7/8 Pre-Game Mets Look to Rebound In Series Opener Vs. Giants

Check out my Pre-Game post for tonight's Mets-Giants I did on Metszilla.com. Be sure to check it out this and all the latest Mets News: http://www.metszilla.com/2011/07/08/pre-game-mets-look-to-rebound-in-series-opener-vs-giants/

After being shutout last night by Dodgers Ace Clayton Kershaw, the New York Mets look to rebound and get back to their winning ways in the series opener against the San Fransisco Giants. However, it gets no easier for the offense as they will go up against All-Star Ryan Vogelsong, who is 6-1 with a stellar 2.13 ERA this season.



The 33-year-old has been tremendous at AT&T park where he boasts a 3-1 record record with an ERA of just 1.01 (30:9 K:BB ratio). Earlier this season the Amazin’s were just that…..Amazin, against the Giants righty, as Vogelsong pitched a season low 4 innings while allowing 5 runs.

Photo by Michael G. Baron

On the other side, the Mets will counter with knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.  For the season Dickey is 4-7 while posting a 3.68 ERA.  In his one start against the Giants this year, which coincidentally came the same night Vogelsong toed the slab for San Fran, the 36-year-old was shell shocked allowing 6 runs, in 6 innings, in a game the Metsies would later go onto to lose.

After Ronny Paulino started three of four games against the Dodgers, Josh Thole will be behind the plate to catch Dickey. Daniel Murphy returns to his familiar role in the cleanup spot after being dropped in the order last night against the lefty Clayton Kershaw.  The rest of the lineup behind R.A. is as follows:

Mets Friday lineup at SF: Pagan-CF, Turner-2B, Beltran-RF, Murphy-3B, Bay-LF, Duda-1B, Thole-C, Tejada-SS, Dickey-RHP

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It’ll be very interesting to see how the Mets lineup reacts after being shutout last night while scattering just six hits. With Jose Reyes out for 3 weeks, Angel Pagan will be front and center again at the leadoff spot.  To this point the 30-year-old  has filled in well for Reyes, going a combined 7-23 in the past five games.

Notes:
The Mets look to push five games over .500 away from Citi Field and have a shot tonight to do just that.

Meanwhile, R.A. Dickey looks for his second win in his last five starts, but more importantly, you have to go back nearly a month to find the last time R.A. lost, which came on June 11th at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

First pitch is schedule for 10:15 PM/ET, hope you fill up on a lot of caffeine, because it’ll be another late night on the West Coast for the Amazin’s.