Aug 01 2008 06:43 PM
"I Know Where You Live"
The Mets are [url=http://ultimatemets.com/parks.php?ThisPark=34]14-13[/url] since the opening of Enron/Minute Maid Park in Houston. As Mets at this park:
* Ramon Castro is 6-for-12.
* Carlos Delgado is 11-27 with a pair of home runs.
* Jose Reyes is 18-59, but with only three XBH (two doubles and a triple).
* David Wright is 12-41 with a home run.
"Vengeance Is Mine"
Current Ex-Stros: Carlos Beltran, Billy Wagner. Both are personae non grata in Houston these days, and should both expect lusty boos.
Current Ex-Mets: Kaz Matsui, David "Fat Trax" Newhan, and Ty Wigginton could make up an almost entire ex-Met infield. (Jose Valverde spent 2007-2012 with my Out Of The Park (computer baseball game) Mets before signing a big free agent deal with Washington; he's currently the all-time OOTP Baseball career saves leader, retiring in 2021 with 515 saves. I don't think that really counts here, though.)
"Wake The Dead"
The Astros have as many old guys contributing as the Mets do, with 41-year-old Doug Brocail as an important bullpen cog and catcher Brad Ausmus manning the fort for youngsters Humberto Quintero and JR Towles, neither of whom can apparently hit their way out of a paper bag, never mind hit major league pitching.
"Catch Me If You Can"
Around the East this weekend, the Phillies are in St. Louis playing the fading Cardinals, and the Marlins host the woeful Colorado Rockies.
"(In Touch With) Your Feminine Side"
Second baseman Mark Loretta has historically hit the Mets pretty well, including 3-for-6 against Pedro Martinez as a Met and 3-for-4 against Pedro Feliciano.
"Wrapped In Silk"
Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman are the big boppers for the Astros. Lee leads the team with 24 homers, good for ninth in the NL; Berkman is second with 24. Hunter Pence is third with 14, and Miguel Tejada has 11.
"Killed By Love"
The other important name to know for the future is Hunter Pence, The Next Big Thing for the Astros. Pence came up to great fanfare last year, hitting .322/.360/.539 (a 130 OPS+), wearing his stirrups high, driving Houston women crazy, and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.
"I'm Hungry"
Pedro's back! But he'll be on a pitch count of 80 tonight, returning from a stiff shoulder/pulled groin and the death of his father. He'll face Brandon Backe tonight, against whom current Mets have hit under .200.
Tomorrow night will see a matchup of aces, as Johan Santana faces Roy Oswalt. Oswalt is 8-8, 4.67 on the season, who's one start in -- a five inning, four run effort against Milwaukee -- since returning from a short DL stint.
Sunday afternoon will see new Astro Randy Wolf, Met Killer, face either John Maine or Oliver Perez. Wolf is 10-5, 3.35 in 17 starts against the Mets in his career, most of them with the Phillies. As a Padre, he beat the Mets, 2-1, on June 6 in San Diego, Game Two of the awful San Diego sweep that hastened the departure of former manager Willie Randolph.
"The One That Got Away"
Probably the best known Metstro is Nolan Ryan, but the list of players who have played with both clubs since their mutual inception in 1962 reads like a who's who of baseball: Tommie Agee, Pedro Astacio, Derek Bell "Sucks", Roger Cedeno, Chris "He Did Steroids?" Donnels, Octavio Dotel, Carl Everett, Sid Fernandez, John Franco (remember?), Doc Gooden, Jerry Grote, Mike Hampton, Pete Harnisch, Danny Heep, Steve Henderson, Richard Hidalgo, Jeff Kent, Ray Knight, Jose Lima, Dave Magadan, Pedro Martinez (no, the other one), Kaz Matsui, Joe McEwing, Dave Mlicki, Joe Sambito, Pete Schourek, Mike Scott, Rusty Staub, Ron Taylor, Frank Thomas, Ryan Thompson, Alex Trevino, Jose Vizcaino, Billy Wagner, Dave Weathers, Dan Wheeler, Ty Wigginton, Preston Wilson, Anthony Young, multiple Alous (Moises & Jesus), and the Great Roberto Petagine -- among quite a few others! -- have called both cities home.
"Salvation"
Ron Darling apparently stayed in New York this weekend, although I believe there is no longer an outstanding warrant for his arrest due to the 1986 Cooter's incident. Keith and Gary will man the booth on SNY all weekend.
"I Am The Spider"
The Astros can run, with three players in double digits in steals: Michael Bourn (33), Kaz Matsui (17), and Lance "Seawolf" Berkman (15). They're fifth in the majors in steals with 89. (The Mets, with 100, are second.)
"I'll Still Be There"
"Tal's Hill" is the crazy Crosley Field-style hill in centerfield, where the flagpole is in play and Carlos Beltran made a crazy circus catch to save what turned out to be a [url=http://www.ultimatemets.com/gamedetail.php?gameno=7318]17-inning win[/url] last summer.
