Well, Mike Pelfrey stopped the bleeding. I was sitting there nervously waiting for Pedro Feliciano and/or K-Rod to open it up again though.
But this is good news, no?
However, I don’t know how this team is going to stay in contention with R.A. Dickey and Dillon Gee.
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I like that the Mets are giving Chris Carter a chance to show what he can do; it’s refreshing to see them give some ABs to a (relatively) young guy with a good minor-league track record and some possible upside, rather than the usual over-the-hill retreads that Omar loves to dig up (See Frank Catalanotto, Emil Brown, Jeff Conine, Ricky Ledee, Brady Clark, and the corpse of Michael Tucker).
Watching Carter, you can’t help but notice that he’s got some eccentricities, which have led Jerry Manuel to dub him “The Animal.” The guy just can’t sit still. This calls to mind other Mets with unusual mannerisms:
Turk Wendell would wear a shark-tooth necklace, brush his teeth a lot, and jump high over the foul line.
An old baseball card I had of John Pacella noted that he would lose his cap on every pitch, which is confirmed by his Wikipedia page.
Joe McEwing had his gyrations.
Tim Teufel had the Teufel Shuffle (or was it “Seufel”?).
Robby Alomar had his unnecessary slides into first.
Carlos Beltran has his bunts from the 3 hole.
Al Leiter would grunt like Monica Seles after almost every pitch.
Bill Pecota’s last name was later used as an acronym for a system of predicting baseball performance. (Okay, this isn’t really a mannerism, but a good Bill Pecota reference never hurt anyone.)
My favorite baseball idiosyncrasy of all time, though, belongs to U.L. Washington of the Royals, who used to play at all times with a toothpick in his mouth. I always imagine a young Royals fan playing on the little-league lots of Topeka (or wherever) in the early 1980s, emulating his hero U.L. and ending up on the wrong end of a tough-hop grounder with a piece of birchwood lodged in his windpipe. Of course, one could make the argument that – since this imaginary kid chose to pattern himself after U.L. rather than George Brett, Willie Wilson, or Hal McRae – he probably wasn’t getting much oxygen to the brain anyway.
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According to espn.com, Fernando Nieve is on pace for 98 appearances this year. The only pitcher ever to appear in that many games was Mike Marshall in 1974. To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen’s famous burn of Dan Quayle: I knew Mike Marshall. I watched Mike Marshall. I spent a weekend at Mike Marshall’s wacky pitching-delivery summer camp. And you, Fernando Nieve, are no Mike Marshall.
Not even Kent Tekulve’s aviator shades saw action in 98 games.
So, it’s safe to say that Jerry is over-using ‘Nando, which may explain the recent hike in his ERA. Granted, the Mets don’t have endless options, but sooner or later something will have to give.
Addendum: to clear up any confusion the Mike Marshall I’m talking about is the rubber-armed reliever, not the plodding outfielder who the Mets inexplicably thought could replace Keith Hernandez at first base.
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Now in last place. They’ve lost 11 out of their last 15 games. What can you say? This feels like last year.
Sure they’ve fought back a bit the last two games. But a sweep is a sweep. Oliver Perez is in the bullpen, John Maine was ineffective and now Jon Niese could be out for a while? Goes back to my last post about organizational depth at the starting pitching position.
Three HUGE series’ coming up @ Bravos, @ Nats and @ the Yankees – I really REALLY suspect, that if the Mets go 2-5 or get swept by the Yankees – I suspect a change is a comin’.
Omar should be on the horn asking Houston what the Astros want for Roy Oswalt. If he wants to save his job.
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He can’t blame the weather anymore. I can semi-understand Oliver Perez being bitchy and wild when its 40 degrees out at Citifield and he can’t find the plate. But there aren’t anymore excuses anymore – are there? Its time to cut the cord. The Mets have money. Oliver Perez will never be a good pitcher (anymore) in NY.
However, I don’t agree with Amazin’ Avenue.
R.A. Dickey should NOT be on the next plane, he isn’t the answer either. I don’t care what he’s doing in AAA, he’s 35 years old. His ship has sailed. Did he even have a ship to begin with?
Fine – give Hisanori Takahashi a chance, (maybe) give Pat Misch a chance, but lets get Omar to earn his friggin’ keep and have him bring in a decent stop-gap starter until Daniel Murphy is healthy and we can parlay him into an arm.
But – why is the 3rd richest franchise in baseball (according to Forbes magazine) not filled with more depth? Why is the 6th starter on the 3rd richest franchise in baseball R.A. Dickey? or even Pat Misch? Why?
When will the Mets get to the point that their financial prowess matches the depth and status of the players on the 25/40 man roster?
It sickens me but don’t make me watch another Oliver Perez start. Nothing is worse.
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The first 7 innings were obvious. Pitchers duel and the game all boiled down to the 9th inning. Mets couldn’t bring Luis Castillo in from 2nd with no outs and an overworked Fernando Nieve pitches a 2nd inning and blows it.
We get a gift error, that moves Luis Castillo up to 2nd with no outs.
Jose Reyes can’t get the bunt down then weakly flies out. Could have AT LEAST pulled it to the right side to move Luis Castillo over.
Jason Bay swings at the first pitch and chops out to 3rd, Luis Castillo has to stay at 2nd.
and OF COURSE, David Wright strikes out. If you didn’t know the Mets were going to lose at this point.
You knew it, when Fernando Nieve was out there in the 9th inning pitching a 2nd inning.
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Admittingly, I was working and was unable to watch the game. But it doesn’t burn my biscuits any less – that some unknown, light-hitting outfielder, not only hits his first career HR against the Mets, but makes a game saving catch AND hits his SECOND career HR against K-Rod in the 9th to win the game.
Why do (practically) unknown, AAAA-like major league players, LOVE to build their baseball resumes against the Mets?
Whether its Robert Andino (Matt Wise anyone?), Willie Harris, Roger Bernadina, or Jorge Campillo (anybody remember his first career start last year?)…give me another 10 minutes and I bet I can come up with a few more.
Unreal.
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Instant dividends for newbie Chris Carter. You know if Smithtown was hitting there, he would have rolled over a slider into a double play.
Sorry Tyler Clippard, it was only a matter of time before you (and the Nats 18-14, come on) came back to earth.
Huge 8th inning. Huge Win. Now we have our best pitcher going into a rubber game tomorrow. Gotta be happy after tonight.
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Section 319, behind homeplate right under the SNY booth. You can literally say hi to Ron, Keith and Gary. These are $110 Face.
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http://www.sporcle.com/games/tonythegreat/50sbseasons
Good luck. 
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