GaryMrMets
09-04-2005, 03:47 PM
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/story/343298p-293150c.html
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
MIAMI - Willie Randolph decided Shingo Takatsu should make his Mets debut at a critical point in the season, with the bases loaded and Miguel Cabrera at the plate and a two-run lead in jeopardy in the seventh inning.
The out-of-character decision by the first-year manager led to another painful jolt to the Mets' postseason chances.
Cabrera smacked a screaming liner over Cliff Floyd's head and off the base of the left-field wall, clearing the bases as the Marlins beat the Mets, 5-4, last night. The devastating defeat, the Mets' fourth straight, dropped the Mets into fifth place in the wild-card standings, though still 3-1/2 games behind leader Philadelphia.
"He had 17 saves last year I believe, right? He's been in situations like that where he's pretty comfortable," Randolph said about Takatsu, the former White Sox closer who was released on Aug. 1. "If you're in the bullpen, for the most part, I'm going to use you."
Randolph has been loyal to the point of borderline stubbornness this season, sticking with Victor Zambrano and Miguel Cairo as they struggled, and taking the training wheels off youngsters David Wright and Aaron Heilman slowly even as they excelled. While explaining his decision to start Doug Mientkiewicz at first base, the manager reasoned: "He's been with us all year." He recently used similar logic to explain why Zambrano had continued to get starts over Steve Trachsel.
Of course, Randolph also has spoken often about his gut dictating decisions, not statistics. Asked why Mientkiewicz played over Mike Jacobs, Randolph pointed to his heart, which is undoubtedly where last night's call - perhaps the gutsiest one of his young managerial career - emanated. So while Cabrera had a .583 career average against Roberto Hernandez, .333 against Aaron Heilman and .600 against Heath Bell and Braden Looper, the manager said he wasn't even aware.
Randolph figured Takatsu, with his funky sidearm delivery, had an advantage in his first career meeting with Cabrera. And he had told his team during a recent meeting that anyone could be called upon. Even the most outspoken players weren't about to criticize him, though their replies hinted at their thoughts.
"You can turn around and walk away with that one," Hernandez said.
Asked if it's tough to rely on a newcomer with the season at stake, Floyd offered: "Tough question right there. I'll plead the fifth on that one.... Everyone in here is trying to contribute. That's what the man in the office said - 'Everyone is here to be used.'"
Complimented on his diplomacy, Floyd added: "Well, I put my foot in my mouth a lot before."
Kris Benson had retired the first 11 Marlins, until Victor Diaz lost Cabrera's routine fly ball, reacted slowly, then dropped the ball while attempting a sliding catch. Three pitches later, Carlos Delgado crushed a two-run homer to tie the score at 2. The Mets built a 4-2 lead when Cairo, in a 3-for-45 funk - which included a third-inning strikeout with two out and two runners in scoring position - delivered a sacrifice fly and Diaz had an RBI single.
Benson left after a pinch-hit single by Lenny Harris in the seventh pushed Mike Lowell to second with one out. Juan Padilla retired Juan Pierre on a flyout, but walked Luis Castillo on four pitches, prompting Randolph to call on Takatsu.
Takatsu fell behind Cabrera 2-1, then threw a fastball rather than the slider or changeup Randolph preferred. Floyd said he was helpless. "If it goes over my head - I'm 6-4 - you need Shaq," he said.
The Mets got two-out singles in the ninth from Jose Reyes and Cairo against Marlins closer Todd Jones, but Carlos Beltran weakly grounded out.
"No matter how bleak things might look, in this clubhouse we're going to stay positive and keep playing," Randolph pledged.
Originally published on September 4, 2005
http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/550-shingo_pitch.JPG
Shingo Takatsu delivers disappointing Mets debut, surrendering three-run double in seventh.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/130-delgado_cabrera.JPG
Carlos Delgado is congratulated by Miguel Cabrera after Delgado's two-out, two-run homer in fourth inning.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/story/343297p-293149c.html
[B]Victor's effort is
a lost cause
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
MIAMI - Victor Diaz said he lost sight of the ball before dropping Miguel Cabrera's two-out fly to right in the fourth. The miscue, ruled a double, ended Kris Benson's perfect start and cost the Mets two runs when Carlos Delgado followed with a homer.
