Mets Sweep Doubleheader

The Mets swept the Phillies in their day-night doubleheader, winning the nightcap by a score of 6-3.

• Dillon Gee went six innings, giving up three runs on nine hits, while striking out two and walking two.

• The Mets scored five runs in the third inning. A fielding error by Hunter Pence allowed for the first two runs of the inning to score. Nick Evans later doubled to score Willie Harris. Josh Thole capped off the inning with an RBI single to center field.

• Ruben Tejada drove in the Mets' sixth run of the game in the fourth inning.

• Bobby Parnell, Daniel Herrera, and Manny Acosta pitched a combined three scoreless innings of relief. Acosta recorded his fourth save of the season.

• According to Peter Botte, Mookie Wilson will leave the team due to a death in the family. Wally Backman will coach first base for the remainder of the season.

Next Up: The Mets finish their series with the Phillies tomorrow afternoon. Mike Pelfrey will take the mound for New York. Game time is 2:10 p.m.

Gee Takes Mound For Mets In Round Two With Phillies

September 24, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Dillon Gee (12-6, 4.48 ERA)

The last time Gee faced the Phillies, he gave up eight runs in 3.2 innings of work. Lifetime against the Phillies, he is 1-1 with a 10.22 ERA.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Starting Pitcher: Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.30 ERA)

Blanton, whose last start was in May, is only expected to pitch one or two innings. He has been out for most of the season with an elbow injury. In his career, he is 3-1 with a 3.63 ERA against the Mets.

METS GAME TWO LINEUP:

Tejada SS, Turner 2B, Harris LF, Wright 3B, Evans RF, Thole C, Satin 1B, Pridie 8, Gee RHP.

Dickey Excellent As Mets Beat Phillies

The Mets handed the Phillies their seventh straight loss in game one of the day-night doubleheader.

• R.A. Dickey was perfect through the first five innings of the game before giving up a leadoff walk in the sixth inning. He then carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. It was broken up by a double from Shane Victorino. Victorino would later score the Phillies only run.

• Dickey was pulled after seven excellent innings of work. Personally, I would have left him in to at least try for the win. Instead, Dickey ends his season with a no-decision.

• Valentino Pascucci tied the game in the seventh inning with a home run to left field. It was his first Major League home run in seven years.

• David Wright drove home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning with a double to left field scoring Ruben Tejada.

• Miguel Batista and Bobby Parnell combined to pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

• Manny Acosta made things interesting in the ninth inning. After getting the first two outs of the inning, Acosta gave up a single to Raul Ibanez and a walk to John Mayberry. He then got Carlos Ruiz to fly out to end the game and record his third save of the season.

• Jason Bay left the game in the third inning. The illness he has been battling all week flared up again.

Next Up: Dillon Gee will take the mound for game two of the doubleheader. Game two starts at 7:10 p.m.

Dickey, Mets Set For Game One Against Phils

September 24, 2011

1:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: WPIX

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: R.A. Dickey (8-13, 3.35 ERA)

Dickey went 7.2 innings against the Braves in his last start, but once again, was handed a loss due to his team’s lack of run support. Hopefully tonight is the night his luck changes. Against the Phillies he is 2-3 with a 2.90 ERA.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Starting Pitcher: Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.80 ERA)

Hamels goes for his 15th win of the season tonight. If he is successful, he will tie a career-high. Luckily for the Mets, he hasn’t been very good when facing New York. Against the Mets, he is 3-10 with a 4.69 ERA.

METS GAME ONE LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Tejada-2B, Wright-3B, Bay-LF, Evans-1B, Harris-RF, Nickeas-C, Pridie-CF, Dickey-RHP

Mets Morning News: Duda Staying In Right, Alderson Is Fixing The FarmSystem

Terry Collins told reporters yesterday that he plans to have Lucas Duda as his right fielder in 2012. If Angel Pagan does not return with the team next season, they are going to look outside of the organization for a new center fielder. Why look outside the organization? Just like the fans, Collins does not want to see an outfield made up of Duda, Jason Bay, and Daniel Murphy.

Tim Bontemps of the NY Post takes a look at how Sandy Alderson has turned around the Mets farm system.

After years of strictly adhering to MLB’s bonus recommendations for draft picks, the Mets broke from that formula in June’s First-Year Player Draft. That allowed the organization to acquire several high-upside prospects like first-round pick Brandon Nimmo, a high school outfielder from Wyoming, and 15th-round selection Phil Evans, a high school shortstop from California.

