Jerry Manuel Continues to Hurt the Mets

Last night the Mets had a chance--a real chance--to get themselves in a position to win.

Sadly, Mets manager Jerry Manuel saw to it that the team was put in the worst position to fail, and they did.

The Situation:

Top of the third, 2 outs, bases loaded, pitcher's spot up, Manny Parra on the mound, Mets down 5-2.

Jerry's Options:

On the bench are three pinch-hitting options:  Chris Carter, Fernando Tatis, and Gary Matthews, Jr

Parra is a lefty, so Chris Carter is not the best option.

Fernando Tatis is a switch hitter.  He is 1 for 2 lifetime against Parra with a double and an RBI.

Gary Matthews Jr is a switch hitter and has no history against Parra.

Narrowing It Down:

On the season Fernando Tatis is 6 for 13 with 2 walks as a pinch hitter--.462 BA, .533 OBP, .769 Slg %, 1.303 OPS

On the season GMJ is 3 for 18 with 0 walks and 10 Ks as a pinch-hitter--.167 BA, .167 OBP, .167 Slg %, .333 OPS

The Decision:

Despite all the evidence clearly pointing to Tatis, Jerry Manuel goes with GMJ, who struck out. 

It was another unfathomable decision in a season full of them.

There were other poor decisions in the game, but that was clearly the one, above all others, that Jerry could have correctly made with ease.

A titanic head-scratcher of epic proportions.

Jerry ball?

Is Fernando Tatis in the Doghouse?

Game after game we keep seeing Jerry Manuel trot out an ineffective Gary Mathews, Jr in a pinch-hitting role, and game after game we see him fail.

On the season, GMJ is a pitiful 3 for 17 as a pinch hitter, and all three hits are singles.  As a pinch hitter he is batting .176, with a .176 OBP, .176 Slg %, and .353 OPS.

The Mets best pinch hitter, Fernando Tatis, is 5 for 11, with a .455 BA, .538 OBP, .818 Slg %, and 1.357 OPS.

The difference in the two is startling, yet it's GMJ that Jerry keeps trotting out there.  In fact, GMJ has exactly twice as many pinch-hitting at bats in May than Tatis--12 to 6.

Finally, here is the stat of the century...I would like to plaster this in Jerry's office until he wakes up.

Gary Mathews, Jr RBI Opportunities:  60 Plate Appearances, 45 Runners on base, and a total of 1 RBI.

Yes my friends, out of the 45 runners on base Gary Mathews Jr has seen this year, one has scored.

I just wonder if Tatis is in the doghouse, of if Jerry is just really this dense. 

1 for 20: Tatis Continues to Struggle

Fernando Tatis remains ice cold this spring.  Today he went 0-3 in a continuation of a drought that has seen him flounder at the plate.

In addition to going hitless (again), Tatis left a runner in scoring position.

Tatis is now hitting .050 this spring.

Status:Miserable

• Born: 1/1/1975 in San Pedro de Macoris,  Dominican Republic

• Bats/Throws: R/R
• HT: 5'11''
• WT: 185
• Bio

• Debut: 7/26/1997
• College: N/A

• Last 10
• Upcoming
• Quick Splits

DATE	OPP	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG
03/03/2010	@ATL	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	A	2010/03/03/nynmlb-atlmlb-1	S
03/04/2010	STL	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	H	2010/03/04/slnmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/05/2010	@STL	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	.125	A	2010/03/05/nynmlb-slnmlb-1	S
03/17/2010	@BOS	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.091	A	2010/03/17/nynmlb-bosmlb-1	S
03/18/2010	@FLA	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.077	A	2010/03/18/nynmlb-flomlb-1	S
03/19/2010	MIN	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.067	H	2010/03/19/minmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/20/2010	@STL	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.059	A	2010/03/20/nynmlb-slnmlb-1	S
03/22/2010	@WSH	3	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	.050	A	2010/03/22/nynmlb-wasmlb-1	S
TOTALS		20	3	1	0	1	1	2	0	.050

1 for 15

In an update to our earlier story from today, Fernando Tatis is now 1 for 15 this Spring Training after his oh'fer today in the Mets loss to the Twins.

Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this...
In the firelight Fernando,
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar.
I could hear the distant drums,
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar

1 for 13

Not sure what to make of Fernando Tatis right now.  In the off-season I advocated for a youth movement, and those plans didn't include the 35-year old, who was terrific in 2008, and not so good in 2009.

Sure, he had a fine August and September, but when the Mets needed him most, the numbers were not very good.

Hopefully the knee thing is over and he'll get back to form, but right now he's not looking like the player the Mets needed him to be, and his bat is not anywhere near that of Chris Carter, the projected "26th man".

Fernando This Spring

• Born: 1/1/1975 in San Pedro de Macoris,  Dominican Republic

• Bats/Throws: R/R
• HT: 5'11''
• WT: 185

• Last 10
• Upcoming
• Quick Splits

DATE	OPP	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG
03/03/2010	@ATL	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	A	2010/03/03/nynmlb-atlmlb-1	S
03/04/2010	STL	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	H	2010/03/04/slnmlb-nynmlb-1	S
03/05/2010	@STL	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	.125	A	2010/03/05/nynmlb-slnmlb-1	S
03/17/2010	@BOS	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.091	A	2010/03/17/nynmlb-bosmlb-1	S
03/18/2010	@FLA	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.077	A	2010/03/18/nynmlb-flomlb-1	S
TOTALS		13	2	1	0	1	0	1	0	.077

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A Tatis/Murphy Platoon Makes Sense

The more I think about Tatis coming back, the more inclined I am to like the idea based on the statistical evidence before us.

First off, Tatis, who had a dreadful first 2/3rds of a season in 2009, hit very well in August and September.

In August he hit .310 with an .811 OPS, and in September he hit .353 with an .883 OPS (he was 4 for 8 in October as well).

His overall splits were:

2009 Batting Splits
Overall	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Total	340	42	96	21	4	8	48	22	9	54	4	1	.282	.339	.438	.777
By Breakdown	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left	133	16	37	9	3	3	19	15	4	25	0	1	.278	.364	.459	.823
vs. Right	207	26	59	12	1	5	29	7	5	29	4	0	.285	.321	.425	.746
Home	172	23	48	8	2	5	27	14	6	27	2	1	.279	.352	.436	.788
Away	168	19	48	13	2	3	21	8	3	27	2	0	.286	.324	.440	.764
Day	107	23	37	5	0	5	21	7	4	18	4	0	.346	.397	.533	.930
Night	233	19	59	16	4	3	27	15	5	36	0	1	.253	.311	.395	.706
Grass	340	42	96	21	4	8	48	22	9	54	4	1	.282	.339	.438	.777
By Day/Month	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Last 7 Days	11	2	6	2	0	0	3	0	0	1	1	0	.545	.500	.727	1.227
April	23	6	8	1	1	1	2	2	1	3	2	0	.348	.407	.609	1.016
May	66	8	15	3	0	1	9	2	4	4	0	1	.227	.288	.318	.606
June	60	5	14	3	1	0	6	6	1	5	0	0	.233	.313	.317	.630
July	48	7	11	4	0	4	8	2	2	10	1	0	.229	.288	.563	.851
August	84	8	26	5	2	1	11	6	1	22	0	0	.310	.359	.452	.811
September	51	6	18	4	0	1	10	4	0	10	0	0	.353	.393	.490	.883
October	8	2	4	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	.500	.500	.625	1.125
Pre All-Star	173	24	43	9	2	4	20	11	8	15	3	1	.249	.320	.393	.713
Post All-Star	167	18	53	12	2	4	28	11	1	39	1	0	.317	.359	.485	.844

If you look at his numbers vs lefty's, the picture becomes even clearer: a decent .278 BA, .364 OBP, and .823 OPS, and that includes the numbers from his putrid May, June and July.

