GaryMrMets
07-07-2004, 07:36 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/9095093.htm
Posted on Wed, Jul. 07, 2004
NO LEFT-WING CONSPIRACY
Leiter simply gets better of Wolf in southpaw battle amid strike-zone complaints
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
IT SHAPED as a classic battle of crafty lefties, Mets veteran Al Leiter, 38, and Randy Wolf, 27, an All-Star last season.
Cut from the same cloth, cerebral and contemplative, idiosyncratic, individualistic. Both had endured disabled-list stints with tendinitis this season. It was a natural story line.
That plot quickly disintegrated. The Phillies fell, 4-1, their offense evaporated, their first-place run-scoring machine sabotaged by Leiter. They chirped plenty at home-plate umpire Andy Fletcher and his floating strike zone all the way, but didn't use that as a crutch after going hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position and leaving nine on base.
Afterward, none of the Phillies would relive his in-game displeasure.
"He called it both ways," said Tomas Perez, who fell, looking, in the ninth.
According to the pregnant pauses from Wolf on the mound and the observations of Jason Michaels, maybe he did, maybe he didn't.
"I saw it from centerfield," Michaels said of Wolf's challenge to find the zone. As for Michaels' own eighth-inning strikeout with a man aboard, he declined to complain: "The only thing that [ticks] me off is I got a pitch to hit. Or two."
Opportunistic, Leiter dominated, as has been his wont this season, going seven innings, giving up one run on three hits and moving to 5-2 with a 2.05 earned run average. Wolf, now 3-4, overworked himself - typical, lately. Only one Phillies starter has lasted seven innings since they began this stretch of 20 consecutive games 15 games ago: Wolf, in his previous outing, on July 1.
"That's something we need to do better," Wolf acknowledged.
The Phillies lost their chance to move to a season-high eight games over .500. Both the Mets and Marlins closed to within two games in the National League East while the Braves, scorching along at 9-2 in their last 11 games, closed to within 2 ½, making it a four-team race as the All-Star break looms Monday.
"I said that in spring training," manager Larry Bowa said.
He also said the Mets should have good starting pitching.
Supergenius.
"Leiter was unbelievable," Perez said.
Wolf was not.
The end began with Wolf's pitch-heavy second inning, when he needed 25 pitches to retire the bottom of the Mets' order. The end was hastened when he needed 22 to retire them in the fourth, clinging to a 1-1 tie.
By the time the Mets had taken their 3-1 lead with two out in the fifth, Wolf had thrown 111 in all, and that was more than enough. Coming off a month on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis, Wolf had thrown 77 pitches in his first start off the DL, 100 in his second. Last night was a season high.
"Today, I simply didn't do my job," Wolf said.
Wolf exited trailing, having surrendered a season-high nine hits. He got little help except from himself.
With runners on second and third in the third inning, Wolf drove in a run with a sharp grounder to second. Placido Polanco, batting first for resting leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins, popped out to short and Michaels, hitting second for the first time all season, flied to left.
The Phils nearly got to Leiter again in the fourth when Jim Thome smacked a one-out single, only his fourth hit in 20 at-bats against Leiter. Pat Burrell walked and David Bell got hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Lieberthal flied to shallow center and Perez popped to short.
"Leiter made pitches when he had to," Perez said.
The Mets immediately made the Phillies pay for not making hay. Kaz Matsui rapped his second single, moved to third on Mike Piazza's single and scored on Richard Hidalgo's. The Mets probably took a run off the board when Piazza tried in vain to reach third on Hidalgo's hit. Cliff Floyd subsequently singled in Hidalgo, who had gone to second on the throw-out of Piazza, to make it 3-1.
The Mets got another off reliever Geoff Geary. And Leiter cruised through seven, continuing his remarkable string of success following injury. He moved to 4-0 with a 1.64 ERA since returning June 1 from a 19-day stint on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis.
After Leiter was done, Ricky Bottalico and Mike Stanton each pitched in the eighth. Each got an out. Each issued a walk. They set up closer Bradon Looper, who faced Burrell, the tying run, with two out. Looper went 3-0 on him, then got him to fly to center. Looper then escaped two hits in the ninth for his 17th save in 19 chances.
Their contributions seemed coincidental. Last night was Leiter's, at Wolf's expense.
"That's why he's been around so long," Polanco said. "Sometimes, you've just got to tip your cap."
