I want to blame this loss on Terry Collins so badly. Here’s why. Bobby Parnell walks Pedro Florimon. Michael Morse reaches on an error, by Parnell. First and third, no outs. Double play and a run in isn’t terrible, so I can understand Collins giving Parnell one more batter. Parnell then gives up a run-scoring single to Gregory Polanco, before finally recording an out when Starling Marte popped up. Sean Rodriguez moved over to third on the fly out. Parnell should be out of the game here. I understand that Hansel Robles and Sean Gilmartin were unavailable, but Parnell clearly didn’t have it today. Collins proceeds to the let Parnell stay in after a passed ball that allowed Rodriguez to score, and walk the aptly named Neil Walker. Then……….Parnell gives up a hit to Aramis Ramirez, which only scored one run due to the play that got Walker at home. Parnell at that point had faced six batters, allowed two walks, two hits, committed an error, participated in a passed ball, and allowed three runs to score. I didn’t get to watch this game, so I hope to anything holy that there was some weird set of circumstances that forced Collins to keep Parnell in that long. Because if it was simply a decision he made based on observation, that is the definition of bad management.

That being said, this was a failed weekend due to average overall pitching, and below average offense. This weekend sure was a statement, but in the wrong category.

17 comments on “Gut Reaction: Pirates 8, Mets 1 (8/16/15)

  • TexasGusCC

    Patrick, you didn’t see the game and you were upset. Consider those who did. The lead off walk is rediculous with his guy already and is he really better than Alex Torres who got DFAd? Then he gets a grounder back to him and doesn’t lead other middle infielder to the base but rather throws it right over second base into center field, between both diving middle infielders as they tried to stop it. Doesn’t back up the throw home from Cespedes but did cover the plate to get Walker in a rundown after TDA tracked it down… Just a disgraceful inning from a team that aspires to win their division, and a manager that puts his most potent bat at 7th to appease his scrubby veterans batting fourth and sixth.

  • TexasGusCC

    Patrick, why is everyone looking to blame Collins? Just because he puts his most potent bat (and the reason they scored a run) 7th while batting bench players 4th and 6th… and just because he brings in a clearly ineffective Parnell in the seventh inning when the team has eight relievers for a reason and tomorrow is an off day… and just because Collins left Flores on the bench against a lefty to play the ground out machine known as Michael Cuddyer because he’s a righty and has to play, we’re going to blame Collins? It’s never his fault, stop blaming the guy. The most pathetic manager in managing is never to blame.

    Now, to give you an idea: Parnell comes in and walks their 8th hitter after being up 1-2. Gotta love a guy that’s afraid of the 8th hitter even when he’s ahead. Next guy is a pinch hitter, Michael Morse. Grounder back to Parnell, he doesn’t lead either middle infielder but rather throws it right over second between two diving infielders into center field. Well, that tied game didn’t stay too close for much longer. Later when Parnell didn’t back up home and the ball skipped away from TDA, he at least covered home so TDA’s recovery could get Walker at the plate.

    Was Alex Torres really worse than this guy?

    • TexasGusCC

      It didn’t show that the first post got posted, so I thought I needed to rewrite one. Apologies.

      • Aging Bull

        I liked both posts equally well.

        • TexasGusCC

          Thank you my fellow Texan.

  • Rob Rogan

    I had to stop watching after the passed ball. Literally just got up and walked out of the room and did something else. Hopefully they at least take something away from this series. What that is, I don’t know. But….ugh.

  • James Preller

    One takeaway that the pen is not playoff-quality. It needs work. The club has to look at letting Parnell walk; I’m not exactly clear what the options here are, but it’s hard to see them paying him next season. O’Flaherty has failed the audition.

    Look at Verrett, look at Goeddel, think about Dario Alvarez, and more to the point, see if they are willing to pay for a quality arm that passes through waivers.

    At a certain point, TC is going to need to make some decisions on the everyday players instead of just going with the rote left-lineup and right-lineup.

  • Chris F

    While my sadness at today’s game could be derived from many incidents, nothing, it turns out, hurt more than looking over the Giants v Nats highlights. Of course, seeing them kill the Nats was pleasing, but watch the video below for the most disturbing thing a Mets fan can ever have in a nightmare: Tom Seaver wearing a SF Giants baseball hat.

