July 21, 2008

Home games: Mets back in the game after midseason

NewYorkology contributor Scott Ross keeps you abreast of upcoming Mets and Yankees home games in New York City. Ross toils in anonymity for a giant online news aggregator. Here’s your look at major league baseball in New York City this week:

You’ve gotta hand it to the Mets. Confronted with the chance to make up some ground in the NL East race, they answered the call. They tore off three in a row against the Phillies before beating up on weak sisters like the Giants and Rockies. With their win Sunday night they find themselves tied with Philadelphia for first place.

Their recent surge was fueled in part by a reinvigorated Carlos Delgado (.400/.478/.725), newly focused Jose Reyes (.395/.477/.553) and a WTF Fernando Tatis (.429/.474/.886). Meanwhile, back on Earth, there is no way in hell that Delgado or Tatis have a prayer of getting that hot again. On the other side of the ball, the Mets’ pitching staff threw four shutouts and averaged 8.5 strikeouts a game with an ERA of 2.52.

Far less surprising, but nearly as significant, is the annual midseason charge being made by the Yankees, who’ve won eight of their last 11 and now trail the first-place Devil Rays by only 4 ½. Remarkably they’ve managed to go on this tear while only scoring 39 runs in those 11 games. But 3 ½ runs a game is no recipe for long term success.

But enough nay-saying, the important thing is that the ships in the Bronx and Queens have been righted and New York baseball will matter for at least another two months. The old ballparks just may host playoff baseball yet before they meet the wrecking ball.

And lo! Look who’s coming to town, none other than the Phillies. Sadly, their ace Cole Hamels isn’t slated to pitch, so instead take the opportunity to see 45-year-old Jamie Moyer in person. He is a textbook case of the wily veteran lefty. How he’s managed to win this much for this long armed with an 83-mph fastball is a wonder.

Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees
Monday @ 7:05, Nick Blackburn (7-5) vs. Sydney Ponson (5-1)
Tuesday @ 7:05, Kevin Slowey (6-6) vs. Darrell Rasner (5-7), Yankees Trivia Card Game Night
Wednesday @ 1:05, Glen Perkins (7-2) vs. Mike Mussina (12-6), Final Season T-Shirt Day

Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets
Tuesday @ 7:10, Joe Blanton (5-12) vs. Johan Santana (8-7)
Wednesday @ 7:10, Brett Myers (3-9) vs. Josh Maine (8-7)
Thursday @ 12:10, Jamie Moyer (8-6) vs. Oliver Perez (6-6)

St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets
Friday @ 7:10, Jaime Garcia (0-0) vs. Mike Pelfrey (8-6), Merengue Night
Saturday @ 7:10, Joel Piniero (3-4) vs. Johan Santana (8-7), Take her out to the Ballgame /Tote Bag Night
Sunday @ 1:10, Kyle Lohse (12-2) vs. Josh Maine (8-7), Mets Lunch Box Day & Mr. Met Dash

Next Week: The Mets are off to face the Marlins and Cardinals, while the Yankees play host to the Orioles and the Angels, who now own the best record in all of baseball.

Tickets to Yankees games can be purchased here. See NewYorkology’s guide to Yankee Stadium for the rundown on how to get there, where to meet, eat and eventually, sit.

Tickets to Mets games can be purchased here, while directions for getting to and around the stadium are also available. (The New York Water Taxi will not be running the Mets Express to Shea during the 2008 season but Rocks Off Concert Cruises and Seastreak are hitting some games.)

Image source: Mets

July 21, 2008 3:56 PM in Sports

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