Similarly, Daniel Murphy had a horrendous May, June and July, and it seemed to click for him a little bit in August and September, especially in the power department.

Murph had a very respectable .556 Slg % in September, though he hardly walked at all during the entire season.

2009 Batting Splits
Overall	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Total	508	60	135	38	4	12	63	38	0	69	4	2	.266	.313	.427	.740
By Breakdown	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left	94	10	21	6	0	4	14	6	0	19	1	0	.223	.267	.415	.682
vs. Right	414	50	114	32	4	8	49	32	0	50	3	2	.275	.324	.430	.754
Home	248	30	73	22	4	7	33	12	0	30	2	0	.294	.323	.500	.823
Away	260	30	62	16	0	5	30	26	0	39	2	2	.238	.304	.358	.662
Day	180	21	47	12	2	4	29	16	0	23	3	1	.261	.318	.417	.735
Night	328	39	88	26	2	8	34	22	0	46	1	1	.268	.311	.433	.744
Grass	508	60	135	38	4	12	63	38	0	69	4	2	.266	.313	.427	.740
By Day/Month	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Last 7 Days	15	1	5	1	0	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	.333	.333	.600	.933
April	68	13	22	2	1	1	7	6	0	6	1	0	.324	.373	.426	.799
May	68	8	12	3	0	3	10	10	0	8	0	1	.176	.278	.353	.631
June	75	7	18	3	0	1	7	7	0	10	0	0	.240	.298	.320	.618
July	84	9	21	9	0	1	11	9	0	17	1	0	.250	.323	.393	.716
August	113	9	33	11	1	1	11	3	0	18	1	1	.292	.308	.434	.742
September	90	13	25	9	2	4	15	3	0	9	1	0	.278	.298	.556	.854
October	10	1	4	1	0	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	.400	.400	.800	1.200
Pre All-Star	242	30	60	11	1	5	28	25	0	30	1	1	.248	.314	.364	.678
Post All-Star	266	30	75	27	3	7	35	13	0	39	3	1	.282	.313	.485	.798

You'll notice that his numbers against RH pitching are much better than his numbers vs LH'ers. Moreover, his 20 doubles in 203 August/September at bats is simply outstanding.

If we combine Tatis against LH and Murph against RH using their 2009 splits we can forecast a worse case "player" with about a .280 BA, .350 OBP, and .450 Slg % and 15 HRs and 80 RBIs.

While those numbers are still very average compared to most first basemen in the league, they are not terrible.

I think the two players will actually outperform their 2009 seasons based on the end of season trends, and they can very easily attain a combined 20 HR and 90 RBI season and get on base enough times with gap power to make a decent contribution.

That is good enough.

Official: Send Some Mojo to Tatis

Yes--yes we can.

Abreu Likely Heading West

Numerous reports, including this one from the LA Times, have Bobby Abreu headed to the Angels before the start of spring training this weekend.

According to the article:

Recent reports have indicated that he would be willing to settle for a one-year deal in the $7-million range.

"We'd still like a multi-year deal, but if he doesn't get what he wants, he'll be fine with a one-year deal," Greenberg said. "Then, he could re-establish his market value and hope for better luck next year. He might be faced with that."

As I sit here pondering Abreu while looking at his stats, there's certainly an appeal for the guy, especially in this lower price range.

That said, he turns 35 next month, and I liked what we got out of Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy last year.

By way of comparison, Bobby Abreu had an OPS+ of 120 last year. Fernando Tatis had an OPS+ of 123.

And for my loyal readers who remember this piece, there is absolutely a way to platoon Tatis and Murphy and get fantastic production.

Let's look at Tatis and Murphy and see if the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Fernando Tatis, RH Hitter, 2008:

vs RH: 167 AB, .287 BA, .353 OBP, .527 Slg, .880 OPS, 10 HR, 28 RBI
vs LH: 106 AB, .311 BA, .393 OBP, .415 Slg, .809 OPS, 1 HR, 19 RBI

Daniel Murphy, LH Hitter, 2008:

vs RH: 121 AB, .306 BA, .391 OBP, .455 Slg, .846 OPS, 1 HR, 14 RBI
vs LH: 10 AB, .400 BA, .462 OBP, .700 Slg, 1.162 OPS, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Right away we see one issue--Tatis hit righty's and lefty's with almost equal effectiveness, but his power is down against lefty's. When you view his career splits, the numbers are equal. In other words--he doesn't fit the mold.

