Wright Watch: First Met hit in Citi Field is a D-Wright Double

Posted on 14 Apr 2009 by Danielle

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WRIGHT WATCH: First Met HR at Citi Field, care of David Wright

Posted on 14 Apr 2009 by Danielle

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4/14 - What Wright Said...

Posted on 14 Apr 2009 by Danielle

(On his performance thus far)

"I haven’t gotten the results that I wanted to the first couple weeks of the season," Wright said. "But hopefully, that'll come."

(On the game and his home run)

"It’s a loss," he said. "I would have liked to get that win, but it’s something I'll look back on. I can tell my kids and my grandkids that I got a chance to participate in opening day and break in the new field."

Wright thought he might have had a chance to double his tally in the seventh when he belted a shot to deep center field, but he quickly found out that there was an excellent reason the number 415 painted on the fence looked so small.

"I’ve had enough at-bats here to know that you've really got to step on one to get it out to the gaps into center here," he said.

Credit: NY Times

(On the Mets' Struggles)

"Right now," David Wright said, "it just seems we're a little off and not playing a complete game."

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Despite Wright's HR, Mets drop first at Citi Field 6-5

Posted on 14 Apr 2009 by Danielle

Monday was a game of firsts for the New York Mets.

First hit: David Wright

First RBI: Brian Schneider

First run scored: Luis Castillo

First HR: David Wright

Despite the fact that Mike Pelfrey had given up five runs, the fans were energized by David Wright's home run.

But before Brian Stokes could record an out, Luis Rodriguez lofted a fly ball to right field. Ryan Church, in a zig-zag pattern, moved underneath it. But much as Daniel Murphy's errant path to a ball had a hand in a critical error in Sunday's game, Church's route forced him to whirl the wrong way to try to catch the ball and it deflected off of his glove.

Rodriguez wound up on third, scoring on a balk by Pedro Feliciano. And the Mets, who did not hold a lead in their first game at Citi Field, did not score again.

Which certainly seems justified in an unfamiliar ballpark. Church, in particular, had spent much of the past week fielding questions about the quirks of right field, one of the most oddly shaped pastures in the Majors. But he dismissed the notion that Citi Field played a role in his error.

The only role the ballpark seemed to play was in preventing the Mets from coming back. Carlos Beltran, for example, drilled a long fly ball to deep center field, but Jody Gerut caught it just shy of the warning track, midway between straightaway center and the 415-foot sign to the right.

Only Wright could muster one over the faraway wall. It was, for the Mets, easily the most exciting moment in Citi Field's infancy. But it turned out to be merely temporary thrill for a team that has now lost four of its past five games.

Trouble plagued Pelfrey early and never quite left, after Gerut curled a leadoff home run around the right-field foul pole.

Pelfrey has now walked six batters in his first two starts of the season, allowing nine runs in 10 innings. Yet more vexing was that on this night, 13 of the first 14 Padres who put the ball in play did so through the air. For a ground-ball specialist, that spells almost certain defeat.

At one point, Pelfrey fell to the ground in the latter part of his windup, shooing away the coaches and trainers that came to check on him -- but inspiring a fair bit of worry.

Pelfrey was just fine, but the Mets went on to lose the game 6-5.

Jose Reyes, Murphy, and Beltran all went 1-4 in the game, with Jose and Daniel each scoring a run.

Luis Castillo went 1-3, with an RBI and a walk.

Jeremy Reed, who is shaping up to be a fantastic pinch hitter for the Mets, went 1-1 in the game.

David Wright was 2-4 in last night's game with three RBI's and a run scored on a double and a home run. His average is now up to .333

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ARTICLE: Will Citi Field have a nickname?

Posted on 13 Apr 2009 by Danielle

A young, card-carrying David Wright devotee marched from behind the plate at Citi Field toward -- where else? -- the aisle closest to third base, wearing her passion, a No. 5 Mets uniform, and holding aloft her partisan message.
Her makeshift sign had the words "Citi FIELD" crossed out. And across the bottom of the cardboard was her printed preference for the name of the Mets' new ballpark.

"The House of DAVID."

Well, of course. What and who else could it be? If not Citi Field, then what? If the new place is going to go by a nickname, what more appropriate alternative is there? Beltran Ballpark? Please. Jose's House would be a reach. Moreover, The House of David works in several ways.

