baseball activities he can do, basically, is play catch, and he'll be able to swing. But he's not to do any running whatsoever for the next three weeks. There's still a hot spot where the bone bruise is. So we're going to pretty much shut him down from that type of activity."

David Wright's stress fracture in his lower back will be re-examined Thursday. The exam, which is reportedly just an X-ray, will help the Mets decide when he may begin baseball activities.

Speaking of David Wright, he may be the one Sandy Alderson trades away in order to keep Jose Reyes on the team.

Jose Reyes is expected to return to the Mets from the bereavement list on Thursday. He has been in the Dominican Republic following the death of his grandmother.

If Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz have any hope of keeping the Mets, their chances rely on a piece of legislation introduced last week. Under the bill, introduced by Rep. Gary Ackerman, bankruptcy trustees such as Irving Picard, would be barred from, "Suing investors victimized by a Ponzi scheme unless the trustee could prove they participated in the scam."

Dickey Brilliant Through Seven, But Mets Fail To Win

The way this game started, it looked as though the Mets were going to get a complete game shut out by R.A. Dickey, but just like that, it turned out to be like any other Mets game. They lost to the Pirates 5-1.

• R.A. Dickey was outstanding through the first seven innings. He struck out a career high ten and retired 13 straight batters. The Pirates got to him in the eighth inning, however, scoring three runs. He was clearly hurting throughout the night, and despite the eighth inning meltdown, he managed to pitch his best game of the year.

• Bobby Parnell made his first appearance since being reinstated from the disabled list. He was awful, giving up two late inning runs. He supposedly hit 99 miles per hour on the radar gun tonight, but that doesn't mean much when he doesn't have the command to go along with it.

• The Mets lone run of the game came courtesy of a Jason Bay single in the first inning.

• Daniel Murphy and Angel Pagan each went 2-4 at the plate.

Next up: The Mets play the third game of their four game series against the Pirates. Chris Capuano will get the start. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

Show Carter The Respect He Deserves

I never had the chance to see Gary Carter play. He was with the Mets from 1985-89, and retired in 1992, just before I began watching baseball.

I've seen Mets Yearbook. I've seen all the documentaries on the 1986 team. But all that doesn't replace seeing "The Kid" play live.

During his playing years, Carter was an 11-time All-Star who won three consecutive Gold Glove Awards, five Silver Slugger Awards, and a World Series Championship. In 2003, he was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was always optimistic and had a positive outlook, both on and off the field. This positive attitude will no doubt serve him well as he embarks on the biggest battle of his life. Cancer.

Doctors believe Carter has Grade 4 glioblastoma, and have deemed it inoperable.

When the news broke that Carter had four small brain tumors, fans took to the Internet to voice their support, and renewed the argument for the Mets to retire Carter's jersey, number 8.

Fact is, it should have been retired a long time ago. No Met has worn that number since 2003 anyway.

So what's the hold up? As observed over the years, there are certain numbers, although not officially retired, that are just not handed out anymore.

Why not show this man the respect he deserves and retire it already?

This I would like to see.

Mets Hope The Hits Keep Coming Against The Pirates

May 31, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: R.A. Dickey (2-5, 4.50 ERA)

The Mets weren't sure if Dickey would be making tonight's start after suffering a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his last start. Dickey was able to convince Terry Collins, however, he was good to go. He is 1-0 against the Pirates with a 3.24 ERA.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Starting Pitcher: James McDonald (3-3, 5.23 ERA)

McDonald retired 17 of the last 20 batters he faced in his last start. He has struggled to get through the first inning in a few of his starts so far this season. he is 0-1 with 4.41 ERA against the Mets.

METS LINEUP:

Pagan-CF, Turner-2B, Beltran-RF, Bay-LF, Murphy-3B, Evans-1B, Thole-C, Tejada-SS, Dickey-RHP

NOTES:

It's not good news for Ike Davis, who has been trying to heal a sprained ankle and bone bruise.