Rain Out And Schedule Changes

Tonight's game between the Mets and Phillies was rained out. That means tomorrow the two teams will play in a day-night doubleheader.

Game one starts at 1:10 p.m., and game two is set to begin at 7:10 p.m. Tickets for tonight's game can be used for tomorrow's 7:10 game.

R.A. Dickey will face Cole Hamels in game one, while Dillon Gee and Joe Blanton will start game two.

Sunday's series finale has been pushed back, and will begin at 2:10 p.m.

Pagan To Sit Out After Hitting Himself In The Head

September 23, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: R.A. Dickey (8-13, 3.35 ERA)

Dickey went 7.2 innings against the Braves in his last start, but once again, was handed a loss due to his team's lack of run support. Hopefully tonight is the night his luck changes. Against the Phillies he is 2-3 with a 2.90 ERA.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Starting Pitcher: Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.80 ERA)

Hamels goes for his 15th win of the season tonight. If he is successful, he will tie a career-high. Luckily for the Mets, he hasn't been very good when facing New York. Against the Mets, he is 3-10 with a 4.69 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Tejada-2B, Wright-3B, Bay-LF, Evans-1B, Harris-RF, Nickeas-C, Pridie-CF, Dickey-RHP

NOTES:

Lucas Duda and Angel Pagan are both sitting out of tonight's game with a headache. Duda crashed into a wall the other night trying to run down David Freese's triple at Busch Stadium. Pagan just hit himself in the head with his back swing. Not even kidding.

Mets Morning News: Capuano Trade Talk, Contract Extensions, Madoff Mess

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, the Mets had been considering trading Chris Capuano to the Red Sox. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, nobody ever told Capuano.

"I heard about it after the game," Capuano said. "I'm glad I didn't know about it. Today I just tried to focus on the game. It didn't happen, so I don't know if there's much more to talk about."

Had the trade occurred, Capuano would have made one start for Boston, and he would not have been eligible for the postseason.

The Daily News is reporting that the Mets will exercise Terry Collins' option for 2013 sometime in the next ten days.

As for Collins' option, the team could serve two purposes by deciding to exercise it immediately after the season. Most important, it would save him from any whiff of lame-duck perception next season, his second on the job.

Collins has a two-year contract, so if the Mets wait to make the third year official, and they begin the season poorly, he might face a situation similar to Jerry Manuel in 2010. That year, every slump led to questions about Manuel's future.

Richard Sandomir and Ken Belson of the New York Times, chronicle Fred Wilpon's and Saul Katz's history as investors.

In court documents and depositions, Wilpon and Katz portray themselves as typical brokerage customers relying on Madoff’s expertise, not as executives comfortable with the complexities of stock investing. They assert that they did not understand Madoff’s investment strategy, but also that they did not question his distinctively reliable returns.

A number of people were interviewed for the story, and according to one source:

"You can’t run those businesses and be successful, and pretend you are a rube."

Another said: "These guys asked incisive questions during negotiations; they were very tough negotiating loan documents. They understood interest rates and loan swaps. They are not country bumpkins, and they had sharp people around them on the financial side."

Mets Rally To Avoid The Sweep, Beat Cards 8-6

The Mets rallied to beat the Cardinals, 8-6, and avoided the sweep by St. Louis.

• Chris Capuano wasn't particularly good today. In 4.2 innings, he gave up four runs on eight hits, while striking out four and walking two. Capuano gave up a two-run home run in the first inning to Allen Craig. Albert Pujols took Capuano deep in the fifth inning for his 37th homer of the season.  He also allowed an RBI single to Yadier Molina in the fifth inning.

• The Mets first run of the game was in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Ruben Tejada drew a walk, forcing in a run.

• New York was down 6-1 going into the ninth inning, but rallied to score seven runs. Cardinals reliever Jason Motte walked just about everybody he faced, forcing in a run at one point. Marc Rzepczynski then entered the game to pitch for St. Louis, and Jose Reyes greeted him with an RBI single to left field. The Cardinals then turned to Fernando Salas who gave up a two-run double to Tejada, and a two-run single from Willie Harris.

• Bobby Parnell pitched the ninth, and threw a 1-2-3 inning to record his sixth save of the season.

• With this win, the Mets finished their season on the road with a 43-38 record.

