New York @ Florida preview
Sun Life Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 15, 2010 ) NY Mets 5, Florida 7
Before Saturday’s game, New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes characterized moving back to the leadoff spot as going home to see family. He got a welcome reception, going 2 for 5 with a double and two runs scored. The rest of his teammates did not enjoy similar success.
In spite of what may only be the first phase of manager Jerry Manuel’s lineup alterations, the Mets lost their third straight to the Florida Marlins and fell for the 11th time in 15 road games.
Reyes was elated to be back atop the order after a miserable stretch in the No. 3 hole.
During his stint batting third, Reyes went 17 for 82 (.207) with no homers, six RBIs and a .533 on-base plus slugging percentage. Mets’ No. 3 hitters this season are batting .227 (32 for 141) – ahead of only the Cubs (.215) among National League teams – with just three homers and 12 RBIs.
Manuel flip-flopped Reyes and Angel Pagan, who in 22 games at leadoff batted .286. He also entered Saturday’s contest with a .346 average (9 for 26) over his last six games. Pagan singled in his first at-bat and scored after drawing a third-inning walk as part of a 1-for-4 evening.
In the ninth, it became apparent Pagan was hitting out of position. The three-hole hitter came up representing the tying run. Instead of, say, David Wright facing Marlins closer Leo Nunez and being a swing away from tying it, the power-starved Pagan came up and grounded out to end the game.
The Mets may not be done tinkering. Wright, who hit his eighth homer (seventh on the road) Saturday, could return to the three-spot. It’s open auditions until Carlos Beltran returns from right knee surgery. Beltran is rehabbing in Port St. Lucie and dropped in on his teammates Saturday, but opted not to speak with reporters.
Manuel’s maneuverings this series aren’t limited to the lineup. Fresh off giving up four home runs in Friday’s loss, Oliver Perez no longer is a starter. The $36 million left-hander was relegated to relief duty and could see action as early as today’s series finale.
Perez wasn’t thrilled about the new assignment, but he didn’t leave the Mets a choice.
Following Friday’s seven-run, 3 1/3-inning fiasco, Perez is 0-3 with a 5.94 ERA, 28 walks and 27 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings. The Mets have not yet named Perez’s rotation replacement. That spot comes up again Wednesday at Washington.
Among the options are reliever Hisanori Takahashi and Triple-A Buffalo starters R.A. Dickey and Pat Misch. The knuckleball-throwing Dickey has a 2.23 ERA through eight starts and Misch tossed a four-hit shutout Saturday, lowering his ERA to 3.30 in seven outings.