Series Thread: Wash. Nationals @ NY Mets (7/31-8/2)

[omarsrevenge]

Crazy week for the Mets. I'm worn out just watching these long games. Spilled my beer and strained a hammy jumping off the couch when Flores hit that homer. Stoked about the Cespedes move, should be a fun stretch run.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

My God....how awesome was that??
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[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK (8/1) -- The lineups for Saturday's 7:10 p.m. ET game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals at Citi Field.

Yoenis Cespedes makes his Mets debut.

Curtis Granderson mans center field.

The Mets can clinch their first home series win against the Nationals since April 19-21, 2013, with a victory.



Mets

Granderson, CF

Daniel Murphy, 3B

Cespedes, LF

Lucas Duda, 1B

Wilmer Flores, 2B

Kelly Johnson, RF

Travis d'Arnaud, C

Jacob deGrom, RHP

Ruben Tejada, SS



Nationals

Anthony Rendon, 2B

Yunel Escobar, 3B

Bryce Harper, RF

Ryan Zimmerman, 1B

Jayson Werth, LF

Ian Desmond, SS

Wilson Ramos, C

Michael Taylor, CF

Joe Ross, RHP

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

(8/1)
NEW YORK -- Outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis has been dealing with a pinched nerve in his upper back and was unavailable Wednesday and Thursday, manager Terry Collins said.

As a result, the New York Mets have been delaying a roster move before Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals to clear the roster spot for newly acquired Yoenis Cespedes.

Team officials want to see how Nieuwenhuis feels pregame before committing to a roster decision.

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NEW YORK (8/1)-- While doing due diligence on a potential trade for Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets officials came to believe he did not want to play center field. So manager Terry Collins was pleased to learn in a face-to-face meeting with Cespedes on Saturday that the ex-Tiger actually likes that position.

Cespedes will make his Mets debut on Saturday against the Washington Nationals in left field, because that's the position he played with Detroit and Collins did not want too much on Cespedes' plate as he gets acclimated to new surroundings. But the manager said he now plans to use Cespedes on a regular basis in center field beginning as soon as Sunday's series finale against the Nats.

That would largely alleviate the need to use Curtis Granderson in center field, although Collins said he had faith in Granderson at that position and could insert Juan Lagares late with a lead. Granderson starts in center field on Saturday.

Optimally, Collins indicated, Cespedes will start in center field against right-handed pitching and Lagares will start in center against left-handed pitching. Lagares has a paltry .264 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching this season, disqualifying him from an everyday role.

Cespedes has played in 75 major league games in center field.

"When I got to the big leagues, I came in as a center fielder, which is the position I played in Cuba," Cespedes said in Spanish. "In Oakland I was moved to left field, and I struggled at first to adapt to it, but I'm very used to it by now, and I feel very comfortable there. But, even though I haven’t done it regularly in a few years, I know I can play center field. I will play where the Mets need me.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK (8/1)-- David Wright will continue to work out with the New York Metsduring a three-game series that begins Monday in Miami. Then, when the Mets depart for the following series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Wright is due to head to the team's complex in Port St. Lucie to begin getting "eased" into minor league rehab games, manager Terry Collins said.

Wright has not appeared in a game since suffering a right hamstring strain on April 14. The primary issue soon thereafter became lower back pain. Wright has been diagnosed with spinal stenosis -- a narrowing of the spinal cavity that affects the nerves.

Wright has demonstrated no discomfort or reservations while working out with the Mets before games at Citi Field this week, according to Collins. The 32-year-old captain also is displaying stronger throws, now that he is using his legs more than in the past.

Collins acknowledged that it still remains to be seen how Wright handles diving for baseballs, but there is widespread optimism Wright will not be hindered when he returns to the majors in a few weeks.

A conversation between Wright and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly in Los Angeles in early July helped prepare Wright to get into a baseball routine and increased Wright's confidence. Mattingly had nearly identical back symptoms to Wright late in his playing career with the Yankees.

“We just talked about sort of the routines, some of the issues that you have coming out of that,” Mattingly said.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK (8/1)-- The arrival of Yoenis Cespedes has resulted in a return to the minors for 2014 first-round pick Michael Conforto.

Conforto had a dramatic, four-hit game last Saturday in his second major league start, but since had been hitless in 12 at-bats. Overall, he hit .211 with three RBIs in 19 at-bats. He also walked three times and was hit by a pitch, giving him a .348 on-base percentage.

Conforto's demotion is actually a promotion of sorts. He will report to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Before Conforto's July 24 major league debut, he had been playing for Double-A Binghamton.

The Mets delayed the announcement of Conforto's demotion until an hour before Saturday's game. Manager Terry Collins said the Mets first needed to evaluate the seriousness of a pinched nerve in fellow outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis' upper back, an injury that caused him to be unavailable Thursday and Friday.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Bad start, 2-0 Nats, deGrom getting his pitch count up early.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Ughhh @ giving up a 2 out walk to Werth.....

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Wow..So close...Wilmer just missed a 2 run HR ...on a nice play by werth to rob him....

deGrom needs to bean Werth in his next AB....lol

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I hope Duda doesn't have a drug test any time soon because the dude might be on the sauce. Unreal how good he has been of late.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Duda! 8 home runs in 7 games, 20 on the season, guy is on a tear!

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

This series has been awesome. Crowds are into it, the games are tight, first place on the line- sort of.

Granderson with a hit against a lefty? It's got everything, I tell ya!

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Duda with the clutch single! 3 rbis so far.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Duda stays hot, Mets take the lead.

Shoulda pitched to Cespedes.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

FUCK YEAH!!!!

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

The Mets actually win a home series against Washington!

Will go for the sweep tomorrow

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Huge! Let's close this out tomorrow gents. If only we didn't blow that 7-1 lead we'd be tied for first right now

 

[Nasty_Magician]

That crowd was rocking by the way! People were into it, they are excited, this is awesome.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Huge! Let's close this out tomorrow gents. If only we didn't blow that 7-1 lead we'd be tied for first right now

Yeah, that sucked. Seems everybody goes on a hot streak right before they play the Mets.