Next Up: The Mets head home for their final homestand of the season.  R.A. Dickey will take on Cole Hamels and the Phillies tomorrow night. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

The Mets, The Red Sox And The September Collapse

Twenty-five years ago, the Red Sox and Mets faced off in one of the most memorable World Series in history - 1986, Bill Buckner, you know the rest.  From a Boston fan perspective, Game 6 may be the lowest moment in Red Sox history.  Of course, Game 7 is one of the best in Mets history, and maybe the last great moment of the last 25 years.  For most Mets fans, that is the only championship in their lifetime, and for younger fans, those cocaine fueled teams represent a mythical time when the Mets were unbeatable.  That year, 1986, was the last time the Mets were truly unbeatable.

Of course, the Mets have been eminently beatable ever since.  Losing season after losing season, disaster after disaster reaching a nadir in 2007, when the Mets set a record for ineptitude by blowing a seven game division lead in a matter of days.  Tom Glavine stepped to the mound on the last day of the season, needing to pitch the Mets into the playoffs, and promptly surrendered seven runs to a Marlins team looking to play spoiler.  The season ended, and the Mets have never recovered.

Up in Boston, the Sox are on the verge of their own history.  This team came into the season with sky high expectations - read this delightful Boston Globe article for confirmation. The money quote?

"The Red Sox have won 100 or more games three times in their 110-year existence.

They will make it four in 2011."

The Red Sox, by the way, will not be winning 100 games this season.  They will be lucky to crack 90 at the rate they've been playing.  This is not in the way of gloating - fans of New York's "other" team often find their rooting interest aligned with that team up in Boston.  We both hate the Yankees, and in the end, that's all that matters.  But the Red Sox entered September with nine game lead over the third place Tampa Bay Rays, and are doing everything in their power to cough it up.

The Sox are looking to steal the mantle of "worst September collapse" from the Mets.  Ignominious history for certain, and a trophy the Mets would love to remove from their trophy case.  But is their collapse actually worse than the Mets in 2007?  Let's reopen some wounds.

First of all, this Red Sox team came into the year with sky high expectations, but still had to contend with the Yankees in front of them.  The 2007 Mets, remember, were fired up by Jimmy Rollins' comments that his Phillies were the team to beat that year, in spite of the fact that the Mets were defending NL East champs.  Rollins was right in retrospect, and even at the time it seemed like the Phils were more likely to contend.  These Red Sox were coming off a third-place finish last year, a Division Series sweet the year before, and a tough ALCS loss the year before that.  They have two World Series championships this year, but the Yankees have the more recent ring and have owned the division over the last decade, at least during the regular season.

Second, this Red Sox team has been decimated by injuries.  Talent-wise, they probably top the league.  Health-wise, they have had almost every one of their stars miss time, and have seen significant chunks of time lost from almost all of their starters.  The 2007 Mets had their injuries for certain, but they got 160 games out of David Wright and Jose Reyes, and 27+ starts from four of their five starting pitchers. This was a surprisingly durable team that also got the second half of the season from a red-hot Moises Alou, and a terrific season from the oft-injured Carlos Beltran.

Finally, this Red Sox team has played a fairly difficult schedule.  The Rays team that has been creeping up on them is very good, and even though the Red Sox have owned the Yankees this year - they lead the season series 11-4 at the moment, with three more games left to play next week - they still provide a challenge.  Even the perennial also-ran Blue Jays boast the best current hitter in baseball, Jose Bautista, and will finish over .500.  The 2007 Mets face off against the Nationals and Marlins 18 times each, and those two teams combined to lose 190 games.  A rare non-contending year from the Braves meant the Mets could only get beat by the Phillies - or themselves.

We all know the punchline - David Wright had his best month of the season but the rest of the Mets went into free fall.  The Red Sox still have a good chance to back into the playoffs, but they shouldn't feel good about their chances of contending this year if they do make it.  And Mets fans can root for 2007 to get erased from the history books - it's about all we've got left to root for this year.

Capuano, Mets Set For Final Road Game

September 22, 2011

1:45 PM ET

Busch Stadium, St. Louis

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Chris Capuano (11-12, 4.47 ERA)

Capuano finally had a win in his last start, where he went five innings, giving up two runs on six hits. In his career, he is 5-5 with a 5.18 ERA against the Cardinals.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Starting Pitcher: Jake Westbrook (12-9, 4.58 ERA)

Westbrook struggled in his last start, throwing 71 pitches in just 3.1 innings of work against the Phillies. The last time he faced the Mets, he gave up two runs in eight innings. Lifetime against New York, he is 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA.

