Sunday, October 01, 2006
Mets 4, Nationals 3
Mets 13, Nationals 0
Mets 6, Nationals 2
Hey, that went pretty well.
The Mets swept the final series of the regular season, scored a bunch of runs and didn't sustain any serious injuries. They did learn that Pedro Martinez will be out beyond the playoffs, until at least June, as he needs surgery on his rotator cuff. But after a pretty rough week, these three games were a fine way to say so long to the 162-game grind and welcome the sprint to eleven wins with open arms.
John Maine had a decent outing on Friday, allowing three runs, two earned, in six innings. He gave up just three hits and three walks and struck out three. I haven't seen any official word as to if or when Maine might start in the NLDS, but if he does get a chance, I feel confident that he can give the Mets a chance to win. Steve Trachsel left the team and headed to California due to unspecified family issues on Saturday. He could be back with the team by Tuesday, but the Mets will also be out in California by the time they'll need him. We'll just have to wait and see.
Saturday went even better, as Tom Glavine and the offense both had great nights. Glavine pitched six shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three. He finished the season solidly, with a 3.38 ERA and a 28:9 K:BB ratio in six September starts. For the season he was 15-7 with a 3.82 ERA and he's up to 290 wins for his career. There's seems to be a good chance he'll be back with the Mets next year to go for 300, and right now I can't say I'll mind a bit.
As for the offense, they put up thirteen runs on twelve hits and seven walks. Endy Chavez, Julio Franco, Shawn Green, Ramon Castro and David Wright all homered. Carlos Beltran did not hit his record-breaking forty-second home run, but he did draw three walks, hit a single and steal a base. Franco had three hits and Green and Chavez each had two. Green went five for nine in the series, so we're probably stuck with him in the playoffs.
On Sunday Oliver Perez replaced Trachsel, who was scheduled to start, and was good. He was removed after only four innings but he allowed just one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four. Five relievers each pitched one inning and only Aaron Heilman in the ninth gave up a run.
Green and Jose Valentin each had three hits in the game. Cliff Floyd, batting in the leadoff spot, had a walk and a double. Wright had two hits.
The Mets finished with a record of 97 wins and 65 losses, fifth best in team history. They'll begin the Division Series on Wednesday at 4 PM against the Wild Card Dodgers (88-74). These teams played seven times in the regular season and the Mets won four.
Orlando Hernandez (11-11, 4.66) will start game one for the Mets. He was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this year, but he's pitching better now than he has all season, posting a 2.01 ERA in five September starts. Derek Lowe (16-8, 3.63) will start for the Dodgers. He pitched just once against the Mets, allowing two runs in six innings, and he was also good in September with a 3.08 ERA in six starts.
These two have actually started against each other in a playoff game once before. In game four of the 2004 American League Championship Series, Lowe's Red Sox beat El Duque's Yankees 6-4, though neither pitcher figured in the decision. Each allowed three runs, Lowe in five and one-third innings, Hernandez in five. Lowe also pitched in relief in two games Hernandez started in the 1999 ALCS. The Yankees won both games and Hernandez pitched considerably better than Lowe, allowing four runs in fifteen innings compared to Lowe's three runs in five and one-third. It will certainly be fun to see them face off again for another two teams with a bit of postseason history. It's time we got some payback for 1988. Let's go Mets! ¶ joe | 11:38 PM |
Mets 13, Nationals 0
Mets 6, Nationals 2
Hey, that went pretty well.
The Mets swept the final series of the regular season, scored a bunch of runs and didn't sustain any serious injuries. They did learn that Pedro Martinez will be out beyond the playoffs, until at least June, as he needs surgery on his rotator cuff. But after a pretty rough week, these three games were a fine way to say so long to the 162-game grind and welcome the sprint to eleven wins with open arms.
John Maine had a decent outing on Friday, allowing three runs, two earned, in six innings. He gave up just three hits and three walks and struck out three. I haven't seen any official word as to if or when Maine might start in the NLDS, but if he does get a chance, I feel confident that he can give the Mets a chance to win. Steve Trachsel left the team and headed to California due to unspecified family issues on Saturday. He could be back with the team by Tuesday, but the Mets will also be out in California by the time they'll need him. We'll just have to wait and see.
Saturday went even better, as Tom Glavine and the offense both had great nights. Glavine pitched six shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three. He finished the season solidly, with a 3.38 ERA and a 28:9 K:BB ratio in six September starts. For the season he was 15-7 with a 3.82 ERA and he's up to 290 wins for his career. There's seems to be a good chance he'll be back with the Mets next year to go for 300, and right now I can't say I'll mind a bit.
As for the offense, they put up thirteen runs on twelve hits and seven walks. Endy Chavez, Julio Franco, Shawn Green, Ramon Castro and David Wright all homered. Carlos Beltran did not hit his record-breaking forty-second home run, but he did draw three walks, hit a single and steal a base. Franco had three hits and Green and Chavez each had two. Green went five for nine in the series, so we're probably stuck with him in the playoffs.
On Sunday Oliver Perez replaced Trachsel, who was scheduled to start, and was good. He was removed after only four innings but he allowed just one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four. Five relievers each pitched one inning and only Aaron Heilman in the ninth gave up a run.
Green and Jose Valentin each had three hits in the game. Cliff Floyd, batting in the leadoff spot, had a walk and a double. Wright had two hits.
The Mets finished with a record of 97 wins and 65 losses, fifth best in team history. They'll begin the Division Series on Wednesday at 4 PM against the Wild Card Dodgers (88-74). These teams played seven times in the regular season and the Mets won four.
Orlando Hernandez (11-11, 4.66) will start game one for the Mets. He was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this year, but he's pitching better now than he has all season, posting a 2.01 ERA in five September starts. Derek Lowe (16-8, 3.63) will start for the Dodgers. He pitched just once against the Mets, allowing two runs in six innings, and he was also good in September with a 3.08 ERA in six starts.
These two have actually started against each other in a playoff game once before. In game four of the 2004 American League Championship Series, Lowe's Red Sox beat El Duque's Yankees 6-4, though neither pitcher figured in the decision. Each allowed three runs, Lowe in five and one-third innings, Hernandez in five. Lowe also pitched in relief in two games Hernandez started in the 1999 ALCS. The Yankees won both games and Hernandez pitched considerably better than Lowe, allowing four runs in fifteen innings compared to Lowe's three runs in five and one-third. It will certainly be fun to see them face off again for another two teams with a bit of postseason history. It's time we got some payback for 1988. Let's go Mets! ¶ joe | 11:38 PM |
