2
2012
Niese Knocked Out Early, Mets Drop Another To The Astros 6-3
An article by 
You are going to see me complain about walks, but it was a rough start for Jon Niese that put us on the path to a 6-3 defeat to the Astros.
Summary
You all know I like pitching, right? Right. You all know I hate walks, right? Right.
So you can imagine how much I screamed at my television when I saw the Mets walk a ridiculous eight players in the eight innings pitched Tuesday evening. One only needs to look at the sixth inning where four walks and a base knock by the pitcher led to a run scoring. Three of those walks were consecutive. I guess this is the part where I tell you what happened in the rest of the game. Rest assured and read on, there were some positive parts.
Jon Niese started tonight and got a streak of quality starts snapped with a rough go-around, allowing 5 ER in a mere 3.0 IP off two HRs. I think Niese could have gone longer, but Collins pulled him for a pinch hitting opportunity for Duda in the fourth with the Mets threatening, but it went for naught. 6 H and 2 BB allowed for Niese who only managed to strike out one. Minute Maid is a tough ballpark for a lefty to pitch in with that ridiculously short LF box, so chalk it up to Niese just not having it today. The big blow was a three-run bomb by Chris Snyder, who crushed a fastball right down the plate.
Miguel Batista took over after and really did not have it tonight either, allowing seven baserunners (4 BB, 3 H) in 2.2 IP. The only ER charged to him was walked home by Ramon Ramirez in the sixth, which would be the sixth and final run for the Astros on the day. The Astros probably could have done some more damage to Batista, but a horrible decision to steal and a great throw by Thole gave Miguel a huge out in the fourth – and Thole gunned down his second runner of the game in the fifth. Ramirez pitched after, walking 2 and allowing no hits, looking rather erratic. Rauch pitched the eighth, scoreless, without too much trouble.
On a lighter note, the offense was somewhat alive today. It had a pulse… I think. All three runs scored with 2 out, which puts the Mets at the top of the league in runs scored with 2 outs. Could be worse, right? They scored all three runs off J.A. Happ, the opposing starter for Houston, who pitched 6 and a third and K’d 7. The Houston bullpen combined for 2 and a third scoreless innings, allowing only a David Wright single.
Torres, Thole, and Hairston were the men who came through with 2-out RBIs. Kudos to Josh, who is really starting to impress me – average dropped to .313 today but a hit, an rbi, and two great throws on pitches that were not easy to handle deserve a least a tip of my invisible hat. Turner picked up SB number 1 in this one. Wright was the only man with multiple hits – while the top of the order, Kirk and Tejada, went a combined 0-8 with 4 Ks.
Goat Of The Game
I hate to do it – but I have to say Jon Niese, who got rocked.
Notes
If you had not heard, there is a flu bug circling the Mets dugout. Lucas Duda and Mike Nickeas are currently the worst of the bunch. Mike Baxter is the certified emergency catcher.
Dickey flirted with ANOTHER no – hitter last night. Just saying…
Frank Francisco is dealing with a random assortment of injuries, the latest one a hamstring issue, but he claims to be ok.
Mike Pelfrey had successful TJ surgery.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis led all Major League rookies with a .325 batting average and 26 hits in April. He was also second with 11 runs scored, tied for third with two homers, and fourth with eight RBIs. Third-best rookie average in Mets April history, too.
On Deck
The schwingman pitcher, Chris Schwinden, takes the mound against Wandy Rodriguez of the Astros tomorrow in the final game of the series. Mets will seek to avoid the sweep starting at 2:05 pm.
About the Author: Satish Ram
I am a Senior Writer and Editor here at MetsMerized - where I specialize in Minor League coverage. I have been on the staff since 2007 and I am currently in my third semester of college in New York City. You can find me at www.facebook.com/SatishRam or @SilverHeatMMO. Feel free to message me - I love talking about the Mets or baseball overall with anybody.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 23 | .410 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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OK so I know Happ in general has been pretty good and I know we have some guys out sick (Duda specifically) and I know the pen is “worn out” of late (Collins words). So I don’t understand why Collins would remove Niese after 3 innings and 60 pitches especially when it seems based on what was said on WFAN Niese was not removed due to being sick or hurt in any way.
Disappointed in Ramirez. Prior to getting clobbered in that 18-9 game in Colorado his previous 4 appearances had been good and he came back the day after getting clobbered and gave the Mets a solid inning. But anytime you walk in a run that is just inexcusable.
