OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Jordy Mercer Isn't Completely Useless

[td_ice]

Watson in.


Wong lead off single.


EDIT: Having a bit of trouble locating pitches right now. Walks a guy, 1st and 2nd on base.

Holliday, he mad.

 

[clefty]

Shut the **** up and sit down, Holliday.

 

[td_ice]

Cards strand two runners, as Watson gets out of things unscathed.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Few things are a more pleasing sight than garbage baseball players wearing red jersey who are pissed off about correct calls that happened because they suck.

Hopefully Marte can be in a position for a nice knock here, even if it's driving himself in. He's the only offensive player who hasn't looked locked-in yet (though just started watching in the sixth, so I'm basing it on the stats sheet).

 

[DanielPlainview]

Cards bullpen is dealing

 

[SirBrad]

as a lifelong Mets fan, get used to 4 or 5 scoreless Jon Niese innings and 1 or 2 blowup innings.

I never saw any pitcher in my have so many outings where he has maybe 5 dominate innings and then that 1 inning where he gives up 4 or 5 runs.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Called third strike against McCutchen was total garbage, especially after Watson was repeatedly denied the same call.

This could be a game where McCutchen in the 2 spot matters in terms of squeezing one more at-bat out of him no matter what. Hopefully the bullpen keeps it locked down. I'd just go all-in here with Feliz and then Melancon, unless the Cardinals score on Feliz.

 

[td_ice]

as a lifelong Mets fan, get used to 4 or 5 scoreless Jon Niese innings and 1 or 2 blowup innings.

I never saw any pitcher in my have so many outings where he has maybe 5 dominate innings and then that 1 inning where he gives up 4 or 5 runs.

Sounds similar to Morton here.

 

[SirBrad]

Sounds similar to Morton here.

Its frustrating but he will mange to escape that one lousy inning game about every 3 starts and you'll get a nice 7 inning 1 run game. He'll be solid in Pittsburgh eating up 180 or so innings.

 

[DanielPlainview]

Nice DP

 

[DanielPlainview]

Nice bounce back by Feliz after hitting Molina.

I think most Pirates fans are hoping to stay within striking distance until Jung-ho Kang returns and a couple of our best prospects make their big league debuts.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

The one positive about Niese (based on the boxscore, because I didn't see his innings) is 7 Ks. But I have a close Mets fan friend who says the same thing, so my expectations are tempered, even though, as I've said earlier, the Pirates sought him out, and history has shown repeatedly that they usually have a plan when they do that.

Feliz throwing 97 at the knees makes Caminero an insane luxury in the 6th inning. If Caminero stays locked in, we pretty much won't need guys to go more than 6 innings if Cole can be a workhorse and somebody else occasionally gets through 7.

Broxton alert!

 

[clefty]

It's the big wooden thing in your hands, boys. You're allowed to swing it sometimes.

 

[DanielPlainview]

I'm honestly the most concerned about Locke. He can be absolutely horrible. How bad was Vogelsong to be put into LR?

 

[td_ice]

The one positive about Niese (based on the boxscore, because I didn't see his innings) is 7 Ks. But I have a close Mets fan friend who says the same thing, so my expectations are tempered, even though, as I've said earlier, the Pirates sought him out, and history has shown repeatedly that they usually have a plan when they do that.

Feliz throwing 97 at the knees makes Caminero an insane luxury in the 6th inning. If Caminero stays locked in, we pretty much won't need guys to go more than 6 innings if Cole can be a workhorse and somebody else occasionally gets through 7.

Broxton alert!

Our defense certainly didn't do Niese any favors tonight. He will see better D as things go on.

Agreed on the bullpen setup. It really has the potential to be a huge strength.

 

[td_ice]

Mark the Shark in now in the 9th, hoping to preserve the tie game.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Cutch batting second may again factor in, since presumably if he comes up, a runner has an ok chance of being in scoring position for him. I assume we'll see Rosenthal no matter what since the Cards announcers said he hasn't pitched since Wednesday. Usually Matheny is dumber than that.

 

[clefty]

What a pissweak double.

 

[DanielPlainview]

Melancon in a non-save situation = cardiac risk

 

[td_ice]

Yeah, that double was off a good pitch. Batter just got enough and blooped it in for a 2 bagger.

 

[clefty]

Oh God, shut the **** up.

 

[DanielPlainview]

What are people in the crowd howling?

 

[clefty]

What are people in the crowd howling?

They're wooing. Because they're mouthbreathers.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Guessing we'll see Lobstein here. Extra innings the night before Nicasio makes things extra-interesting for his debut.

Wonder if Matheny will just leave Rosenthal out there for the heart of the order. He looks unhittable, efficient. One of the remaining bullpen guys for the Cards is a rule 5 pick, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't try to squeeze another inning out of Rosenthal. Getting ahead of myself, but could set up Polanco for dramatics, assuming he shuts Cutch-Freese-Marte down (with Polanco against Maness or whatever bum they have left). Ball is rocketing off his bat so far.

 

[td_ice]

Hell yeah!

Lobstein gets the DP.