The Mets completed their first sweep in Atlanta in 21 years, but it wasn't pretty...and it wasn't as easy as it would have seemed to be after an inning-and-a-half.
I'm a little concerned about Tom Glavine - he hasn't won in a while now, and the Mets staked him to a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the second, which he went on to nearly give back. He didn't pitch past the fourth inning, and he just didn't look good at all the entire game. I'm starting to doubt if he's going to be effective come October. I know he's had his troubles pitching against Atlanta since becoming a Met, and I'm hoping that's what the problem was on Sunday. But it hasn't just been the Braves he's struggled against recently.
How did the Mets jump out to the 7-0 lead? Glad you asked. In the first inning, Carlos Delgado hit a 2-run homer, after I thought he wouldn't even play Sunday, because of a hit-by-pitch on Saturday. I guess he was OK. (Delgado was 4-for-5 with 3 RBI - maybe his slump is behind him.) Then Xavier Nady doubled home David Wright, to make it 3-0. In the top of the second, Carlos Beltran continued his assault on the Mets' record books (and baseball's) with another grand slam, giving the Mets the 7-0 lead. It was Beltran's 3rd grand slam this month, putting him in a tie for the major league record for grand slams in a month. It was also the sixth Mets grand slam this month - tying that Major League record. Beltran added another homer, a solo shot, in the fifth. He has 32 now on the year - most ever by a Mets center fielder. Beltran also has 94 RBI - way ahead in the team lead.
So Beltran was pretty much the story for the Mets in Atlanta - the Atlanta series is still a big deal to the Mets, and for Beltran to show up in these big games bodes well for October. What does not bode well for October is 6 ER in 4 IP, with 10 hits - Glavine's line. He needs a really good start his next time out.
Billy Wagner was again effective, pitching the Mets out of an 8th inning jam, then working an easy ninth to record his 22nd save. This game was a lot closer than it should have been - not Wagner's fault.
The Mets have Monday night off, before opening up a three-game series in Florida on Tuesday.
MONTHLY BREAKDOWN: With the day off Monday, the final tallies are in for July. I think I mentioned this, but my earlier estimate of 112 wins was way off. I guess I counted October as a full month of the season, and did 16 wins times 7 months. There are really only 6 months in the season, projecting the Mets to 96 wins, with 16 wins a month. The Mets met their quota in July, going 16-9.
April: 16-8
May: 16-12
June: 15-12
July: 16-9
Hopefully they'll get 17 wins in August, making up for that 15 in June.
MAGIC NUMBER: The Mets decreased the number by one with their win, so it's now at 46. Unfortunately, the Phillies swept their doubleheader with the Marlins, so they prevented the number from going any lower. The Mets play the Marlins next, while the Phillies take on the Cardinals - then it's Mets-Phillies at the end of the week. So maybe by Friday we can start seeing significant decreases in the magic number.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: 1) I have oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth early Monday morning. So I might be out of commission for a couple of days (they really prepare you for the worst with this surgery - I hope it's only a couple of days, anyway). Luckily Monday's an off-day. Hopefully I'll be back for Tuesday.
2) If you're jonesing for some Mets stuff, and you didn't read over the weekend, I actually wrote a lot on Saturday and Sunday, which would be worth checking out. So enjoy. You could also check out johnnyjets.blogspot.com.
PROGRAMMING NOTE 2: Dave from Brighton brought up an interesting point this weekend that I thought was worth repeating. He watched Friday night's Mets-Braves game on TBS (and I'm assuming Sunday's), and he says even though the TBS guys are his least favorite broadcasters, he really enjoyed the telecast. He says he watched the game(s) with no volume. Dave's a smart guy, but this borders on brilliance, especially with TBS factoring into the national baseball picture more and more in the coming years. Their graphics are great (I really like their "Lead chart", where when a guy is taking his lead off first base, they show you the area he would stand in when he's most likely to steal - most of us could figure this out anyway, but it's a cool graphic.), and they have a very good ticker at the bottom of the screen. If you don't listen to the guys broadcasting, Dave's right, it's a very pleasant experience.
TRADE TALK: The Yankees won the Bobby Abreu sweepstakes (if you could call it that), trading three minor leaguers to the Phillies for Abreu and Cory Lidle. This basically puts the Yankees closer to the same position they were in in April - with a better starter, and now one outfielder short. It's a good deal for the Yankees, and for the Mets, it means the Phillies scare me even less.
INJURY UPDATE: Just thought it would be worth mentioning that after missing his last start on Friday against the Yankees, Scott Kazmir was placed on the disabled list by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday. He has inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Also, Ty Wigginton was put on the Tampa Bay DL as well. But of the two ex-Mets, I'd say he's a little bit less noteworthy.
THE KID'S KIDS: I guess the Class-A advanced schedule-makers knew about Hall of Famer Gary Carter's Hall of Fame obligations today. There was no game for the St. Lucie Mets, so Carter probably managed Saturday night's game, then took off for Cooperstown, coming back Monday. That's my guess. Good for Carter, that he didn't have to miss a game.
ALFONZO'S COMEBACK: Edgardo Alfonzo flied out in the 8th inning as a pinch-hitter, his only at-bat of Sunday's game. His batting average is now at .195.
CHASE'S CHASE: Utley extended his hitting streak to 30 games in Game 1 of the doubleheader, and then homered and had another hit in Game 2, making it a 31-game hitting streak.
BEAT THE STREAK: Tense moments. Dan Uggla went through Game 1 of the doubleheader without a hit, after I had seen Derek Jeter with a big hit in the Yankees games. Second-guessing all over the place. Then in Game 2, it took him three at-bats to get a hit. But he got a hit. So I'm at 10 games in a row. On Monday, I'm taking Brian Roberts. On Tuesday, in case I don't get a chance to log on Monday, I'm going with Ichiro again. Hopefully I'll be at 12 when next I write.
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