Baseball Guru
05-15-2003, 03:43 PM
http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=1324048SportsTicker
Associated Press
May. 15, 2003 6:32 a.m.
GAME: New York Mets (17-23) at San Francisco Giants (25-14).
TIME: Thursday, 10:15 p.m. EDT.
The San Francisco Giants are in first place, but aren't playing like a division leader.
The Giants will try to snap a season-high five-game losing streak when they take on the New York Mets in the opener of a four-game series at Pacific Bell Park.
Owners of a comfortable lead atop the NL West, the Giants are coming in off a three-game sweep by the Montreal Expos, capped a 6-3 loss on Wednesday.
One reason for the Giants' recent struggles has been the pitching of reliever Joe Nathan, who has allowed his last nine inherited runners to score. Nathan allowed a three-run double on Monday, and gave up a two-run single and a three-run homer on Wednesday.
"I feel good," Nathan said. "I'm just in a tough stretch and I have to find a way to get out of this."
The Giants, who are suffering through their longest slide since dropping eight straight in 2000, have a good chance to break out of their slump against the Mets, who have lost all 10 of their games at Pac Bell since the park opened in 2000.
New York has lost two straight, including a 6-5 loss Wednesday in the finale of its three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.
The Mets suffered a breakdown by their bullpen in their losses to the Rockies, blowing a seven-run, seventh-inning lead on Tuesday, and wasting the team's tying three-run rally on Wednesday. The New York bullpen has accounted for 11 of the team's 23 losses this season, tied with San Diego for the most in the majors.
"I hate to say we're snake bit," Mets catcher Mike Piazza said. "But again, we made a couple of mistakes last night and today and it's frustrating."
Piazza was one of the few bright spots for the Mets in Colorado, hitting three home runs in the series. He has four homers and eight RBIs over the last five games, after driving in just six runs over the first five weeks of the season.
STANDINGS: Mets - 5th place, 10 GB, NL East. Giants - 1st place, NL West.
METS PROBABLE STARTER: Al Leiter (4-1, 3.26 ERA). Leiter is coming off a strong outing against San Diego on Saturday, but did not earn a decision in New York's 4-2 win. The veteran left-hander allowed just two runs and four hits, while walking four in seven innings. Leiter is 3-3 with a 1.98 ERA lifetime against the Giants.
GIANTS PROBABLE STARTER: Kirk Rueter (3-1, 2.87 ERA). Rueter pitched well against Atlanta on Saturday, and escaped without a decision in the Giants' 6-3 loss. The southpaw allowed just one run and five hits in six innings, while striking out three. Rueter has struggled against the Mets in his career, going 2-5 with a 5.11 ERA.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Mets - Piazza, .327 avg. and 7 HRs; Cliff Floyd, 21 RBIs; Ty Wigginton, 21 runs; Roberto Alomar, 4 SBs. Giants - Ray Durham, .309 avg. and 5 SBs; Barry Bonds, 10 HRs; Jose Cruz, 24 RBIs and 31 runs.
2002 SEASON SERIES: Giants, 6-0.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Mets - 1B Mo Vaughn, on the disabled list since May 3 with inflammation in his left knee, will miss the remainder of the road trip and seek the medical opinion of two additional doctors this week. ... INF Jay Bell was held out of a second straight game because of a strained right groin. ... SS Rey Sanchez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with an injured left thumb. INF Marco Scutaro was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to fill his roster spot. Scutaro, 27, was hitting .289 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 30 games. Giants - OF Marvin Benard underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and was placed on the DL Friday, retroactive to May 5. He could miss up to six weeks. ... The Giants hit into two more double plays on Wednesday after hitting into five Tuesday. ... San Francisco is 5-7 against the NL East and 20-7 against the rest of the league.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Mets - 6-13 on the road; Giants - 10-8 at home.
INJURIES: Mets - 1B Vaughn (knee), 15-day DL; OF Jeromy Burnitz (hand), 15-day DL; RHP David Cone (hip), 15-day DL; LHP John Franco (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Grant Roberts (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Scott Strickland (groin), 15-day DL; SS Sanchez (thumb), 15-day DL. Giants - 2B Durham (ankle), 15-day DL; OF Benard (knee), 15-day DL; LHP Jason Christiansen (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Robb Nen (shoulder), 15-day DL.
