In last night's New York Mets game, starter Orlando Hernandez's numbers were horrendous. In three plus innings, against 19 batters, he gave up eight runs on six hits and four walks. He averaged almost 25 pitches an inning.
El Duque attributed his poor performance to a lack of control rather than to the foot problem that sidelined him for 12 days. It appears that the Mets coaches prematurely returned him to the battle zone. Unfortunately, all the Mets' minor league teams' regular seasons have ended, so he couldn't get sent down for a rehab start. Instead, for his rehab start he faced the Braves. They did more than help him to return to pitching form; they sent notice that the Mets will pay when they put a not-ready-for-prime-time pitcher on the mound against them.
With both Pelfrey and Humber on the roster, there was no need for the Mets to rush El Duque back into service.
Humber did make it into the game, eight innings too late. In the ninth he faced Johnson, Escobar, and Prado. Ten pitches later he'd retired the side on two groundouts and a lineout.
In the Pacific Coast League playoffs, Adam Bostick pitched much better than did El Duque, but New Orleans also lost, 5-3, though Bostick wasn't the losing pitcher. In six innings, he gave up just two hits and two runs. He walked three while striking out nine.
Six innings seems to be his limit. Since June 12, in his last 10 starts he was able to reach the sixth inning only three times and complete it only twice. Only 20% of those starts were quality starts.
Unfortunately for the Zephyrs, with star reliever Willie Collazo promoted to the New York Mets, their available relievers couldn't prevent Sacramento from scoring. The last run was given up in the ninth by ex-Met Joe Smith. Unlike Humber, who pitched a scoreless ninth yesterday, Smith gave up two hits, a walk, and one run. Didn't matter though. The Zephyrs would have lost anyway.
Showing posts with label Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smith. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
A long season's becoming shorter
Going, going, ...
I'm not talking about a well hit ball. I'm referring to the Mets season.
Once again Tom Glavine pitched well. Once again Guillermo Mota didn't. Nor did Aaron Heilman. Those two gave up five runs in the Mets 7-5 loss.
In six and a third innings, Glavine held the Marlins to two runs.
In two-thirds of an inning, Mota allowed the Marlins three runs. His ERA's now 5.40; yet he remains on the roster while Joe Smith was sent down to Triple-A when his ERA reached 3.03.
The next inning, Aaron Heilman, whom I believe still would rather be a starter, let two runs score in an inning's work.
Mota got a blown save, Heilman the loss.
The Mets failed to score in both the eighth and the ninth. All they could manage was a single in the eighth and a walk in the ninth.
Carlos Beltran, whom the Mets are paying $13,571,429 this season, pinch-hit in the ninth with a man on base. He repeated what he did in the ninth the game before. He struck out.
Beltran's batting only .263 this season; however, he's not the most overpaid Met. Delgado's earning $14,500,000, and he's batting .249.
The Mets left 13 men on base. Amazingly, the Marlins left 25 runners on base despite getting only 11 hits and four walks.
In Triple-A last night, Smith pitched the ninth inning. He allowed a walk and a single and struck out two. No batters crossed the plate.
Luckily for the Mets, the Phillies lost. Unluckily, the Braves won. It's now only a matter of days before one of those two teams, if not both, passes the Mets in the standings.
I'm not talking about a well hit ball. I'm referring to the Mets season.
Once again Tom Glavine pitched well. Once again Guillermo Mota didn't. Nor did Aaron Heilman. Those two gave up five runs in the Mets 7-5 loss.
In six and a third innings, Glavine held the Marlins to two runs.
In two-thirds of an inning, Mota allowed the Marlins three runs. His ERA's now 5.40; yet he remains on the roster while Joe Smith was sent down to Triple-A when his ERA reached 3.03.
The next inning, Aaron Heilman, whom I believe still would rather be a starter, let two runs score in an inning's work.
Mota got a blown save, Heilman the loss.
The Mets failed to score in both the eighth and the ninth. All they could manage was a single in the eighth and a walk in the ninth.
