The Mets sent Noah Syndergaard to the mound against Jose Fernandez and the Marlins in what turned out to be an unsurprising pitcher’s duel. Unfortunately, this one ended much in the same way most of the team’s games have ended so far this season. A loss, if that wasn’t clear, to the Marlins 2-1. It was their fourth straight L, dropping them to 2-5 for the season.
Syndergaard was absolutely filthy in this one, notching 7 innings with a single walk and 12 strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Marlins flipped the script a bit the second time through the order, swinging early and often to manufacture a run in the fourth inning.
Jim Henderson threw more pitches (34) in this one than he’s ever thrown in an outing. In just a 1/3 of an inning. It started in the top of the eighth with a 16-pitch battle against Dee Gordon that he ultimately lost. It ended with him walking Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases. Jerry Blevins followed him and allowed a sac fly to give the Marlins the lead.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Mets have the worst offense in baseball. They’re at or near the bottom of most of the major offensive categories. We’re still into single digit games here, so let’s not get too panicky. Still, they’ve just not looked good, and they only managed 6 hits in this one, despite a very shaky Fernandez early on and a couple of scoring chances.
How about some high points? Curtis Granderson led the game off with a double, his first XBH of the season and snapping an 0-20 skid. He’s looking a bit better at the plate. The same goes for Yoenis Cespedes. He looked awful in his first at bat, but had a single and was robbed of an absolute bomb when the wind killed a no doubt homer to left. The middle infield of Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera continues to look good. Finally, Lucas Duda proved to the world that he can, in fact, make that throw to home in a play that undoubtedly gave Mets fans flashbacks.
There is no shame in being in a team slump. The shame is in just sitting on our hands about it. Teams like the crappy Giants and crappier Royals manufacture runs when they can. While many belittle the bunt as giving away an out and the high IQ of Alderson knows that walks and home runs equal many runs, he is quick to forget that when batters make no contact their chances of getting a hit are zilch, 0!
Too bad the Mets players are so rigid in their approach that they can’t be happy with putting the ball in play even when they get to two strikes. When was the last time anyone has seen a “Texas Leaguer” at Citifield? I don’t know how many other teams have the Mets approach, but I don’t remember how long it’s been since this type of team had long running success.
Understand, this isn’t Panic City, this is seeing a team sputter and knowing there are other approaches that they will never even consider. That my friends, is the most frustrating thing about watching our team.
There’s a lot of factors, a lot of blame to go around: the lax approach to Spring Training, the hitting philosophy, the World Series hangover, the strikeouts, etc.
I have never liked the lineup and TC needs to shake it up a bit.
The Mets need Travis d’Arnaud to be a plus player. Yet he’s buried in the 8 spot. Today he should rake vs. a LHP — but I bet he gets the day off. Poor planning by TC. David needed last night off, too.
Versus RHP I would go: Curtis, David, Conforto, Yoenis, Duda, Travis, Walker, Cabrera.
Conforto and D’Arnaud are the keys to me. They need to be placed in the thick of things.
Today I hope Wilmer starts at 2B. It’s fine if Conforto (or Curtis!) sits today in favor of Lagares. I wish TC rested Travis last night to set him up vs. LHP today. A total waste to sit him against a lefty, where he does the most damage. Guy is fighting to claw out of a slump, showing flashes, but manager is working against him.
James, those are my thoughts exactly. You have identified the two key players .Conforto should not sit today.Granderson should sit after a night game and a LHP starting but alas, TC said he “is not running a development camp.”
It’s not a perfect team, and you can’t argue for this Roster to become Bunters and Situational Hitters and base stealers. That’s not a coaching decision….they don’t have those guys.
It does seem that there are too many “5 Run Homer” swings right now…and poor pitch recognition by hitters.
No worries, the 69 Mets started 2-5…although what that has to do with 2016 and an already surging Nats mystifies me.