Carlos Delgado

He joins Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes on the DL, and that's just in the lineup.

Pitchers John Maine, Oliver Perez and J.J. Putz sit on the DL for the Mets, as well.

So why am I so optimistic?

Continue reading "The 2009 New York Mets are Finally the Underdogs"

(Note: I posted this a couple of days ago on my other blog at FanNation.)

When it comes to the Mets' starting rotation, I think all of their replacement-level options are better than Tim Redding. Redding's stuff is disgraceful, and his general approach to the craft of pitching is laughable. He's been embarrassed in his last two starts -- recently against the Marlins, and the Red Sox before that -- and there is little-to-no indication of potential improvement. I don't think there is any doubt at this point...

Continue reading "I've Had Enough of Tim Redding."

(Note: I've also published this post on FanNation, under the username JFro.)

About a month ago, I published a similar post complaining about Jerry Manuel's mind-numbingly awful managing. It actually generated some interest, as it appeared on a Mets blog and in various discussion threads.

Continue reading "Jerry Manuel Must Be Fired. Now!!!"

p the Mets in ballgames. 

(3) I don't think internal options will compensate for the loss of Carlos Delgado. Gary Sheffield has been respectable filling in at the No. 4 position in the batting order, but I think someone like Nick Johnson would be a better option than Jeremy Reed, Fernando Tatis, or Daniel Murphy at first. With Delgado out at least two months, the Mets shouldn't settle for mediocre replacement level options when a quality hitter like Johnson is dangling out on the market. The Washington Nationals have an overload in the outfield, which means they'd like to move Adam Dunn to first base to open up time for guys like Justin Maxwell, Josh Willingham, Austin Kearns, and maybe even a return to Lastings Milledge. 

Continue reading "The New York Mets: A Quarter Season in Review"

ague players for each position? I am very curious to see what Omar does to fill the vacancy left by Carlos Delgado's surgery. I say go for it and make a bold move. Why not, right?

3. David Wright - Why is he striking out at such a prodigious rate? And why do I suddenly have no faith in him to come through in a big spot? At least he seems to be heating up finally and at least he seems to be just as angry and frustrated as I am. Someone please page Cliff Floyd...

Continue reading "Team Inconsistency"

Before I get to the actual list, I must say when I posted this on FanNation, readers were complaining about the omission of the New York Mets' star-studded infield.

The funny thing is, I'm a Mets fan. And yet I ranked both the Braves and Phillies' infields ahead of the Metropolitans. Talk about reserving one's biases...

Continue reading "MLB's Top Five Infields"

restored the Mets to some respectability and allowed him to sign Carlos Beltran, and he traded for Carlos Delgado, another instrumental part of the core of the Mets team that has been competitive every season with Minaya on board.  Other useful acquisitions include Paul LoDuca, Darren Oliver, Jose Valentin, Duaner Sanchez, John Maine, Oliver Perez, Endy Chavez, Ryan Church, Damion Easley and Fernando Tatis.

Continue reading "In The Aftermath Of The Collapse ..."

eplaced with a newfound resilience, vitality and confidence.  Surely it didn’t hurt that Carlos Delgado suddenly found his swing, Fernando Tatis batted just under .400 for the month of July, and Johan Santana didn’t lose a game after June 28, but the Mets undoubtedly played with an entirely new style and swagger under Manuel.

Continue reading "In the Aftermath Of The Collapse ..."

n of the Mets’ season.  Once Jerry Manuel took over as manager (or more accurately, once Carlos Delgado remembered how to hit and Fernando Tatis forgot it wasn’t 1999), the Mets began playing much looser, and started overcoming adversity to win games despite a terrible bullpen and sub-par performance in the clutch—rather than losing because of those things.  Saturday the 27th was no different:  the offense still only pushed two runs across, and as far as the bullpen woes went, Johan Santana took matters into his own hands. 

