Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay

Back at .500 for the Mets. Back at the dock.

Typical of teams that have trouble scoring runs, they score them all in one inning today...a seven run fifth which led the Mets to a 9-6 victory over the Oakland Athletics, putting them where they started the season, even (33-33).

Carlos Beltran got the big hit, a three run HR which put the Mets up 5-3, and let some air out of the Mets lungs. Beltran's numbers may not be there, but twice now he's picked the Mets up out of disastrous circumstances. The first pick up was game 6 of the season against Atlanta, where his HR gave the Mets their first win of the season and prevented a disaster to start the season. This one may have been just as important.

The game started amidst a few interesting line up changes. David Wright batted second behind Jose Reyes, and was one for five with an RBI in the fifth which just preceded Beltran's bomb. The game also saw the debut of Brian Daubach, who was drafted by the Mets in 1990, and is just now playing his first game for them. Daubach commented that the Mets were looking for hits with RISP and that's what he can bring. Well Daubach in the last three seasons is hitting .432 in 37 AB's with less than two outs and a man on third with 26 RBI's. Today, Daubach only had one at bat as he walked three times. (Could this spell the end of regular playing time for Doug Mientkiewicz?)

Ramon Castro went two for four with three RBI's, and DH Mike Piazza ended a 99 at bat homerless drought with a 7th inning solo shot. It wasn't exactly the 225 at bats that Gary Carter waited until hitting home run number 300, but disturbing nonetheless. Perhaps they will come in bunches now?

The Mets also might have lost another second baseman. Kaz Matsui was clipped on a suspicious slide by Jason Kendall on the game ending double play. Kendall kicked his leg up while sliding into second and his spike caught Matsui on the left knee, which took a foul ball earlier in the game. (There goes that rumored trade of Matsui to the equator for a bag of kiwis.) This may force the promotion of Jeff Keppinger, who's tearing it up for the Norfolk Tides with a .337 average with 29 RBI's in 255 at bats.

New Met, Old Bone: The Mets signed 40 year old catcher Benito Santiago to a minor league contract. What, Ted Simmons and Terry Kennedy weren't available?