Mets Morning News: Updates On Duda And Bay, Beato's Tired

A Cardinals team doctor examined Lucas Duda after the right fielder left last night's game with dizziness. Duda crashed into the right field wall while trying to run down David Freese's first inning triple. The doctor did not find any symptoms of a concussion, but Duda will be re-evaluated this morning.

The Star-Ledger's Andy McCullough also reported that Jason Bay has been given antibiotics for a chest cold. He could return to the Mets lineup today.

Pedro Beato's velocity has dropped significantly over the past few weeks, going from 95 to 89. The reason: He's tired.

"I'm just tired," Beato said. "It's been a long season. I've been going about two years straight pitching and stuff. This is the first time I've done it, and it's caught up to me thus far. I'm just trying to finish it out, not throw in the towel early. It's just overall. It's nothing that requires any treatment or anything. I've been throwing a baseball for 20 months now. It's a long time."

Bullpen Blows Another, Mets Lost 6-5

The Mets blew another one, and with the loss are guaranteed a losing season.

• Chris Schwinden went six innings, giving up three runs on six hits, while striking out five and walking two. After giving up a two-run triple to David Freese in the first inning, and an RBI single in the second to Allen Craig, Schwinden settled down to pitch four scoreless innings.

• The bullpen, once again, blew another game. Miguel Batista, Daniel Herrera, and Pedro Beato allowed a combined three runs to score in the seventh inning. It's getting to the point where  I don't trust anyone coming out of the bullpen.

• Lucas Duda left the game after crashing into the right field wall in the first inning. Josh Satin took his place and went on to hit his first extra-base hit, and drive in his first two Major League RBIs.

• Willie Harris was 3-4 at the plate, and he made an outstanding catch in left field to save at least two runs in the second inning. He hit his second home run of the season in the ninth inning to bring the Mets to within one run.

• Trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning, the Mets rallied to score four runs in the inning, including Satin's two RBIs. Two runs also scored when Rafael Furcal made a fielding error.

Next Up: The Mets send Chris Capuano to the mound in the series finale with the Cardinals this afternoon. Game time is 1:45 p.m.

Maybe The Third Time Will Be The Charm For Schwinden

September 21, 2011

8:15 PM ET

Busch Stadium, St. Louis

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Chris Schwinden (0-2, 5.40 ERA)

Schwinden makes his third Major League start tonight. Things haven't gone well since he was called up from Triple-A Buffalo. He has gone five innings in each of his first two starts, and has allowed six runs on 12 hits over that two game span.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Starting Pitcher: Jaime Garcia (12-7, 3.59 ERA)

Garcia is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA and 14 strikeouts in the month of September. Against the Mets, he is 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Pagan-CF, Wright-3B, Duda-RF, Evans-1B, Harris-LF, Paulino-C, Turner-2B, Schwinden-RHP

Mets Morning News: Changes At Citi Field, Moneyball

During last night's game Sandy Alderson sat down in the SNY broadcast booth and suggested that the dimensions at Citi Field may change next season.

"We're taking a very serious look at it, and done some analyses, and I would think sometime in October we'll make a decision as to exactly what we're going to do...We're not looking for an advantage with respect to home runs versus visitors' home runs," Alderson said. "At the same time, I think there is some sense that the park is a little more overwhelming to a team that spends half its time there as opposed to a team that comes in for three games and doesn't really have to alter an approach or think about it too much and leaves."

According to Mike Puma of the NY Post, Paul DePodesta did not want his name used in "Moneyball." DePodesta got his wish.

"Just the whole idea of somebody else portraying me to the rest of the world was unnerving, for better or worse," DePodesta said. "They could have made me look like Superman [and] it still would be just sort of odd. That was something that sat in the back of my mind.

"I was asked and saw some different iterations of the script, and I realized the character that was in there wasn't even me. At that point I had to remind myself, 'It's a movie. It's fiction.' "

Only Thing Mets Upset Is My Stomach

The Mets had a chance to play spoiler against St. Louis, who is fighting for a playoff spot. Instead, they squandered an early 4-0 lead, and eventually lost to the Cardinals, 11-6.

• Mike Pelfrey went six innings, giving up five runs on ten hits, while striking out two and walking none.

• The bullpen was atrocious. Josh Stinson, Tim Byrdak, and D.J. Carrasco gave up a combined six runs in the seventh inning.