So let's dig a bit deeper, and look at both players home and away stats:

Tatis:

H: 143 AB, .350 BA, .409 OBP, .545 Slg, .954 OPS
A: 130 AB, .238 BA, .327 OBP, .415 Slg, .742 OPS

Murphy:

H: 67 AB, .284 BA, .380 OBP, .463 Slg, .842 OPS
A: 64 AB, .344 BA, .417 OBP, .484 Slg, .901 OPS

Tatis thrived at Shea and Murphy thrived on the road. We'll have a new park in 2009, so we'll have to see if this was more psychological than anything else.

One last key to these player's differences--type of pitcher.

Each fared well against average and finesse pitchers, but against power pitchers, Murphy, with his short stroke, has an enormous edge.

Tatis: 73 AB, .229 BA, .297 OBP, .361 Slg, .658 OPS
Murphy: 35 AB, .314 BA, .467 OBP, .543 Slg, 1.010 OPS

This obviously isn't a traditional platoon, but it can be a very good one. Play Murphy vs any power pitcher, regardless of what side of the rubber they throw from, and keep a close eye on both guys' home and away splits.

So forward we move...another player checked off the list.

Is Omar doing the right thing here? Is he playing his cards close to the vest in hopes of finding lightning in a bottle, or perhaps waiting out a mid-season deal?

Call me overly optimistic, but losing out on Bobby Abreu doesn't seem like a very big deal right now.

Jerry: Bat Tatis/Murphy Second

The Mets had a very good lineup last year, but in my opinion it wasn't optimized.

I'm sure everyone has their opinion on who should bat where, and here's my hack at it.

Reyes
Fernando Tatis / Daniel Murphy
Wright
Beltran
Delgado
Church
Schneider/Castro
Castillo
P

As I detailed here, there is a right way and a wrong way to platoon Tatis and Murphy.

So let's first re-visit how they should be used:

Let's look at Tatis and Murphy and see if the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Fernando Tatis, RH Hitter, 2008:

vs RH: 167 AB, .287 BA, .353 OBP, .527 Slg, .880 OPS, 10 HR, 28 RBI
vs LH: 106 AB, .311 BA, .393 OBP, .415 Slg, .809 OPS, 1 HR, 19 RBI

Daniel Murphy, LH Hitter, 2008:

vs RH: 121 AB, .306 BA, .391 OBP, .455 Slg, .846 OPS, 1 HR, 14 RBI
vs LH: 10 AB, .400 BA, .462 OBP, .700 Slg, 1.162 OPS, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Right away we see the issue--Tatis hit righty's and lefty's with almost equal effectiveness, but his power is down against lefty's. When you view his career splits, the numbers are equal. In other words--he doesn't fit the mold.

So let's dig a bit deeper, and look at both players home and away stats:

Tatis:

H: 143 AB, .350 BA, .409 OBP, .545 Slg, .954 OPS
A: 130 AB, .238 BA, .327 OBP, .415 Slg, .742 OPS

Murphy:

H: 67 AB, .284 BA, .380 OBP, .463 Slg, .842 OPS
A: 64 AB, .344 BA, .417 OBP, .484 Slg, .901 OPS

More obvious disconnects. Tatis thrived at Shea and Murphy thrived on the road. We'll have a new park in 2009, so we'll have to see if this was more psychological than anything else.

One last key to these player's differences--type of pitcher.

Each fared well against average and finesse pitchers, but against power pitchers, Murphy, with his short stroke, has an enormous edge.

Tatis: 73 AB, .229 BA, .297 OBP, .361 Slg, .658 OPS
Murphy: 35 AB, .314 BA, .467 OBP, .543 Slg, 1.010 OPS

So with that said, where does this potential dynamic duo best fit in the lineup?