"That time of the day it was real gray and I didn't see the ball coming down," said Diaz, who broke late, then tried to make a sliding catch and actually had the ball land in his glove before rolling out.
http://www.nydailynews.com/images/editors/notebook.gif
SOMETHING EXTRA: Cliff Floyd had given the Mets a 2-0 lead in the fourth against Josh Beckett with an opposite-field homer, his 28th of the season, three shy of his career high set while a Marlin in 2001. The longball, Floyd's first since Aug. 16, ended a maddening stretch for the cleanup hitter during which he has repeatedly sent balls to the wall in the deepest parts of ballparks - including in his first at-bat last night, when right fielder Juan Encarnacion corralled a shot on the track.
SORRY, FELLAS: Shingo Takatsu expressed remorse over Cabrera's decisive blow, a three-run double in the seventh. "I didn't have good command of my breaking ball. When I threw that fastball in, he wasn't timid at all," Takatsu said through an interpreter. "When you pitch for the first time for any organization, you want to leave happy. I guess it is what it is. I feel I let the team down. I'm disappointed about that."
DANNY'S BACK: Danny Graves is expected to rejoin the Mets tomorrow in Atlanta. He has allowed 12 earned runs and 15 hits in six innings at Triple-A Norfolk. . . . Jose Reyes stole his NL-leading 48th base in the fifth and reached third after catcher Paul Lo Duca's throw bounced off the speedster and into shallow center. Reyes jammed the fingers on his right hand on his headfirst slide into third. . . . In the wake of last week's scouting purge, Rudy Terrasas and Nationals scouting director Dana Brown appear the leading candidates to run the department. Terrasas joined the Mets in December as assistant director of amateur scouting. . . . Jack McKeon picked up career managerial win No. 1,000, becoming the seventh active manager to reach the plateau.
Originally published on September 4, 2005
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
MIAMI - Willie Randolph decided Shingo Takatsu should make his Mets debut at a critical point in the season, with the bases loaded and Miguel Cabrera at the plate and a two-run lead in jeopardy in the seventh inning.
The out-of-character decision by the first-year manager led to another painful jolt to the Mets' postseason chances.
Cabrera smacked a screaming liner over Cliff Floyd's head and off the base of the left-field wall, clearing the bases as the Marlins beat the Mets, 5-4, last night. The devastating defeat, the Mets' fourth straight, dropped the Mets into fifth place in the wild-card standings, though still 3-1/2 games behind leader Philadelphia.
"He had 17 saves last year I believe, right? He's been in situations like that where he's pretty comfortable," Randolph said about Takatsu, the former White Sox closer who was released on Aug. 1. "If you're in the bullpen, for the most part, I'm going to use you."
Randolph has been loyal to the point of borderline stubbornness this season, sticking with Victor Zambrano and Miguel Cairo as they struggled, and taking the training wheels off youngsters David Wright and Aaron Heilman slowly even as they excelled. While explaining his decision to start Doug Mientkiewicz at first base, the manager reasoned: "He's been with us all year." He recently used similar logic to explain why Zambrano had continued to get starts over Steve Trachsel.
Of course, Randolph also has spoken often about his gut dictating decisions, not statistics. Asked why Mientkiewicz played over Mike Jacobs, Randolph pointed to his heart, which is undoubtedly where last night's call - perhaps the gutsiest one of his young managerial career - emanated. So while Cabrera had a .583 career average against Roberto Hernandez, .333 against Aaron Heilman and .600 against Heath Bell and Braden Looper, the manager said he wasn't even aware.
Randolph figured Takatsu, with his funky sidearm delivery, had an advantage in his first career meeting with Cabrera. And he had told his team during a recent meeting that anyone could be called upon. Even the most outspoken players weren't about to criticize him, though their replies hinted at their thoughts.
