Yes, today is the 14th anniversary of when  Todd “The Tank” Pratt went boom to lead the Mets past the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 1999 NLDS.

I remember waking up just in time to see Todd Pratt, the Mets back-up catcher who was subbing for the injured Mike Piazza, take Diamondbacks closer Matt Mantai’s fastball over the centerfield wall.

I was working for the heavy metal band, Shango at the time, and I had gotten home at around 6:00 AM from an overnight gig. I generally don’t sleep into the afternoon, but I was so tired from the night before and I missed the first nine innings of the game. I turned on the television while still being barely conscious to hear Chris Berman utter (more like scream) that now famous play by play:

Oh… That’s hit well to centerfield…

Finley goes back… BACK! BACK!!!!! (long pause)

IT’S OVER!!!

I remember watching Diamondbacks centerfielder, Steve Finley make what looked to be a leaping grab of the ball, but I saw the look of despair in his eyes and when he bowed his head in shame. I was totally awake (hung-over, but awake) and screaming at the top of my lungs!

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Yes the Mets would be eliminated by the insidious Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, but if it was not for Todd Pratt – a man who just a scant years before was out of baseball and working at a Dominos Pizza franchise – the Mets may not of gotten that far.

So what are your memories of that incredible Mets moment?

We at MMO wish Todd Pratt all the best in his battle with head and neck cancer which he revealed in August. So far so good, for the former Met catcher… After surgery to remove the tumors, his cancer is now in remission and he says he feels good and doctors tell him he’s healthy.

And with that said….. HERE COMES THE INFAMY!!!!!!

Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today include:

Utility man from the ’98 season, Jim Tatum is 46 (1967). In his lone season with the Mets, Tatum played every position except for shortstop, second base and pitcher!

One third of “Generation K” Bill Pulsipher is 40 (1973). Oh what could have been!

Starting pitcher from the ’06 season, Alay Soler is 34 (1979). Soler was the one of the few Cuban defectors the Mets signed in the past decade. But unlike an El Duque or a Livan Hernandez, Alay never lived up to the hype. He only pitched in eight games for the Mets, posting a record of 2-3 with a 6.00 ERA.

Reserve outfielder from the ’11 season, Jason Pridie is 30 (1983). Pridie played in 101 games for the Mets that season, batting a paltry .231 with 4 homers and 20 RBIs.

Other notables include:

The  Oakland Athletics claimed both reserve outfielder Matt Watson and utility infielder Marco Scutaro of the New York Mets on waivers on October 9, 2003. As of this past season Scutaro was still an active player with the Giants, makes you wish the Mets never put him through waivers huh?

Mo Vaughn nearly choked on his third helping of Dominos Pizza when he saw Pratt hit that homerun!!!!

The post This Day In Mets Infamy With Rusty: The Todd Pratt Goes Boom Edition! appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The A’s have signed Jason Pridie to a minor league deal, tweets Adam Rubin.

Jason Pridie, who was removed from the Mets’ 40-man roster last week, has signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics on a minor league deal, according to his agents from Sosnick Cobbe sports.

Pridie, 28, appeared in 101 games for the Mets in 2011. He joined the club in April after Angel Pagan experienced his injury, and never left.

Pridie hit .231 with four home runs and 20 RBI in 208 at bats over 101 games this past season.

The Mets also removed Nick Evans and Taylor Buchholz from the roster in recent days.

The post Jason Pridie Signs Minor League Deal With A’s appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After a bad start by Miguel Batista, the Mets came back only to have Josh Stinson and Ryota Igarashi blow the game in the 11th inning, and the Mets lost 10-6 to the Chicago Cubs

Game Notes

Miguel Batista had his first poor outing as a Met, going five innings, allowing four runs on five hits walking three and striking out one. Batista was not helped by the Mets defense, as David Wright made his third error in two days. Batista couldn’t find control, and when he gave up hits they were for extra bases.

Today saw a huge bullpen day, with D.J. Carrasco, Tim Byrdak, Pedro Beato, Daniel Herrera, Manny Acosta, Josh Stinson, Ryota Igarashi and Dale Thayer came out. Everyone but Stinson and Igarashi was effective, but Stinson was hit hard and walked two to not record an out.

