Friday, 7:05: Pelfrey vs. Chan Ho Park Saturday, 3:40: Perez vs. Moyer Sunday, 1:35: Maine vs. Blanton Adam Rubin is reporting that Buckethead will be released when Scheider comes back. ============= Game 1 Mets: After missing a start because of tendinitis in his right forearm, Pelfrey resumed his season Saturday, throwing the Nationals to the ground in a lopsided Mets' victory. With his "bowling ball" working, Pelfrey achieved 14 of 17 outs on ground balls and allowed six hits and three walks. He was removed after throwing 95 pitches -- 54 strikes -- in 5 2/3 innings. Now, with an extra day of rest, he is to confront the Phillies, who have beaten the Mets in three of the four career starts he has made against them. Pelfrey has pitched merely 22 innings in those four games, allowing 32 base runners and four home runs. He has allowed three home runs in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park, an average of 30 per 100 innings, compared to an average of six per 100 innings in all other parks. Phillies: Park showed some of the promise he showed in Spring Training during his last start Saturday against the Florida Marlins. He allowed four runs in seven innings, but he retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, and 12 of the final 14. His only problems against the Marlins came in the third inning when he allowed a couple home runs. The Phillies are hoping Park can continue to pitch like that. If he does, they will feel better about their decision to award him the fifth spot in the rotation. Game 2 Mets: When Perez was removed from his most recent start -- Sunday against the Nationals, the opposing pitcher was due to bat in the fifth inning with two runners on base and the Mets trailing by five runs. What else need be said? This: for the third time in four starts, Perez was removed without completing the fifth, and for the third time in his four starts, the Mets lost. Now he is to oppose the Phillies in Citizens Bank Park. Perez started four games against the them last season, producing an 0.35 ERA (in 26 innings) but merely one victory. The Mets won three of the games. Chase Utley (3-for-16) and Ryan Howard (2-for-22 with 14 strikeouts) have produced a .132 batting average in 38 combined career at-bats against Perez. Phillies: Moyer gave the Phillies their first truly dominant pitching performance of the season Sunday against the Florida Marlins at Dolphin Stadium. He allowed seven hits, one run and one walk in six innings to pick up the win. He was the first Phillies starter not to allow a home run in a start this season. Not that Moyer had pitched terribly. In his previous two starts, he had allowed four runs in six innings -- games the Phillies won. Moyer was 2-1 with a 3.53 ERA in six starts last season against the Mets. Game 3 Mets: Maine did his best work since last season in his most recent start, Monday against the Marlins. He completed the sixth inning for the first time in eight starts and allowed one hit and an unearned run. The Phillies and Citizens Bank Park are his next challenge. And it may be a welcome challenge. Maine never has lost to the Phillies. In his nine career starts against them, he has a 5-0 record and a 2.54 ERA. He has dominated no other opponent to an even remotely comparable degree. Moreover, he has a 2-0 record and 2.75 ERA at the Phillies' smallish park. Ryan Howard has hit two home runs against Maine but he is batting .143 in 21 other at-bats. Jimmy Rollins has batted .160 in 25 at-bats. Phillies: Blanton has started four games, but is still looking for victory No. 1 of the 2009 regular season. The right-hander was ineffective in his last start against the Nationals, giving up eight hits and six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 90 pitches, 51 for strikes, and served up three home runs -- two to Ryan Zimmerman and one to Elijah Dukes. Blanton's ERA spiked from 7.31 to 8.41. His command hasn't been consistent as evidenced by three walks and pitches being left up in the zone.
I actually think this series is just the series the Mets need to get back into shape....especiialy for Wright.
Castro is preventing the team from filling its quota of two non-hitting catchers. Manuel is salivating for Schneider's return.
2 sac flies in a row, that has to be some kind of record for this team. chan ho park is really bad. re santos, the numbers don't lie. 28 year old catchers that couldn't even hit a lick in the minors don't come to the majors and have sustained success. he might get a few hits in the short term but if he sticks around all year you can bet his numbers will be awful.