It has some double entendre to it. And Wright -- as modest as he is and as uncomfortable as he is with the notion -- is the only Mets player whose identity and image could carry it off. Citi Field could be his one day; in some ways, it already is...

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4/12 - What Wright Said...

Posted on 13 Apr 2009 by Danielle

(About Citi Field)

"It has all the best new amenities you can put in a ballpark," third baseman David Wright said. "That's only going to help us. You feel comfortable, and guys start showing up a little earlier. You get more of that team chemistry. It's going to make it a lot more fun coming to the ballpark every day."

"The fans are right on top of you," Wright said, "and everybody knows they voice their pleasure and displeasure. With the fans being closer, I think that's going to be good for us."

Credit: AP

"Obviously the elevation is not going to be the same and the ball is not going to carry like Colorado, but just the size of the outfield and the ground that the outfielders have to cover, it reminded me a lot of Colorado," Wright said. "But then the different (wall) angles and some of the characteristics kind of reminded me of San Diego."

Credit: Daily News

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Murphy's error costs Santana, Mets against Marlins

Posted on 12 Apr 2009 by Danielle

Johan Santana struck out thirteen batters and did not give up a single earned run, yet he was the losing pitcher of the afternoon.

Left fielder Daniel Murphy dropped a fly ball in the second inning for an error that led to both Florida runs.

Santana (1-1) had made 18 starts in a row without a loss, winning 10 consecutive decisions.

While he did not match yesterday's performance, Luis Castillo ended Josh Johnson's no-hit bid the next inning with a broken-bat single.

Johnson was one strike from a three-hit shutout when Carlos Delgado doubled. Carlos Beltran followed with an RBI single before Ryan Church's soft liner was caught by left fielder Brett Carroll, who made a backhanded, game-ending grab at the shoetops.

The pitching duel rushed by in 2 hours, 4 minutes.

The Mets went 3-3 on a season-opening trip and play their home opener Monday night against San Diego at new Citi Field.

Santana, who departed for a pinch hitter after throwing 98 pitches, walked only one and even managed to keep Emilio Bonifacio off base. Florida's leadoff hitter, who came into the game leading the majors in batting and hits, went 0-for-4 to drop his average to .500.

Santana's 13 strikeouts were his highest total in two seasons with the Mets. He had beaten the Marlins in his five previous starts against them, but this time they made the most of their one big break.

Santana retired the first five batters before he walked Jeremy Hermida on a 3-2 pitch. When Cody Ross lifted a high fly to deep left, Murphy retreated awkwardly to the warning track before the ball deflected off his glove, which allowed Hermida to score.

Ronny Paulino's single on the next pitch brought home Ross for a 2-0 lead.

Jose Reyes was the Mets' lone baserunner until the sixth. He reached on a tap to the pitcher to start the game when first baseman Helms dropped Johnson's throw for an error, but was thrown out trying to steal.

With the score 2-0, the Mets' David Wright singled with one out in the seventh, and Bonifacio bobbled a potential double-play grounder for an error to put the tying run aboard. But Johnson overcame the mistake, turning a comebacker by Beltran into a 1-6-3 double play, then heading for the dugout with a pump of his fist.

David Wright was 1-4 in the game, his average now at .304.

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Livan boggles the Marlins, halts win streak at 4 in 8-4 victory

Posted on 11 Apr 2009 by Danielle

Jose Reyes finished 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and three RBI as the New York Mets doubled up Florida, 8-4, in the middle test of a three-game set from Dolphin Stadium.

Carlos Delgado collected three hits and two RBI for the Mets, who snapped a two-game slide. Luis Castillo was 4-for-4, scored three runs and drove one in, while Alex Cora and David Wright knocked in a run each.

Livan Hernandez (1-0) allowed six hits and two runs over his 6 2/3-inning start.

Emilio Bonifacio was 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Marlins, who lost for the first time in 2009 after beginning the year with a franchise-best four consecutive victories. Hanley Ramirez, Wes Helms and Ross Gload added an RBI each in the setback.

