This game could have been a great one for the Mets, but we just couldn’t score runs. We stranded the bases loaded with two outs two innings in a row, and out of those six baserunners we got 4 outs and 1 run out of those situations. We need to hit for Johan. When he’s on his game we need to support him. He was just pretty much left alone last night.

Notes from the game:

• The Mets stranded 6 baserunners in two innings, and were no-hit through 4 innings. The only run scored was when there was one out, with Wright up, and bases loaded - he crushed the ball to left center, but Scott Hairston made an incredible diving catch so only one run scored. As Gary Cohen said, that hit was a grand slam in any other ballpark in the National League. Wright was robbed of a potential bases clearing double.
• Johan Santana was hit in the shoulder while trying to bunt, and then gave up the two runs the next inning. It seemed like it affected him.
• Robinson Cancel made his first appearance for the Mets.
• Fernando Tatis kept his slump up, and went 0-4 and struck out to make the first out of the 9th.

It was a great game to watch, we just fell short at the end. The Mets will play the Padres again today, and PETCO Park, at 10:05 PM. Be sure to watch as Oliver Perez takes on Cha-Seung Baek.

The Mets (30-29) will take on the Padres (25-37) tonight, at PETCO Park at 10:05 PM.

Pitchers

Mets ace Johan Santana (7-3) will face Padres pitcher Randy Wolf (3-4).

Lineup:

1. Jose Reyes
2. Luis Castillo
3. David Wright
4. Carlos Beltran
5. Damion Easley
6. Fernando Tatis
7. Brian Schneider
8. Endy Chavez
9. Johan Santana

Notes

• This will be the first game that Abraham Nunez will be active, following the demotion of Nick Evans.
• Moises Alou will be activated from the DL Tuesday.
• Mets first round draft pick Ike Davis will be playing for his Sun Devils tonight on ESPN.
• No game can be worse than last night, so I’m looking forward to a game we don’t lose to a walk off hit by pitch.

Live Blog

To follow the game play by play with me, and add in your comments, please click here.

Ike Davis is a first baseman and was drafted out of Arizona State, who is said to have a great power bat, as well as a fastball as high as 94 mph. He seems to be a Mark Teixeira type player who can bomb the occasional pitch. Can’t wait to see him playing 1st base instead of Delgado soon. Describing his fielding abilities, ESPN writes:

At first base, he’s a good athlete and provides a big target for infielders’ throws, but is still raw and a little uncoordinated.

Reese Havens came from University of South Carolina, and is a shortstop, who, as Peter Gammons says, “is like a Russel Martin Type”, and may turn into a catcher. ESPN says about him:

A legitimate prospect in high school, teams were scared off because of a strong commitment to South Carolina. He’s improved steadily in his three years there and has evolved into a good all-around hitter with outstanding plate discpline. He may need to move to third down the road because of his lack of range, but his smarts in the field may at least give him the opportunity to play his way off of short as a pro. At either spot, he’s sure to go off the board pretty quickly.

He seems like once he makes it to the big leagues he’s going to be a big time player (clutch), a leader, and someone with a high baseball IQ (yes, even better than that of Lastings Milledge’s). I like what ESPN says about him and hope that he can blossom into a solid baseball player. Who knows, maybe Luis Castillo won’t be putting his MVP-Caliber stats when Havens is ready.

The 3rd pick for the Mets is a RHP out of UNC-Wilmington named Brad Holt. Baseball America describes him:

His fastball has improved since arriving in Wilmington and now sits between 92-94 mph, touching 96… He is able to maintain his velocity deep into games. [He has] vastly improved command. Holt at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, has a perfect pro body with a clean delivery and a first-round arm… The only thing holding him back is the lack of a usable secondary pitch…. Even though his secondary stuff is in need of refinement, teams will not walk away from the pro body, strong arm and life on the fastball.

The next pick, at #68, is an outfielder named Javier Rodriguez. He comes from Puerto Rico and Baseball America ranks him as the 102nd best prospect in the draft. Personally, I don’t love the pick, and think we should have gone for a starter/reliever, but, time will tell what the pick was like.

