Mets & Phillies set for soggy weekend series
Mets & Phillies set for soggy weekend series
The weatherman is not cooperating for this weekend's series in Philadelphia between the Phillies and New York Mets, with rain in the forecast all three days. Then again, a rainout might be just fine by the starting pitchers on the slate who bring in bloated ERAs from April. Both teams are chasing the Florida Marlins in the NL East, and the Mets especially could use some wins to get back in the hunt.
What’s better than a baseball game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies? How about a full three-game series?
These National League East rivals will hook up this weekend at Citizens Bank Park, and provided the weather holds up (there’s a 50-percent chance of rain all three days), we have three very interesting pitching matchups on tap.
Game 1: Mike Pelfrey vs. Chan Ho Park
Friday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Mets fans had themselves a folk hero last year when Pelfrey burst onto the scene from the back end of the starting rotation with a 98-mph fastball, a nasty sinker and a 3.72 ERA (4.70 xFIP) over 200.2 innings. But in his second full season in the majors, the Big Pelf is back to pitching like a No. 5 starter. The Mets are 2-1 (minus-0.08 units) in his three starts despite 11 earned runs over 15.2 innings of work. Pelfrey has been experiencing tendinitis in his forearm and was forced to skip a start two weeks ago.
Park’s winding road through the majors takes him to Philadelphia, his fourth team in four seasons including a cup of coffee with the Mets in 2007. He had some good moments last year in his second stint with the Dodgers, posting a 3.40 ERA (3.96 xFIP) over 95.1 innings with five starting assignments. They’re still waiting for those good moments in Philly. Park has allowed 13 earned runs over 16.1 innings, although the Phillies somehow managed to win all three games regardless to earn 3.48 units.
The early betting odds had the Phillies as slight home faves with a total of 11 runs. The 11-9 Phillies have won five of their last six contests; New York is in a 3-7 slump and 9-12 on the season.
Game 2: Oliver Perez vs. Jamie Moyer
Saturday, 3:40 p.m. ET
It’s not fun to be Oliver Perez right now. The money’s good at $36 million over the next three years as Perez capitalized on the market following an entirely average 2008 campaign. His ERA+ was 100; this year, it’s 48. Mets supporters are understandably peeved with Perez after 20 earned runs over 19.1 innings and the loss of 2.87 units at the pay window. Pitching coach Dan Warthen shouted orders at Perez during live batting practice Wednesday as they dissected his mechanics.
It’s probably been a while since Moyer got the same treatment from his coaches. He’s an elder statesman in baseball terms at age 46, but he’s durable and he keeps winning. Last year’s 16-7 record and 3.71 ERA look especially good on paper; Moyer was No. 10 in the money charts last year with 10.21 units in earnings as the Phillies won 22 of his 33 starts. They’re 3-1 this year for 1.94 units despite Moyer’s 5.09 ERA (5.61 xFIP) in four games.
Game 3: John Maine vs. Joe Blanton
Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET
Maine is yet another Mets pitcher in disarray with a 5.40 ERA (5.41 xFIP) over four starts. The good news is that his last start was his best, as New York cooled off the Florida Marlins 7-1. The bad news is that Maine was only able to go six innings, and that was his longest outing of the four. His right shoulder is a question mark after last season’s injury woes; the more immediate concern for Sunday is that the Mets bullpen will be exposed to another potential beating. They’ve already lost five games this year.
Rounding out our rogue’s gallery of pitchers is Joe Blanton (8.41 ERA, 4.41 xFIP), who has yet to pick up a win this season after two quality starts and two incredibly awful starts. The midseason acquisition of Blanton from Oakland was one of the deciding factors in the Phillies winning the World Series – and a valuable source of income with 4.24 units in 13 games. He’s $61 in the red this year, with his line drives way up from 20.6 percent to 28.6 percent and his WHIP climbing from 1.37 to 1.97. At least Philadelphia’s bullpen has been able to salvage seven of the team’s 11 wins thus far.