I am gonna take that this was a perfect storm against the Mets with players having the flu and what looks like some tired arms in the pen but if Egbert is ready I am ready to say bye to Batista and call him up.
Positives for me which isn’t much was Rauch coming back and giving the Mets 1 shutout inning and Ike with another hit (we need you to get going Ike).
Schwinden on the hill 2morrow hope he gives us a better effort than Niese did tonight.
LGM!!!
Obviously, the one thing thatyou don’t care at all about is the manager trying to something that ias unique to too many of you on this site. And that is the blasphemy of TRYING TO WIN A GAME. Its more important to you and your ilk to demand the starter throw his 100 pitches and worry about a washed up long man being over used, then to give the manager credit for pulling a guy who had nothing and trying to get back in the game. When guys like you start caring about winning, your posts will have a little value. But as long as you do Alderson’s bidding and demand the stats be followed like the gospel you are just a schill for a very bad and washed up GM.
Well you are right, you certainly are Amazin.
You know I actually agree with Collins decision to pull Niese. I don’t care too much if Batista gets burned out as his time is short anyway. However, why is it on here an opinion can’t be expressed without childish banter, grouping and just plain ignorance to follow?
If the bullpen is overworked and stressed out the truth is it’s their own damn fault!
Dickey went 6 Innings and we used 3 Relievers (about average)
In Santana’s outing we used 6 Relievers despite Santana’s 6 Innings of work.
Gee went 7 (Two Relievers used)
Schwinden had a short outing at 4 innings (5 Relievers used)
Niese went 7 the day before (1 Reliever used after Niese)
Dickey went 7 and we still managed to use 4 Relievers that day!
Add it up and you get 5 Starts of 6 Innings or more and in those games we used 16 relievers.
If they are tired and overworked it;s because they have been yanked to replace other relievers not because they had to make up for the starters!
The only real hardship put on them was the double header and Schwinden’s short outing and the double header would not have been as much of a hardship if they had starter Hefner instead of Bautista in game 1!
Terry was right to pull Niese! Making a guy pitch through it can often lead to the pitcher doing something he sholdn’t and getting injured to make up for what he doesn’t have that day!
Honestly, why not put a guy like Batista/Acosta on waivers and bring up someone to replace him to give them a fresh arm? DL Francisco for a couple of weeks and let him get healthy. I don’t buy the burn out excuse either Metsie.
Oh, boy, if transition from starting pitching to relief continues on like this, the team ERA will be 6.-something by mid-June. Pitching is key, and tonight’s was a great failure.
Situational hitting sucked, too. Davis looked like crap when he needed to come up big, and he wasn’t the only guy. I know I shouldn’t lose my cool, but these are the Astros, and they definitely suck more than we do. Their announcers would put anyone to sleep with their mindless baseball babble delivered in the most soporific monotone imaginable. Sayin’.
Terrible series, just unacceptable. I know, let it go…BUT IT”S THE ASTROS!!!
To me the game changed when Davis and Duda both took pitches that were just wayyyy too close to take with 2 strikes and runners in scoring position. This “selective and patience” garbage is getting completely out of hand and guys are taking hittable pitches when runners are there to be driven in. They wind up striking out. I remember growing up and the advice was always swing at anything close with 2 strikes and that advice should hold true today as well
Again you can’t have one philosophy for an entire team and not only that but strategy changes from game to game and inning to inning. If you’re down a couple runs late in the game and depending what part of the order is up u may want to take until a strike, and that also depends on how the pitcher is throwing. By the same token if it’s a close game and u have runners on and big boys like Ike and Duda are up you want them swinging at any close pitch. And if there’s one out all the moreso because we can score a run on an out and you want them swinging because what are you gonna do? Take pitches for the bottom of the order to do the job?
This one single philosophy for everybody to follow is DUMB but i guess when your Gm doesn’t obtain a catcher in the off season and spends 15.5 million for relief when SP would have made much more sense, you take it from where it comes.
So the GM is now the pitching coach now too? It’s so easy to sit back in your lazy boy, with your Colt 35 Malt resting on your gut and think you know what it’s like to be in the batters box on a major league field. “yeah yeah when I was a kid I would have swong at dat pitch………youse guys should know betta, back in my day………we were real men and we played the game the right way………~~~belch~~~~
LOL, what I think is funny is how Hudgens continues to talk about how you can’t take those pitches and you have to shorten up with 2 strikes and protect the plate. Yet we now have a “cookie cutter” philosophy that prevents that. Yeah, whatever.
