Game Preview: Braves vs Mets

The Mets open up a weekend series with Atlanta with our ace, Johan Santana, taking on the somehow not injured Mike Hampton. As the Phillies take on the Brewers right now, this is a great time for Mets to beat up on the Braves and attempt to extend their lead in the NL East. When the schedule was first made, this was supposed to be a battle for first place in the East series, as the Braves were expected by many Baseball Pundants to make the World Series. A season of injuries and disappointments, the Braves will be very happy tonight to try to play spoiler against the Mets tonight.

Hampton is 2-2 in 9 starts season. He has pitched 55.0 innings and has an ERA of 5.60. In his last five games he is 1-1 with an ERA of 4.09. He made one start against the Mets in that stretch, his one start against them this season, where he went 6 innings, allowed 8 hits and 3 runs, walked one and struck out 2. The Mets have put these numbers against Hampton over their careers:
    Castillo 16-44 (.364 BA), 3 2B, 3B
    Reyes 8-19, 3 2B, HR
    Tatis 6-15, 2 2B
    Beltran 8-16, 2 2B, HR
    Delgado 8-12, 3 2B, HR, 7 RBI
    Wright 3-11, 2B, HR
On the whole, these Mets have good numbers against Hampton. It felt like a few years ago when he was with the Braves before his big injuiries, the Mets could not touch him. These numbers suggest that these Mets can and they have to. Santana shouldn't pitch like what we have seen in the past few days, but just in case, lets get those bats going. They have done real well the last two days so lets hope for some hangover affect and lets demoralize the Braves.

On the other side of the ball, Santana will be going for hsi 14th win of the season. His last time out he surpassed 200 innings pitched and on the season he has an ERA of 2.70. In his last five games, he is 3-0 over 33.1 innings ptiched with an ERA of 1.78. He has walked only 8 in that stretch while striking otu 34 (175 on the season). He has a 0-2 record against the Braves in start sthis season, but he has an ERA of 2.57, no walks and 4 K's in 14 innings. The run support has been the issue, and these games where towards the start of the seaosn when the Mets were really struggling against the Braves (I believe one Braves blog writer at that point in May declared the Mets season dead). Here are some Braves numbers against Santana:
     Infante 1-20, 7 K
     Jones 5-11
     Francoer 1-10, 2B
     Johnson 4-10, 2B
     McCann 3-9, 2B, HR
The people the pitch carefully around are not surprising. I am always afraid of Kelly Johnson, I feel he's a Met killer. Not so much this year but in 07 he seemed to be one, or at least felt like he was one. Santana's numbers against Infante and Francoer are the types of numbers that are fun to look at. If he can handle the lineup, hoepfully the Mets will be able to give him the runsupport he needs. Lets Go Mets! Beat the Braves!