Mets Morning News: Wright Meets With Collins, Reyes To Binghamton,Alderson Doesn't Like Idea Of Pelfrey To Pen

Following last night's debacle, David Wright met with manager Terry Collins for a closed-door meeting.

"We’re in a rut, and we’re playing pretty bad baseball right now, so we’ve got to find a way to figure some things out and try to play better," Wright said. "It’s not just about the winning and the losing. ... We just can’t allow ourselves to just play out the season. It’s obviously a bad situation to begin with. And the last thing you want to do is just go out there and play the games for the sake of playing the games.

"Hopefully people realize that there’s a lot on the line going into next year, and we clean some things up and get some things going. It’s us as a team. Everybody’s guilty of it to some degree. We just need to clean it up a little bit and go out there and try to play better baseball."

Jose Reyes is expected to begin his rehab assignment Thursday in Double-A Binghamton. The Mets plan to have Reyes play three to four games before being activated from the disabled list.

According to the Daily News, general manager Sandy Alderson rejected the idea of moving Mike Pelfrey to the bullpen.

"It was just a thought I had," [Terry] Collins said. "I'm trying to come up with options of, as we look down the road, what can make us good. Here is a guy that I know can throw 95-97 . . . "(but) it's one thing to say, and it's another thing to replace 200 inning - which he is going to give you."

Mets Get Blown Out In Philly, Lose 10-0

• Dillon Gee really did not have his good stuff tonight. He allowed a season high eight runs and allowed a season high six walks in only 3.2 innings.


• After disappearing for a couple of minutes when it was his turn at bat, Angel Pagan had to leave the game early with what turned out to be the stomach flu.


• Ryota Igarashi pitched again today, and no matter how bad the bullpen has pitched, he makes everyone else look better. After giving up two more runs today, his ERA for the month of August is up to 8.00, and his season ERA is now 5.54.


• As for some bright spots, two of the young Mets, Lucas Duda and Ruben Tejada, continue to show why they belong. They combined for the Mets three hits against Cliff Lee, and Tejada in particular, looked very good in the field.

At the end of the day, there is no denying the Phillies are a much better team than the Mets. They beat them at every level, even more fundamentally sound, and a game like this does nothing to change that fact. Tomorrow Jon Niese faces Vance Worley, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM.

Gee Gets The Start Against Phillies Tonight

August 22, 2011

7:05 PM ET

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Dillon Gee (11-4, 3.92 ERA)

Gee allowed four runs to the Phillies in a five-out relief appearance back on April 29. In his career, he is 1-0 with a 6.23 ERA against Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee (13-7, 2.82 ERA)

In his last start, Lee gave up two runs on three hits to the Diamondbacks, while striking out seven. Against the Mets, he is 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

Pagan-CF, Turner-2B, Wright-3B, Bay-LF, Duda-1B, Hairston-RF, Paulino-C, Tejada-SS, Gee-RHP

Mets Morning News: Niese Gets Extra Rest, Reyes Update, Bullpen NeedsHelp Now, Pelfrey As A Closer?

Jon Niese, who was scheduled to start today's game against the Phillies, will instead pitch Tuesday. Dillon Gee will get the start against Cliff Lee. The Mets decided to give Niese an extra day to rest in between starts.

Jose Reyes hopes to begin playing rehab games later this week. Reyes will most likely play for either Triple-A Buffalo of Double-A Binghamton. He will run the bases today in Philadelphia to test his hamstring.

"I don't worry about facing live pitching," Reyes said. "I just worry about my legs. I don't want to be on the field too soon and not be ready. Hamstrings are tricky. One day you feel good and the next day you try to run and blow your hamstring up."

Following Sunday's loss, manager Terry Collins essentially admitted to everyone that the bullpen is awful, saying the team needed help now, not when the rosters expand on September 1. One of the names (actually the only name) he mentioned as a potential call-up was Binghamton right-hander Josh Stinson.

According to the Daily News, the Mets have approached Mike Pelfrey about the possibility of being the team's closer next season.

