In a game that was all kinds of ugly, the Mets lost by double digits when the opposing team started a guy named Trevor Williams, as they suffered an 11-1 setback to drop the rubber game of the series with the Pirates.
- Williams gave the Pirates 7 IP while allowing a solo run. Mets starter Tyler Pill did not come close to matching that. I know you’re going to be shocked but the Mets’ starter couldn’t go six innings, much less seven. In fact, he only went five.
- Neil Ramirez thought he held a commanding lead to be the guy removed from the roster when Steven Matz returned, especially after he gave up 2 ER in his inning of work. But then Josh Smoker said, “Hold my beer.” Smoker allowed 3 ER and his ERA stands at 7.43 compared to the 7.85 mark of Ramirez. Since Seth Lugo’s coming back, too, they can both be elsewhere.
- The Mets had some baserunners but four double plays killed a lot of their scoring chances. Although to be fair their only run came on a double play. It was that kind of day.
like the proverbial drowning man in the middle of the ocean…at least the struggling is over and acceptance of the situation means things are less stressful.
When Terry brings in Neil Ramirez, it’s the exact opposite of Red Auerbach lighting a cigar.
Brian – you giving up on Smoker just like that?
Generally, I’m not a fan of guys with ERAs north of 7.
I don’t think it’s hopeless with Smoker but he needs to excel in Triple-A for an extended period before I want to see him pitch in the majors again.
After years of events that had this culmination in the making, the Mets are exactly the team they deserve to be: bad. Gone are the good fortunes of being saved by a Washington Nationals collapse and an NL East that allowed for many victories to “achieve” a wild card berth, except had Jose Fernandez not had his tragic accident we don’t know that the Mets would have taken the wild card as the Marlins had passed them in early September. I speak like this because this past week I read a quote by Willie Mays. Mays said of all the facets of the game he took the most pride in, it was defense. He loved playing defense.
Didn’t the Royals win a World Series with three starting pitchers where the #1 guy was capable of walking the ballpark, the #2 guy they were afraid to pitch in away games because he was so bad, and the #3 guy they were not sure can handle the pressure because he was too young? However, they had championship defense. Then last year, had the Indians not choked last year, they would have been world champions and can anyone name three guys in their lineup that are much better than their corresponding Mets position player?
I only saw 1/3 of an inning today, but preferred to hang out in the Chatter for over half the game; the discussion was worthwhile, as always. But in the three batters I saw, the hitter before McCutchen hit a grounder in the hole between third and shortstop where, Neither, the Thirdbaseman nor the Shortstop took 1 step before the ball went by them! Neither! Not a flinch! There’s no first step in either player, and laughably they play side by side. You tell me, is only the pitchers?
Our leadership has assembled disfunctionally blended rosters of good player playing out of position, like this were Strat-O-Matic. In the poll Brian put up, I was one of the people that said I wasn’t surprised at the resulting record. At the time, my thought was Bozo the Manager handicaps this team. While he’s a part of the problem, the other part is not having good team builders in the front office.
This team needs more than just starting pitchers. They need to find players that play their positions well. But ultimately, Alderson needs to move aside and Collins needs to get a job on the MLB Network, otherwise, we’re just spinning our tires in mud.
You picked this team for 104 wins.
I did? Wow. A Mets fan, I guess.
Well, I guess not watching many spring training games made me unrealistically optimistic. Then I saw about a month of real games and the truth set in.
While I am not happy with what thethe am’s performance, I think they are about three moves away and definitely new leadership from being that 104.
1 Rosario for the defense
2 Figure out third base (probably the hardest task)
3 Dump Granny and Bruce, and platoon Nimmo and Lagares.
And get a real manager. His usage has cost about four games already. Add them to the standings and see where they are.
Ok..:: they have an era at 5. The team was built around the starting pitching. C’mon Gus!!!!… a little logic here.
A passable pitching effort., and pitching health, would have them above 500 and waiting for their biggest star to com back.
Eraff, I just can’t believe the pitching won’t come around but I believe that the leaky defense has in fact undermined the pitching. Playing the statue of Asdrubal Cabrera, be it injury or lack of a single step is a big problem.
As to my second point, even in the Daily News today John Harper commented on a lagging energy level at times. This team of older players is 3-11 in day games. Maybe they don’t bounce back as quickly? Infusing youth has never hurt a team, and usually it’s the younger teams that win championships not the teams that can’t cover ground or the legs that can’t rebound quickly.
As for the offense, they haven’t missed Cespedes but I bet the players I mentioned will give a better defense to get ERA down without losing much offensively.
Gus, the old adage always rings true: pitching pitching pitching. The Mets have scored plenty of runs, even with fundamentally poor defense. Unfortunately our starting pitching is infecting every other aspect of the game. There is nothing else that can be improved enough to eclipse the damage done by this failing starting rotation. I’m not sure what evidence you have to imagine the pitching will magically come around. I don’t see evidence of it. I also don’t see Matz and Lugo as magical potions. They will help, but both are suspect to injury.
Chris, my point was that we have seen the pitchers needing to get extra outs each game because the defenders can’t cover much ground. Anything two steps away from Cabrera is a hit. You don’t think that hurts the pitching?
of course, I’m a fundies guys. I want more defense. But I just dont see that anywhere near as critical as the starting pitchers breaking down and putting all kinds of stress on defense as well as the relievers, and Collins. I think he has wildly suspect pen management when the situation is perfect, but it did get us to a world series. However, put his plan in when we have 9-12 outs to get night after night and, well, no one could manage this.
What we have seen night after night is 0-2 counts ending in 8-10 pitch ABs with a single. Also, our starters are getting broken necks looking as all the balls going over the fences. Cant blame defense on any of that.
I maintain the lions share of issues this team faces all point back to arguably one worst rotations in baseball. You cant fix little support things and cover that hot mess up.
Now, the third base problem is harder, but I just thought if something. I don’t want the whiff machine that is Todd Frazier, but I don’t want to pay much either. I’m just naturally cheap in trades. Hence, I hear the Rangers want to trade Adrian Beltre, but his $18MM price tag next year will keep teams away. With a ton of money coming off the books next year and dealing Granny and Bruce this year, this still very productive locker room presence is the only 39 year old I’d take in, and it should not cost another Michael Fulmer. While Jon Daniels got screwed by Cashman in the Beltran deal, the extra year should keep the return for Beltre to a minimum. Maybe Corey Oswalt?
Gus…. take a few deep breaths—your answer to Old and Tired is Adrienne Beltre????? More likely, the Answer will be a Younger SS(and 2nd Baseman) with some Platoon Play for Selected Vets.
Eraff, I thought of that when I was writing so I made sure to explain why I would target him. He’s still got good game and would be a rental until we figure out who to put at third because there isn’t anyone on the horizon. Starting tonight, you have a two game chance to scout him. He may be 38 (I was wrong about his age), but he’s still productive on both sides of the game.
Asdrubal at 350-500 Ab’s @ $8 million Option, Plus Rosario….that’s where the 2018 Infield Equation begins. Whether it includes Walker, Duda, Flores, Chechinni is TBD.
2017 is still more interesting to Me. It’s not over.
I agree about 2017 being more interesting. And one of the things to montior is if it’s worth picking up Cabrera’s option. I’m far from sold at this point.