The offense today existed in spurts, with runs being scored in the first, sixth, eighth and 11th. Jason Pridie hit a home run in the eleventh, but by then the Mets were already down six, so it just closed the deficit. The offense today wasn’t stifled, but stranded runners, 26 to be exact.

Jose Reyes – 1 for 5 with a walk and a strikeout. Jose dropped his average to .332

Jason Pridie – 1 for 2 with a two-run HR.

David Wright – 0 for 5 with two strikeouts and a walk. Tough last two days for David.

Turning Point

The ineffective bullpen work of Stinson/Igarashi

GOAT of the Game

Josh Stinson takes the cake in this one. Not getting an out and giving up four runs will do that for a player.

On Deck

The Mets will continue their home series, playing against the Washington Nationals at 7:10 P.M. Ross Detweiler will pitch for the Nationals, and R.A. Dickey for the Mets.

The post Stinson Blows Game In Extras, Mets Lose 10-6 To Cubs appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Like in 2009, the injury bug has plagued the team, only earlier this year than anyone expected.

However, the Mets have received timely contributions from several players who originally didn’t factor too much into the team’s plans for this season.

Here are five Mets who have been great finds after starting the year in the minors.

5. Jason Pridie

Jason Pridie had only appeared in 11 games for the Minnesota Twins over the last two seasons.

When Angel Pagan went down with an injury, the Mets recalled Pridie because he was the best defensive outfielder in Triple-A.

Not only had Pridie filled in great defensively when needed, but he’s also come up with a few clutch hits, including a pair of three-run homers earlier this season.

Don’t let the .239 batting average fool you. He’s driven in 11 runs and has drawn 11 walks, which has added to his .320 OBP.

He’s a great option to have around as a fourth outfielder and left-handed bat off the bench. He even has good speed which further adds to his value.

4. Ruben Tejada

Ruben Tejada is playing so well that the Mets will be faced with a tough decision once Ike Davis and David Wright are ready to return.

Tejada was in the competition for second base this spring, but the organization wanted him to play every day shortstop so he could be an insurance plan for Jose Reyes.

Tejada has been a magician with the glove, which has been the norm since his call-up last season.

However, this year he’s also off to a .316 clip. He won’t drive in many runs, but he has found a way to get on base.

If he keeps up his torrid hitting, the Mets may have to find a way to keep him on the roster.

3. Jason Isringhausen

To think, the Mets actually broke camp with Blaine Boyer instead of Jason Isringhausen.

Boyer is long gone, while Izzy has been a mainstay as the setup man in front of Frankie Rodriguez.

Isringhausen has only given up six runs in 21 games, and that includes a recent streak of giving up a run in three consecutive appearances.

He’s shown good life on his fastball and a very good curveball.

The Mets will continue to rely on Izzy late in games.

2. Dillon Gee

When Terry Collins called Dillon Gee a Major League ready pitcher this winter, he wasn’t kidding.

Gee has been phenomenal since his promotion in mid-April. He’s 5-0 with a 3.83 ERA in seven starts.

Once Chris Young went down for the season, Gee was able to cement himself in the rotation.

Though he’ll give up a few runs here and there, he throws strikes and gives his team a chance to win every time out.

When and if Johan Santana returns, Gee will hold down his rotation spot if he continues to put up “W’s.”

1. Justin Turner

Justin Turner has been the glue that has held the Mets together in the absence of Ike Davis and David Wright.

He didn’t get going right away, but really came into his own during the road series in Houston, including the game he drove in five runs and hit his first career home run.

Turner set the Mets rookie record for driving in at least one run for seven straight games. After not driving in a run for two games after that, he now has another six-game RBI streak going.

He’s driven in 21 runs in just 92 at-bats, and is hitting .337 on the year.

His hitting and defense have earned him a spot on the roster, and he should still get plenty of playing time once Wright and Davis return.

The post Mets Have Benefited From Minor League Call-ups appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In fact, Pagan is expected back in the lineup this Friday.