Carlos Beltran, whom the Mets are paying $13,571,429 this season, pinch-hit in the ninth with a man on base. He repeated what he did in the ninth the game before. He struck out.
Beltran's batting only .263 this season; however, he's not the most overpaid Met. Delgado's earning $14,500,000, and he's batting .249.
The Mets left 13 men on base. Amazingly, the Marlins left 25 runners on base despite getting only 11 hits and four walks.
In Triple-A last night, Smith pitched the ninth inning. He allowed a walk and a single and struck out two. No batters crossed the plate.
Luckily for the Mets, the Phillies lost. Unluckily, the Braves won. It's now only a matter of days before one of those two teams, if not both, passes the Mets in the standings.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
An in-depth look at Humber's latest loss
Yesterday, Justin Leone continued to be a Zephyrs nemesis. This time his victim was Philip Humber, who tried, but failed, to lead the PCL in wins. Humber's last win was four starts ago on July 16.
In the first, Fresno third baseman and lead-off hitter Leone walked and then got a free pass to second on Humber's errant pickoff throw. Six batters later, Humber got out of the inning, escaping with only one run crossing the plate. But in the second he had to face Leone again.
This time Leone reached second on his own, doubling to center. I've no idea whether Leone's double shook up Humber, but he gave the next batter, Luis Figueroa, a trot around the bases. Three nothing, Fresno.
Humber got the side out in order in the third, but in the fourth, bad luck struck again. With a runner on second, courtesy of a single and a sacrifice bunt, Leone walked again. (Can't Humber get him out?) Up stepped Figueroa, who cleared the bases with a double. Another single scored the Grizzlies' sixth run. Fortunately for the Zephyrs, the batter tried to stretch a single into a double and didn't make it.
In the top of the fifth, Humber led off and struck out. The next two Zephyrs also failed to reach first base.
Why did Zephyrs manager Ken Oberkfell allow Humber to hit? The Zephyrs were losing 6-0 and Humber's only hitting .143. Oberkfell did the same thing in the previous game, which Adam Bostick pitched.
In the bottom of the fifth, Oberkfell sent in Eddie Camacho to pitch. Camacho pitched the next two innings, setting the side down 1-2-3 in both.
Willie Collazo pitched the seventh and eighth. He started the seventh by walking Justin Leone. With Figueroa at bat, Collazo did what Humber couldn't. He picked Leone off first.
Joe Smith pitched the final inning of the Zephyrs 6-4 loss. He faced three batters, walking one. The other two grounded out, one into a double play. It appears that his sinker's working again.
In the first, Fresno third baseman and lead-off hitter Leone walked and then got a free pass to second on Humber's errant pickoff throw. Six batters later, Humber got out of the inning, escaping with only one run crossing the plate. But in the second he had to face Leone again.
This time Leone reached second on his own, doubling to center. I've no idea whether Leone's double shook up Humber, but he gave the next batter, Luis Figueroa, a trot around the bases. Three nothing, Fresno.
Humber got the side out in order in the third, but in the fourth, bad luck struck again. With a runner on second, courtesy of a single and a sacrifice bunt, Leone walked again. (Can't Humber get him out?) Up stepped Figueroa, who cleared the bases with a double. Another single scored the Grizzlies' sixth run. Fortunately for the Zephyrs, the batter tried to stretch a single into a double and didn't make it.
In the top of the fifth, Humber led off and struck out. The next two Zephyrs also failed to reach first base.
Why did Zephyrs manager Ken Oberkfell allow Humber to hit? The Zephyrs were losing 6-0 and Humber's only hitting .143. Oberkfell did the same thing in the previous game, which Adam Bostick pitched.
In the bottom of the fifth, Oberkfell sent in Eddie Camacho to pitch. Camacho pitched the next two innings, setting the side down 1-2-3 in both.
Willie Collazo pitched the seventh and eighth. He started the seventh by walking Justin Leone. With Figueroa at bat, Collazo did what Humber couldn't. He picked Leone off first.
Joe Smith pitched the final inning of the Zephyrs 6-4 loss. He faced three batters, walking one. The other two grounded out, one into a double play. It appears that his sinker's working again.
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