As the Mets hoped to salvage a game in the four game series, they sent out Steven Matz against a struggling Hyun-Jin Ryu. As he did yesterday, Curtis Granderson started things off he wring to lead off the game.it was his 20th Mets leadoff homerun for the all-time Mets record. It stayed rather uneventful until the bottom of the third when Matz, who was fighting his control all night and had continuous high pitch counts, gave up a bomb to left to Justin Turner and after a ringing double by Cody Bellinger, Enrique Hernandez drove one out the other way to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
However, Matz continued to fight the adversity he was dealing with and the Mets had time to catch up on the scoreboard. First Travis d’Arnaud connected on a solo homerun to left center in the fourth inning, then in the sixth after a Jay Bruce walk, Lucas Duda drilled a two out double to the right center field wall and with Hernandez bobbling the retrieval, Bruce just barely made it home standing up to tie the game at 3. Why was he standing? Because the on-deck hitter Jose Reyes just stood in the on-deck circle spectating.
After 107 pitches through six innings, Matz was pinch hit for and Paul Sewald took over. Joc Peterson, who came in the previous half inning on a double switch, then made it 4-3 on Sewald’s first pitch that was letter high. Seeing Pederson throw the bat away confidently made this fan feel like the Dodgers expect to succeed all the time. So, all four runs came in on home runs and the home run has reigned in this series. Maybe Alderson had a good formula, but the wrong mix to execute it? Well, after two more base runners and a fly out by Turner, Jerry Blevins came in to clean up the mess and keep it at 4-3 through seven innings.
But, no. After getting Bellinger to fly out on a hanging curve that made Bellinger throw the bat away in disgust, he walked Hernandez on a full count. So with the relief pitcher Pedro Baez due up, the Dodgers had Corey Seager in the on-deck circle, but the Dodgers instead allowed Baez to hit. So a hitter that was 0-2 lifetime, just stood and watched four fastballs sail out of the strike zone for an RBI walk, making it 5-3. Up next was catcher Austin Barnes: the count went full; then the next pitch was high and away: 6-3, and Blevins night was done with three consecutive walks. Up to that point, the Dodgers had five hits – four were balls over the fence – and nine walks.
Trailing 6-3, our heroes came to bat in the eighth and were able to load the bases with a hit, a walk, and an error. But facing Kenley Jansen, pinch hitter Michael Conforto popped up the first pitch he saw to the catcher to end their last threat of the night.
I didn’t see that particular play (Bruce coming in standing at home), but I feel like I’ve seen something like it many times this season: Jose Reyes not being fully in the game.
How long is the club going to stand for this? Giving away playing time, and a roster spot, to a 34-year-old “veteran” who is so clearly not the answer.
The other day Amed Rosario was at 3rd base for the 51s? It seems like Jose’s days are dwindling.
If David Wright was in the line up with Wilmer Flores hitting and fielding statistics would we be happy with the captain?
I watched the game until the middle of the 7th inning.
Steven Matz was missing with his curve ball but the umpire had a high strike zone which saved him. The Dodger pitcher had great command of his curve ball which the Met players took for a strike.
The Jay Bruce play at the plate was interesting because if the throw was accurate he would have been out so it became an extremely close play before Buce almost stepped on the catcher’s arm. Bruce was motoring all the way.
Earlier Lucas Duda was throwout at the plate on a sac fly so it would have been painful.
After watching TJ Rivera and Wilmer Flores st 3B where the Dodgers have Jason Turner, my contempt for the Wilpons continues to grow. Giving Turner away for free still bothers me greatly.
After watching the Mets fail to cover 3B on Bruce’s overthrow the other night and Reyes failure to give Bruce the slide signal at home last night, my distress with both the coaching and the players goes deeper.
Obviously, it’s very hard too see much in the way of a silver lining.
Last night the Mets relied on Sewald and he failed. Sewald is a second tier reliever but was put into a tie game in the 7th inning. The fact that Sewald was the Mets best seventh inning option is indicative of where the Mets season is at.
It is also difficult to comprehend that with Flores, Cecchini and TJ all being second baseman that the solution is to play Cabrera at 2B and keep Reyes at SS. Cabrera at SS, Flores at 3B and TJ or Cheech 2B are all better options than Reyes.
Flores, Rivera, Cheech and Reyes as starting infielders is another indicator of where the Met season is at.
I have a theory on this — typed it out 10 days ago in an email — but don’t have the energy to go into depth now.
But, quickly:
1) Sandy loathes to give up assets under any circumstances;
2) Sandy values option year for Cabrera;
3) Sandy prefers to shift Cabrera to 2B — the Walker injury opens the door — and then bring Rosario into SS
4) Easier to dump Reyes
5) However, the unknown: Cabrera’s reluctance, midseason, to learn a new & difficult 3B position.
He’s paving the way for Rosario, but allowing aging veterans to determine the timetable.
regarding 5. Jim Bowden reported that Cabrera made it clear that he was not interested in being moved to 3B unless Alderson picked up his option.
Alderson doesn’t take players talking back very well. Remember, this is an ex-marine. Cabrera is about to get the Dillon Gee lesson.
correct 100% JP