While last night’s game was a poor indicator, the Mets have actually played some good baseball without three of their regulars players. Some young guys have stepped up when needed, especially Justin Turner and Jason Pridie.

Pridie has shown enough to keep him on the roster. He can be a serviceable fourth outfielder, and can spot-start while Pagan readjusts to the big leagues.

When Pagan comes off the disabled list, most likely Nick Evans or Fernando Martinez will be the first to be sent to the minors. Evans has become a forgotten man on the bench, while F-Mart needs to play every day to keep improving for the future.

Probably sending down F-Mart would be the smartest option at this point. Evans is quickly losing value, so keeping him buried as insurance on the bench is better than taking playing time away from F-Mart.

Though this decision seems to be an easy one, what happens when Wright and Davis are ready to return?

Turner has established himself as a regular on this team, whether at second or third base. He’s not going anywhere once the regular corners return.

Daniel Murphy started off this season well with the bat and the glove, but he has cooled down significantly offensively. He needs to regain his stroke, so he can be a platoon partner with Turner once Davis returns.

Assuming he isn’t sent down when Pagan returns, Evans should be back down once Davis returns.

When Wright eventually comes off the disabled list—which may be longer than expected—Ruben Tejada will likely head back to Buffalo. If his offense can ever come around, he has the glove to be a regular.

However, sending down Tejada would eliminate the only other player on the roster who can play shortstop. Jose Reyes has been phenomenal, but what if he gets hurt? This would be something to consider in shaping the roster once everyone is healthy.

Meanwhile, Willie Harris and Scott Hairston are clogging up bench spots. The two combined have been a complete disappointment. Harris is on a minor league deal, which may work against him if the Mets are fed up with his performance.

So far, no team has really run away with the division, so if the Mets can stay afloat as their stars are healing, we could be in store for an exciting summer—assuming the Fred Wilpon refrains from any more comments directed at his own players.

Follow me on Twitter @JMMancari.

The post From Left Field: What Happens When Wright, Davis and Pagan Return? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Chris Capuano grinded through five innings, and Justin Turner had a huge day with five RBI and the Mets won the last game, and the series against the Astros 7-4.

Game Notes

Chris Capuano went out today and pitched a great game, but getting himself into trouble as most Mets starters have been doing this year. Cap gave up two runs in five innings on six hits, striking out six and walking three. While Capuano seemed to be struggling with location, the Astros seemed to want Capuano to succeed from the start, when Michael Bourn was picked off of first after he singled on the first pitch. Capuano faced a primarily righty lineup and didn’t seem too phased, but he did have to work hard and apparently.

The bullpen got a lot of work today. Taylor Buchholz pitched two innings, allowing one run on two hits, while walking one and striking out two. Taylor has been great, but some long-ball tendencies are beginning to be seen, allowing four home runs in 21 2/3 innings. Tim Byrdak made his first appearance since May 10th, and gave up a double and a walk before being pulled. Jason Isringhausen would stop the bleeding, but not before allowing an RBI double to end the frame. Byrdak’s line – 0 IP, one run on one hit with one walk, Izzy one IP, one hit, one strikeout. K-Rod came out for his fourth save attempt in five days, and nailed it down with a clean inning, notching his twelfth save of the season.

The bullpen bent a little bit more today, but two five inning outings back-to-back can do that to a bullpen. Byrdak was the only completely fresh arm, and he is a LOOGY, as he has been ineffective against righties.

The offense today can be renamed “Justin Turner” as the Red One went 2 for 4 with a home run, the first of his career and five RBI. The other RBI was knocked in by Jason Pridie. In an awkward play in the fifth, after a late move by catcher J.R. Towels to throw out Jose Reyes on a stolen base attempt, Jason Pridie broke home without Bill Hall ever noticing there was a play at the plate, stealing a run. The Astros overall sloppy play seemed to kill them today, with everything falling apart in the fifth, and then the wound just being opened further in the sixth.

Daniel Murphy – 1 for 3 with two runs, and the rare 3-ball walk. Just an error overall, but Murph still will take the free BB any day.

