After a day off, the Mets’ bullpen felt the need to remind us how terrible it is and it did it in impressive fashion, allowing five runs in the ninth inning, leading to a 7-2 loss to the Phillies Friday night in Citi Field.

Allegedly one of the driving forces for Brodie Van Wagenen in the offseason was to build a solid back end of the pen, so Jacob deGrom wouldn’t have a repeat of 2018 with relievers blowing his leads. While deGrom didn’t hand the pen the lead – more on that later – the two big imports by Van Wagenen, Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia, combined to allow 5 ER in 0.2 IP. And the only reason it wasn’t worse is because Luis Avilan came on with two runners on and stranded them. Diaz now sits with a 5.67 ERA and Familia has a 7.76 mark.

deGrom struck out 10 over seven innings and allowed just two runs. But he should have allowed only one, as the Mets were without a challenge on a scoring play that would have been overturned. But what looked horrible in the seventh inning became a mere side note after the bullpen implosion.

Pete Alonso accounted for both Mets runs, smacking a HR in the fourth inning and an RBI double in the fifth.

Fans in attendance got a bobblehead. Fans at home got to hear Jerry Seinfeld in the booth for a little while. Those things are great. Too bad we can’t trade them for a solid relief corps.

6 comments on “Gut Reaction: Phillies 7, Mets 2 (7/5/19)

  • TJ

    Thanks for the recap. Glad I missed the game. It’s painful to read about the depths this pen has sunken to, no less watch up close as a season ticket holder or teammate. There really isn’t anywhere to turn or much more to say, this is simply as bad as I’ve ever seen.

  • TexasGusCC

    Howie Rose offered a solution to fixing the bullpen: He recommended that when the bullpen phone rings, let it go to voicemail. I agreed.

  • TexasGusCC

    The Mets’ bullpen has an 8.06 ERA since May 27th.

    They aren’t this bad, but they need to shake things up for now, go by a closer by committee and stop trying to force things until things settle down a bit. I understand their expectation that things will get better, but how long can they sit on their hands and wait?

    And Callaway needs to stop stroking BVW’s ego when he makes moves.

  • Peter Hyatt

    Did all see the pop up catch where Cano called off Alonso?

    Alonso wisely made a u turn.

    Cano’s skilled glove is amazing.

    Yet, the arrogant show boating was unnecessary risk and done successfully before the wide eyed Rosario.

    Mickey Callaway uses his replay to “support” his vets rather than as a game tactic.

    We can’t be rid of owners but if we are a sell off, Callaway isn’t the one to develop youth as he boasts of the future to build around those he dies not play. Texasgus —well said. I wonder how much has been ordered or “understood” from the egotist BVW. Callaway is a pushover.

    • TexasGusCC

      Peter, I too was a bit surprised to hear and originally was going to include Callaway’s comment in the postgame presser about challenging because Frazier was “blatantly sure” he was safe and the fans’ reaction seemed to endorse that. So, Steve Gelbs followed up with “even though there were two strikes and two outs with you #8 hitter up?”, which was a great question right there. Mickey calmly just said that it was worth it to have a man in scoring position because you may not need the challenge later. I was surprised at the reasoning, but it makes sense to him.

      Peter, I have learned over my lifetime that the two things that make the difference between a good coach/manager and not as good one, are (1) how quickly they can use good judgment in the heat of a game and (2) how well their team is ready for a game. Everyone who gets their job impressed someone and knows their specific sport, but that reasoning right there told me that if Callaway is managing that way, he will never be a winning manager.

      Just like a GM that hurts the organization to please his former customers.

  • NYM6986

    You have to think that Jake is second guessing his own long term contract although it does make him moveable if the ship was really sinking. How can Familia and Diaz be this bad? How does Diaz go from being Rivera to a AA prospect in one year? Can anyone tell me what Phil Regan has done to right the bullpen arms? Does no one review video from better days and say “these are the adjustments you need to make?” It gets harder to watch all the time and the encouragement of Jake’s strong outing and Alonso rolling along is tempered each time we get late into a game and realize that we have no really strong BP options. Wheeler would be crazy to sign here so let’s move him now. Vargas is easily gone not because he cursed at a reporter but because he has pitched like a 3 and not a 5. Frazier to a contender makes sense. Eat half of Familia’s contract and send him somewhere. Is there no one who can work with Ramos on his D instead of giving him $10 m a year and oh by the way our top starters don’t want to pitch to you and oh, that’s okay? All these trades need to pluck relief arms because we clearly have little at either the MLB level or in Syracuse. Well, I feel better now. Let’s go out and beat the Phillies.

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