It’s real simple to me. When three starting position players ( Nieuwenhuis, Tejada, Davis) strike out six times in 12 AB’s, we aren’t likely to have a productive night. I don’t care where a player is in the batting order, striking out in 50% of the AB’s is less than mediocre.
Look who’s back! It’s Des and guess what? He attacks Tejada again!
Last time he popped up from under his rock to slam Tejada he got 10 hits during a season so look for another explosion.
How old are you again? And how long have you claimed to be watching this game? Go back under your rock you loser
I’m glad I make your day, my friend. You certainly need some friends with the foul mouth you use. Suggestion: Get a life, loser.
I forgot to add that Ruben strikes out more than 23% of his AB’s. Sign of a champion, no doubt. He’s not the Mets long term solution at SS.
Wow, I am going to agree with Bay which may make me off my rocker. I have seen no reason the young Tejada can’t be our long term solution at SS unless we are expecting Reyes level offense from him.
I’d be more concerned about Kirk’s strike out rate right now than Tejada’s.
Think Kirk has 26 or 27 Ks since he’s been up.
You are really a piece of work, man. 2 years ago you predicted Havens would be Mets 2B and I predicted Tejada and you LOST. And you STILL can’t get over it. And your pattern remains exactly the same in that whenever Tejada had a slump you were came out from under a rock in your feet-in pajamas and predicted doom for the kid….and you’re STILL doing it.
The levels of stupidity and denseness that you show here is embarrassing for you and particularly embarrassing for a man of your age who’s been around since the days of the Brooklyn Dodgers. You’re a loser, you’re a SORE LOSER morese, you’re not a nice guy, and you’re just plain old DUMB when it comes to baseball. You’re a brainless moron, you’re DISHONEST because of the lying posts you used to do here (who can forget the famous quoting yourself post) and adding to that being a sore loser makes you a person that deserves no respect
Actually you both lost, where was Murphy in that pool?
We all know that injuries can happen to anyone. So grow up and get out of the intellectual sewer you love. BTW, if Havens ever gets over his torso issues and the Mets develop a SS from the farm, Ruben will be sent packing. Ruben reminds me of Harold Solomon or Eddie Dibbs from their tennis days — minimal offense but each became a human backboard. Still, Ruben strikes out way too much, especially for a guy who is just trying to make contact..
You do realize he is still a kid? Even this year with a high strike out rate, (his k’s last year would have been fine over the course of a season) he has kept an OBP 60 points higher than his BA. Again, I am agreeing with Bay. It’s almost like you are TRYING to make him look worse than he is just to prove a point.
trs86 — Facts and statistics are just what they are. That’s all there is to this. Future projections of on-field performance is where some of us disagree. Can we all be civil and accept differences of opinion? It shouldn’t be threatening but it is to some of us.
OK so what are the future projections and who is providing them? I have looked at fangraphs and do not see anything we don’t already know.
WOW – what a classy guy you are. Incapable of posting without insults and name calling. Tough guy on the internet……….cool
As I said, Nieuwenhuis, Tejada, and Davis put us out of last night’s game. Bayonne only picks up on my reference to Ruben, sort of a bottom dweller’s view of mediocrity. Ike is reverting back to some bad early in his career habits, but he’s done better since then and I’m not concerned about him. Bay is terminal, with a slowing swing. Kirk is to be watched. Bayonne seems to defend only the lesser lights. Hmmm.
Des the offense did very little last night but that loss was on Niese who got rocked out of the gate. I wouldn’t say it was those 3 in particular that put us out of that game. It’s hard to knock Tejada or Nieuwenhuis for anythng to this point when both have contributed mightily to the early season success. Davis has been awful most of the season but the other 2 are a huge part of why we’ve played well to this point. I’ll admit Davis’ long swing has worried me from day one and last year he cut down on that swing and got off to a good start so I’m hoping he adjusts again but you’ve been totally unfair and wrong about Tejada. He’s only 22 years old and showed a great deal of improvement basically learning on the job at the major league level. He’s not a sta, he’ll never be Reyes r but he’s going to be one helluva player for a long time.
Collins needs to stop pulling starters. The bullpen is the worst in the majors and can’t be used up this early in the season. Let the pitchers take their poundings and get some innings out of them. By the way, this flu bug is going around the majors. Looks like nobody in MLB got their flu shots this year.
