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. 

Mets vs Jamie Moyer

GMJ is batting leadoff tonight, and looking at the numbers, it's a good move:

Player	PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
David Wright	50	47	20	4	0	3	11	1	3	0.426	0.440	0.702	1.142
Jose Reyes	46	43	12	2	2	1	3	2	5	0.279	0.311	0.488	0.799
Luis Castillo	31	26	8	5	0	0	0	5	0	0.308	0.419	0.500	0.919
Jeff Francoeur	30	30	9	1	0	0	1	0	1	0.300	0.300	0.333	0.633
Fernando Tatis	25	22	8	1	0	1	4	3	1	0.364	0.440	0.545	0.985
Gary Matthews	24	23	7	3	0	2	3	1	3	0.304	0.333	0.696	1.029
Henry Blanco	11	11	5	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.455	0.455	0.455	0.909
Oliver Perez	10	9	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	0.222	0.300	0.222	0.522
Alex Cora	10	7	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.429	0.500	0.714	1.214
Rod Barajas	9	8	2	0	0	1	2	0	1	0.250	0.250	0.625	0.875
Jason Bay	8	8	3	1	0	1	2	0	1	0.375	0.375	0.875	1.250
Angel Pagan	6	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.167	0.167	0.167	0.333
John Maine	5	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.200	0.200	0.200	0.400
Mike Pelfrey	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Fernando Nieve	2	2	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0.500	0.500	0.500	1.000
Total	277	256	83	17	3	9	28	14	21	0.324	0.363	0.52	0.882

Mets vs Halladay

Here are the stats of the current Mets roster against Roy Halladay....he's a tough SOB to hit.

PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	SH	SF	IBB	HBP	GDP	missG
Gary Matthews	33	32	6	1	0	0	2	1	10	.188	.212	.219	.431	0	0	0	0	0
Alex Cora	22	21	3	0	0	1	2	1	3	.143	.182	.286	.468	0	0	0	0	0
Jason Bay	19	18	5	1	0	2	4	1	5	.278	.316	.667	.982	0	0	0	0	1
Rod Barajas	9	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.000	.000	0	0	0	0	0
Fernando Tatis	9	9	2	0	0	1	2	0	3	.222	.222	.556	.778	0	0	0	0	0
Luis Castillo	8	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	.143	.143	.143	.286	1	0	0	0	0
Jose Reyes	4	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.500	2.500	0	0	0	0	0
Jeff Francoeur	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333	.667	0	0	0	0	0
David Wright	3	3	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	.333	.333	1.000	1.333	0	0	0	0	0
Henry Blanco	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.500	.500	.500	1.000	0	0	0	0	0
Total	112	108	24	2	2	4	11	3	29	.222	.243	.389	.632	1	0	0	0	1

How to Fix a Lineup, Jerry Style

I hope the Mets score 10, but this is a bit ridiculous.

Tonight's lineup:

1. Pagan/CF
2. Castillo/2B
3. Reyes/SS
4. Bay/LF
5. Wright/3B
6. Davis/1B
7. Francoeur/RF
8. Barajas/C
9. Maine/P

The lineup should be:

1. Reyes/SS
2. Pagan/CF
3. Wright/3B
4. Bay/LF
5. Davis/1B
6. Francoeur/RF
7. Barajas/C
8. Castillo/SS
9. Maine/P

Chris Carpenter Owns Jason Bay

Tonight's Cards starter is Chris Carpenter, who was hit around in his previous start this year.

Looking over the Mets roster against Carpenter, one thing really stuck out--Jason Bay can't touch him.

Bay is 2 for 26 lifetime against Carpenter with a staggering 12 Ks.  Those numbers indicate this may have been a good night for Bay to start the game on the bench, but he's in there. 

Let's hope Jason finds something and provides some production.

Current Mets vs Chris Carpenter:

	PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Gary Matthews	14	12	6	1	0	0	3	1	1	0.500	0.500	0.583	1.083
Rod Barajas	5	5	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.400	0.400	0.600	1.000
Luis Castillo	28	23	7	1	1	0	0	2	0	0.304	0.360	0.435	0.795
Jeff Francoeur	10	10	3	0	0	1	2	0	2	0.300	0.300	0.600	0.900
Oliver Perez	4	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.250	0.250	0.250	0.500
Alex Cora	5	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.250	0.400	0.250	0.650
David Wright	9	9	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.222	0.222	0.222	0.444
Henry Blanco	15	14	3	0	0	0	2	1	4	0.214	0.267	0.214	0.481
Jose Reyes	7	6	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0.167	0.286	0.167	0.452
Fernando Tatis	11	11	1	0	0	0	2	0	3	0.091	0.091	0.091	0.182
Jason Bay	29	26	2	0	0	1	2	3	12	0.077	0.172	0.192	0.365
Johan Santana	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Total	144	131	29	3	1	2	11	8	30	0.221	0.270	0.305	0.575

Good Morning Mets Fans!

What an opening day--my call to the Mighty Gods of Baseball obviously worked like a charm.  I kid of course, but it sure seemed like someone was smiling down on the team and the raucous crowd at Citi Field yesterday.  One thing is for certain, it was as good as it gets as the Mets played crisp baseball while out slugging and out pitching a division rival who everybody picks to finish ahead of them.

Johan Santana, who had a soaring spring ERA, pitched six terrific innings and reminded us all that he is a true ace.

David Wright, who suffered from a severe power outage in 2009, hit a two-run homer to the opposite field in the first inning--it was a Captain's homerun.  Welcome back David.

The new guys contributed in a big way--Jason Bay, Rod Barajas and Gary Matthews Jr. each got two hits, and Mathews played solid centerfield on a windy, high sun day.  Seeing Jason Bay fly around the bases for a triple reminded us all that we now have a slugger with a work ethic who will do everything and anything to help his team win. 

Oh, and the bullpen?  All they did was toss three scoreless innings, with Fernando Nieve working two scoreless and Frankie Rodriguez closing it out in the 9th.

"I think it was an all-around good effort," Wright said. "We caught the ball, we pitched well and obviously had some timely hitting. You can't ask for much more than that, first game of the season."

There were a few little things that also deserve notice:  Jeff Francoeur worked a walk, Luis Castillo stayed patient and saw a ton of pitches--he also stole a base, and Alex Cora played great defense at shortstop.

Scoreboard
Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Florida (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	3
N.Y. Mets (1-0) «	2	0	0	0	0	4	1	0	x	7	9	1

Players of the Game

New York D. Wright AB 3 R 1 H 1 HR 1 RBI 2

New York J. Santana IP 6.0 H 4 ER 1 BB 2 K 5

The reading this morning is plentiful:


The Daily News has a great article on Jason Bay feeling at home and another on David Wright's powerful opening statement.

Metstradamus thinks it was a fine day for an underdog.

It's contest time over at Amazin Avenue...this looks like it has serious possibilities!

Loge 13 is back in business.

Subway Squawkers has a nice piece telling the Mets they didn't need Jack Bauer.

The Mets Report thinks the team sent a message to the rest of the league.

All in all a great day...why MLB schedules a say off after opening day has always been a point of frustration for us fans, but for now we get to bask in yesterday's great win and hope for another tomorrow.

Enjoy your coffee!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Wright, Santana fuel Mets' victory over Marlins (sports.espn.go.com)