Those are the main 4 picks of the draft. You can watch round 2 today on MLB.com, will keep you updated.

Because school is now out, Mets Bullpen has now returned. I am ready to talk Mets 24/7 around here and hope you guys stick around and read what I write. I plan to do live blogs every few games, and that includes tonight. Pre Games and Post Games will be regular, and news will be posted daily. I also added a new theme, so I hope you guys like that.

Enjoy and Let’s Go Mets!

As Aaron Heilman warms up in the bullpen, with the Mets leading by a short margin, the Shea Stadium boo-birds become a very frequent sound.

Heilman, coming into tonight, is 0-0, with a 4.64 ERA. Recently, he has been gaining a bit more confidence, and showing a lot more success. He’s only given up 1 run in the last 7.1 innings, which is a very good sign.

Two days ago, during the first-game win against the Cincinnati Reds, he came in, and gave up 2 runs. Yet we still had a 12-5 lead at the time, but Mets fans (including myself, I am far from a Heilman supporter) booed him off so poorly it sounded like he came into the came and gave up 6 runs and blew the game. Next inning, Jorge Sosa came in, gave up a run, did in my opinion worse than Heilman, yet he was cheered off.

Aaron Heilman is a very good pitcher. He needs to keep his mental confidence in tact and he can stay good. But the Mets fans have to give him a break.

Assuming that the game is on, he reports that the mets will call up Adam Bostick, to start on Wednesday.

According to MetsBlog.com:

Bostick is 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA with 26 K and 16 BB in nine games, eight starts, this season for Triple-A New Orleans.

A main cause to my anger:

Carlos Delgado. Get him out, please. The young phenom Mike Carp, although his value was diminished during an injury-filled and average season in double-a, has been really tearing it up at double-a. He has a ton of potential, while Delgado is just whithering away. Let’s hope that Willie doesn’t continue to be “Mr. Loyal” and not take out Delgado because he’s old, experienced, etc.
The same goes for Mr. Heilman. Probably the worst start I could have ever imagined for Heilman. When he gets in the game he can’t even pitch the ball, and worst of all he’s blowing wins for our pitchers. Johan Santana would have at least 4 wins right now if it wasn’t for out bullpen blowing wins.

Although there is plenty of time to improve, I ask Omar and Willie to make some decisions: Maybe throw away some of that loyalty, bring up some youth, and look at Duaner Sanchez damnit.
That’s my thoughts for today.

I’m going to start writing every day again probably starting Monday. Until next time, Go mets!

So, about the Mets. I went to the home opener, a disappointment to say the least. The Mets have started out much more injured and not in the best position after a week or so. Angel Pagan has started out as our best player, hitting a walk-off last night, and other newcomers, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, and Johan Santana have all been very impressive. The top disappointments so far have included Aaron Heilman (do I have to say any more?) and star shortstop Jose Reyes. 

After a very slow start, last night was a huge win for our team. Pagan showed the emotion and clutchness we haven’t seen by Reyes (or at least not as much as Reyes was last year), driving in Reyes to win the game last night (although it seemed to me Jose was out by a split-second). There’s plenty of baseball to play, and as I and I’m sure all of you think, the Tigers aren’t going to finish the year with 10 wins, and the Orioles most likely aren’t going to be the best team in baseball. 

I have tickets to tomorrow’s game (First Johan home start- woot!), so I’m hoping we will be Heilman-free if we are in a winning season. 

Tonight Nelson Figueroa will match up against the Brew Crew’s Parra (1-0), so it should be an interesting game to watch. 

I’m back, and so are the Mets. Here’s to 08!

Oliver Perez is supposed to start, with Billy Wagner and Aaron Heilman coming in for relief.
…i swear to god - if he has another horrible game, I will be very, very angry. I am so sick of his inconsistency. Hopefully it doesn’t carry on to the regular season.