The score may as well have been 50 to nothing. This team looked lifeless and deflated, like they’d just given up on the season. Perhaps it hit them after Monday’s disappointing loss that the mid-season sell-off was now inevitable.
Rafael Montero surrendered four runs early before settling down, but it was far from his fault alone. T.J. Rivera made two errors at third base and Yoenis Cespedes lackadaisically let balls drop a few steps away in left field. And he wasn’t the only one. Other players seemed to look disinterested and playing at less than 100 percent effort. Offensively, the Mets looked equally spunkless with just three hits and one walk in a Michael Wacha complete game shutout. A questionable umpire call on an apparent caught stealing didn’t help matters.
Sure they’re discouraged by the injuries, luck and circumstances that have led them to be nine games under .500 with the trade deadline approaching but that does not excuse a team-wide lack of effort. These guys get paid a fortune to play baseball and their fans give their precious time and hard-earned money to see them perform. This fan base has stuck by this team like none other in professional sports and they deserve better. Come on guys, wake up.You can’t lie down and give up when you have tens of thousands rooting you on.
In the deals yesterday NYY and AZ dealt interesting prospects acquired previously as Int’l amateur free agents.
Obviously, both teams are playing with full decks for they have brought up great core players, some not in top twenty of the drafts and they will always sign elite free agents at top dollar when it suits them. Having resolve to sign elites, commiting to win vs Wilpon developing land east of Citifield, spending money on the bullpen vs buying an eSports franchise. Last August, before a night game was to start, Sandy Alderson looked wistful looking towards the Yankee dugout as he was seated behind the Met visiting dugout in the Bronx. Can you blame him?
AZ hot fleeced by Atlanta in the Miller deal but here they are for they have decent player development and the prospect from Columbia that the Yankees sent to the White Sox had me longing for speed at Citifield.
Does Sandy even want to stay?
I think this game underscores, once again, the perils of falling in love with TJ Rivera. Sweet kid, seemingly, and a nice story (the 28-year-old prospect). But once again we’d be settling for slow, unathletic, poor defense. I’m not loving that model.
Love him as a bench guy.
All the Fan Love in the world doesn’t make TJ a starting MLB Infielder…he is far better than Josh Satin, another Love Child of discussion boards. Soup was “my guy”. but as a 25th player. TJ is #25…he can have a nice career.
I’m starting to see TJ and Wilmer as redundant. I love them both but they’re kinda the same player. For next year maybe Wilmer can play second while TJ back up him and Dom on the right side.
I think TJ is a picture boy for all that ails the Mets, but I have a far different take than those who have opined before (above) me.
I think we all can agree that TJ can hit. He is a contact guy we simple haven’t — and don’t — have, save for Conforto and possibly Walker. A contact guy we desperately need in this swing-from-the-heels lineup. The problem is the Mets are using him incorrectly.
Specifically, I think we’d all agree that 3B seems to be his worst position. I think he is better, possibly average, at 2B or 1B. But he almost never plays those spots. Instead we have free-agents-to-be blocking him at those positions. It’s really a shame. We have a lost season on our hands and we won’t be able to see what exactly one of our best contact hitters can do given the best opportunity to succeed.
That, in a nutshell, is what is wrong with this organization. And he’s not the only one. What about guys such as Nimmo, Rosario, Smith and Cecchini?
If this season isn’t the time to see what these guys can be, then when??
Pete – I agree with you. Even if they don’t get much in return, these pending FAs have to go just to make way for the kids. Plus, the Wilpons will love the cost savings from not having to pay these guys in August and September. I’d actually like to give Walker a shot at third base when he returns.
Amen Matt. However, we must sell tickets!!! And, Alderson must look to fleece the other teams! Progress in Queens seems to be a difficult chore.