"You can turn around and walk away with that one," Hernandez said.
Asked if it's tough to rely on a newcomer with the season at stake, Floyd offered: "Tough question right there. I'll plead the fifth on that one.... Everyone in here is trying to contribute. That's what the man in the office said - 'Everyone is here to be used.'"
Complimented on his diplomacy, Floyd added: "Well, I put my foot in my mouth a lot before."
Kris Benson had retired the first 11 Marlins, until Victor Diaz lost Cabrera's routine fly ball, reacted slowly, then dropped the ball while attempting a sliding catch. Three pitches later, Carlos Delgado crushed a two-run homer to tie the score at 2. The Mets built a 4-2 lead when Cairo, in a 3-for-45 funk - which included a third-inning strikeout with two out and two runners in scoring position - delivered a sacrifice fly and Diaz had an RBI single.
Benson left after a pinch-hit single by Lenny Harris in the seventh pushed Mike Lowell to second with one out. Juan Padilla retired Juan Pierre on a flyout, but walked Luis Castillo on four pitches, prompting Randolph to call on Takatsu.
Takatsu fell behind Cabrera 2-1, then threw a fastball rather than the slider or changeup Randolph preferred. Floyd said he was helpless. "If it goes over my head - I'm 6-4 - you need Shaq," he said.
The Mets got two-out singles in the ninth from Jose Reyes and Cairo against Marlins closer Todd Jones, but Carlos Beltran weakly grounded out.
"No matter how bleak things might look, in this clubhouse we're going to stay positive and keep playing," Randolph pledged.
Originally published on September 4, 2005
http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/550-shingo_pitch.JPG
Shingo Takatsu delivers disappointing Mets debut, surrendering three-run double in seventh.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/130-delgado_cabrera.JPG
Carlos Delgado is congratulated by Miguel Cabrera after Delgado's two-out, two-run homer in fourth inning.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/story/343297p-293149c.html
[B]Victor's effort is
a lost cause
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
MIAMI - Victor Diaz said he lost sight of the ball before dropping Miguel Cabrera's two-out fly to right in the fourth. The miscue, ruled a double, ended Kris Benson's perfect start and cost the Mets two runs when Carlos Delgado followed with a homer.
"That time of the day it was real gray and I didn't see the ball coming down," said Diaz, who broke late, then tried to make a sliding catch and actually had the ball land in his glove before rolling out.
http://www.nydailynews.com/images/editors/notebook.gif
SOMETHING EXTRA: Cliff Floyd had given the Mets a 2-0 lead in the fourth against Josh Beckett with an opposite-field homer, his 28th of the season, three shy of his career high set while a Marlin in 2001. The longball, Floyd's first since Aug. 16, ended a maddening stretch for the cleanup hitter during which he has repeatedly sent balls to the wall in the deepest parts of ballparks - including in his first at-bat last night, when right fielder Juan Encarnacion corralled a shot on the track.
SORRY, FELLAS: Shingo Takatsu expressed remorse over Cabrera's decisive blow, a three-run double in the seventh. "I didn't have good command of my breaking ball. When I threw that fastball in, he wasn't timid at all," Takatsu said through an interpreter. "When you pitch for the first time for any organization, you want to leave happy. I guess it is what it is. I feel I let the team down. I'm disappointed about that."
DANNY'S BACK: Danny Graves is expected to rejoin the Mets tomorrow in Atlanta. He has allowed 12 earned runs and 15 hits in six innings at Triple-A Norfolk. . . . Jose Reyes stole his NL-leading 48th base in the fifth and reached third after catcher Paul Lo Duca's throw bounced off the speedster and into shallow center. Reyes jammed the fingers on his right hand on his headfirst slide into third. . . . In the wake of last week's scouting purge, Rudy Terrasas and Nationals scouting director Dana Brown appear the leading candidates to run the department. Terrasas joined the Mets in December as assistant director of amateur scouting. . . . Jack McKeon picked up career managerial win No. 1,000, becoming the seventh active manager to reach the plateau.
Originally published on September 4, 2005