17
2011
Gee Strong, Reyes Ignites Mets 3-2 Win
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Dillon Gee had a good outing, Jose Reyes was the tablesetter and new #2 hitter Josh Thole was productive and the Mets broke their losing streak, beating the Braves 3-2.
Game Notes
Dillon Gee in his first start of the season looked great. Gee only got in trouble once, and that was in the second inning after allowing a lead-off triple to Dan Uggla, who would later score on a Freddie Freeman single. Gee managed to get out of that inning on a boneheaded squeeze play that Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson struck out on and Braves LF Eric Hinske got caught napping in between third and home for an unassisted double-play for Josh Thole. Gee stayed in the zone, only walking Eric Hinske twice, with one walk being the last batter he would face. His final line was five and two-third innings allowing one run on five hits striking out four and walking two.
The Mets bullpen today looked great, and it was a combination of logic and dire need. Chris Capuano came out in relief of Gee on his “throw day” and got one clutch out with runners on first and second. R.A. Dickey came out for the seventh, allowing one hit and striking out one on his “throw day”. The usage of starters as bullpen pieces on days they should be throwing can be valuable to Terry Collins and his ability to manage his bullpen. Jason Isringhausen came out for the eighth, and gave up a home run to Jason Heyward before striking out two and catching Brian McCann on a pick-off move. Izzy’s final line was one inning pitched, one run allowed on one hit with two strikeouts. K-Rod came out for the dramatics, and after walking the first batter he faced, Mets killer Chipper Jones, allowed two hits to advance him to third before striking out Brooks Conrad on a filthy 3-2 changeup for his second save of the season.
The bats were held in check today as Tommy Hanson was dealing. They got on him in the first inning, with a Jose Reyes double that missed being a homer by about five feet, and then scoring on a Josh Thole single. Ike Davis would then knock a single to right field, scoring Josh Thole who made an amazing slide to miss the tag of Brian McCann. The Mets offense would not re-appear until the fifth when Jose Reyes singled, stole second and then scored on another Josh Thole RBI single. The combination of Reyes-Thole may have potential to be very effective, but it does displace Angel Pagan for the moment.
Mets as a team – 14 K’s. Every starter, including Dillon Gee had at least one strikeout. Rightfully so, Tommy Hanson was lights out, getting batters looking at his curve.
David Wright – 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. D’OH!
Jose Reyes – 2 for 4. Two runs scored, a walk and a strikeout and the ever marvelous stolen base.
Ike Davis – 2 for 3 with an RBI, a walk and a strikeout.
Brad Emaus – 0 for 3 with a strikeout and a walk, and a double-clutched throw that allowed Uggla to advance to third.
Josh Thole – 2 for 4 with two RBI’s and a run scored. Scary stat, however. Josh struck out for the twelfth time this year against three walks. Last year he struck out 25 times in 202 AB’s, walking 24.
Side Note – Watching Terry Collins fired up after they won aggressively shaking his players hands and patting them away is a good site to see. It makes the game feel more serious and show he wants to win as bad as they do.
Turning Point
When the Braves decided a suicide squeeze was a great idea with a slow runner on third, allowing Dillon Gee to leave the inning surrendering only one run
Game Ball
To Dillon Gee, Jose Reyes and Josh Thole. Each player performed well today.
On Deck
The Mets will have a well-deserved day off, and then return home for a series against the Astros on Tuesday. Jonathon Niese will go up against lefty Wandy Rodriguez. Game time is 7:10 P.M.
About the Author: Sean Kenny
Sean Kenny is a student/writer currently attending school at the City College of New York. For more Mets news, notes and thoughts follow him on twitter @TheSeanKenny
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Losing streak is over finally!
Tommy Hanson had a nasty breaking ball today Wright and Pagan looked bewildered (at least when they were trying to not bunt). Hanson owns Wright in his career.
Props to Reyes 2 nice hits 1 almost a hr and a successful steal on the 1st pitch.
WTG Reyes!
Thole had a nice day at the plate in the 2 hole. Will be curios to see if Collins continues with him there.
Gee gave the Mets a much needed shot in the arm with his performance today. He will get another start and a well deserved one.
Emaus 0 for what 3? Yea it was Tommy Hanson but this is the bigs and his time is running out. The Astros rotation is not as formidable as the Braves so if he struggles vs them as well. I will be waiting to see how much longer Collins continues to send him out there.
Iggy gave up the solo hr but overall the pen held the lead thanks to the help of Cap and Dickey.
A winning streak would be nice with Bay expected to possibly rejoin the team on Tuesday. We will know more tomorrow I guess.