Mets Morning News: Financial Future, Dickey, Davis

David Einhorn couldn't guarantee the Mets financial situation would improve in the future, saying:

"I can't make any such assurance. It'll be what it'll be. It's not that people aren't going to try really hard to avoid that sort of a circumstance. But the future is uncertain. And there's a wide range of possible outcomes, of all sorts of things. And that's true of life in general, and it's true in this circumstance as well."

R.A. Dickey convinced manager Terry Collins that he was healthy enough to start Tuesday's game against the Pirates. Dickey admits that he is not 100 percent:

"It's tough to do a spur-of-the-moment game-energy type of movement, but at the same time I feel comfortable it's going to be fine having done what I did today. It's just a matter of how much pain can you fight through."

The Mets expect to get test results from the MRI given to Ike Davis. They are trying to determine why it's taking so long for his sprained ankle and bone bruise to heal.

Gee Throws A Gem, And The Hit Parade Continues For Mets

The Mets had 15 hits in their 7-3 win over the Pirates tonight at Citi Field. They have had 32 hits the past two days.

• Dillon Gee was fantastic once again. He went seven innings and gave up three runs on five hits, while striking out eight. He gave up a home run to Chris Snyder in the second inning, but went on to retire the next nine batters. He is the second Mets rookie ever to start the season 5-0.

• Justin Turner went 2-4 with an RBI. Turner now has an RBI in six consecutive games. He already holds the Mets rookie record of RBIs in consecutive games (7).

• Josh Thole had two RBIs tonight, as he continues to work out of whatever funk he's been in. Speaking of getting out of a funk, Daniel Murphy had a three-hit night with an RBI and two runs scored.

• Francisco Rodriguez closed out the game, recording his 20th game finished.

Looking at this lineup prior to the game, I thought it would be more likely that I see 15 strike outs from them, but they proved me wrong. It also helped a little that Pirates catcher Chris Snyder couldn't catch anything in the second inning. As I always say though, they'll take 'em any way they can get 'em.

Next up: The Mets continue their series against the Pirates tomorrow at Citi Field. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

Mets Welcome Pirates To Town

May 30, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Dillon Gee (4-0, 3.83 ERA)

In his last outing, Gee had a rough first inning, but went on to retire the next 15 of 16 batters and get his fourth win of the season. In one career appearance against the Pirates, he pitched six shut-out innings, and is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Starting Pitcher: Charlie Morton (5-2, 2.61 ERA)

Morton went seven innings in his last start, giving up two runs on seven hits, while striking out four. Against the Mets, he is 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

Harris - 3B, Turner - 2B, Beltran - RF, Murphy - 1B, Pagan - CF, Thole - C, Pridie - LF, Tejada - SS, Gee - RHP

NOTES:

Jose Reyes will miss the next 3-7 days after being placed on the bereavement list. His grandmother passed away and he is on his way to the Dominican Republic.

Jason Bay is getting the night off. He's played in every game since May 5.

R.A. Dickey will pitch on Tuesday.

Ike Davis flew to New York today to undergo an MRI to see how the bone bruise in his left ankle is healing.

Mets Morning News: Hopeless Baseball, Re-signing Reyes, and Community

Columnist Jeff Bradley of the Star-Ledger writes that hopeless summer baseball isn't always a bad thing.

"With the Mets there's no reason not to sit back and enjoy what will surely be a carefree summer of baseball with a likeable old-school manager in Terry Collins and a group of players who seem eager to prove they deserve a big league paycheck.

No, it's not the same thing as being in the thick of the pennant race, in 10 of the last 16 years the Mets were either in the NL East lead or within three games of the wild card on Memorial Day, but with the right attitude, this summer can be savored."

Bill Madden of the Daily News believes the Mets must make a serious offer to try and re-sign Jose Reyes, or they will have some 'splainin' to do with fans.

