PostGame: Mets beat Marlins
In the first game of the opening three-game series of the season, Johan Santana and the Mets offense cruised by the Marlins in Miami today, 7-2. Santana (1-0) struck out eight batters in seven innings, while bringing a no-hitter into the fourth inning. That no-hitter was broken up by Marlins outfielder Josh Willingham, who took advantage of a rare Johan mistake and knocked a two-run homer to deep, deep left field, bringing the Marlins within four runs.
The Mets (1-0) offense did just as well as they look. While they never hit a home run, the RBI’s were popping up left and right. David Wright did a fabulous job at the plate with his perfect bat, smacking two hits and three RBI’s to go along with it.
Also with RBI’s today was Jose Reyes, Ryan Church, and Angel Pagan. Reyes had a nice day at the plate, but the call that the umpire made when he tried stealing second base was horrendous. Reyes was obviously safe by a long shot, just one example of several horrible calls by that umpire crew throughout the afternoon
There were several check-swing appeals for both the Mets and the Marlins (0-1) that the base umpires seemed to be sleeping on. Santana shouldn’t even have had as many strikeouts as he had, but the check-swing calls went his way.
Matt Wise came in to relieve Santana, but he didn’t quite do his job. He gave up two quick hits, causing manager Willie Randolph to quickly send in Scott Schoeneweis.
Schoeneweis never gave up any hits (if anyone can remember, he was great on the road, horrible at home last season).
Jorge Sosa followed Schoenweis and came up with a key strikeout, running into the dugout pumping his fist in celebration.
Since it wasn’t a save situation, Billy Wagner was not needed. The Mets instead turned to Aaron Heilman to end the game and call it a day. Heilman pitched a perfect ninth and assured the Mets of an opening day win in their third straight
Next Mets Test:
The Mets and Marlins play the second game of a three-game series tomorrow at 7:10 pm in Miami. Veteran righty Pedro Martinez will face Rick VandenHurk, who went 4-6 last season with a 6.83 ERA.
Pre-Game: Mets vs. Marlins
The New York Mets are in Miami to face the Florida Marlins in the first game of a three game series. Johan Santana will be on the mound for the Mets, while Mark Hendrickson gets the start for the Marlins. The first pitch is scheduled to be somewhere between 4 and 4:30 pm, since I’ve heard several different times.
Here is the lineup:
1. Jose Reyes - SS 
2. Luis Castillo - 2B 
3. David Wright - 3B 
4. Carlos Beltran - CF 
5. Carlos Delgado - 1B 
6. Angel Pagan - LF 
7. Ryan Church - RF 
8. Brian Schneider - C 
9. Johan Santana - P 
Enjoy the game!
Opening Day!
I have waited for this day since 4:30 pm on September 30, 2007.
The first pitch is just around the corner. This is not your average first pitch for a game in August. This first pitch marks the beginning of a new era. An era that does not include words like “collapse,” but instead an era that includes words like “on the rise,” with Citi Field’s shadows growing larger and larger each day.
The 2008 New York Mets, who many believe will represent the National League in the World Series, traveled to Miami yesterday to prepare for tomorrow’s season opener against the Marlins. While in Miami, manager Willie Randolph and Co. put the finishing touches into the 2008 major league squad well into the day and near the deadline.
Here is the official opening day 25-man roster:
Starting Pitchers
Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, John Maine, Mike Pelfrey
Relieving Pitchers
Pedro Feliciano, Aaron Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith, Jorge Sosa, Matt Wise, Billy Wagner
Starting Catcher
Brian Schneider
Starting Infielders
Luis Castillo, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, David Wright
Starting Outfielders
Carlos Beltran, Ryan Church, Angel Pagan
Bench
Damion Easley Marlon Anderson, Endy Chavez, Brady Clark, Raul Casanova
So Mets fans, when you sit down to watch the Mets tomorrow, you don’t have to watch Tom Glavine pitch and have memories of his 1-inning outing at the end of 2006. You can instead watch Johan Santana and imagine Game 1 of the 2008 World Series.
Roster updates!
News that has been floating around indicates that the Mets have notified Mike Pelfrey that he has won the fifth starter job in the starting rotation.
Pelfrey, still only 24, has been up and down from Triple-A to the Majors in the past couple of years. Although he is still young, he has disappointed many people who expected better results out of him. In a rough season last year, he lost all of his starts that he made until later in the season when he started to get hot. Let’s hope that carries over into the season.
As for Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, he is probably headed to the 15-day DL and will keep a close watch on Pelfrey’s performance early on.
In the bullpen, sidearm reliever Joe Smith appears to have won a spot on the opening day roster, while Brady Clark has beaten Fernando Tatis for a bench spot.
What time is the opener?
The Mets schedule all over the internet, including Mets.com, ESPN.com, and other sites all say that the first pitch of the opener tomorrow against the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium is at 4:10 pm, including at SNY.tv. Well that is funny, because this morning when I was watching SNY, a commercial came that said the first pitch will be thrown at 4:30 pm.
Then, in a story around a week ago in the New York Times, Ben Shpigel wrote that the time of the Mets opener against the Marlins was changed from 4:35 to 4:05.
I am confused. Oh, well. I’ll just turn the TV on at 4 pm and that will fix everything, won’t it?