Aug 11 2006 04:05 PM
Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 11 2006 07:03 PM
vs
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (50-64, 5th place, 19.5 GB)
Season Series: 6-2 Mets (3-0 at RFK)
Steppin' Out
Your pitching matchups:
Friday 7:00 pm - Tom Glavine (12-4, 3.96) vs Billy Traber (1-1, 9.00). Traber's name may sound familiar; a first-round draft pick of the Mets in 2000 (16th overall), he returns to face his former employers for the first time. Traber went to Cleveland in the Roberto Alomar deal, and bounced around the minors before a 2003 Tommy John surgery. His last major league appearance was a start in April against the Reds, where he allowed four runs in an inning and a third. He replaces Livan Hernandez, dealt to anyone other than the Mets, in the rotation. Fascinating Stat: Carlos Beltran is 4-for-4 in his career against Traber.
Saturday 7:00 pm - John Maine (2-3, 2.08) vs Jason Bergann (0-0, 8.14) Knowing the Mets' bizarro history of choking against rookie pitchers, Bergann was recalled from the minors yesterday to make his second major league start. He has pitched three and a third career scoreless innings against the Mets. On 9/15/05, he worked a scoreless ninth at Shea and got the W when Vinny Castilla drove in the game-winner in the tenth. Fascinating Stat: Maine is riding a 23-inning scoreless streak, the longest streak since records were kept.
Sunday 1:00 pm - Steve Trachsel (11-5, 5.03) vs Tony Armas (7-8, 5.04). Armas had a fourteen-year career as a voltigeur (see photo) with the Pirates, A's, Red Sox, and Angels, hitting 251 career home runs and leading the AL in HR, RBI, and total bases for the Sox in 1984. He's best known for his moustache and for setting a single-game record for outfield putouts.
In addition, his son, who is named after him, is a major league pitcher.
Be My Number Two
The Nats' bullpen changed dramatically with the Kearns/Lopez trade last month. Only one lefty in the pen, Micah Bowie, who left the game on Wednesday with a strained latissimus dorsi, which sounds naughty. The righties include closer Chad Cordero, who is 8-for-8 in save opportunities (and has allowed only one run in 19.1 innings) against the Mets in his career, Travis Hughes, who has pitched in three games since being called up July 28, Jon Rauch, who is 6'11", Saul Rivera, who is not related to the legendary Bombo Rivera, Chris Schroeder, the kid who plays piano in the Peanuts comics, and Ryan Wagner, who was acquired from the Reds in the aforementioned trade and lost yesterday's game, giving up two runs in the eighth in Florida.
Home Town
We get to watch two of the hottest young third basemen in baseball in this series. You know about Norfolk's David Wright, but Virginia Beach's Ryan Zimmerman is not quite as good. With a team-high 75 RBI, he's on pace for 107, a total which would demolish the club rookie record of 83, held by a player named Coco Laboy. I checked, that's his actual name. He hit 18 homers in '69 and then basically fell off the baseball planet. Probably because his name was Coco. Regardless... since June 6, Zimmerman is 31-for-77 with RISP. In fact, for the season, his 45 hits with RISP leads the Nationals and is second in all of baseball! Who's first? DAVID FUCKING WRIGHT. HA! Suck it, Nationals.
Nineteen Forever
Outfielder Ryan Church has had a productive season despite being yanked around by the club, going up and down between AAA and AA and the big club. He's hit .248/.355/.487 with six homers in 117 AB.
Stranger Than Fiction
After tonight's game, the Expos/Nationals will have played more games (624) and posted more wins (308) against the Mets than any other club. Tonight's 625th game breaks the tie with the Phillies.
Hit Single
Once thought to be bound for anywhere, Alfonso Soriano is playing out the string in Washington, hoping for a big contract payday. He's two SBs away from his fourth 30-30 season (2002, 2003, 2005). He's one of only 28 players to do it. Only two players have ever recorded more than three 30-30 seasons; both of them have the last name Bonds.
Blaze Of Glory
Aaron Heilman has five career saves. Two of them have come at RFK Stadium.
I'm The Man
Lots of milestones coming up:
** Carlos Beltran is 5 homers from 200.
** Carlos Delgado is 5 homers from 400, and his next home run ties Joe Carter for 45th place on the all-time home run list.
** Tom Glavine, pitching tonight, needs ten K's to tie Sudden (thanks for the edit) Sam McDowell for 33rd on the all-time strikeout list.
** Glavine's next win is number 288 for him, tying him with Tommy John for 23rd place all time.
** Paul LoDuca is looking for career RBI #400; he's only two away.
** Billy Wagner's next save, #311, will tie him with Tom Henke for 15th on the all-time saves list.
Sunday Papers
This Sunday, Steve Trachsel goes for a nice personal milestone. Four strikeouts would put him at 1,500 for his career; only 160 pitchers are ahead of him on the career strikeout list.
Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Familiar faces include ex-Mets Marlon Anderson and Alex Escobar. Ex-Nats include Endy Chavez, Omar Minaya, and the injured Cliff Floyd.
Oh Well
For those who missed the references, singer Joe Jackson turns 51 today.
edit: Sam McDowell's nickname