The weatherman is not cooperating for this weekend's series in Philadelphia between the Phillies and New York Mets, with rain in the forecast all three days. Then again, a rainout might be just fine by the starting pitchers on the slate who bring in bloated ERAs from April. Both teams are chasing the Florida Marlins in the NL East, and the Mets especially could use some wins to get back in the hunt.
What’s better than a baseball game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies? How about a full three-game series?
These National League East rivals will hook up this weekend at Citizens Bank Park, and provided the weather holds up (there’s a 50-percent chance of rain all three days), we have three very interesting pitching matchups on tap.
Game 1: Mike Pelfrey vs. Chan Ho Park
Friday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Mets fans had themselves a folk hero last year when Pelfrey burst onto the scene from the back end of the starting rotation with a 98-mph fastball, a nasty sinker and a 3.72 ERA (4.70 xFIP) over 200.2 innings. But in his second full season in the majors, the Big Pelf is back to pitching like a No. 5 starter. The Mets are 2-1 (minus-0.08 units) in his three starts despite 11 earned runs over 15.2 innings of work. Pelfrey has been experiencing tendinitis in his forearm and was forced to skip a start two weeks ago.
Park’s winding road through the majors takes him to Philadelphia, his fourth team in four seasons including a cup of coffee with the Mets in 2007. He had some good moments last year in his second stint with the Dodgers, posting a 3.40 ERA (3.96 xFIP) over 95.1 innings with five starting assignments. They’re still waiting for those good moments in Philly. Park has allowed 13 earned runs over 16.1 innings, although the Phillies somehow managed to win all three games regardless to earn 3.48 units.
The early betting odds had the Phillies as slight home faves with a total of 11 runs. The 11-9 Phillies have won five of their last six contests; New York is in a 3-7 slump and 9-12 on the season.
Game 2: Oliver Perez vs. Jamie Moyer
Saturday, 3:40 p.m. ET
It’s not fun to be Oliver Perez right now. The money’s good at $36 million over the next three years as Perez capitalized on the market following an entirely average 2008 campaign. His ERA+ was 100; this year, it’s 48. Mets supporters are understandably peeved with Perez after 20 earned runs over 19.1 innings and the loss of 2.87 units at the pay window. Pitching coach Dan Warthen shouted orders at Perez during live batting practice Wednesday as they dissected his mechanics.
It’s probably been a while since Moyer got the same treatment from his coaches. He’s an elder statesman in baseball terms at age 46, but he’s durable and he keeps winning. Last year’s 16-7 record and 3.71 ERA look especially good on paper; Moyer was No. 10 in the money charts last year with 10.21 units in earnings as the Phillies won 22 of his 33 starts. They’re 3-1 this year for 1.94 units despite Moyer’s 5.09 ERA (5.61 xFIP) in four games.
Game 3: John Maine vs. Joe Blanton
Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET
Maine is yet another Mets pitcher in disarray with a 5.40 ERA (5.41 xFIP) over four starts. The good news is that his last start was his best, as New York cooled off the Florida Marlins 7-1. The bad news is that Maine was only able to go six innings, and that was his longest outing of the four. His right shoulder is a question mark after last season’s injury woes; the more immediate concern for Sunday is that the Mets bullpen will be exposed to another potential beating. They’ve already lost five games this year.
Rounding out our rogue’s gallery of pitchers is Joe Blanton (8.41 ERA, 4.41 xFIP), who has yet to pick up a win this season after two quality starts and two incredibly awful starts. The midseason acquisition of Blanton from Oakland was one of the deciding factors in the Phillies winning the World Series – and a valuable source of income with 4.24 units in 13 games. He’s $61 in the red this year, with his line drives way up from 20.6 percent to 28.6 percent and his WHIP climbing from 1.37 to 1.97. At least Philadelphia’s bullpen has been able to salvage seven of the team’s 11 wins thus far.