MET NOTES
New York, meet Braden Looper.
In Monday’s 10-6, home-opening win, the Braves loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and Andruw Jones at the plate. Enter Looper, who in his Shea debut calmly induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
It was Looper’s introduction to New York, and it marked his latest sharp outing. The new closer now has pitched in four games, the Mets have won all of them and he hasn’t allowed a run (though he did blow one save in San Juan).
For Looper, the early-season performance is a dynamic contrast from his rocky spring, when he posted a 6.75 ERA. Finally, the adjustments he made in spring training are paying off.
“I feel good,” Looper said. “I feel like I’m making my pitches. That’s all I can do. It’s like I told you guys in spring training, I was a little frustrated because I kept thinking, ‘Keep staying with it. Stay with the process. Stay with the adjustments I’ve made.’
“I felt like they would help me in the long run. I’ve stayed with it. Now I feel like I’m more consistent. I’m in the strike zone. If I’m going out of the strike zone, it’s on purpose, or if I’m doing the things I’m doing, it’s usually on purpose.”
In the spring, Looper moved over on the rubber a little bit and started his delivery with his hands a little lower. He also worked on being more fluid and consistent with his delivery and using his split-finger to set up his fastball.
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After making his MLB debut in San Juan last Friday, Tyler Yates is scheduled to make his New York debut tonight in front of what will likely be the largest crowd he’s ever pitched before.
The attendance in San Juan was just 14,738, and the Yates said the most fans he’s ever had was between 15,000 and 16,000 for a Double-A All-Star game. The Mets may not draw the 53,000 they had for Monday’s Opening Day, but they should have at least double what Yates is used to.
“It’s kind of intimidating, but I’m not going to think about it,” the Hawaiian-born Yates said. “It’s just people. People in the stands. That’s all they are.”
Five of those people will be Yates’ parents, aunt, uncle and girlfriend, none of whom got to see his Puerto Rico start.
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Mike Cameron has recorded a hit in all seven games.
