Starting Five: Apple Takes Big Bite Out of Fernando Tatis, Mets

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Mets can't even break a lengthy team-wide home run drought without something going wrong. Brian Schneider went deep Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, snapping an 80-inning span without a big fly for New York. Three pitches later Fernando Tatis left the yard again. So why did that elicit boos from the Met fans?

Because Tatis homered so soon after Schneider that the infamous mechanical apple -- an all-new heavier model than the one used at Shea Stadium (seen on the right at Citi Field) -- didn't reset in time for it to rise immediately after Tatis' drive. The apple did eventually emerge, but not before the ire of already edgy Mets fans had been raised.

"You come to Citi Field, Mets fans expect to see the Apple," said Elizabeth Cruz, 24, of Maspeth. "It should go up every time. It was disappointing."

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Mechanical malfunctions aside, the Mets did manage to head into the All-Star break on a high note, beating the Reds 9-7.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Promising A's left-hander Brett Anderson was pulled from his start against the Rays after four shutout innings because of stiffness in his back. Anderson, who shut out the Red Sox earlier in the week, has yet to allow a run in July, but he has been dealing with the stiffness for the last few days. Oakland manager Bob Geren said after the game -- a 7-3 win for the A's -- that he pulled Anderson as a precaution and does not expect him to miss any time.

Numbers Game ...
A day after the Cubs' Ted Lilly notched his 100th career victory, Boston's Josh Beckett joined him in the century club. Beckett got to triple digits with a complete-game shutout of the Royals -- the second time he's gone the distance in fewer than 95 pitches over the last few weeks.

"Believe it or not, [Josh] had to battle in the middle innings," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said. "It don't think it comes that easy for him as people may think. He falls off it as much as anybody and has to make adjustments during games.

"He's pretty much a bulldog."

In Their Own Words ...
"I went through a huge rut. One of the biggest ruts I've ever been through. In the middle of the rut I really started pressing bad and then I just really tried to start having good at-bats and not worrying about results." -- Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick, who has most definitely found his way out of that rut. Ludwick homered twice in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Ludwick went 5-for-8 in the doubleheader with four extra-base hits. He's recorded a hit in nine straight games and has a .400 batting average since June 28.

Advance Scouting ...
No meaningful baseball for the next three days (there is one game that, marginally speaking, counts), but there should be plenty to keep everyone entertained. Monday night on ESPN is the Home Run Derby (8 PM ET) and that's followed on Tuesday night by the 80th All-Star Game on FOX (8 PM ET). The second half kicks off on Thursday with an abbreviated slate, highlighted by a meeting between two NL Central contenders -- the Reds and Brewers -- in Cincinnati (7:10 PM ET). Homer Bailey is scheduled to start against Milwaukee's Braden Looper.