LETS GO METS!!!
Got to hand it to Gee. I think this is Omar’s best draft choice. 21st round he always looks like he knows what he’s doing and what he can do. Very confident, fast worker, great guy to play behind. Swings and misses, only 2 walks. Five good starts last September, another one today. I’ll take 5 2/3 of 1 run ball from a rookie any day and if it wasn’t for an E-4 he goes at least 6, maybe more as his pitch count was low.
Good job Dillon.
Until Angel figures out what to do and David stops trying to hit HR every at bat instead of working to count to his favor maybe Thole/Reyes will get us some runs till Bay regains his spot in order and Harris goes back to bench where he belongs.
Gee looked good last year and I say is a candidate to fill in 1st for next starter with problems.
According to telecast he led IL in K’s last year.
David is like the guy who’s always trying to land the knockout punch. Swings with gusto every time. Sometimes only contact is needed. When will he adjust to the situation?
Des, I don’t think Wright will ever adapt his approach to the situation. If ever there was a time in the last two years it was at the end of the first game of the Colorado double header. Season teetering, bases loaded, 2 out, trailing by one, and he goes for the HR. IN CITI FIELD. A place he’s hit 18 HR’s in two years. At a time a single easily scores Reyes with the winning run from 2nd.
Very disapointing.
Right now he’s in a horrible slump, not to make any excuses for his continued lack of clutch.
Guy is taking strikes down the pipe and flailing at pitches low and away. just hate watching him come to the plate of late.
He is due to break out of it, so why not against ‘Stros?
Gee is the 2nd best non-Johan starter we have. Niese is number one. Chris Young ? If he gets to a 6th start, I’ll reconsider.
That is really sad. Gee and Dickey are both guys that nobody else would take for free a year ago. These are our 2nd and 3rd best starters: the expendables.
I doubt Dickey can be durable enough to be used as a long reliever between starts like a Wakefield. It would be great, and it’s worth trying, but I think it’s going to end up with a DL stint.
Thole is a decent 2-hole guy ( no pun intended ). He’s slow, but at least he makes contact.
it isn’t an every-turn kind of thing using starters as relievers, but it can be a smart way to get a starter his bullpen session in a game. Niese could come in to face a lefty, etc. It can be used, and that is the best way to keep the bullpen fresh. The starters are gonna throw that day anyway? Why not throw when it matters?
i guess so. it worked today. it’s not like dickey and capuano were lights out in their last starts to begin with.
i disagree with you sean. i think that with thole producing at the number two, granted only being a game, and pagan seriously slumping right now, i think collins will leave thole in the number two slot until pagan starts to wake up.
Pagan in the six hole isn’t really a power threat, and fits into the scheme but not well. As much as I am skeptical about Jason Bay, once he returns (hopefully shortly) the BA can make a change, possibly with Bay 3rd, Beltran 4, Wright 5, Davis 6. If Thole is productive, Angel loses some value batting 7th IMO
Switch Wright and Bay in your line-up and keep Pagan at 2 and Emus/Murphy 7 Thole 8. Pagan will hit and he’s a switch hitter.
Its like shuffling a deck of poop. They do not have nearly enough pitching. This team is not close. They are years away from competing. Even when they start playing better they are not good enough to make playoffs. I cant wait for them to break this nonsense down and start building a team that may compete in a couple of years.
Your post should be available for cut and paste as a default response to any post on this site.
It’s funny to hear people argue about things like Murphy or Emaus, Tejada or Hu. Like this is going to make a difference.
Read the article and both your comments and don’t know where you’re coming from.
No one even mentioned ‘close’ or ‘playoffs’.
It’s about putting your best 9 out there to try and win a ball game.
I think everyone realizes the short comings and weaknesses right now.
I was only assuming that playoffs were the goal. I didnt realize that just winning a ball game was the goal. I am so glad we’re done. Mission Complete.
Jose Reyes
Josh Thole
Carlos Beltran
Jason Bay
David Wright
Ike Davis
Angel Pagen
Brad Emaus
P
I have seen just about enough of Emaus, though maybe he should get a full month to prove himself. You insert Murph in that lineup, and on paper that is a formidable group of hitters. Seriously, it would be a 1-8 where no one is an automatic out.
let’s see where we are in two-three weeks.
Given that we now know, Gee didn’t have the right-sized shoes and had to borrow Parnell’s mitt, I hope the Gee Whiz Kid will be around for a few more starts. So far he’s shown himself to be Met-worthy.
Not bad for a 22nd rounder.