If it seems like the 2017 Mets can’t win on Sundays, you’re not imagining things. The Mets lost their fifth Sunday game in a row and are 5-12 for the season on Sundays.
Seth Lugo didn’t have his best stuff today, allowing five earned runs on eight hits in five innings. The Mets’ bullpen – Fernando Salas, Josh Smoker, and new acquisition A.J. Ramos combined to allow another four runs, but to be fair, half of that can be pinned on Neil Walker, who had the worst game of any Met. As Keith Hernandez put it, “he looks like a rusty gate.” Maybe he didn’t feel well or perhaps he could have used a few more rehab games in the minors, but Walker looked like he’s never played second base before, making two costly errors and misplaying two other balls. At the plate, he looked equally lost, striking out three times. His lone contribution was a hit by pitch.
The rest of the Mets lineup mustered 5 singles and no runs through the first eight innings.The Mets’ bats woke up in the ninth inning for three hits and a run, but it was too little too late. Tomorrow the Mets have the day off, but watch the news as a few players are likely to find new homes with the trade deadline looming.
Hey, it’s hard to play well when you’re not really trying.
Wow Jimmy,! To who you refer?
Matt, Walker had the game winning hit yesterday, but he probably could have used a few more games to get into everyday playing shape. Today would have been a good day to give him a rest after playing his first two games back, but… let me not continue – everyone knows my opinions well enough.
Not pointing fingers at any one player, more of a collective achievement. The travel, the distraction of the trade deadline, the depression of a lousy season, and too many veterans treading water.
And, yes, of course Metsense is right: When the starting pitcher doesn’t get it done, the whole team looks bad.
But this group has nothing to play for and it shows.
SA tried to win in 2017 by bringing back the 2016 roster. That same mistake can’t be made a second time. The culture has to shift, heads have to roll, the energy has to change. That includes the manager and training staff for sure.
This probably deserves it’s own post and thread, but it’s clear that “fitness” in baseball — across all of MLB, but definitely with the Mets — is antiquated, out of touch. The idea that valuable assets like Syndergaard and Cespedes are training in inappropriate ways. It’s inconceivable to me that it was discovered after the fact that Matt Harvey’s shoulder muscles where badly out of balance and under-developed post-surgery.
This just doesn’t jive with contemporary sports medicine. It’s as if baseball has collectively not moved very far from “rub some dirt in it.” Forget the SABR revolution. Baseball needs a sports medicine revolution. The old way isn’t working and strikes me as unprofessional.
Once again, like many games this season, the starting pitching failed. Using fWAR as a measure, deGrom is 7th and Luggo is ranked 57th among NL starters this season that have thrown 40 innings this year (a total of 87 pitchers). Wheeler is 65th, Matz 67th, Gsellman 73rd and Harvey 81st. The last four listed are coming off injuries, have pitched poorly when they did pitch so the Mets would be better served adding two reliable starters to the roster this winter to avoid 2018 being a repeat of 2017.
Trading deadline wish list: Cabrera, Granderson and R. Rivera for addition by subtraction. Bruce and Reed only if the return is going to make a difference in the future.
Gut Reaction to the game : Boring
Well, Reed is a Red Sox guy now…
and we get 3 arms, all RHP, all top 30 prospects. No way around it, that was worth it. I hope we can sign Reed back in the off season.
Jimmy P – I agree that you can’t bring the band back again next year however you can’t realistically replace half the team either. I think Bruce or Walker could have a role next year.
I agree with Metsense that we need to focus our attention on bolstering the rotation. Rosario and Smith will help improve the defense and add an injection of youth to a sluggish looking team, but we really need a reliable veteran in the middle of that rotation. I’m thinking someone like CC Sabathia or Edinson Volquez.
I could bring back Bruce next season, very possibly at 1B.
Not a big fan of injury-prone, overpaid Neil Walker.
Can he play 3B? Mets need a look-see.
Don’t at all see Sabathia as an innings-eater at this point. Guy could easily go down with an injury at this point. But I get the idea. Not sure I’m fully on board at this point.
Blue Jays are blowing up their team. Couldn’t hurt to see what the asking my price is for their 3rd baseman.
We can offer them 5 first-round picks: Nimmo, Cecchini, Smith, Lindsay, and Dunn.
Would they take it?