Continue reading "In The Aftermath Of The Collapse"

-5 hitters are a combined 1-23 so far this series, and Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado have managed a measly two singles in 30 at-bats in the two games.

    Mike Pelfrey and Joe Smith pitched phenomenally last night, but their efforts were squandered as the Mets' bats came up empty against the great Odalis Perez.  There were three key plays that had a major impact on the outcome of last night's game:

Continue reading "Mets In First Place...For The Wild Card?"

d 12 hits in the previous 16.2 innings, going back to the fifth inning of Tuesday's game.  But Carlos Delgado, who had homered in the sixth to cut Philly's lead to 3-2, sliced a liner over the left field fence to tie the game at three and spark the Mets's offense.  Carlos Beltran followed with an infield hit, and stole second.  With first base open, Brad Lidge walked Ryan Church intentionally, but Daniel Murphy made him pay, doubling down the right field line to bring home Beltran with the go-ahead run.  The hit parade continued with Brian Schneider's flare to left, which put the icing on the cake.  New York's four-run eighth inning clinched a two-game split in Philadelphia, and catapulted the Mets back into first place by a half game.

Continue reading "Delgado's Two Bombs Save The Day"

eventh inning or later in close (ahead by one, tied, or with the tying run at least on deck) games, Carlos Delgado has batted .194 this season, while Carlos Beltran has batted just .235.  David Wright has hit just .231 with two outs and RISP, while Beltran has hit just .164 in those situations.  In the final three innings of games, Wright has hit only .232 and Beltran has hit just .217.  All season long the Mets' best hitters have struggled in extra innings.  Jose Reyes' batting average in the 10th inning or later is .235 and Beltran's is .167.  In the ninth inning or later

Continue reading "Seven Runs: Too Little, Too Early"

    The Mets' woes with the bases loaded finally ended Tuesday night when Carlos Delgado doubled off the wall in left to score two and put New York ahead 4-3 in the eighth.  Prior to Delgado's two-bagger, the Mets had just three hits in their last 42 at-bats with the bases loaded.  Then, after an intentional walk to Fernando Tatis, Damion Easley came up with a bases-loaded hit of his own, singling into left center to score two more runs.  Ramon Castro topped the five-run inning off with an RBI double down the line in left, and the Mets completed the comeback from a 3-2 eighth inning deficit.

Continue reading "Delgado, Easley Spark Comeback Against Braves"

the first and Carlos Beltran put New York ahead with a rare two-out RBI single in the sixth.  Carlos Delgado jacked a two-run homer in the eighth for insurance, and Heilman pitched two scoreless innings for the hold, before Billy Wagner tossed a perfect ninth for his 27th save.

Continue reading "Heilman Holds Perez's Lead, Delgado Puts it Away"

    Monday night in Miami was an all-around bad experience for the Mets.  John Maine cruised into the fifth inning with a 2-0 lead, and looked just fine to the naked eye.  But after Maine missed with a 1-0 fastball to John Baker, Jerry Manuel, Dan Warthen and Ray Ramirez, the trainer, jogged out to the mound to consult with Maine.  He appeared to say he was fine, and stayed in the game for the time being.  But after his next pitch to Baker left the yard for a solo home run, and his 1-2 pitch to Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco chased Endy Chavez to the warning track to make the catch, Manuel and Warthen decided they had seen enough, and pulled Maine in favor of Carlos Muniz.  Maine is listed as day-to-day with shoulder stiffness, and Warthen said he was most concerned that Maine might develop further injuries if he tried to compensate in his delivery to protect his shoulder.  In all likelihood Maine will miss a start in order to rest his shoulder, and hopefully pitch again next week.  After the game Manuel was adamant that Maine will not pitch through any pain.

