Baseball Guru
06-23-2006, 01:50 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=260623114
Game Info: 7:07 pm EDT Fri Jun 23, 2006
TV: SNY, RSN
By ANDY LEFKOWITZ, STATS Editor
Carlos Delgado makes his return to Toronto when the New York Mets meet the Blue Jays in the start of a three-game series Friday night.
From 1993-2004, Delgado was the face of the Blue Jays, hitting at least 30 homers eight times. He is their all-time leader with 336 homers and 1,058 RBIs, and ranks in the team's top 10 in several other offensive categories.
"It's not a vacation," Delgado said about facing his former team for the first time. "Toronto was a very nice place to play when we were winning. The SkyDome was packed and it was exciting. But I'm going up there to work, not to play."
In January 2005, Delgado left the Blue Jays as a free agent -- spurning an offer from the Mets -- to sign a four-year contract with Florida worth $52 million. After tying Miguel Cabrera for the Marlins lead with 33 homers, Delgado was traded to New York for Mike Jacobs and two pitching prospects as Florida looked to dump salaries.
The left-handed slugger has given the Mets a much-needed big bat for the middle of their lineup, leading the club with 20 homers as New York has risen to the top of the NL East.
Delgado was given the day off Thursday, but David Wright homered twice and drove in four runs in a 6-2 win over Cincinnati. Wright, who recorded his third multihomer game of the season, has driven in 10 runs in his last five games.
With the win, the Mets increased their lead in the division to 10 games over idle Philadelphia.
New York (45-27), looking for its ninth straight road win, will send Tom Glavine (10-2, 3.48 ERA) to the mound as he tries to become baseball's first 11-game winner.
The 40-year-old left-hander is 8-0 in 10 starts since losing to San Francisco on April 24, but didn't have his best stuff in his last outing. He gave up nine hits over six innings of a 9-4 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
Glavine has struggled in Toronto, losing both of his starts and posting a 7.71 ERA. He has not pitched at Rogers Centre since a 12-5 loss on June 13, 2001 while with Atlanta.
Toronto (39-32), which leads the major leagues with a .331 batting average against left-handers, completed a three-game sweep of the Braves with a 3-2 victory Thursday.
A.J. Burnett scattered five hits and struck out seven over six innings in his first start since April 21, and pinch hitter Frank Catalanotto's ground out drove in Lyle Overbay with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
Rookie right-hander Casey Janssen (5-5, 4.50) will try to avoid losing three straight starts for the first time in his career when takes the mound for the Blue Jays on Friday.
In a five-start span from May 17-June 7, Janssen allowed nine runs in 31 1-3 innings. In his last two starts, he has failed to get out of the fourth inning each time and given up 12 runs in 6 1-3 innings.
"My location was terrible. I was missing with every pitch then I had to groove it," Janssen said Saturday after allowing seven runs and 11 hits over three-plus innings of an 8-2 loss to Florida. "I was behind every hitter and I don't have overpowering stuff."
Janssen, who has never faced the Mets, is 2-2 with a 4.05 ERA in five starts at Rogers Centre.
Game Info: 7:07 pm EDT Fri Jun 23, 2006
TV: SNY, RSN
By ANDY LEFKOWITZ, STATS Editor
Carlos Delgado makes his return to Toronto when the New York Mets meet the Blue Jays in the start of a three-game series Friday night.
From 1993-2004, Delgado was the face of the Blue Jays, hitting at least 30 homers eight times. He is their all-time leader with 336 homers and 1,058 RBIs, and ranks in the team's top 10 in several other offensive categories.
"It's not a vacation," Delgado said about facing his former team for the first time. "Toronto was a very nice place to play when we were winning. The SkyDome was packed and it was exciting. But I'm going up there to work, not to play."
In January 2005, Delgado left the Blue Jays as a free agent -- spurning an offer from the Mets -- to sign a four-year contract with Florida worth $52 million. After tying Miguel Cabrera for the Marlins lead with 33 homers, Delgado was traded to New York for Mike Jacobs and two pitching prospects as Florida looked to dump salaries.
The left-handed slugger has given the Mets a much-needed big bat for the middle of their lineup, leading the club with 20 homers as New York has risen to the top of the NL East.
Delgado was given the day off Thursday, but David Wright homered twice and drove in four runs in a 6-2 win over Cincinnati. Wright, who recorded his third multihomer game of the season, has driven in 10 runs in his last five games.
With the win, the Mets increased their lead in the division to 10 games over idle Philadelphia.
New York (45-27), looking for its ninth straight road win, will send Tom Glavine (10-2, 3.48 ERA) to the mound as he tries to become baseball's first 11-game winner.
The 40-year-old left-hander is 8-0 in 10 starts since losing to San Francisco on April 24, but didn't have his best stuff in his last outing. He gave up nine hits over six innings of a 9-4 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
Glavine has struggled in Toronto, losing both of his starts and posting a 7.71 ERA. He has not pitched at Rogers Centre since a 12-5 loss on June 13, 2001 while with Atlanta.
Toronto (39-32), which leads the major leagues with a .331 batting average against left-handers, completed a three-game sweep of the Braves with a 3-2 victory Thursday.
A.J. Burnett scattered five hits and struck out seven over six innings in his first start since April 21, and pinch hitter Frank Catalanotto's ground out drove in Lyle Overbay with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
Rookie right-hander Casey Janssen (5-5, 4.50) will try to avoid losing three straight starts for the first time in his career when takes the mound for the Blue Jays on Friday.
In a five-start span from May 17-June 7, Janssen allowed nine runs in 31 1-3 innings. In his last two starts, he has failed to get out of the fourth inning each time and given up 12 runs in 6 1-3 innings.
"My location was terrible. I was missing with every pitch then I had to groove it," Janssen said Saturday after allowing seven runs and 11 hits over three-plus innings of an 8-2 loss to Florida. "I was behind every hitter and I don't have overpowering stuff."
Janssen, who has never faced the Mets, is 2-2 with a 4.05 ERA in five starts at Rogers Centre.