The Mets will look for a change of fortune as they open a three-game series with the Phillies today at Citi Field at 1:10 PM.
Here is today’s starting lineup for New York:
Curtis Granderson – RF
Juan Lagares – CF
Lucas Duda – 1B
Daniel Murphy – 2B
Michael Cuddyer – LF
Wilmer Flores – SS
Danny Muno – 3B
Anthony Recker – C
Bartolo Colon – RHP
Here is today’s pitching matchup between the Mets and Phillies:
Bartolo Colon (6-3, 4.85 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Career vs. Phillies: 5-3, 4.15 ERA, 10 starts
Season vs. Phillies: 1-0, 6.00 ERA, 1 start
Career at Citi Field: 11-10, 3.93 ERA, 21 starts
Key matchups vs. Colon:
Ryan Howard: 3-for-11, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Ben Revere: 7-for-18, 2B
Chase Utley: 5-for-14, 2 2B
Severino Gonzalez (2-1, 7.11 ERA) will start for the Phillies.
Note: Gonzalez is making his first career start against the Mets.
Here’s what I’m looking for from the Mets today:
Bartolo Colon needs to get his act together.
He has a 9.98 ERA in his last three starts. He’s given up five home runs in those starts, a span of only 15 1/3 innings. He has allowed 28 baserunners in that span.
That’s just not Bartolo Colon. His two-seamer has been getting way too much plate lately, and its been floating right into the hitting zone at about 87-88 mph. It won’t work, and if that continues today, it’s safe to expect more of what he’s shown over these last three starts. It’s going to be about location and command of that pitch today, so hopefully that happens on a day the Mets badly need a win.
A little life and energy would be nice.
The Mets are clearly hanging their heads right now. The losing is obviously getting to them. Its clear with their play and their energy on the field. Losing can do that to a team, especially when they’re a little aimless and lost with so many players absent and hurting.
Go out there and hit the ball.
55 strikeouts since Wednesday, 8 double plays since Thursday, four runs since Friday. There is not much going on with this offense right now, and there’s really not much that’s going to change with this group. Still, the situational hitting must get better. A little creativity wouldn’t hurt Terry Collins considering they’re so starved for runs. Perhaps some old fashioned hitting and running, some base stealing, and just breaking away from the same old thing which is not working could help energize the lineup today.
Just Mets 