Gee unable to get loose
Andres Torres watches as the glove of Miami Marlins catcher Brett Hayes bounces around the plate after Hayes dropped it. (May 12, 2012) Credit: AP
Dillon Gee was at a loss for words, trying to explain why he didn't feel like his usual self in the Mets' 4-2 Subway Series loss to the Yankees Saturday night.
"It was weird," Gee said. "I felt great out [in] the pen and then I came out of the pen and I almost felt like I couldn't get warm after that. I was having trouble staying warm in between innings. I was up, walking around, trying to move around and stay warm, and it just felt like I couldn't get loose in each and every inning.
"I made do with what I had. I felt OK. I'm not hurt or anything. I just felt like I wasn't warm."
Gee allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings in suffering his first road defeat of the season. He walked three, hit a batter and also had a first-inning balk that led to a run, something he blamed on the Stadium's clay mound.
Gee's biggest mistake became a two-run homer by Mark Teixeira in the sixth that turned the Mets' one-run lead into a one-run deficit.
"That's my job, to keep it close," Gee said. "And for them to go out and stake me to a lead, and then go out and give up two runs after that, there's no excuse for that. Obviously, the loss is on me."
Collins: Niese is fine
Despite watching ace Johan Santana get knocked around Friday after two days of extra rest, Collins isn't the least bit concerned that the same will happen to Jon Niese Sunday.
The lefthander was taken out of last Sunday's 6-1 win over the Cardinals after hurling six scoreless innings because of an irregular heartbeat.
"We wanted to give him just an extra day to rest, but he's fine," Collins said. "He's actually thrown twice in between starts, so I think he'll be OK."
Extra bases
Ronny Cedeño (calf strain) ran the bases Saturday and should run them even harder Sunday, according to Collins.
