Even With Hat Slanted Slightly Askew, Volquez Off, Mets 9-7

Volquez's first start of the season wasn't exactly the dominating performance I was looking forward to seeing. But that's what he gets for raising expectations last year. He should have worked into it. 17 wins in your first full season is not the way you do things. While I am certainly in favor of taking the bats out of the hands of Brian Schneider and Luis Castillo, the top of the Mets order got to see Volquez for the third time by the fifth inning. Those guys are predatory in nature.

The Reds offense showed some times of not being completely inept, which is certainly a step in the right direction. Though, I may be off base, but the strategy of leaving runners on third base with less than two outs as the Reds have utilized to great success in year prior, may not be the most effective approach to wining games. But, as I've said many times before, I'm certainly no expert. You get Laynce Nix quality late inning at bats early in the season and it's going to pay off. You just wait, Nix is just waiting for the games to start meaning something.

Arroyo gets the ball tomorrow afternoon in the final game of the set. In interviews he's said that he now regrets taking that temp data entry position over the winter. Carpal tunnel's the shits. Trainers fitted him with those bowling glove-looking braces and he should be ready to go tomorrow, tossing out some of the grade-A salad. Reds salvage the final game tomorrow.