Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Game 73 Preview: New York Mets (27-40) at Atlanta Braves (42-30)

Pitching Probables:
RHP Shaun Marcum (NYM) 0-8, 5.43 ERA
RHP Kris Medlen (ATL) 3-7, 3.09 ERA

Tonight's Starting Lineup (7:10 pm ET, SportSouth):

Mets (career vs. Medlen):
Eric Young - CF (N/A)
Daniel Murphy - 2B (4-16, 2 2B, RBI, 2 K)
David Wright - 3B (4-19, 2 BB, 7 K)
Marlon Byrd - RF (1-4, RBI, 2 K)
Lucas Duda - 1B (2-10, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K)
John Buck - C (1-5, HR, RBI, BB)
Kirk Nieuwenhuis - LF (0-2, K)
Omar Quintanilla - SS (N/A)
Shaun Marcum - P (N/A)

Braves (career vs. Marcum):
Jordan Schafer - RF (3-9, 2B, RBI, 4 BB, 4 K)
Andrelton Simmons - SS (3-6, 2B, RBI)
Freddie Freeman - 1B (2-10, 5 K)
Justin Upton - LF (3-13, RBI, BB, 5 K)
Brian McCann - C (2-7, 2 BB)
BJ Upton - CF (8-26, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 9 K)
Dan Uggla - 2B (2-12, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 3 K)
Chris Johnson - 3B (1-12, 5 K)
Kris Medlen - P (N/A)

Preview:
One day after sweeping the Braves in a day-night doubleheader, Mets will send out veteran righty Shaun Marcum for the fourth game of this five-game series. If there's anyone desperate for a win, it's Marcum. He struggled in his last start against the Cubs, allowing six runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings and remains winless in 2013.
Marcum's ERA continues to rise and his spot in the rotation is becoming more precarious. Mets are currently operating a six-man rotation and somebody will eventually be sent down to the bullpen. Mets have yet to announce when this move will take place.
Braves starter Kris Medlen takes the mound for the NL East division leaders, hoping for better results. In his last start against the Giants, Medlen was victimized by a flurry of two-strike hits in a losing effort. In the end, Medlen was charged for four runs on nine hits in six innings pitched.
Medlen racked up a season-high nine strikeouts in his only other appearance against the Mets this season. In that start, he allowed three runs on seven hits and walked a batter in a solid six inning effort.

Mets officially put Justin Turner on DL, Travis D'Arnaud injury update:
Mets placed IF Justin Turner on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday with a strained left intercoastal muscle. Mets are hopeful that Turner will only spend 15 days on the DL.
Prospect Travis D'Arnaud, who has been rehabbing a broken bone in his left foot, has been cleared to begin a running program to get him back into baseball shape.

NL All-Star voting update (Braves, via MLB.com):
C - Brian McCann (5th)
1B - Freddie Freeman (5th)
SS - Andrelton Simmons - (5th)
3B - Chris Johnson (4th)
OF - Justin Upton (2nd)

Side note:
Marlon Byrd is beginning to heat up in the month of June. He has five home runs to go with nine RBIs. Byrd also hit five homers in the month of May and has seven in his last 18 games.
Braves are 28-6 when scoring first this season.
Braves are also the last team in the Majors this season to have used only five starting pitchers.
Shaun Marcum is 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in five career starts against the Braves.
In 16 appearances (six starts) in his career against the Mets, Medlen is 3-0 with a microscopic ERA of 1.92.

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