• General manager Sandy Alderson joined the SNY booth during the game, and stated that as of right now, the 2012 closer is not in the organization. Obviously, Sandy.

• Lucas Duda doubled home the first run of the game for the Mets in the first inning.

• The Mets would go on to score three more runs in the third inning on ground outs from David Wright and Willie Harris, and a single from Josh Thole.

• Pelfrey helped himself out at the plate as well. He hit a ground-rule double in the fifth inning to drive in the Mets' fifth run of the game.

• Angel Pagan was 3-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. With the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Pagan drew a walk to force in the Mets sixth run.

• The Mets left 13 men on base.

Next Up: The Mets continue their series with the Cardinals tonight. Chris Schwinden gets the start. Game time is 8:15 p.m.

Pelfrey, Mets Look To Ruin The Cardinals' Postseason Plans

September 20, 2011

8:15 PM ET

Busch Stadium, St. Louis

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Mike Pelfrey (7-12, 4.48 ERA)

Pelfrey went seven innings in his last start, and tied a season high with six strike outs. Lifetime against the Cardinals, he is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Starting Pitcher: Edwin Jackson (5-2, 3.32 ERA)

Jackson was acquired by the Cardinals on July 27, and has since then he has started ten games. Opposing batters are hitting .302 against him.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Pagan-CF, Wright-3B, Duda-RF, Harris-LF, Evans-1B, Thole-C, Tejada-2B, Pelfrey-RHP

Mets Morning News: Looking For A Cheap Closer, Tejada Is A Key Player,Potential Investor Picks Yankees Instead

Mike Puma of the NY Post writes that general manager Sandy Alderson is likely not spending big money on a closer this offseason. Seeing as how no one currently on the Mets seems to be a "proven" closer, Alderson will have to search elsewhere.

The likely scenario has the Mets acquiring a cheap, proven veteran and hoping they get lucky -- in much the same manner they did with Jason Irsinghausen this year.

Alderson isn't bothered by the fact that none of the current crop of Mets pitchers appears qualified for the job.

"I'm not troubled by it," Alderson said. "One of the reasons that you try a variety of possibilities is to sort through it all. We know more than we did a month and a half ago, and that is a good thing."

Brendan Prunty of The Star-Ledger believes Ruben Tejada could be a "key player" in the Mets' future. Tejada has been proving as of late that he can fill in for Jose Reyes, and he's happy about that.

So were the Mets, who got another glimpse of why losing Reyes in the offseason to free agency wouldn’t necessarily be a death knell to the franchise. Sure, they would miss the electrifying speed at the top of the batting order and the power that comes with Reyes, but Tejada showed once again that he is growing more capable of taking over the shortstop and leadoff role.

According to David Waldstein of the New York Times, Ray Bartoszek, the wealthy former oil trader who had an interest in buying a minority stake in the Mets, has instead become the newest limited partner with the Yankees.

"My conversations with the Mets was a very interesting and positive experience, and I was able to parlay that into this great opportunity,” Bartoszek said. “I’m privileged now to be a part of this incredible group of owners."

As for his negotiations with the Yankees:

"It was done within 90 days of the initial contact," Bartoszek said. "It was the most straightforward negotiation I’ve ever been a part of."

Mets Morning News: Byrdak Extended, Old Habits Die Hard, SantanaPitches Without Issue

The Mets and Tim Byrdak agreed to a one-year contract extension yesterday. The left-hander has appeared in 68 games so far this season, and is 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA.

Manager Terry Collins believes Dillon Gee fell into old habits during his outing on Sunday.

"He stayed in that fastball/change-up mode," Collins said. "I looked up (at one point) and he had 65 pitches, and about half were for balls and half were strikes. That’s the difference. He’s the kind of guy where you look up and he ought to be pounding that strike zone. When he does that, that’s when he’s successful.

"Today, he was a lot of deep counts and behind a lot of hitters. That’s not normal for him."

Johan Santana pitched three innings in a simulated game against instructional league players. General manager Sandy Alderson said Santana "felt good," after his outing where he allowed one hit and struck out four.

Mets Minor League Playoff Update: Cyclones, Gnats and St. Lucie Metsvaliant seasons end with no rings

Savannah Sand Gnats

So close, and yet, so far.

It was game four, the Gnats had a 2-1 series lead, and were one strike away from winning the South Atlantic League Championship. Unfortunately, they never got that strike.

Despite a fantastic comeback, coming back from a 7-2 deficit, the Gnats eventually lost game four and then game five last night. The story of these two losses mainly falls on the shoulders of the pitching staff.

