Six games, eight runs scored, six losses. Those are the stats that count on this road trip from hell.
The Mets have given back everything they may have gained in April as their record now stands at 36-36. That means that after their 13-3 start, they’ve gone 23-33. Was this what we — and they — signed up for this winter?
Against a Brewers team that’s been struggling even longer than that, Jonathon Niese seemed doomed from the start. After getting the first two outs in the opening inning, he allowed consecutive singles by Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez and Adam Lind for an immediate 1-0 deficit. Hope shone briefly in the third as Curtis Granderson launched a pill into the right field stands to tie the score. After an out, Lucas Duda rifled a single through the shift into right field, the team’s fourth hit. This is noteworthy, because it was the last safety the Mets would garner for the rest of the night.
In the fourth, the Mets actually took a lead — gasp! — on some baserunning and blind luck. Wilmer Flores led off with a walk, Juan Lagares managed the ol’ “swinging bunt” to the pitcher. A wild pitch with Kevin Plawecki batting put Flores at third, whence he scored on Plawecki’s long fly to left. Milwaukee was able to even things up in a slightly more conventional way in the sixth. Gerardo Parra led off with a ringing double to left. Hernan Perez drew a walk and Hector Gomes, pinch-hitting for starting pitcher Mike Fiers, dropped down a bunt single to load the hassocks. Jean Segura then hit a sacrifice fly to medium center, but for some inexplicable reason, Perez tried to advance to third and was gunned out by ten feet. Jonathan Lucroy grounded out to end that part of things.
The Mets’ favorite, fab combo — overmanaging and bad defense — sunk this game in the seventh. Hansel Robles came on in relief of Niese and immediately struck out Braun. He then walked Carlos Gomez. Manager Terry Collins, playing the matchup game for which we all love him so, brought Sean Gilmartin in to face the lefty-hitting Lind, who roped a double down the third base line. Michael Cuddyer couldn’t contain a tricky bounce off the side wall, the ball squirted between his legs and Gomez scooted home with the eventual game winner. Collins then replaced Gilmartin with Bobby Parnell, who shut the door on the inning.
As if it mattered.
The Mets:
Albert Einstein was quoted as saying:
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results
……….
The Mets fan:
de·spair
dəˈsper/
noun
1.
the complete loss or absence of hope.
“driven to despair, he throws himself under a train”
synonyms: hopelessness, disheartenment, discouragement, desperation, distress, anguish, unhappiness;
verb
1.
lose or be without hope.
“we should not despair”
synonyms: lose hope, abandon hope, give up, lose heart, lose faith, be discouraged, be despondent, be demoralized, resign oneself;
………
I never even considered watching this game, although I couldn’t help but check the score two times. Glad I didn’t bother. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have a different vibe, but I might read the first line here and reconsider.
To answer a rhetorical question: 78-81 wins is pretty much what I signed up for (again) this season; I just didn’t expect the journey to be quite so scenic…
There was a great post over at Metstradamus today, and he mentions the roots of “Wait Till Next Year” and the Dodgers.
And yes, that has become a theme here with the Mets. But with a critical difference. Those Dodger teams fought down to the wire, they scratched and kicked and clawed every season.
These Mets lie down like dogs, and it comes from the very top.
Over at Mets Today, there’s an extremely negative appraisal of Alderson’s time with the Mets. Mostly correct, but a tad unhinged. He’s begging for the Wilpons to fire Alderson. Which is crazy, because the Wilpons are thrilled with Alderson. He’s succeeded with his primary task of keeping the budget low. Any other part of the job is a distant second. Sure, they’d “prefer” to win, but there is no genuine pursuit of excellence here. Sandy Alderson has shown no burning desire to compete. That’s how he stays so patient.
Wait till next year is acceptable after a team fights and loses. It’s the slogan of an undefeatable spirit. For this club, it’s an expression of resignation.
Now, at least, we get to watch Terry Collins head explode. He’s losing his mind. He needs to go, too.
Love the last two graphs of this post.
My hope is that Collins sees the writing on the wall and grows a spine. I mean, if you’re going to get fired/not rehired anyway, why not go out on your terms?
If it’s not his idea to play guys out of position – field a defensive team that makes sense.
If it’s not his idea to play Cuddyer every day – bench him for a week
If it’s not his idea to utilize the LOOGY strategy – quit bringing in lefty relievers at every opportunity.
C’mon man — do something and make sure everyone knows it’s your decision.
Re: Collins.