"Would you be willing to be the closer next year?" Terry Collins asked the pitcher, according to someone who was briefed on, but did not witness or participate in, the conversation.

"Absolutely," Pelfrey responded.

While the article does note that this scenario is likely never going to happen, it's still a terrifying thought.

Can Anybody Pitch Around Here? Pitching Kills Mets Once Again

So, I leave town for a few days only to come back and see that the Mets bullpen is as awful as ever.

• Today was R.A. Dickey's fifth consecutive quality start without a win. Dickey went seven innings, giving up two runs on six hits, while striking out four and walking none. He retired the first six batters he faced before starting off the third inning by hitting Jerry Hairston with a pitch. He gave up a solo home run to Casey McGehee in the fourth inning, and an RBI to Prince Fielder in the sixth.

• Lucas Duda tied the game in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to right field. This was his sixth home run of the season.

• After Jason Bay hit a double in the seventh inning, Josh Thole BUNTED and failed to advance the runner. Thole had no business bunting in that situation. I don't know what the reasoning was behind that play, but it better not happen again.

• The Mets bullpen continued to be atrocious. Manny Acosta, Tim Byrdak, Jason Isringhausen, and Pedro Beato combined to give up four runs in two innings of relief work. Manager Terry Collins had to go to his bullpen THREE times in the eighth inning. Acosta and Byrdak were unable to record an out in the inning. Isringhausen struggled, but managed to get three outs.

• I should cut Tim Byrdak some slack seeing as how he did enter the game and did get a ground ball to turn a potential double play. Justin Turner was given an error after throwing the ball to Ruben Tejada who looked like he just missed the ball. In my book, that error belongs with Tejada, not Turner. The error allowed Nyjer Morgan to score.

• Today was also a day of firsts. With the loss, the Mets are now six games under .500 for the first time since  May 4th, and this was also the first time the Brewers have ever swept the Mets in Queens.

Next Up: The Mets head to Philadelphia for a three-game series against the Phillies beginning Monday night. Jon Niese goes up against Cliff Lee. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

Mets Morning, Pregame News: Reyes Update, Izzy Collapse, Citi FieldDimensions Change

Jose Reyes ran the bases today at Citi Field, and reported no problems. He is going to run with more intensity tomorrow. Terry Collins said he should be in rehab games, at a higher level, later this week.

Reyes stated: Hamstrings are tricky, as one day it can feel good, but next can blow out. However, after three weeks rest last time he was ready to play.

In last night’s game, Jason Isringhausen faced four batters, all of whom came around to score, without recording an out. In his post-game news conference he summed up his performance:

“No excuse, warmed up in the bullpen fine, and I just lost it, couldn’t find the strike zone. It’s on me. When our team comes back like that and I go out and do that, it’s just a debacle. It’s one of the worst outings of my career.”

Although nothing is official, changes are expected regarding the dimensions at Citi Field in the offseason.

Among the changes, expect to see the left-field wall, which is nearly 16 feet tall, to be lowered. General manager Sandy Alderson, while not definitively stating changes would be made, said earlier this week there are nips and tucks that can be made to the 2.5 acre field that would not require any major structural changes to the ballpark.

Mets Try To Recover From Heartbreaking Loss, Avoid Sweep

August 21, 2011

1:10 PM ET

Citi Field, New York

TV: WPIX

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: RA Dickey (5-11, 3.77 ERA)

It is all up to Dickey today as the Mets try to salvage this series.  Dickey won his last start against San Diego, giving up three runs in 7.1 innings.  Dickey has pitched well against the Brewers over the last five years, with a 2.65 ERA.

MIlWAUKEE BREWERS

Starting Pitcher: Yovani Gallardo (13-8, 3.55 ERA)

The Mets get a tough draw against Gallardo, who struck out nine Dodgers the last time he took the mound and gave up one run in an eight inning no decision.  However, the Mets touched Gallardo for 10 hits and four runs in June, knocking him out after just four innings.

Mets Lineup:

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