To me it's obvious: second

Both players bring certain strengths to the 2 hole.

With Tatis, you get exceptional RBI ability. To whit, in 2008 he batted .392 with RISP and .308 in Late and Close situations.

The case for Daniel Murphy is even stronger.

Murphy had 63 at-bats in the #2 hole in 2008 and batted .333. Moreover, he hit .375 with RISP and .450 in Late and Close situations. Now in the interest of full disclosure he only had 20 at-bats in Late and Close, but he did produce 9 hits.

By putting these two hitters at the top of the lineup--and hitters they are--you get exceptional punch, the ability to hit to all fields, the opportunity to play the "right guy against the right pitcher", and high OBP where it matters most--before your thumpers reach the plate.

It almost makes too much sense.

Tatis-Murphy Platoon: the Right and Wrong Way

This may be sacrilege amongst the Mets faithful, but the very thought of Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis platooning in LF in 2009 makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

It can be done--it most likely will be done--but it must be done right.

The right way to do this will take a keen mind, situational awareness, and more than just a hunch.

The wrong way to do this would be to trot each guy out against a lefty (Tatis) or a righty (Murphy) and leave it at that.

In the vast majority of platoon situations, a manager has two players of equal talent that have strengths and weaknesses. The players usually bat from opposite sides of the plate and hit a certain type of pitcher well, and another poorly. The platoon is designed to take advantage of both players strengths and create "one great player out of two good ones."

The problem with that is it often fails to produce the desired results.

Let's look at Tatis and Murphy and see if the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Fernando Tatis, RH Hitter, 2008:

vs RH: 167 AB, .287 BA, .353 OBP, .527 Slg, .880 OPS, 10 HR, 28 RBI
vs LH: 106 AB, .311 BA, .393 OBP, .415 Slg, .809 OPS, 1 HR, 19 RBI

Daniel Murphy, LH Hitter, 2008:

vs RH: 121 AB, .306 BA, .391 OBP, .455 Slg, .846 OPS, 1 HR, 14 RBI
vs LH: 10 AB, .400 BA, .462 OBP, .700 Slg, 1.162 OPS, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Right away we see the issue--Tatis hit righty's and lefty's with almost equal effectiveness, but his power is down against lefty's. When you view his career splits, the numbers are equal. In other words--he doesn't fit the mold.

So let's dig a bit deeper, and look at both players home and away stats:

Tatis:

H: 143 AB, .350 BA, .409 OBP, .545 Slg, .954 OPS
A: 130 AB, .238 BA, .327 OBP, .415 Slg, .742 OPS

Murphy:

H: 67 AB, .284 BA, .380 OBP, .463 Slg, .842 OPS
A: 64 AB, .344 BA, .417 OBP, .484 Slg, .901 OPS

More obvious disconnects. Tatis thrived at Shea and Murphy thrived on the road. We'll have a new park in 2009, so we'll have to see if this was more psychological than anything else.

One last key to these player's differences--type of pitcher.

Each fared well against average and finesse pitchers, but against power pitchers, Murphy, with his short stroke, has an enormous edge.

Tatis: 73 AB, .229 BA, .297 OBP, .361 Slg, .658 OPS
Murphy: 35 AB, .314 BA, .467 OBP, .543 Slg, 1.010 OPS

So what's the answer for Jerry Manuel? If I was manager these thoughts would factor into my lineup card:

1. Tatis and Murphy must be used situationally
2. This platoon won't work as a strict lefty/righty
3. Play the hot player when it fits
4. Consider making Tatis the primary leftfielder and get Murphy 60 starts at multiple positions
5. Utilize Murphy's eye as the team's primary pinch-hitter
6. Start Murphy in LF vs all power pitchers
7. Pay close attention to the home and away numbers and monitor for trends

This "platoon" can work, and work well, but it must be done right.

Good Morning Mets Fans!

A win is a win.

