Mets now the team to beat in NL East
Posted: Friday, August 01, 2008 12:49 PM
Here are the reasons why the Mets are finally the team to beat in the NL East:
CARLOS DELGADO: His bat looked dreadfully slow in the first three months but July has seen a rebirth of his swing -- .374 batting average with eight home runs and 22 RBIs. Now he hits cleanup and is the left-handed slugger the Mets need.
DAVID WRIGHT: He has always been the team’s foundation player despite the money paid to Carlos Beltran. Wright is this team’s rock and although he isn’t a vocal leader, he plays every day with indisputable energy and the proper approach. And it doesn’t hurt when he put together a month like July, with a .330 batting average, three home runs and 18 RBIs.
JOSE REYES: I was surprised when checking his monthly splits -- his numbers are no better now than in the doldrums months of May and June. But watching Reyes is a different story -- he seems to have his bounce back, especially since the All-Star break. He still suffers from defensive indifference at times, but you can’t ignore his 53 extra base hits and 35 stolen bases. Once again he is the difference-making catalyst atop the batting order.
ENDY CHAVEZ: Journeyman. Doesn’t hit for power. But Chavez has resurrected his 2006 role as the team’s super fourth outfielder. He has plugged in for Ryan Church admirably in July. One question: The Mets appear to be relying on a Church comeback -- is that realistic?
FERNANDO TATIS: Hate to be the skeptic but in this era in baseball how can one avoid being just that? Tatis is a player with one standout season -- nine years ago. He has had 56 big league at-bats in the past five years. Now he has a month working where he is batting over .400 and has six home runs and 18 RBIs. Is this real or a mirage or something suspicious? What we know for sure is that he has been a Godsend replacing the injured Moises Alou.
PHILLIES: The Mets began their July run by winning three of four in Philadelphia. They are 9-4 this season against the Phillies – the team that crushed them last September.
MIKE PELFREY: Pedro Martinez is hanging on by a thread. Orlando Hernandez is a fossil and John Maine is battling a bad shoulder, thus Oliver Perez and Pelfrey have been huge in backing up Johan Santana. Credit to fired coach Rick Peterson for finding the key to unlocking Pelfrey’s potential.
FIVE MORE SWINGS:
1. QUICK TAKE ON THE ANGELS … who stole Mark Teixeira. Great trade for the Angels, who get the hitting threat they lacked in the middle of the order. Vlad Guerrero still isn’t whole physically and Torii Hunter’s impatience may leave him vulnerable to top-level postseason pitching. I covered the Angels’ playoff series last October, and they had too many at-bats in which their hitters were overmatched by Boston pitching. This is also another sign that trading deadline trades aren’t what they used to be -- especially for rental players. Atlanta gets Casey Kotchman, who must prove that he isn’t just a younger Sean Casey, a good hitter and good fielder with average power playing a position that demands power.
2. THE BEST STORY IN BASEBALL … continues to be the Twins. Two straight wins over the White Sox moved the Twins to within a half-game of the division lead. This past Tuesday they overcame a 4-0 hole as their key hitter, Justin Morneau, delivered a big hit. They are exciting the locals with 36,000 attending Tuesday’s game. The Twins are a team to watch. Will they trade for a third baseman before the Aug. 31 deadline?
3. SPEAKING OF THIRD BASEMEN … the career of Eric Chavez has taken a bad turn. Shoulder problems linger for Chavez, and the six-time Gold Glover talks of a move to first base -- if a third shoulder surgery allows him to continue playing. This is sad on two fronts: The one player Oakland signed long-term has collapsed and another player’s body breaks down before it’s time (Chavez is only 30).
4. WHY TEAMS HATE THE YANKEES ... it’s not the money they spend well but the mistakes they can hide. Last weekend the Yankees removed Kei Igawa from their 40-man roster. Resentment also stems from the Yankees paying Carl Pavano ($11 million) and Igawa ($20 million over five years plus the $26 million to Japanese baseball that was required to sign him) to not pitch.
5. ANYBODY NOTE THAT…Tampa Bay is still in first place in the AL East?