Associated Press
May. 15, 2003 6:32 a.m.
GAME: New York Mets (17-23) at San Francisco Giants (25-14).
TIME: Thursday, 10:15 p.m. EDT.
The San Francisco Giants are in first place, but aren't playing like a division leader.
The Giants will try to snap a season-high five-game losing streak when they take on the New York Mets in the opener of a four-game series at Pacific Bell Park.
Owners of a comfortable lead atop the NL West, the Giants are coming in off a three-game sweep by the Montreal Expos, capped a 6-3 loss on Wednesday.
One reason for the Giants' recent struggles has been the pitching of reliever Joe Nathan, who has allowed his last nine inherited runners to score. Nathan allowed a three-run double on Monday, and gave up a two-run single and a three-run homer on Wednesday.
"I feel good," Nathan said. "I'm just in a tough stretch and I have to find a way to get out of this."
The Giants, who are suffering through their longest slide since dropping eight straight in 2000, have a good chance to break out of their slump against the Mets, who have lost all 10 of their games at Pac Bell since the park opened in 2000.
New York has lost two straight, including a 6-5 loss Wednesday in the finale of its three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.
The Mets suffered a breakdown by their bullpen in their losses to the Rockies, blowing a seven-run, seventh-inning lead on Tuesday, and wasting the team's tying three-run rally on Wednesday. The New York bullpen has accounted for 11 of the team's 23 losses this season, tied with San Diego for the most in the majors.
"I hate to say we're snake bit," Mets catcher Mike Piazza said. "But again, we made a couple of mistakes last night and today and it's frustrating."
Piazza was one of the few bright spots for the Mets in Colorado, hitting three home runs in the series. He has four homers and eight RBIs over the last five games, after driving in just six runs over the first five weeks of the season.
STANDINGS: Mets - 5th place, 10 GB, NL East. Giants - 1st place, NL West.
METS PROBABLE STARTER: Al Leiter (4-1, 3.26 ERA). Leiter is coming off a strong outing against San Diego on Saturday, but did not earn a decision in New York's 4-2 win. The veteran left-hander allowed just two runs and four hits, while walking four in seven innings. Leiter is 3-3 with a 1.98 ERA lifetime against the Giants.
GIANTS PROBABLE STARTER: Kirk Rueter (3-1, 2.87 ERA). Rueter pitched well against Atlanta on Saturday, and escaped without a decision in the Giants' 6-3 loss. The southpaw allowed just one run and five hits in six innings, while striking out three. Rueter has struggled against the Mets in his career, going 2-5 with a 5.11 ERA.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Mets - Piazza, .327 avg. and 7 HRs; Cliff Floyd, 21 RBIs; Ty Wigginton, 21 runs; Roberto Alomar, 4 SBs. Giants - Ray Durham, .309 avg. and 5 SBs; Barry Bonds, 10 HRs; Jose Cruz, 24 RBIs and 31 runs.
2002 SEASON SERIES: Giants, 6-0.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Mets - 1B Mo Vaughn, on the disabled list since May 3 with inflammation in his left knee, will miss the remainder of the road trip and seek the medical opinion of two additional doctors this week. ... INF Jay Bell was held out of a second straight game because of a strained right groin. ... SS Rey Sanchez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with an injured left thumb. INF Marco Scutaro was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to fill his roster spot. Scutaro, 27, was hitting .289 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 30 games. Giants - OF Marvin Benard underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and was placed on the DL Friday, retroactive to May 5. He could miss up to six weeks. ... The Giants hit into two more double plays on Wednesday after hitting into five Tuesday. ... San Francisco is 5-7 against the NL East and 20-7 against the rest of the league.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Mets - 6-13 on the road; Giants - 10-8 at home.
INJURIES: Mets - 1B Vaughn (knee), 15-day DL; OF Jeromy Burnitz (hand), 15-day DL; RHP David Cone (hip), 15-day DL; LHP John Franco (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Grant Roberts (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Scott Strickland (groin), 15-day DL; SS Sanchez (thumb), 15-day DL. Giants - 2B Durham (ankle), 15-day DL; OF Benard (knee), 15-day DL; LHP Jason Christiansen (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Robb Nen (shoulder), 15-day DL.