Minky Takes It To The (Citizens) Bank

You know I actually thought during the winter that Doug Mientkiewicz had a batting stroke more suited to Shea Stadium than Carlos Delgado?

Well obviously I was wrong. Doug Mientkiewicz has a batting stroke more suited to Citizens Bank Park than Carlos Delgado.

How else do you explain Minky making the Bank his own personal playpen, hitting his third HR of the year there for the eventual deciding run in the Mets 4-3 victory over the Phillies today? Is it a sign of things to come? I truly believe that he'll snap out of it and be a tough out the rest of the way. And he's been hot lately with two HR's and four RBI's in the last six games, but when I see Doug Mientkiewicz start taking the ball to left field, then I will be able to completely stop worrying about him. He's useless when he's pull happy, and it was no coincidence that it was right after hitting HR's in consecutive games against Milwaukee and Chicago back in May that his deep funk began, so I'd like to see him go the other way more.

I hope it happens for him because he's a stand up guy, but I hope it happens for him more because his team needs him, and if Omar Minaya feels the need to go get a first baseman in season, it will most likely be a trade that will strip the farm system even further, and it will probably be for a first baseman who will be injured after three games. So go get 'em Minky, save your organization from itself!

Big tip of the stetson to Roberto "age aint nothin' but a number" Hernandez, who bailed out Heath Bell and Royce Ring in the seventh by striking out Pat Burrell, then pitching a scoreless ninth which included a heads up play off Thome, who hit a foul pop to the left side, but with the infield employing the "Griffey Shift" there was nobody who could make the catch but Hernandez...so he raced over and grabbed it. Glad to see someone using their noggin' out there.

And Kaz Ishii was more than adequate today. Ishii pitched 6 and 2/3 innings of strong baseball, and finally got some run support...the Mets averaged 2.7 runs in Ishii's starts, and he made the four runs he got stand up giving up 6 hits and 2 walks.

"I'm happy I was finally able to contribute, I was trying to minimize the
damage. This is a small park. You have to be very careful and concentrate here."

Can someone gently remind him that it would help to concentrate in the big parks as well?

And let's not forget Jose Reyes' three hits and three steals today.