Mets blog---
The Mets open their series in San Diego:
Reyes-SS, Cora-2B, Bay-LF, Davis-1B, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Barajas-C, Francoeur-RF, Takahashi-LHP
ELMER COULD PROVIDE THE GLUE (PUN INTENDED)
The Mets eighth-inning carousel keeps a?spinnin?. Ever since spring training, the Mets have been searching for a man to set up for closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Fernando Nieve burned up. After a solid first month, his ERA ballooned past the five-run mark and his spot start on Saturday was disastrous. Ryota Igarashi got hurt. He blew a shutout on Friday night.
So Manuel figured he could try on Elmer Dessens for size. Dessens is 39. He spent the early part of the season in the minors.
With the bullpen wrecked on Saturday, he threw two scoreless innings. He threw a scoreless eighth inning on Sunday.
?He?s a veteran guy and he?s fearless,? Manuel said. ?So he could be a guy that you?ll see in that spot. As long as he keeps it clean. Definitely. I was impressed with that.?
A SENSE OF WHERE YOU ARE
The Mets played three games in Milwaukee. They lost twice. Then they won Sunday.
So, no, the road record (7-16) has not improved since the team departed the somehow-friendly confines of Citi Field on Thursday night. But really, this series didn?t set off too many alarm bells in our head.
Consider:
1. They got overpowered by a budding star on Friday night, when Yovani Gallardo pitched a complete-game shutout.
2. The bullpen game plan on Saturday fizzled. Fernando Nieve probably wasn?t the best choice. And Oliver Perez looked, sadly, like Oliver Perez has looked for much of this season.
Not great, of course. But the team is still a game over .500 and three games back in the division. Just saying.
The Mets open their series in San Diego:
Reyes-SS, Cora-2B, Bay-LF, Davis-1B, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Barajas-C, Francoeur-RF, Takahashi-LHP
ELMER COULD PROVIDE THE GLUE (PUN INTENDED)
The Mets eighth-inning carousel keeps a?spinnin?. Ever since spring training, the Mets have been searching for a man to set up for closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Fernando Nieve burned up. After a solid first month, his ERA ballooned past the five-run mark and his spot start on Saturday was disastrous. Ryota Igarashi got hurt. He blew a shutout on Friday night.
So Manuel figured he could try on Elmer Dessens for size. Dessens is 39. He spent the early part of the season in the minors.
With the bullpen wrecked on Saturday, he threw two scoreless innings. He threw a scoreless eighth inning on Sunday.
?He?s a veteran guy and he?s fearless,? Manuel said. ?So he could be a guy that you?ll see in that spot. As long as he keeps it clean. Definitely. I was impressed with that.?
A SENSE OF WHERE YOU ARE
The Mets played three games in Milwaukee. They lost twice. Then they won Sunday.
So, no, the road record (7-16) has not improved since the team departed the somehow-friendly confines of Citi Field on Thursday night. But really, this series didn?t set off too many alarm bells in our head.
Consider:
1. They got overpowered by a budding star on Friday night, when Yovani Gallardo pitched a complete-game shutout.
2. The bullpen game plan on Saturday fizzled. Fernando Nieve probably wasn?t the best choice. And Oliver Perez looked, sadly, like Oliver Perez has looked for much of this season.
Not great, of course. But the team is still a game over .500 and three games back in the division. Just saying.
