Pre-Game Notes: Synder’s slump, Pirates vs. Mets 9/16
Since Chris Synder was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks he is batting only .168 (16-for-95) with a .266 OBP. Four of those hits have been home runs, a good sign that he still has some power. His career average is .230 with a OBP of .331.
He’s doing better. Donny’s been working to get him shorter, get to the ball more,” manager John Russell said before the game, referring to hitting coach Don Long‘s sessions with Snyder. “Chris has had some big hits for us, and he’s a threat in that he can hit the ball out if you make mistakes. And you can’t take away, too, that he’s doing a great job behind the plate.”
“I’m getting the feel for it,” Snyder said of the work with the swing. “You’ll never confuse me with a guy who hits .280, .300. Don’t get me wrong: I would love to be that guy.”
Where does Synder seem himself in the lineup?
“I’m a bottom-of-the-order guy, and I’ve learned over time that I’m trying to get on base, take my walks when I can, try to put up productive numbers, including the power.”
Pitching Matchup:
Charlie Morton (1-11 9.05 ERA)
Vs.
Mike Pelfrey (14-9, 3.89 ERA)
Morton is coming off his best start of the season. It’s been a rough year for Charlie and his last start showed a lot of improvement. Morton pitched 6.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out two. He has never faced the Mets as a starter. The only history he has with the club is in 2008 when he pitched two scoreless innings of relief when he was a memeber of the Braves.
Pelfrey has a 6.75 ERA in his last three starts –16.0 innings pitched– for the Mets. He is 2-1 with a 4.34 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates.
Pirates Lineup:
McCutchen 8
Tabata 7
Walker 4
Jones 3
Alvarez 5
Bowker 9
Cedeno 6
Snyder 2
Morton 1
Mets Lineup:
Reyes 6
Feliciano 7
Pagan 8
Wright 5
Davis 3
Thole 2
Duda 9
Tejada 4
Pelfrey 1
Notes:
- Andrew McCutchen has six RBI in his last four games. He has also hit safely in seven of his last eight games, going 10-for-31 (.323 AVG) with three doubles, one home run and three runs scored.
- Neil Walker’s .303 AVG is the third-highest for a second-baseman in the majors. The only other two batting higher then Walker are Robinson Cano (.324 AVG) and Martin Prado (.310).
- Joel Hanrahan is only five strikeouts away from tying his career high of 93 (2008). Hanny’s 88 strikeouts rank third among all relief pitchers behind Carlos Marmol (122) and Tyler Clippard (97).
- Jose Tabata’s .303 AVG ranks fifth among left-fielders in the majors. The four others to have a higher average than Tabata are: Josh Hamilton (.380), Ryan Braun (.311), Matt Holliday (.307) and Brett Gardner (.304).
- Newly acquired bucco Chris Resop has retired six of the first seven batters he has faced in 2.0 scoreless innings pitched since being claimed off-waivers from the Florida Marlins.
- Right-hand Pitcher Brian Bass cleared waivers, outright and accepted his assignment to Indianapolis.
- Posted on September 16, 2010 at 4:46 pm
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- Filed in: Dailies
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Kristy Robinson
