MLB Random Thoughts - Week 10 [6/4 - 6/10]

[NAHSTE]

BARVES with the huge game tonight to finish the sweep of the Marlins to get right back in the thick of things. Eight-game losing streak is a distant memory.

MVPrado with 3 ribbies and a HR. HEYWARD with two mammoth HRs to the 418' sign in center. Bourn hit a 3-run shot, and Andrelton Simmons continues to stroke line drives and play amazing defense.

Decent start for Mike Minor too after 1st inning trouble. Final line was 5 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 4 K, 1 ER.

[EmpireWF]

MetsMinorLeagueBlog on Zack Wheeler's latest start

Zack Wheeler dominated AA hitters again. His line: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP. He threw 58.7% of his pitches (61 of 104) for strikes. Again, MLB average strike percentage is 62%. He’s succeeding at AA on raw stuff, in spite of below average control.

His last three starts: 0.82 ERA, 22 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 1 HPB, 6 BB, 22 K and a 0.099 opponents’ batting average. Overall, he’s second in the EL in ERA (1.66), first in strikeouts (67), opponents’ average (.160), SO/9 (10.11), third in WHIP (0.96)

Wheeler has been brilliant, and has forced the Mets’ hand a little. As a scout texted Adam Rubin, and he then tweeted, Wheeler was “best guy i have seen all year and will b an ace.” John Harper tweeted that the Mets are considering promoting Wheeler: “Was told by a Mets’ person today that Zack Wheeler is forcing the club to consider promoting him to Triple-A before they had planned.”

[EmpireWF]

Subway Series 2012 begins tonight, brings back memories of years gone by...

the hilarious game where Mets reliever Dae Sung Koo faced Randy Johnson in his 2nd big league at bat

Or the 2000 regular season game which saw Roger Clemens hit Mike Piazza in the head with a fastball.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-july-10-2000/moment-of-zen---bean-ball

Which led to this in the World Series three months later with the infamous bat throwing incident in Game 2...

The Mets didn't get their "closure" until 2002 when Clemens finally pitched at Shea. Shawn Estes tried to hit him but missed. On the bright side, both Estes and Piazza hit HRs against Clemens to win the game.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/06/15/yankees_mets_ap/

[Rudi]

This is a big start for Latos. Fans are already turning on him, so it'd be nice for him to pitch a good game against a tough Tigers lineup in front of a sell out crowd.

Pretty sure this whole series will be a sellout which is awesome.

[SuperKevin]

Tyler Moore AND Xavier Nady get the start tonight. Poor Steven Strasburg.

[SuperKevin]

I don't think Strasburg is going to make it very far tonight

[Rudi]

JOSEPH DANIEL VOTTO.

[SuperKevin]

Nationals are getting to Doubrant. Gotta get run support for Strasburg

[MvP]

Yanks just hit back to back to back home runs off Santana

[SuperKevin]

13 Ks for Strasburg after 6 innings. One hell of a game

[Rudi]

Not a good start for 5 walks in 5+ innings.

[Rudi]

WALKOFF SQUEEZE

[Warner2BruceTD]

WALKOFF SQUEEZE

Every single person in the universe knew Valdez was in the game to bunt. Except Jim Leyland.

Leyland really won this for the Reds. First, he brings in a kid to make his MLB debut with the tying run on second in the 8th. Why not Coke right there? What a tough spot for a guy making his debut who is nervous already.

Then Leyland puts Matt Young in RF, and Young ends up butchering the ball on the Cairo triple.

And then not knowing the bunt would be on with a guy who basically only comes in to bunt and is known as possibly the best bunter in the game.

Bad bad night for Leyland.

[Rudi]

Not to mention he probably left Phil Coke in there too long. Oh well, I'll take it.

[NAHSTE]

Then Leyland puts Matt Young in RF, and Young ends up butchering the ball on the Cairo triple.

Wait, Matt Young is on the Tigers major league roster right now?