I just dont think hes being told to make the LOOGY moves. He actually loves the pen moves. Its like Elaine on Seinfeld dancing…she thinks it s great but the world sees a hideous monster. I think Collins does this himself, and that is aligned with the FO. Unfortunately, he uses it despite the metrics showing left v left is not getting very far anymore, and prima facie evidence of watching his moves fail. Look we can blame Cuddy there, but that was a weird angled wall in an unfamiliar stadium, even Ronnie mentioned that. But why get rid of Robles in the first place? Why start the matchy matchy merry-go-round in the 7th? And in the end, the matchup got Lind hitting the double and Gomez scoring. The failure is on the top step of the dugout.
I no longer know who to blame for the LOOGY madness. I used to put it all at Collins’ feet but now I’m not so sure. Either way, if it’s Collins’ idea he needs to take ownership and if it’s coming from above, extend the middle finger and run a sensible pen.
As for Cuddyer, it’s not specifically yesterday’s play. It’s that in 265 PA, he has a sub .700 OPS and in his last 28 days, it sits at .591 in 84 PA. He’s either hurt or he stinks. At this point, the answer doesn’t matter – getting him out of the lineup is the important thing.
Granderson takes all of the abuse but he’s outperforming Cuddyer by 55 points of OPS for the season and by 204 points in the last 28 days.
You can’t put any blame all at Collins’ feet.
Look, we all live in the real world. We’ve been bosses, we’ve had bosses. If I do a bad job, it’s my boss’ job to oversee that. To reject the work, to demand revision. These guys talk every day. Every single day. And Sandy Alderson is the boss. He hired Collins because he is unwilling to deal with guys like LaRussa and Bochy who are smart, strong, and have points of view. He wants foot soldiers.
Brian, the LOOGY is 100% Collins. Here’s how we know:
– In the spring, Alderson repeatedly said that he didn’t see the need for a subpar LOOGY. He could live with an all righty pen especially with the success Torres had getting lefties out. We wondered if it was just trade posturing.
– The only noise about a LOOGY kept coming from Collins everyday and even when he met with Wilpon.
– Alderson didn’t trade for one lefty, he made a point of getting two lefties to now have three lefties in the pen, probably to shut Collins up.
To use an old phrase, “letting the game get away from you”, Collins must feel that getting a pitcher out of there before he does more harm tells you positivity of his thought process.
Further, I question if Alderson does have the right to fire Collins in light of various comments made by both Wilpons dissing the team makeup at various times over the last few years (actually defending Collins!) and while he may make the suggestion, that’s all it would be.
I agree, and have had similar thoughts (since I think he’s always hated Wilmer at SS), but when it comes to other specifics, well, it’s not like I think he’s been suppressing a host of great ideas.
He truly fails to understand the strengths and weaknesses of Alex Torres, for example. And as for Cuddyer, who else is he going to put out there?
They need to bring up Conforto now.
BTW, I am always amused by the comments I see all over the place about how that would “ruin” Conforto. These are the same people who fretted about ruining Harvey, and Wheeler, and Syndergaard, etc.
Nobody gets ruined. They pass the audition — help the team — and they get sent back down. But there comes a point where they’ve earned the right to take the test and maybe, just maybe, help the NY Mets win baseball games.
If anything ruins a player, I’d nominate baseball in Las Vegas. Just an abomination. For a team that prides itself on its minor league system, planting a team in that atmosphere is just beyond dumb. It’s cheap, sure, but the facilities suck, the environment is ridiculous, and it’s counter-productive to developing players. I mean, I understand why the Colorado Rockies play in Colorado. But why the hell are the Mets in Las Vegas? Does it really prepare hitters for the majors leagues?
I’m warming to the Conforto idea, which you’ve been championing for awhile now.
Think I’d still try to acquire an OFer from another org first but given the likely salary constraints, it’s probably easier just to promote Conforto and install him in LF immediately. Cuddyer can play twice a week in the OF and a spot start here and there at 1B.
As for Vegas – just like Wally Backman had to manage in Independent Ball and then the low minors to rehabilitate his image, perhaps the Mets needed to do a penance of their own for the way they treated affiliates in Norfolk and Buffalo. I’m not as upset as most at being in Vegas but I’m very open to them changing affiliates next chance they get. Four years as a good partner with Vegas should convince just about everyone.
At this point what is more compelling TV? Watching this sloppy, overmatched team or watching Terry post game, knowing that at any time he might go full Howard Beale.
Last night Curtis Granderson hit his 7th solo HR of the season.
He has 10 now, and 22 measly RBI.
The team’s offense is stagnant, the club is circling the drain, yet nobody can possibly imagine moving the $60 million-dollar man off the leadoff spot?
It’s not even worth a try?
They have batted Bartolo Colon 8th for God’s sake!
+1