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Saturday, July 05, 2008

Another Johan Santana start is wasted as Mets lose to Phillies

I had no idea Santana had been so unlucky this year.

J.A. Happ—Kyle Kendrick 2.0?

Perhaps Santana should do something really crazy and recalibrate what he needs to do from now on. Knowing that his teammates will score only two runs for him, he must allow no more than one. If only it were that simple. The Mets have, in effect, wasted his last six starts, losing them all since June 6, while he has gone 0-4 and posted a 2.48 earned run average.

Over that 40-inning span, the Mets have scored 11 runs while Santana has been on the mound, and the offense that scored 25 runs the last three nights in St. Louis hardly backed him again. They mustered four hits in nine innings, reaching base once after the fifth, as their Nos. 3-5 hitters — David Wright, Carlos Beltrán and Carlos Delgado — combined to hit 0 for 11 with five strikeouts.

“I mean, for obvious reasons, we need to go out and win these games,” Wright said. “It seems like that’s been a fault of ours all year, these close games, these close one-run games, we just haven’t been able to find a way to come out on top.”

The Mets face a daunting task over their next three games. Unless they win all three, they are assured of leaving here in no better shape than when they arrived. The pitching matchup favored them Friday night, as it usually does when Santana pitches, when the Phillies started a left-hander, J. A. Happ, who had the same number of major league starts as Santana had Cy Young awards (two).

Happ and Chad Durbin sort of split up the start, with Durbin going for 2.1 innings, then leaving after the seventh.  You don’t see “long relief” much anymore, unless the game is a blowout.  Why not?

BTW, the Phillies’ blue hats look terrible with the white jerseys.

The Tailor of the Garden of Tea (Crispix Attacks) Posted: July 05, 2008 at 01:08 PM | 22 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralNY MetsPhiladelphia

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   1. Russlan is glad the 2008 season is over Posted: July 05, 2008 at 02:30 PM (#2844242)
The Phillies have gone 4-0 so far during a seven game stretch against the Mets and Braves. That's called doing what needs to be done.
   2. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 05, 2008 at 02:45 PM (#2844252)
I'm finding very little to dislike about this Phillies team. Jimmy Rollins said something that irked me, though. He was asked about why the Phillies played so well against the Braves after playing so poorly in inter-league play, and he basically said that the Phillies didn't take the AL games seriously because they didn't count. Granted, division games are more important than inter-league games, but one would hope that the reigning MVP (and his teammates) would take every game with a modicum of seriousness.
   3. The Tailor of the Garden of Tea (Crispix Attacks) Posted: July 05, 2008 at 02:57 PM (#2844260)
What's going on with the Braves? They've become the team that ends the Phillies' slumps. If it weren't for the great performance by Jair Jergens Body Lotion, the Braves would be just disastrous this year.

BTW I forgot to indicate that this is a NYTimes article, so registration is required if you've been looking at a lot of NYTimes articles recently.
   4. TerpNats Posted: July 05, 2008 at 02:59 PM (#2844264)
That's right, Crashburn. Those games aren't exhibitions, Mr. Rollins.

BTW, speaking of the Phillies' July 4 blue hats...on the AP Yankees-Bosox story, it was written that the Yankees' July 4 hats were the first time the Yankees had ever worn an "alternate" cap in franchise history. Uh, I recall a few years ago the Yanks played a Saturday game in Detroit (carried on Fox), where they wore replica New York Black Yankees uniforms and the Tigers replica Detroit Stars unis. However, I don't remember whether different-style caps were also part of the deal.
   5. The Tailor of the Garden of Tea (Crispix Attacks) Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:01 PM (#2844267)
That's right, Crashburn. Those games aren't exhibitions, Mr. Rollins.

Well, it's possible. Say, if the NL had just decided to lose every interleague game this year, then it would have all cancelled out and no NL team would have gained ground on any other NL team. But no, they just decided to play half-arsedly in a non-collusive way.
   6. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:06 PM (#2844271)
Those games aren't exhibitions, Mr. Rollins.


In my mind they are, though I can see why a major leaguer probably shouldn't take that approach.
   7. Russlan is glad the 2008 season is over Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:24 PM (#2844278)
Santana has allowed 6 UER runs in his last starts so his ERA over that stretch overrates him a bit. He has been unlucky in the matchups. He has faced Wolf at Petco, Haren, Pettitte, Lackey, King Felix, and Happ during that time and he is facing Lincecum in his next start. The Mets have struggled to score for him but except for last night, the conditions weren't exactly ideal for scoring.
   8. JJ1986 Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:44 PM (#2844284)
Phillies fans, what's the situation like for getting tickets from scalpers outside the stadium? I was thinking of driving two hours to see the game tonight, but I don't want to do that if there's no way to get tickets.
   9. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:48 PM (#2844286)
I'm kind of tired of inter-league play as well, and wouldn't be opposed to seeing it gradually phase out of the schedule, but this season, the Phillies were scheduled to play 15 inter-league games (3 vs. Toronto in May; 3 vs. Boston, 3 vs. Los Angeles, 3 @ Oakland, 3 @ Texas) and they all count in the standings.