"No player in baseball is making more noise on the field right now than Reyes, leading the National League in hits, doubles, triples, stolen bases, multihit games and, perhaps most important of all for Mets ownership, home batting average - which after Sunday's 4-for-5 was a robust .398. By contrast, the silence from above that has greeted all this noise has been deafening...Mets ownership owes it to its fans to either take its best shot to sign him - or explain to them why and how the brass has a better idea."

The Mets begin their "Teammates in the Community Week" this morning, as Sandy Alderson along with players, are scheduled to visit the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum. This year's "Teammates in the Community Week" will feature veterans and active military personnel at every event. Other events throughout the week will include a ceremony at the Empire State Building, a softball game between the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force at Citi Field, a wheelchair exhibition game for veterans, and a visit to a local Veterans Hospital.

Bullpen Tries To Blow Third Game In A Row, But Mets Hold On

The Mets beat up on the Phillies this afternoon, winning the series finale by a score of 9-5.

• Jon Niese was outstanding this afternoon, going 6.1 innings, and allowing one unearned run on five hits, while striking out six and walking four. He threw a career-high 122 pitches.

• Mets bats came alive today, jumping out to an eight run lead early on. They scored four runs in each of the first two innings. Justin Turner drove in his 20th RBI of the season in the first inning.

• Jose Reyes was fantastic at the plate today. He went 4-5 with two triples. Reyes is just fun to watch. Fred Wilpon may not think he's worth the money, but I beg to differ.

• Josh Thole went 3-4 this afternoon, with three RBIs.

• The bullpen tried to blow it today, but couldn't. Taylor Buchholz allowed three runs in 1.1 innings of work, including a home run to Raul Ibanez. Pedro Beato gave up a run in his 1.1 innings of relief.

Injury news:

Carlos Beltran left today's game with a tight hamstring after the sixth inning. He is expected, however, to be in Monday's lineup.

On a side note, there were a TON of Phillies fans at the stadium today, and while I expected obnoxious behavior from them, it turns out it came from a particular Phillie player instead. While patrolling left field, Raul Ibanez was being heckled by some Mets fans. In response he turned around and spit in their direction.

You keep it classy, Philadelphia.

Niese Takes The Hill As Mets Look To Win Series Finale

May 29, 2011

1:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: WPIX

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Jon Niese (3-5, 4.33 ERA)

Despite giving up six runs in his last outing, Niese was able to lower his ERA by six points. He has faced the Phillies twice this season, posting an 0-2 record with a 6.97 ERA.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Starting Pitcher: Vance Worley (2-0, 2.14 ERA)

Worley, replacing the injured Joe Blanton in the rotation, went five innings in his last start. He allowed three runs on six hits, while striking out three. In his only other start against the Mets, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA.

Mets Morning News: Einhorn, Reyes, And Carter

According to Adam Rubin, David Einhorn may have the opportunity in the future to acquire majority ownership of the team.

"Einhorn has agreed in principle to purchase roughly 33 percent of the team for $200 million, which will infuse cash and keep the organization solvent in the immediate future. In three years, according to the source, Einhorn has an option to up his stake to 60 percent, although principal owner Fred Wilpon and his family have an opportunity to block Einhorn from gaining that majority stake."

Stever Serby of the New York Post sat down for a Q & A with Jose Reyes, in which he discusses free agency, his best and worst moments as a Met, and playing in New York.In regard to fans not wanting him to leave, Reyes says:

"They just want me here, because they know I play the game the right way, and I try to give you everything that I have to this team, and to put a good show on the field. I'm the guy who plays hard every single day so I think the fans like that. When you give 100 percent every day, everybody's going to like that. They see me healthy now. . . . This year they see the real Jose Reyes."

Gary Carter's tumors are most likely inoperable, according to the Post.

"The nature of Gary Carter's fight against brain cancer became more clear yesterday, when the family was told by doctors they were '99 percent sure' the Hall of Famer has a Grade 4 Glioblastoma and that it is likely inoperable."