What’s more depressing than getting swept by the Phillies? Beats me but as it’s 2020, it seems we’re sure to find the answer. But after the Mets’ 6-2 loss on Sunday, which dropped the team five games below .500, it feels pretty rotten in these parts right now.
Rick Porcello pitched good for five innings, which sounds okay until you realize he pitched six innings. The final line wasn’t awful – 6 IP, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 Ks – but the Mets couldn’t do much against Zack Wheeler and ended up doing even less against the Phillies’ bullpen, which was supposed to be a giant weakness for them.
Luis Guillorme drove in both Mets runs with a single in the fourth inning, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead. But that was about it for the highlights. J.D. Davis and Robinson Cano both had two hit games. Dominic Smith’s HR streak ended but he did crack a double.
You know what is more depressing? Wheeler beat us. Syndergaard out till mid 2021 and will probably leave at the end of next season. Stroman gone. Justin Dunn, Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson gone. And to top it off, Matz, I dont think there are any words to describe Matz these days.
Look how quickly a bad pitching staff can kill a team like Boston.
Let’s hope Allan, Wolfe and Dominguez develop quickly.
Otherwise, BVW or hopefully the new GM after the sale figures out how to acquire some decent starters. Jake cant do it by himself.
For a few years with us Wheeler had trouble getting out of the 4th inning without throwing 100 pitches. Now he is averaging 14 pitches/inning.
This series was something else. Bad managing by extending a bad pitcher in Lockett to face the order a third time through the order, more bad managing by not pitch hitting for Ramos late in the game. You had more bad managing tonight by having Porcello face Cutch because of short sample size success coming into the game. Yes, you had some bad luck with the ball going off the bag but you also had bad defense and bad approaches after getting Wheeler to 70 pitches through four innings. You also had god awful baserunning by Ramos(who can’t do anything right), and Gimenez that killed an inning. The gm and ownership group is beyond a gong show as is the team. Wheeler was worth nine war between 18-19 disgraceful that he wasn’t brought back and the gm getting into a beef with Wheeler was childish.
Gut Reaction: Inconsistent starting pitcher and no clutch hitting.
Porcello gave up three runs just in one inning like Matz did, but worse, the previous night, and Lockett did it the same thing in the opener of the series. That is the way to get swept.
Guillermo earned another start in the next game.
It always comes down to scoring runs, something the Mets frequently avoid. Until they start knocking in those RISP, it’s going to continue to be so sad. This year had some promise before life was turned upside down, and in the scheme of things it’s not even worth complaining about, But, c’mon, can’t they just win to cheer us up?
During the game I asked why Porcello, a control pitcher, threw three straight hanging sliders up in the zone. One was away but Bohm missed it and fouled it off; the next one was away again and he hit into the right field corner, for a double; the third one was just to the left of the middle and it went over the left field fence. Something about those pitches bothers me. Not just the consecutiveness of them, but the location and pitch type.
I don’t think Ramos made a mistake going to third, as even Jay Bruce was getting ready to throw to second base and startlingly adjusted after seeing the runner, it’s just that Ramos is a glacier on the bases. Slow as Bartolo Colon, he is a real detriment to a team.
Lastly, if JDG can’t pitch on Wednesday and they don’t let Lugo start the game, Mets fans should check out because it’s obvious this team is hindered by an organization that insists on cutting off its nose to spite the face.
I agree regarding Lugo -it’s been my obsession that Lugo should be starting, especially now. I need a real reason from this organization why not. The bullpen can survive without Lugo. They used him yesterday down 4 runs in the 8th. What? If Lugo needed work after failing on Friday after not pitching for 4/5 days, then why not have him pitch 2 innings today after Gsellman? Lugo should be used every 2-3 days in BP if the Mets have no plan to bring him back to rotation. It makes no sense, and I want a real answer on this. I’m sure we won’t get one.
Upper Half Team OPS Ranking…. High Team OB%…… Even a relatively High Team Batting Average…. Low Run Production—-Call it Clutch Hitting or call it Situational Hitting— the Offensive Collective looks weird and unsustainable, statistically. Too many guys trying to Hit 5 Run Homers? I expect some of this to “even Out” Offensively, but I don’t expect that it wil Just Happen. They have observably bad ab’s in High Leverage. Opposing Pitchers are sequencing and choosing whom they can pitch to in High Leverage.
The Pitching, on the other hand…….. Injuries have left them with a very thin selection. Peterson is a nice looking surporise. Matz may trend back to a solid Mediocre, but I’m not optimistic (I’d swap him and Lugo Starter-Bullpen). The Compiled Efforts of Wacha/Matz/Porcillo is a 1.6+ WHIP. The Lack of Competitiveness bleeds to the entire team effort. There’s nowhere to go with that kind of performance on the 3-4-5 days of the rotation