Well, another game another loss to an inferior team… Guess SP is more valuable than hitting for AVG and having a high OBP eh?? This team keeps getting people on base (11 total last night) BUT what good does it do when the Situational hitting keep being dismissed? Having your power hitters as bayonne stated above “wait for the pitch” and taking strikes RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE will do that to you.. Not often you get “your” pitch but the pitcher’s pitch.. We have to consider that pitchers have “clutch” moments as well, wether be a clutch at bat, CLUTCH inning, CLUTCH pitch etc.. Again, SP is more valuable than hitting, if niese doesn’t get roughed up the mets would’ve been in the game for the get go, but since he was the mets had to fight their way back but never could.. Players can get hits and walks here and there but what good does it do when there’s no pitching and no clutch hitting?
I agree the situation hitting is not great and is something I am sure they are working on. If you watched last year I don’t think they want these guys taking that approach with 2 strikes at all. Hudgens and Collins both have talked about the need to shorten up and protect the plate with two strikes. The idea of the philosophy is to get into good hitters counts. You can’t get into too many good hitters counts when you are behind in the count to start with. I think most of the problem lies in the fact that neither Duda (who to be fair was starting to come out of it) or Davis are right at the moment. There is no philosophy that is making Davis this bad. He can’t hit a breaking ball to save his life but keeps swinging at them. In fact he is doing the opposite of what the “philosophy” is by swinging early at breaking balls. I watched him last night up there guessing breaking ball and letting a fastball go by. Why the hell are you guessing breaking ball? Why because you can’t hit the damn thing and want to swing at it anyway.
A little on what I am talking about. If you don’t want stats then hide your eyes.
O-Swing%: The percentage of pitches a batter swings at outside the strike zone.
Davis in
2011 24.5
2012 31.0
O-Contact%: The percentage of pitches a batter makes contact with outside the strike zone when swinging the bat.
2011 65.8
2012 60.6
So just based on that he is swinging more at pitches out of the zone and making contact less. Sounds like he could follow the “cookie cutter” philosophy a little more and benefit from it.
Duda I think is just a bit unlucky. His peripheral numbers actually look either in line with or better than last year. I think that is showing in how he was starting to turn things around before getting the flu. Davis has looked a little better of late as well but if you notice it’s been in situations where the pitcher has messed up and pitched it where Ike was guessing. Right now it appears Ike is guessing way too much.
The Mets got off to a good start – it was a very enjoyable April for the most part.
From all the comments leading up to opening day, I think most of us knew this was a .500 type ball club this year. We knew to have a shot at a WC, everything would have to break right.
Not even a month in, we lose one of our starters for the year. Sure…it was Pelfrey but he was better than his replacement right now who is Schwinden. Bay is out for awhile too but not sure how much we all miss him.
We’ve gotten the chance to get a look at Kirk and I’m sure sooner rather than later we’ll be seeing a rookie or two coming up for the BP. So far Ruben is holding his own at SS and DWright had a great month of April. Still cautiously optimistic about Johan but just the fact that he was ready to go for opening day was a big plus.
Too early to write off this season yet but going in, I didn’t have any expectations. I’m sticking to that and will just enjoy watching this team and some of these guys who will be the future for the Mets.
Absolutely ridiculous for the Mets to drop a series to a far inferior team. This is more nauseating than the Colorado series.
Absolutely ridiculous for the Mets to drop a series to a far inferior team”
Shouldn’t the braves, phillies and marlins say the same thing then????
Considering that none of those 4 teams are “dominant” I think you are going to see all of them do what we just did. I am sure as the season goes on we may do it more but the NL East is certainly not shinning the way we expected it would.
The phils were just lucky to get a split of a 4 game series, at home, to the Cubs. That also is not particularly impressive!
1) Braves BARELY have a better record than the Mets. Just about even. We have the better rotation, they have the better pen, we are better offensively.
2) Phillies are starting to figure it out but still have some weaknesses in their lineup.
3) The Marlins SUCK. Point blank.
Run differential in the majors, last 5:
Minnesotta -41
Kansas City -25
NY METS -23
San DIego -22
Milwaukee -22
You wanna talk about lucky????? Really??? I am not saying those teams are world beaters, but you’re giving the mets TOO MUCH credit for how they have overachive… BTW, all those teams have a losing record… Mets have been lucky enough to win against better teams early on…