The Mets won last night behind a solid start by Mike Pelfrey, two home runs by Mighty Mouse (Fernando Tatis), a strong game by Daniel Murphy, a 2 for 4 night from Carlos Beltran, and a double by Nervous Nick Evans that plated Beltran with the help of a San Diego error.

I think it was great, and the back pages of today's paper are sure to be filled with tales of woe.

We'll get to that.

A win is a win.

The big story of the night was Fernando Tatis. The resurgent slugger hit his 100th and 101st career homeruns and drove in four runs.

His first shot, off starter Chris Young, was of the solo variety and tied the game at one. It was a nice blast and typical of Tatis--full extension with the head of the bat whipping around fast enough to make a physics professor proud.

The second one was more exciting...two men on, Mets down 2-1, Tatis looking for something to hit to keep the rally going.

He hit it--hit it hard and knew he had the distance. As he danced down toward first he did something of a Carlton Fisk impression, waving at it to stay fair, and saw the ball stay in the park just inside the leftfield fair pole.

Tatis raised his arms in jubilation and danced around the basepaths....the Shea faithful asked for and received a curtain call for the likely Comeback Player of the Year and hero of the night.

It was one of the better moments at Shea this year.

"It's unbelievable," said Tatis. "I look at myself right now and I look a couple of years back. I was nothing. Look at the situation I'm in now."

Of Tatis' 9 homeruns, two have tied the game and four have produced leads. He is batting .316 on the season with a robust .531 slugging percentage...he is also on an 11-game hitting streak.

Let's talk about these young guys.

Daniel Murphy continues to impress....really impress. Whether he's robbing people of homeruns by playing a gritty leftfield, staring down the pitcher and battling for walks, or hitting balls to both sides of the field, he looks and acts like he belongs here. He is saying all the right things, too.

"I can't say enough about the people around me that are helping me on this team," Murphy said. "I mean, every time I look up, [Carlos] Beltran has got me in the right spot."

No one is saying this guy is a sure fire bet to be anything more than a major league role player, but as of now he absolutely appears to be someone who belongs here and can help this team try and work its way back to first place.

Mike Pelfrey was solid--not spectacular--solid. 6 2/3rds innings of two run baseball--with both runs by way of solo HR. He scattered 9 hits, only walked one and rebounded nicely from his poor start against the Marlins.

Big Pelf now leads the team in victories with 10 and pitched deep enough to help protect the Wagner-less bullpen. He induced a potentially game saving double play in the 7th before being removed for Pedro Feliciano.

It was the type of game the old Pelfrey would've found a way to lose...in other words, this was another great sign of his maturation into a big time pitcher....a big time pitcher wins these "middling" games when he was his 'B' stuff.

At age 24 Mike Pelfrey is becoming an ace before our eyes, and we're lucky enough to watch it happen.

How about a little shout out for Nervous Nick Evans? He's looked a bit more relaxed of late and had a very nice at bat. Still not sure what we have with this kid, but it sure is nice to see him have some success to build upon before Church gets back and he goes back to the Bing.

Speaking of Church, Ryan worked out yesterday and is day to day waiting to begin his minor league rehab stint.

OK, OK I will talk about the bullpen, but remember, a win is a win.

Aaron Heilman was horrible--stunk up the joint--he was flat out bad.

Was this a bullpen collapse? No.

Did Pedro Feliciano pitch well in relief of Pelf? Heck yes.

Did Joe Smith come in and get a big out on a terrific play by Argenis Reyes? Absolutely.

Did Schoeney get the final out of the game on a meatball down the plate that Giles could have easily hit of out of the park if it wasn't for the fact that he is now off steroids? Yup.

Will Jerry have Heilman on the short leash for his next few outings? Without question.

So there you have it. I am sure the back pages of the papers will be filled with tales of bullpen woe, but the simple fact is three relievers gave up no runs and no hits, while one guy struggled.

The Mets got a win, they gained a game on the Phils, and we are looking for more and more momentum with this home cooking.

Enjoy your coffee!