The Phillies, more than anyone except the Rockies and Padres, know how much one game can mean in the standings, so it's surprising, at least for me, to hear how nonchalantly Rollins and his teammates took inter-league play.

But... if it somehow makes them play better in intra-divisional games, then I guess I can live with half-assing it through inter-league.
   10. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:53 PM (#2844290)
Phillies fans, what's the situation like for getting tickets from scalpers outside the stadium?


I don't know specifically, as I avoid dealing with scalpers completely, but I would imagine that you'll probably be paying a lot more than face value considering that the game is sold out (presumably; I haven't checked) and it's a Mets game. I see a bunch of them around the stadium, though, so you should be able to score a couple.

Considering your drive is two-hours, you'll get there around 6 if you leave now, and I assume you won't be the only one looking for tickets. So, I suggest you get there as soon as you can.

Here is the weather forecast for Philly, by the way. Thunderstorms tonight. Something to keep in mind.
   11. JJ1986 Posted: July 05, 2008 at 03:58 PM (#2844294)
I don't know specifically, as I avoid dealing with scalpers completely, but I would imagine that you'll probably be paying a lot more than face value considering that the game is sold out (presumably; I haven't checked) and it's a Mets game. I see a bunch of them around the stadium, though, so you should be able to score a couple.

Considering your drive is two-hours, you'll get there around 6 if you leave now, and I assume you won't be the only one looking for tickets. So, I suggest you get there as soon as you can.

Here is the weather forecast for Philly, by the way. Thunderstorms tonight. Something to keep in mind.


Thanks for the info. I'm gonna try it.
   12. Padraic Posted: July 05, 2008 at 05:02 PM (#2844423)
J.A. Happ—Kyle Kendrick 2.0?

Maybe, but Happ certainly has more of a minor league track record than Kendrick did. He has excellent stuff that he needs to learn how to control, while Kendrick is a control/ground ball pitcher who basically needs to have everything go right to be successful.

Kendrick had only 81 IP above A-ball and was kind of a wildcard, who pitched well enough to stick around. If he had struggled, he could have been sent down after a few starts, and would likely be still behind Happ and Carrasco in the Phillies in the pecking order.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if next year this time, Happ is a regular in the rotation and Kendrick is in the minors, in the pen, or elsewhere.

Either way, they both know how to win, which this Santana character clearly needs to learn.
   13. jwb Posted: July 05, 2008 at 05:08 PM (#2844428)
The Phillies, more than anyone except the Rockies and Padres, know how much one game can mean in the standings
The Mets might have an opinion here, as well.
   14. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 05, 2008 at 05:26 PM (#2844451)
The Mets might have an opinion here, as well.


The Mets don't have the right to have an opinion. They are only to speak when spoken to.
   15. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 05, 2008 at 11:59 PM (#2845225)
JJ1986, let me know if everything worked out for you.
   16. The Tailor of the Garden of Tea (Crispix Attacks) Posted: July 06, 2008 at 12:04 AM (#2845230)
The last couple innings worked out for him.
   17. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 06, 2008 at 02:58 AM (#2845297)
Yeah, the 8th and 9th were brutal. I was just getting used to feeling confident with the bullpen. Then again... I expected it from Tom Gordon and somewhat from Seanez, and a little less somewhat from J.C. Romero (the wildness was expected). I'd be more flabbergasted if it was Lidge or Durbin.

Oliver Perez vs. Kyle Kendrick tomorrow afternoon. It should be interesting.
   18. IronChef Chris Wok Posted: July 06, 2008 at 06:01 AM (#2845306)
I expected it from Tom Gordon and somewhat from Seanez, and a little less somewhat from J.C. Romero

It's a Julian Tavarez away from a bad Red Sox reunion. Jeez.
   19. Padraic Posted: July 06, 2008 at 06:06 AM (#2845307)
Those games aren't exhibitions, Mr. Rollins.

What was the exact quote?
   20. JJ1986 Posted: July 06, 2008 at 09:15 AM (#2845328)
JJ1986, let me know if everything worked out for you.

Everything worked great. I got standing room tickets at the box office and then found some seats in the third or fourth inning in the 300 level. It was my first time going to the stadium and it was really nice.
   21. Crashburn Alley Posted: July 06, 2008 at 01:43 PM (#2845490)
Glad to hear it!
   22. The Tailor of the Garden of Tea (Crispix Attacks) Posted: July 06, 2008 at 01:49 PM (#2845493)
Well, on the bright side, we will have Lidge for another three years, at $12.5 million damn dollars per year.

I FIND MYSELF A TRIFLE UNEASY WITH THIS NEWS.
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