Starter Ricky Nolasco (1-1) allowed seven hits and four runs over five innings for the loss.
Already ahead by three, the Mets put the game away with three runs in the eighth.
Facing Hayden Penn, Brian Schneider singled and moved to second on Jorge Cantu's throwing error. Castillo laid down a sacrifice bunt, but an error by Bonifacio left runners at the corners. Pinch-hitter Cora's groundout scored Schneider, and after Reyes fanned and Daniel Murphy walked, Wright and Delgado each brought in a run on back-to-back base hits for an 8-2 contest.

In the ninth, Florida picked up two runs -- one off Darren O'Day, as Gload's pinch-hit sacrifice fly brought in Cody Ross, and one against Francisco Rodriguez, on Ramirez's two-out RBI single. Rodriguez, though, induced a game- ending fly out from Cantu in the next at-bat.

The Mets picked up a run in the third as Castillo led off with a single, moved to second on Hernandez's sacrifice, then scored on a Reyes double.

Reyes added a two-run shot in the fifth for a 3-0 New York lead, and later in the frame a Delgado double scored Murphy for a four-run edge.

In the sixth, Ryan Church led off with a double and scored two batters later on a Castillo single.

Florida got on the board in the seventh, plating a pair of runs with two outs. First, pinch-hitter Helms drove in Dan Uggla off Hernandez, then Bonifacio scored Ross with a base hit after Brian Stokes entered the game.

Notables:

Jose Reyes went 2-5 with 3 RBI's.

Murphy was 1-4 with two runs scored.

Carlos Delgado was on fire, going 3-4 with 2 RBI's.

Church was 2-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

Performer of the game, Luis Castillo, went 4-4 with four singles, one RBI, and THREE runs scored.

David Wright went 1-5 in today's game and knocked in his first RBI of the year. His average is now .316.

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Despite strong bats, Ollie gives up eight in Mets loss

Posted on 10 Apr 2009 by Danielle

For two innings Thursday, it appeared as though the world belonged to Mets lefty Oliver Perez at Great American Ball Park. The Reds were just barely living in it.

Yet that thriving Perez world lasted barely more than thirty minutes. After retiring his first six batters, including four straight strikeouts, Perez imploded. When the dust cleared, he had given up eight runs in an 8-6 Mets loss to the Reds.

Over his 4 1/3 innings, Perez also gave up five hits and five walks with seven strikeouts. The loss prevented a three-game series sweep of Cincinnati.

Meanwhile Reds starter Bronson Arroyo, who has been bothered lately by carpal tunnel issues in his right arm and nearly had his outing pushed back, had a rocky beginning while Perez was thriving.

The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third after four straight batters reached on Arroyo with two outs, including Ryan Church with a two-run double.

Lefty hitters had a .158 batting average against Perez last season, but he couldn't stop the best one the Reds had to offer in Joey Votto. The first baseman took over as the wheels came off the pitcher's performance in the third.

After Willy Taveras drew a two-out walk, Darnell McDonald hit an RBI single to center field. Next was Votto, who hit an 0-1 hanging slider into the right-center-field seats for a three-run homer and 4-3 Reds lead.

It was 4-4 in the fifth for Perez (0-1) when the speedy Taveras dropped a bunt single to the left of home plate. McDonald drew a walk to set up more damage from Votto from the third spot in the order.

Votto lined an RBI single to right-center field that scored Taveras for his fourth RBI. After Brandon Phillips' sacrifice fly, Paul Janish's seeing-eye single off Mets reliever Darren O'Day provided insurance and a four-run Reds lead.

Cincinnati scored 15 runs in the last two games. Votto was 7-for-13 (.538) with two home runs and seven RBIs in the series.

The eight runs allowed tied the career high Perez has set seven times, with the last time coming on May 7, 2007, against the Giants. There was concern that Perez might have a slow start because he didn't get that many innings during Spring Training while pitching in the World Baseball Classic for Mexico.

Church, who was 2-for-3 in the game and 5-for-11 in the series, added a second double leading off the sixth and scored on Alex Cora's sacrifice fly. Arroyo (1-0) finished with five earned runs and eight hits allowed over six innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

In the seventh with Jared Burton pitching, the Reds' lead narrowed to two when Daniel Murphy came home on David Wright's sacrifice fly. Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers held it down with 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings. Closer Francisco Cordero shut the door by striking out the side in the ninth for his first save.

David Wright was 2-3 in yesterday's game, scoring once on two singles and a walk. His average is .400.