Scoreboard
Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
San Diego (43-70)	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	3	5	11	2
N.Y. Mets (59-53) «	0	0	0	1	0	3	1	1	x	6	6	0

Player of the Game

New York F. Tatis AB 4 R 2 H 2 HR 2 RBI 4

New York Mets
Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jose Reyes, SS	3	0	0	0	0	2	1	.306
Daniel Murphy, LF	2	0	1	1	2	0	1	.333
Endy Chavez, RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.266
David Wright, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	0	3	.283
Carlos Delgado, 1B	2	1	0	0	2	1	0	.267
Carlos Beltran, CF	4	2	2	0	0	2	2	.268
Fernando Tatis, RF-LF	4	2	2	4	0	0	1	.316
Damion Easley, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.276
Pedro Feliciano, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a- Nick Evans, PH	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.240
Aaron Heilman, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Joe Smith, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Scott Schoeneweis, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Brian Schneider, C	3	0	0	0	1	0	1	.247
Mike Pelfrey, P	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.103
Argenis Reyes, 2B	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	.289
Totals	27	6	6	5	6	5
a-doubled for Feliciano in the 8th
Batting
2B - Daniel Murphy (1, Hensley), Nick Evans (5, Hampson)
HR - Fernando Tatis 2 (9, C. Young, Adams)
SH - Jose Reyes (4), Mike Pelfrey (7)
RBI - Daniel Murphy (1), Fernando Tatis 4 (33)
2-OUT RBI - Fernando Tatis (6)
Team LOB - 5
Fielding
DP - Easley-Reyes-Delgado

New York Mets
Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mike Pelfrey (W,10-7)	6.2	9	2	2	1	3	2	3.85
Pedro Feliciano (H,12)	1.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.76
Aaron Heilman	0.1	2	3	3	1	0	1	5.67
Joe Smith (H,10)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3.80
Scott Schoeneweis (S,1)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3.12
Pitches-Strikes - Mike Pelfrey 101-59, Pedro Feliciano 15-9, Aaron Heilman 19-10, Joe Smith 4-3, Scott Schoeneweis 1-1
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Mike Pelfrey 11-5, Pedro Feliciano 1-2, Aaron Heilman 1-0
Batters Faced - Mike Pelfrey 29, Pedro Feliciano 4, Aaron Heilman 4, Joe Smith 1, Scott Schoeneweis 1

News and Notes

John Maine will travel to NY today to have an MRI to determine if there's any structural damage on his shoulder. He complained of pain before the game and dropped his shoulder angle during the game, which caused concern for other injuries due to the change in his motion.

Maine is next scheduled to pitch Sunday in Houston.

Pedro Martinez will get the start Friday and will be on an 80 pitch count.

Jerry Manuel named Fernando Tatis his starting leftfielder from here on out.

21-year old John Niese, the Mets best minor league pitcher, has been promoted to AAA.

Good Morning Mets Fans! 6 in a Row!

There was something in the air that night,
The stars were bright, Fernando!

From scrap heap, to scrappy star. Fernando Tatis is baseball's feel good story of the year.

On a day the Mets learned the Moises Alou era at Shea is most likely over, Tatis, a Comeback Player of the Year candidate, did it again. He went 3 for 5 with two doubles and a homerun, while driving in 4 runs. His 7th inning two-run bomb put the Mets up for good.

He is winning over the hearts of his manager, teammates and the Shea faithful with his hustle, clutch hitting, and the energy and smile he carries around with him...he is a gamer and exactly the type of player NY fans love to cheer.

Tatis stroked a two-run double in the third inning against Barry Zito before untying a 3-3 game with a shot over the fence in left-center against Sergio Romo (0-1) in the seventh. Fans chanted "Ta-tis" following the homer and again as he came to bat in the eighth inning.

When you lose [Alou and Church] you think of replacing them with like pieces," interim manager Jerry Manuel said. "But if you look around, you might have had that piece staring you in the face."