Carlos Beltran – 0 for 4 with a strikeout – not sure if the eye was an issue, but love the grit.

Reyes, Thole, Wright – 0 for 9 with four walks, three strikeouts and two steals. The patience is great, but David Wright is third in the league in walks – and near the top in strikeouts. This problem is only getting worse.

Hairston/Harris – 0 for 2. At least no Hu appearance.

Turning Point

When Carlos Lee dropped the fly ball in the infield and the Mets pushed across four in the fifth.

Game Ball

Justin Turner. Big day, first MLB home run and five RBI. He isn’t going to make the decision easy when Ike comes back as to who is the starter.

On Deck

The Mets will travel back home to face the Marlins tommorrow at Citi Field, in a rematch of the Opening Day starters, Josh Johnson and Mike Pelfrey for the Mets. Game time is 7:10 P.M.

The post Justin Turner Overdrive, Mets Ground Astros 7-4 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As we all know, the Mets bench has not been hitting the ball well offensively for most of the season.  Guys like Willie Harris, Chin-lung Hu and Scott Hairston have been struggling a lot at the plate. Jason Pridie seems to be the only player off the bench swinging a decent bat. With Milton Bradley on his way out of Seattle, this question comes to mind:  

Could Milton Bradley make sense for the Mets bench?

Right now, the Mets have very little depth on the bench and there’s not much to choose from. They can call guys up and down, but it only ends up being a short-term solution. 

As The Legend of Cecilio Guante blog put it, if Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins want to continue their beliefs as far as holding people accountable, then they need to fix the issues with the bench.  Adding Milton Bradley would seem like an upgrade to me.

Even with his troubled past, I think that it’s worth the gamble to give Bradley a shot.  If Bradley acts up, Collins will definitely put him in his place, so I am not worried at all about that.  

Maybe a new home, and new coaches could point Milton Bradley back in the right direction.

The post Could Milton Bradley Make Sense for the Mets Bench? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Why Is Chin-Lung Hu Here?

Mets backup middle infielder Chin-Lung Hu has just been absolutely dreadful to start this season. I see no reason why the 27-year old Taiwanese native is on the major league staff except to crack the cheap “Hu’s on first?” joke on the rare occasion he makes it to first base.

Hu is batting an almost laughable .056 with one mere hit, three walks, two runs and an RBI in 19 games, mostly pinch hitting. The worst part is, is that in his 18 official at-bats, Hu has struck out an abysmal 11 times. I would rather have a relief pitcher pinch hitting than Hu; the Mets would probably get a better result.

The Mets need to cut Hu and bring up Luis Hernandez, who was one of the final candidate for the starting 2B job during Spring Training earlier this year. Hernandez has struggled so far this year in Triple-A Buffalo batting .192 in 23 games. Despite his underwhelming performance in the minors so far, the middle infielder should get the call. But who knows? Jason Pridie was having a bad start in Buffalo, and now is hitting .300 in the majors. Hernandez ripped the cover off the ball this Spring and deserved to break camp with the Mets. He showed in 2010 he can be a decent backup in 2010 before going down with a broken foot after hitting a Kirk Gibson-esq home run last season.

The only other reason I can think of why Hernandez is not in the majors is because Alderson is still following the rules he laid down in Oakland: No player moves up unless they average at least one walk per 10 at-bats. Hernandez currently has three walks in 78 at-bats.

It is a nice sentiment trying to get players to walk more, but if this is what Alderson is doing, in this case, it is hurting the ballclub having Hu here.

Who’s on first? Not Hu, thats for sure.

Happy commenting!

The post Morning Grind: Why Is Hu Here Instead Of Luis Hernandez? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jonathon Niese had a decent outing, and a big home run by Jason Pridie gave the Mets the win in the series opener versus the Dodgers, 6-3.

Game Notes

Jonathan Niese had a mixed outing today, being strong in some innings, and then being hittable in another inning. Jonathon was worked hard in the first inning, so his final line was five and two-third innings, with three runs allowed on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Location wasn’t a problem for Niese today, but putting hitters away. His curveball was snapping and got a few strikeouts looking. His inability to go the distance robbed him of a win.

