Skid's 2014 Dream Season

APRIL 4th - GAME #4 vs Cincinnati Reds (1-2)
Jenrry Mejia goes up against the Redlegs Mike Leake. Mejia pitched in his first Mets game in 2010 when he was only 20. An interesting fact I heard Gary Cohen mention on SNY was that Mejia is younger than Matt Harvey and six months older than Zack Wheeler. This would make a great staff that could be together for a long time (fingers crossed!). There is steady rain at the ballpark and the game time weather is 40 degrees. I hope to be in the middle of a wet game like this at least once next year as it is very rare to rain on a game in California. The Mets are the only NL team not to have a win yet.

1-3

Jenrry Mejia started off well, striking out 5 in the first two innings and 8 K's in his six innings. Eric Young did his best Endy Chavez imitation in the top of the first, robbing Brandon Phillips of a home run in left field. I read that this was Eric's first time robbing a HR ... who keeps track of these types of things!? The bullpen did not throw away the game like the previous three contests. Jose Valverde got the save, his 287th of his career and first as a Met. But the story in this game was newly crowned first baseman (only for the weekend mind you) Lucas Duda. Lucas rose to the occasion and Mgr. Terry Collins' 3 day trust with TWO 2-run homers over the Citi Field fence, making Terry look like a genius. Duda was hitless in 6 at bats before his back-to-back bombs in the 4th and 6th innings.

Well, now the Mets won't go winless during the 2014 season. So far starting pitching has been good, defense ok, hitting sparse, and the bullpen just plain awful. Valverde has done well in his two appearances but with recent history I did not expect much. Just as I did not expect much from LaTroy Hawkins last year but he impressed me with a very commendable job out of the bullpen. Let's hope Valverde can do the same this year for the Mets until either Bobby Parnell is healthy or someone from the minors can step into the closer role.