Posted on Wed, Jul. 07, 2004
NO LEFT-WING CONSPIRACY
Leiter simply gets better of Wolf in southpaw battle amid strike-zone complaints
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
IT SHAPED as a classic battle of crafty lefties, Mets veteran Al Leiter, 38, and Randy Wolf, 27, an All-Star last season.
Cut from the same cloth, cerebral and contemplative, idiosyncratic, individualistic. Both had endured disabled-list stints with tendinitis this season. It was a natural story line.
That plot quickly disintegrated. The Phillies fell, 4-1, their offense evaporated, their first-place run-scoring machine sabotaged by Leiter. They chirped plenty at home-plate umpire Andy Fletcher and his floating strike zone all the way, but didn't use that as a crutch after going hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position and leaving nine on base.
Afterward, none of the Phillies would relive his in-game displeasure.
"He called it both ways," said Tomas Perez, who fell, looking, in the ninth.
According to the pregnant pauses from Wolf on the mound and the observations of Jason Michaels, maybe he did, maybe he didn't.
"I saw it from centerfield," Michaels said of Wolf's challenge to find the zone. As for Michaels' own eighth-inning strikeout with a man aboard, he declined to complain: "The only thing that [ticks] me off is I got a pitch to hit. Or two."
Opportunistic, Leiter dominated, as has been his wont this season, going seven innings, giving up one run on three hits and moving to 5-2 with a 2.05 earned run average. Wolf, now 3-4, overworked himself - typical, lately. Only one Phillies starter has lasted seven innings since they began this stretch of 20 consecutive games 15 games ago: Wolf, in his previous outing, on July 1.
"That's something we need to do better," Wolf acknowledged.
The Phillies lost their chance to move to a season-high eight games over .500. Both the Mets and Marlins closed to within two games in the National League East while the Braves, scorching along at 9-2 in their last 11 games, closed to within 2 ½, making it a four-team race as the All-Star break looms Monday.
"I said that in spring training," manager Larry Bowa said.
He also said the Mets should have good starting pitching.
Supergenius.
"Leiter was unbelievable," Perez said.
Wolf was not.
The end began with Wolf's pitch-heavy second inning, when he needed 25 pitches to retire the bottom of the Mets' order. The end was hastened when he needed 22 to retire them in the fourth, clinging to a 1-1 tie.
By the time the Mets had taken their 3-1 lead with two out in the fifth, Wolf had thrown 111 in all, and that was more than enough. Coming off a month on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis, Wolf had thrown 77 pitches in his first start off the DL, 100 in his second. Last night was a season high.
"Today, I simply didn't do my job," Wolf said.
Wolf exited trailing, having surrendered a season-high nine hits. He got little help except from himself.
With runners on second and third in the third inning, Wolf drove in a run with a sharp grounder to second. Placido Polanco, batting first for resting leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins, popped out to short and Michaels, hitting second for the first time all season, flied to left.
The Phils nearly got to Leiter again in the fourth when Jim Thome smacked a one-out single, only his fourth hit in 20 at-bats against Leiter. Pat Burrell walked and David Bell got hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Lieberthal flied to shallow center and Perez popped to short.
"Leiter made pitches when he had to," Perez said.
The Mets immediately made the Phillies pay for not making hay. Kaz Matsui rapped his second single, moved to third on Mike Piazza's single and scored on Richard Hidalgo's. The Mets probably took a run off the board when Piazza tried in vain to reach third on Hidalgo's hit. Cliff Floyd subsequently singled in Hidalgo, who had gone to second on the throw-out of Piazza, to make it 3-1.
The Mets got another off reliever Geoff Geary. And Leiter cruised through seven, continuing his remarkable string of success following injury. He moved to 4-0 with a 1.64 ERA since returning June 1 from a 19-day stint on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis.
After Leiter was done, Ricky Bottalico and Mike Stanton each pitched in the eighth. Each got an out. Each issued a walk. They set up closer Bradon Looper, who faced Burrell, the tying run, with two out. Looper went 3-0 on him, then got him to fly to center. Looper then escaped two hits in the ninth for his 17th save in 19 chances.
Their contributions seemed coincidental. Last night was Leiter's, at Wolf's expense.
"That's why he's been around so long," Polanco said. "Sometimes, you've just got to tip your cap."