Continue reading "Mets Fried By Fish, Maine Leaves Early"

erased deficits of four and three, and pounded out 16 hits and four home runs in the process.  Carlos Delgado continued his unbelievable resurgence, homering twice and driving in three, and Fernando Tatis continued his bid for Comeback Player of the Year, with his game-tying homer in the ninth inning.  The battle of the bullpens ensued, continuing toe for toe into the 14th inning, before Pujols put the Cardinals in front with a two-run home run off Heilman, who was in his third inning of work.  The loss itself wasn't as hard to swallow as it could have been because of the two big comebacks, but New York certainly had plenty of chances.  In all they left 16 runners on base and only had one hit in 16 at-bats with runners in scoring position.  The bullpen pitched a total of nine innings in relief of Brandon Knight, who lasted just five innings in his first start as a Met.

Continue reading "Santana Goes the Distance, Mets Stay Hot"

s of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, as he out-dueled Jamie Moyer, who pitched a gem of his own.  Carlos Delgado came through with the big hit, a two-run double off the previously unhittable J.C. Romero, in the eighth, and Billy Wagner nailed down the win in the ninth with his 26th save.  Fittingly, Jimmy Rollins, who did not start because he arrived an hour late to the ballpark, made the final out of the game.  After Tuesday night's ninth inning meltdown, the bullpen tossed 4.1 scoreless innings, including back-to-back saves by Wagner, and the Mets took two of three from Philadelphia, despite losing the first game of the series.  New York is now 9-4 against the Phillies this season.

Continue reading "Mets Continue to Roll Behind Delgado, ..."

.  Lately it hasn't only been Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran leading the offense; Carlos Delgado has been on fire recently and came through with the clutch, game-tying hit in the seventh inning on Sunday, and the Mets' bench players have been carrying the torch as well.  The "irregulars," (as Mets television broadcaster Gary Cohen puts it) such as Fernando Tatis, Endy Chavez, Damion Easley and Ramon Castro, have been igniting the Mets' offense for the past three weeks.  But two new players with anything but household names were just as instrumental to the Mets' success in Cincy as anyone getting paid upwards of $12 million per year:  Argenis Reyes and Robinson Cancel.

Continue reading "Makeshift Mets Back In First, But ..."

e big blow, a bases clearing double by Javier Valentin.  But the offense continued to roll, as Carlos Delgado, Fernando Tatis and David Wright each hit two-run homers, and the Mets pounded out 10 runs, including four in the ninth off closer Francisco Cordero.  Wright's bomb tied the game with one out, and Delgado followed three batters later with the go-ahead RBI single.  The victory moves the Mets into a first place tie with the Phillies at 52-44.

Continue reading "David Wright Bails Out Poor Pitching, ..."

ake a hard line against allowing players to grow beards, yet still permit Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Delgado and others to dance and put together handshake routines in celebration of home runs.

Continue reading "Mets Go For Seven Straight Tonight at Shea"

    Well, my biggest gripe yesterday was that the Mets never win or lose a game that isn't in question until the final out.  I guess they realized I'm almost out of Pepto and gave me the break I was looking for.  Carlos Beltran belted a three-run home run off Giants ace Tim Lincecum in the first inning and Carlos Delagado and Fernando Tatis each homered later in the game to lead the Mets to their fourth straight win.

Continue reading "Pelfrey and the Mets Finally Make It Easy"

I want to like Carlos Delgado. He honestly sounds like a very nice, thoughtful, hardworking guy. He's intelligent and articulate and has deeply held convictions. For over a decade he was also an amazing hitter, a feared slugger and RBI machine who terrorized the American league. His arrival with the Mets in 2006 was a key to their getting all the way to the NLCS. We can't overestate the impact he had by providing protection for Carlos Beltran both in the batting order and in the clubhouse (ensuring Belty had plenty of juicy pitches to hit and shielding him from the blistering NY media). Beltran of course was a serious MVP candidate for 3/4 of the season--a tremendous turnaround considering his dismal first year with the club. All in all Delgado sounds like a winner. Or maybe it's "sounded".

Continue reading "The Delgado Dilemma"