In game four, only one pitcher, Ryan Fraser, pitched a clean inning. Eric Goeddel, who had a solid season for Savannah, gave up seven runs in four innings. He was followed by Michael Hebert, who also gave up one run. Even with these performances, giving up eight runs in five innings, the Gnats mounted comeback, and took a 9-8 lead into the ninth inning.

Feast Your Eyes On This Ladies And Gentlemen

Or don't. It's probably better if you don't.

After today's game against the Braves, the Mets rookies were subjected to the annual rookie hazing. This year's theme: Cheerleaders.

WARNING: These are the ugliest cheerleaders you may ever see.

Justin Turner

Lucas Duda

Both photos are courtesy of Turner's Twitter account.

If your eyes can handle it, there are some more pictures over at ESPN New York.

Mets Walk All Over Braves

The Mets were able to get to the Braves mighty bullpen this afternoon, beating the Braves, 7-5.

• Dillon Geelasted just 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, while striking out four and walking five.

• Ruben Tejada had a huge day at the plate, going 2-4 with four RBIs. He hit a three-run double int he fourth inning, and he drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning with a single to right field.

• The Mets were lucky in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, Braves reliever Jonny Venters walked Ronny Paulino to force in the tying run.

• Lucas Duda hit his 10th home run of the season in the ninth inning off Braves closer Craig Kimbrel.

• Bobby Parnell had a very Parnellesque outing. He was hitting 99 on the radar gun, but the command was not there. After getting Martin Prado to ground out to start the eighth inning, he gave up back-to-back walks to Chipper Jones and Dan Uggla. He was then able to get Brian McCann to fly out to deep center field. By that point, Terry Collins had seen enough, and Manny Acosta was brought in.

• Mets pitchers gave up a combined nine walks in the game. Between the Mets and Braves, there was a total of 17 walks. Yikes.

Next Up: The Mets have the day off on Monday. They begin a three-game series against the Cardinals on Tuesday night in St. Louis. Mike Pelfrey gets the start for New York. Game time is 8:15 p.m.

Maybe Today Will Be The Day The Mets Decide To Play Spoilers

September 18, 2011

1:35 PM ET

Turner Field, Atlanta

TV: WPIX

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

 Starting Pitcher: Dillon Gee (12-6, 4.37 ERA)

Gee pitched five very good innings before falling apart in the sixth in his last start. Fun fact about Gee, he has allowed more earned runs in the sixth inning this season than in any other inning. Here's hoping today's different. Against the Braves, he is 2-2 with a 2.86 ERA.

ATLANTA BRAVES

Starting Pitcher: Brandon Beachy (7-2, 3.43 ERA)

Beachy is making his first career start against the Mets this afternoon. He hasn't lost a game since July 19. In his last start, he went 5.1 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits, while striking out ten.

METS LINEUP: 

Tejada-SS, Pridie-CF, Wright-3B, Duda-RF, Bay-LF, Evans-1B, Thole-C, Turner-2B, Gee-RHP

NOTES:

According to Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest, the Mets and Tim Byrdak are close to signing a 1-year extension for next season.

Johan Santana will throw a simulated game this afternoon in Florida. His next stop should be pitching in the instructional league during the offseason.

Mets Morning News: Thole Wants To Be Better, Wright Can't Let ThingsGo, Savannah's Out

Josh Thole told Mike Puma of the NY Post that he is not happy with his catching this season. Guess what, Josh, us fans weren't exactly thrilled about your catching either.

"I don't want to be what's called a defensive liability," Thole said. "You lead the league in passed balls, and I'm sure that is raising questions. I don't want those questions anymore. I don't want to hear the negativity that I can't catch in the big leagues."

David Wright doesn't know how to forget about a bad days work. Wright opened up to the Daily News about how this year has affected him.

"I guess it's just in my nature to focus on the negatives, and what I could have done, instead of the positive," Wright says. "Having a short-term memory and being able to forget about it - it would probably be the ideal situation, but I just don't know if that's in my DNA. I wish I could."

"I think that I need to do a better job of, good and bad, leaving it at the ballpark after the game. Sometimes, especially when you're struggling, you take it home with you. You're kind of dragging on, and that can hurt you, performance-wise, the next day, and the day after that."

After coming within one strike from winning the South Atlantic League championship Thursday night, the Mets' single-A affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats lost in a winner-take-all game 5, Friday.