Career Mets killer Willie Harris, who has hurt this team numerous times over the past couple of seasons with both his bat and glove, snagged Rod Barajas line drive in left to end the game with the bases loaded. The catch helped secure a 4-3 win for the Washington Nationals over the New York Mets Saturday afternoon at Citi Field in Queens. OF Willy Taveras drove in a career high four runs while reliever Tyler Clippard retired 9 of the 10 batter he faced while K-ing 7. Mets RF Jeff Francoeur continued his red hot start with 2 hits, a run and walk, the loss drops NY to 2-3 while Washington improves to 2-3.
REYES RETURN: SS Jose Reyes made his long awaited 2010 debut but looked a bit rusty, going 1 for 4 with an error. Reyes missed most of the 2009 season with a major hamstring injury then had a thyroid problem detected in Spring Training.
DINGED UP DANIEL: According to the Mets TV broadcast team,1B Daniel Murphy has started running but is “weeks” away from returning to the lineup after injuring his knee late in Spring Training. This is not good news for the 2nd year player with super prospect Ike Davis killing the ball in camp and playing well in Triple A.
OK OLIE: If Oliver Perez pitches like he did today all season, I can live with it. Not bad, not great, OK. He walked some batters(4) but also K-ed some(6) as well. He was his normally wild self(59 strikes on 101 pitches) and escaped several jams. Not an awful performance for game 1, he needs to carry this over into his next start and build from it.
BAD WILLIE: Saturday marked the 3rd time in 4 years Harris made a huge game changing defensive play in the 9th inning to deny the Mets runs. He robbed 1B Carlos Delgado off a tying homer in the ninth while he was a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2007. In 2008, his diving stab prevented an extra base hit from OF Ryan Church in the 9th with Washington holding a 1-0 lead. I am not sure if this will make anyone feel better but Harris was a career infielder until 2000 when his then Manager Jerry Manuel suggested he take some fly balls in the OF while they were both part of the Chicago White Sox organization. UNBELIEVABLE.
GREEN SICK: ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin is reporting that RH Sean Green will be placed on the DL Sunday due to a rib cage tear and the Mets will recall LH RP Raul Valdez, who was very impressive in Spring Training, posted 2.06 ERA in 6 outings, allowing 1 run and three hits while striking out four in 4 1/3 innings. The Cuban defector was in the Mets system in 2007, posting an 0-1 record with a 3.68 ERA in 20 for Double A Binghamton.
PERFECT PEN: The bullpen continues to be a huge positive in the seasons opening week. 3 relievers(Ryato Igarashi, Perpetual Pedro Feliciano and rookie Jenrry Mejia) combined to allow 1 hit over the final 3 and a third innings. A pleasant surprise so far for the 2010 New York Mets.
GAME NOTES: Mets turned 3 double plays… Team continues to draw walks, 5 total, with 3B David Wright drawing 2… C Henry Blanco drove in a run with sacrifice fly… Alex Cora started at 2B in place of an ailing Luis Castillo, who is battling a calf issue…The Mets sent rookie INF Ruben Tejada to the minors to open a slot for Reyes…NY lost their third game of the season by 2 runs or fewer…Nationals star 3B Ryan Zimmerman, a youth league teammate of Wright’s, left the game in the 6th with a hamstring injury.. Nationals starter and Long Beach,NY native LH John Lannan entered the game with a 3-4 record and 3.62 ERA vs the Mets in 10 starts. He earned the win Saturday, throwing 5 innings while allowing 6 hits and 3 walks as well as all 3 NY runs…. Fernando Tatis started at 1B and Manager Jerry Manuel described the 1B situation as a Platoon. He expressed confidence in Mike Jacobs pregame, saying his power will eventually show
NEXT GAME:
Sunday, series conclusion vs the Nationals at Citi Field
1:10 pm
Nationals RH Livan Hernandez(1st start) vs Mets LH Johan Santana(1-0,1.50)