"This is New York," Tatis said. "Sometimes they are going to boo you and sometimes they are going to clap for you. So far they've been great." "He's a good ballplayer. He's always been a tough out. He's not a surprise to the guys who know him," said Billy Wagner, who was starring for Houston when Tatis had his one brilliant year.

And the clutch stats certainly tell the tale of this unlikely hero. He is hitting 12 for 26, .462, with runners in scoring position. How about pressure? In "close and late" situations he is hitting .368.

Fernando-Mania!

How amazing were the Mets pitchers against the Giants? How about 3 runs and 9 hits in 3 games....that is staggering.

John Maine didn't have great control yesterday and his pitch count suffered, but he didn't allow the Giants much.

The bullpen, for the second straight game, was the star. 4.1 innings of one-hit ball. Yesterday it was Muniz, Schoeneweis (who got the win), Goggles and Billy Wagner.

Our young guys continue to rake--David Wright had two doubles and Jose Reyes drove in a run...not sure if you are aware, but neither player is going to the All-Star game.

So here we sit, after a 6-game winning streak, 4 games over .500, 1.5 games back in the NL East, and 3.5 games back in the NL Wild Card.

We talked about our favorable schedule earlier in the week, and how big a part that is going to play for the rest of the year. The Mets are very much in the hunt and are 14-9 under Jerry Manuel.

Guys are hitting, guys are pitching, we're running more and the results have been tremendous. Let's take it to the Rockies and close out the first half in style.

It's a good morning to be a Mets fans. Enjoy your coffee you wild-eyed optimists!

Scoreboard
Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
San Francisco (39-53)	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	3	3	2
N.Y. Mets (48-44) «	0	0	3	0	0	0	4	0	x	7	9	0

Players of the Game

New York D. Wright AB 3 R 2 H 2 HR 0 RBI 0

New York F. Tatis AB 5 R 1 H 3 HR 1 RBI 4

New York Mets
Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jose Reyes, SS	4	0	1	1	1	0	1	.300
Argenis Reyes, 2B	5	1	1	0	0	1	5	.308
David Wright, 3B	3	2	2	0	2	0	0	.288
Carlos Beltran, CF	5	1	1	1	0	0	6	.265
Fernando Tatis, RF-LF	5	1	3	4	0	0	1	.303
Carlos Delgado, 1B	4	0	0	0	1	0	2	.246
Nick Evans, LF	4	1	1	0	0	0	2	.185
Endy Chavez, RF	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.268
Brian Schneider, C	1	1	0	0	3	1	0	.249
John Maine, P	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	.111
Carlos Muniz, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a- Chris Aguila, PH	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.167
Scott Schoeneweis, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
b- Damion Easley, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.286
Duaner Sanchez, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Billy Wagner, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	34	7	9	6	8	2
a-hit a sacrifice bunt for Muniz in the 6th
b-grounded out for Schoeneweis in the 7th
Batting
2B - David Wright 2 (24, Romo, Matos), Fernando Tatis 2 (5, Zito, Zito)
HR - Fernando Tatis (4, Romo)
SH - Chris Aguila (1)
RBI - Jose Reyes (40), Carlos Beltran (63), Fernando Tatis 4 (18)
2-OUT RBI - Jose Reyes (21)
Team LOB - 12
Fielding
DP - A. Reyes-Delgado

New York Mets
Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
John Maine	4.2	2	3	3	5	8	0	3.99
Carlos Muniz	1.1	0	0	0	1	1	0	5.54
Scott Schoeneweis (W,1-2)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2.72
Duaner Sanchez	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	3.63
Billy Wagner	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2.43
WP - John Maine 2 (9)
Pitches-Strikes - John Maine 109-63, Carlos Muniz 20-10, Scott Schoeneweis 8-5, Duaner Sanchez 21-12, Billy Wagner 5-5
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - John Maine 2-4, Scott Schoeneweis 2-1, Duaner Sanchez 1-0, Billy Wagner 1-2
Batters Faced - John Maine 21, Carlos Muniz 5, Scott Schoeneweis 3, Duaner Sanchez 4, Billy Wagner 3