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Mets battle back against Reds to win, 9-7

Posted on 09 Apr 2009 by Danielle

The New York Mets bullpen is officially 2-2, amazingly enough.

The Mets made hard work of the Cincinatti Reds in the second of a three-game opening series as they edged out a 9-7 victory with the bases loaded in the 9th inning.

The Mets trailed 4-2 after the 1st inning, but they plated three runs in the 5th and another four in the 7th to take a 9-4 lead.

The Reds scored twice in the bottom of the 7th inning and one in the 8th to make it 9-7, but closer Francisco Rodriguez escaped a bases-loaded jam to record the save.

Starting the game, Edison Volquez retired the first two batters he faced, but he walked David Wright on five pitchers and left a 1-1 fastball low and inside to Carlos Delgado who turned on it and crushed it to right field.

But the Mets' lead was short-lived as Mike Pelfrey struggled through a 44-pitch first inning as the Cincinatti Reds batted around and plated four runs at the Great American Ballpark.

Pelfrey came out throwing fastball after fastball, offering up a single to Jerry Hairston Jr, a walk to Chris Dickerson and a line drive home run to Joey Votto.

Brandon Phillips doubled off the wall in right-centre field and advanced to third base on Jay Bruce's groundout.

Edwin Encarnacion then walked to put men on the corners, but Jose Reyesthrew away a certain double play ball as Phillips scored from third.

Ramon Hernandez chopped it weakly up the middle to Luis Castillo who flipped it to Reyes for the force. But Reyes' throw to Delgado was in the dirt and, although it looked like a play the first baseman should make, it skipped all the way to the dugout to bring home a run.

The Reds had a chance to extend their lead in the 3rd inning, but Pelfrey escaped more trouble.

It was the Mets turn to put runners on in the 4th inning but, like the Reds in the home half of the previous frame, failed to put anybody across.

Ryan Church lined a two-out double down the line in left field and Volquez walked Brian Schneider and Castillo to bring Pelfrey to the plate.

The Red's starter fell behind his opposite number 2-1 and 3-2 but got him to hit a weak grounder to third base to keep the 4-2 lead intact.

A similar situation arose in the 5th inning, but this time the Mets made their chance count.

Reyes hit an 0-2 fastball back through the box for a single to centre field and Daniel Murphy slapped one past the diving Encarnacion to left.

Wright then hit a grounder straight at Alex Gonzalez but the shortstop, who had a limited view of the ball coming towards him as Reyes took his lead off of second base, bobbled the play as all runners were safe.

Delgado worked the count full and brought home Reyes on a softly-hit ground ball to Joey Votto at first base as Volquez crossed the 100-pitch mark and the following batter Beltran laced a two-rbi single up the middle to knock Volquez out of the game.

The Reds had a chance to respond immediately in the bottom of the 5th inning when they put Votto and Bruce on the corners with two outs - just their second and third baserunners since they batted around in the 1st inning.

With Encarnacion batting, Bruce tried to steal second base but got caught in a run down. As Bruce backtracked towards first, Votto broke for home but got tagged out by Schneider on the throw from Castillo.

Bobby Parnell pitched around a pair of two-out walks to see the Reds did not level things up and the Mets added an insurance run in the top of the 7th.

David Wright lined a double to left field and beat the throw home on Delgado's RBI single.
Delgado advanced to second on the play and Mike Lincoln intentionally walked Carlos Beltran to get to Church.

But Church walked to load the bases up again and Brian Schneider cleared them off with a 3RBI double to make it 9-4.

Votto scored the Reds' fifth run on a groundout in the bottom of the 7th against Pedro Feliciano and Ramon Hernandez cut the lead to three with an RBI single off the wall in right centre.

Chris Dickerson's sac fly scored Willy Taveras who had hit a one-out triple, but JJ Putz worked around the hit to hand K-Rod a two-run lead.

Francisco Rodriguez walked Phillips but got Jay Bruce to pop up. Encarnacion grounded out to Wright who threw on to first base, but Delgado's foot left the base early as he tried to throw Phillips out as he rounded second and slid into third.

With men on first and third, Rodriguez walked Hernandez, struck out Gonzalez on a high fastball and got Lance Nix on a deep fly ball to the warning track.

David Wright was 1-4 at the plate with three runs scored on a single, a walk, and an error. His average dipped slightly to .286.

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