Reds, Reds & Reds: 3.24 Mets at Astros: Pudge, Pelfrey, and the President

The Reds were off Tuesday so I ventured to central Florida to catch two games. In the afternoon match-up the Houston Astros played the New York Mets at the Astros' home, the Osceola County Stadium, in Kissimmee. It was a sunny, beautiful day, with a steady wind blowing in from RCF.

The President

Just as I was settling into my seat, about 20 rows up over the third base on-deck circle, I spotted a couple guys in sport coats walking in, which immediately caught my eye. My suspicions were further aroused when I noticed they were wearing ear-pieces. "Hah, that's just like the Secret Service," I chuckled to myself. A split-second later, the 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush made his way through the crowd to a seat right behind home plate, to warm applause.

Pudge and the Astros

As you Astro fans know, the team signed catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez to a contract last week. Tuesday was Pudge's inaugural game in an Astros uniform, and he got off to a great start.

The announcer pronounced his name "Eye"-van (emphasis on the first syllable, of course) all day. I guess you can take the team out of Texas, but you can't take the Texas out of the team.

I was glad to be there to document Pudge's day of firsts. His first pitch caught:

His first at-bat:

His first hit:

And yes, his first home run:

Pitching for the Astros was another Rodriguez, Wandy. He didn't give up any runs against this no-name Mets line up (more on that later) although he was hit hard at times and worked out of a couple jams.

Hunter Pence, who might be the fastest player in MLB, still has a wide enough stance to run for the Senate in Idaho.

Miguel Tejada, who I've mentioned that I love to watch play, turned a nifty double play at second base.

Houston closer Jose Valverde pitched an impressive 6th inning.

Houston's hitting leader for the day was 3B Geoff Blum, who had several hard hits, including a bases clearing double pulled down the RF line in the fifth inning.

Michael Bourn, who still hasn't learned how to steal first base, did touch all the bases on an error by the Mets RF. Bourn hit a ground ball through the first-second base hole, and when the RF charged it he let it get by his glove and it rolled all the way to the fence.

Carlos Lee looks every bit as if he'll continue to be an RBI machine.

There's little doubt the Astros are going to hit the ball this year - their lineup is now: Matsui, Pudge, Berkman, Lee, Tejada, Pence, Blum, Erstad/Bourn, pitcher.

Pelfrey and the Mets

The Mets didn't bring most of their starting eight to the game yesterday. Only Dan Murphy and Fernando Tatis, the presumptive LF platoon, made the trip.

SP Mike Pelfrey got rocked on the mound and didn't help himself at the plate or in the field.

Early in the game, with the score still 0-0, Pelfrey came up with runners at first and second and no outs. Instead of laying down a bunt, Pelfrey did the "fake bunt then square up and swing" not once, but twice - missing both times, strike one and strike two. Then when he did finally lay down a bunt, despite the IF playing back with two strikes, he bunted back to the pitcher so hard Wandy Rodriguez easily forced the runner at third.

In the field, again with the game still 0-0, Pelfrey had to cover 1B on a ground ball by Kat Matsui to the left side of the IF. When he stepped for the base with the ball, he missed (see pic), leading to the first of many runs by the Astros.

Pelfrey was booed by the Mets fans when he ultimately was taken out of the game.

Ah yes, the Mets fans. I have to say the number of Mets fans who drove a couple of hours to see their team play in Kissimmee was impressive. The Mets generally play their games on the Atlantic Coast, and Kissimmee is in central Florida, near Orlando. On more than one occasion in the first few innings the stadium was completely taken over by "Let's Go Mets!".

Those who made the trip must have been disappointed by the star-deficient lineup that their team put on the field Tuesday. I'm sure they (and I) would rather have seen the real Jose Reyes...