Ryota Igarashi came out for one out, and after giving up a single got rookie Jerry Sands to strike out to end the inning, and Ryota would be the winning pitcher on the day. Taylor Buchholz came out for the seventh, and after giving up a single to Andre Either, Buchholz would strike out two batters and walk one in his inning of work. Izzy came out, and had a clean inning with 0’s across the board. K-Rod came out for the ninth, and after allowing a lead-off single, got three flyball outs for his eighth save of the season.

The offense today existed in spurts as has been popular. After a Jose Reyes triple, a Carlos Beltran sac-fly scored Reyes in the first inning. In the second inning Ike Davis blasted a shot off the Pepsi Porch to make the score 2-2. With the Mets behind the eight-ball, after the Dodgers intentionally walked Ike Davis, Jason Pridie made them pay with a three-run home run, his third of the year. Jason Bay would knock in Jose Reyes with a single in the sixth and that would be all the offense the Mets would need,

Josh Thole – 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. 19 strikeouts is troublesome.

Jose Reyes – 3 for 4 with a run, a walk and a steal. Every hit was for extra bases (two triples, a double).

Murphy & Wright – 0 for 7 with two walks and two strikeouts. Both appear to be pressing, but Murphy made an impressive play on defense in the eighth.

Ike Davis – 1 for 4 with a home run, an RBI, two runs, a walk (intentional) and a strikeout.

Willie Harris – Walked in pinch hitting appearance.

Turning Point

The Jason Pridie home run, which accomplished two Mets failures. Hitting with RISP and winning.

Game Ball

Jason Pridie. 1 for 4 with three RBI and a run, in addition to two strikeouts. Pridie has been as-advertised, a good defensive CF with some pop and a penchant for the K.

On Deck

The Mets will look to extend their two game winning streak, sending Chris Young to the mound to face off against the Dodgers and Jon Garland. Game time is 7:10 P.M.

The post Pridie And Reyes Ignite Mets 6-3 Win Over Dodgers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

David Wright continued his torrid hitting and Jonathon Niese went a strong seven innings and the Mets swept the Diamondbacks with an 8-4 win, their fourth in a row.

Game Notes

Jonathon Niese had one of his best outings of the season, going seven innings giving up three runs, two earned on six hits while walking two and striking out three. Niese stayed within a gameplan, and minus a few hard hit pitches, was very effective today. The momentum of the team seems to be carrying the starters, and eight runs of support never hurts either.

The bullpen saw three characters get some playing time today. D.J. Carrasco came out for the first time in a few days, and gave up a run on two hits in one-third of an inning. Tim Byrdak came out, and went one inning allowing no hits and no runs. Ryota Igarashi pitched the last two-thirds of the game, walking one and striking out one. These were all rested arms, so seeing them get usage before tomorrow’s off-day is a big plus.

The offense was on point from the start of the game, with David Wright hitting a two-run shot to left field in the first inning to make the game 2-0. A Josh Thole sacrifice fly that scored David Wright, and a Jason Pridie three-run shot, his first ML home run made the score 6-0 by the third inning. In the fourth inning, a David Wright solo-shot and an Ike Davis single made the game 8-1.

Jason Bay – 1 for 3 with two walks and two strikeouts. Showing discipline but still swinging and missing, as advertised.

Ike Davis – 2 for 3 with two walks, a strikeout, a run and an RBI

Josh Thole – 0 for 3 with an RBI. Josh seems to ground out to second, or strikeout recently.

Turning Point

David Wright’s first inning blast set the tone for the Mets.

Game Ball

David Wright gets it today. 2 for 4 with three RBI, two home runs, three runs, one walk and one stolen base. Filling up the stat sheet.

On Deck

The Mets will get the day off, then will travel to Washington to begin a three game series with the Nationals on Tuesday. Chris Young is apparently going to come off the DL and pitch against the Nationals Jordan Zimmerman. Game time is 7:10 P.M.

The post Wright On Time, Niese Strong, Mets Win 8-4 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.