    Perhaps that was the cause of the thunder and lightning that befell CitiField today.

    http://m.mlb.com/sf/video/topic/47152866/v376973483/wshsf-seaver-takes-in-game-chats-with-marichal

  • Chris F

    Just like I said in chatter…Im listening to the post game with Collins now…no blame on this. Sometimes its just baseball. Not poor coaching, not a defensive alignment that made Tejada impossible to get to the bag. I wonder why no one is screaming at Tejada to move closer to bag. Watching teh replay, he broke to the bag on contact. What about Parnell at least giving a fraction of a second to get Tejada overn instead of just gunning it.

    • TexasGusCC

      Name said it first, he didn’t throw to the correct side of the bag. Every throw is not right over the bag, but rather to the side of the bag that the player is coming from. That allows them to catch it before the runner gets to them. All the BS coming from the Mets is always to protect each other. Good comradery (is that spelled right?) but we have seen enough baseball to know. I would like to tell Collins that I am closing in on watching baseball for 40 years also, so to save his crap.

      • Chris F

        I hear ya Gus. Hes pissed fans are booing at Parnell…perhaps the 14+ ERA in his last bunch of outings is the cause? perhaps its the blown games on his hands? Look I dont like Parnell. Hes always been far more hype than reality IMO. But I blame Alderson for bringing back Parnell a month or more ahead of when he should have still been recovering on the DL. So we brought back a broken pitcher who simply is not ready to face MLB hitting. He absolutely cannot be on any post season roster should we get lucky enough to have a post season.

        Watching Collins’ press conferences are my personal, self-imposed trip to purgatory. I hope to hear anything tat makes sense, that explains any of the the things we see, that explains why we cannot bunt, steal, throw a ball to a base, or catch generally…forget hit.

        And, no, as Name said, Parnell did not throw to the proper side of the bag.

        • TexasGusCC

          Chris, funny you said that about Parnell. Remember July 2013 when the Tigers needed a closer and we were out of it but he wouldn’t give up a “home grown closer”? However, the Braves didn’t mind trading Kimbrel for a ton of talent.

          Proper timing is a delicate thing and just as trading Gee for Uribe in May would have saved two prospects, Alderson always seems to be late in reading the market. Hopefully, with the moves he made last month, we will see the Mets being aggressive with their spare parts.

          Doug is spot on below; we aren’t ready for prime time.

  • Doug Parker

    I think the “statement” made this weekend is that the Mets might back into the playoffs on the strength of the Nats collapse, but that there are other teams in the league that are just better– better bullpens, better benches, better hitting, better fundamentals.

    Seems pretty clear that this is not “the” year– hope the right moves can be made in the offseason to get them closer…

    • Chris F

      We ave had the good fortune of being in the weakest division in baseball. The second place team is now south of .500. Hey, we may trip, stumble, and fall into October and well, like ’73 might keep tripping and stumbling befor falling. Nevertheless, you are right Doug, its clearly not “the” year even though we have what we have. We now have the weakest schedule in baseball (although, weve all seen weak teams and rookie scrub pitchers eat us alive), so we might just have a good record when its all over…but when we face the Cards, or Pirates or Cubs when the weather is cold, its probably gonna be hard to watch!

  • Metsense

    The starting pitching gave up 1, 3 and 1 run in the Pirate series. Familia and Clippard did their jobs. Robles stepped up. Torres and Gilmartin were just OK. Parnell and O’Flaherty are not doing the job and should be released and replaced by Goedell and Matz as soon as they are ready. In the meantime bring up Verritty.
    A good waiver claim for the 7th inning would be the best solution, thankyou Jenry Mejia.
    Still up 4 1/2 with Degrom and Syndergaard in Baltimore. It is my first time visiting Camden Yards. Let’s Go Mets !

    • James Preller

      I agree with all of that. You will enjoy Camden.

      The key to modern bullpens is to be willing to discard, reshuffle, and pick up. The Mets have the pieces — except for that one high-leverage arm they still need — they can’t cling to struggling relievers who aren’t getting it done.

      One thing I’ve learned is that things move faster in the “blog comment” world than they do in real life. It is probably best that this is so, though it is frustrating at times.

    • NormE

      Hey Metsense,
      Enjoy Camden Yard! That and PNC in Pitt are the greatest places to watch a game.

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