Just as it seemed the Mets had a win in their crosshairs, it was ripped from their hands. Entering the ninth with a 4-1 lead, the Mets trusted A.J Ramos with the save situation against his former team. Ramos blew the save, forcing the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, Paul Sewald surrendered a walk-off home run to Justin Bour to end the game, 5-4.
Other than Sewald and Ramos, the Mets bullpen produced solidly. Josh Smoker, Jeruys Familia, and Jerry Blevins all put in an inning of shutout ball. This was after Seth Lugo produced a quality start. Lugo went five innings, allowing a run on four hits and a strikeout. My Gut Reaction is that Lugo is starting to make a case to make the rotation for next season.
The Mets bats were good tonight, just not good enough to get the win. Jose Reyes lead the charge, going 4-5 on his former team, including a solo home run. Travis d’Arnaud had two hits on the evening. Other Mets that contributed a hit were Nori Aoki, Asdrubal Cabrera, Dom Smith, Brandon Nimmo, and Phillip Evans. Tonight’s performance was a lot better than the one run they put up in their 13-1 loss. At this point it begs the question of what is more debilitating, a 13-1 loss or a walk off loss after leading by 3 in the ninth?
The Mets will attempt to avoid the sweep tomorrow when Rafael Montero will take the mound at 1:10 pm tomorrow in Miami.
You sure it was Bour?
I still can’t believe they lost this game. The Mets looked crisp early turning DPs in their first two innings with Lugo covering first base in the first inning, and Reyes grabbing a rocket grounder and starting it in the second. All phases looked good and the Marlins didn’t show much of a pulse. With a three run lead going into the ninth inning, it seemed safe. In fact, even after the Marlins tied it, I hoped the Mets had something in the tank. But they didn’t.
Jose Reyes just missed on two plays in the ninth inning. One started the whole mess, a slow grounder by Realmutto that Reyes misread, and the second was not being able to corral the trying line drive single. However, the one thing that bothered me the most was how Ramos left the mound. After giving up the three runs and having two runners on base, Collins comes to get him. Ramos bitches at Collins and we can see him cursing and turning his head to chirp towards the group standing on the mound as he was walking off the mound. What a loser. Hard to believe that a seasoned closer doesn’t know how to handle a blown save, and can’t handle success and failure equally with class.
Take away the Mets 11-5 success against the Phillies, and the Mets are 54-81 against the rest of MLB.
Puke. Pathetic. Fire everybody, including Mr. Met. This is more than just injuries. This is the farm being empty, the non-existence of leadership, and the inability to recognize how your defense just killed your pitchers by making them work so much harder than they needed to.
TexasGus – that’s an emotional commentary. All of us frustrated fans have been there. As Brian has astutely pointed out the Mets are not as good as they look after winning a few in a row, nor as bad as they look after losing a few. Taking a neutral look at the roster, we have holes to fill and weaknesses to improve, but at reasonable health, this team still has some good players to build around.
What I spoke of has nothing to do with injuries and when everyone is healthy these weaknesses in structure will remain to conspire against the successes this team will have. The Mets may not be as bad as they look, but seven years into the Alderson regime, we see flaws from the farm system and drafting techniques, to the on-field management, to a disturbing disconnect of how to build a balanced team and roster.
These leopards aren’t changing their spots and I am re-considering that emotional investment I will continue making next year.
Gus this team is fractured and has no identity. How the front office doesn’t monitor what its SP’s do during the off season is beyond words. Strength and conditioning? How about learning how to pitch? Injuries occur all the time. Its just that this team finds new ways every year. Hoping that the Mets will learn how to turn it around is wishful thinking. We’re right back to where we were 7 years ago. Harvey is shell shocked and has lost his confidence. Thor needed the guidance of a “Tom Seaver” type. Matz has his elbow problems . I’m not sure if getting a new manager is going to matter with this group. But it’s a start. Has to be someone the players respect and are not going to tune out. So many holes (2nd,3rd,RF,SP). So many question marks (1ST, SS, C, LF, CF, BP). So little expectations. Maybe that’s what we need.
The job of a closer is to save a game. AJ Ramos has done this 90% of the season converting 30 opportunities into 27 saves. He gets the job done. Last night he didn’t. It happens. AJ was a good midseason pick up. His 5.18 (career 4.8) BB/9 is alarmingly high but he has been able to achieve success despite this. The Mets should add in 2018 another relief pitcher as good as Ramos to go with Familia and Blevins because the trend in baseball is for starting pitchers to only go 5-6 innings.
Reyes has had a torrid second half, 293/367/489/856. His season slash is 244/316/415 /731 which is near average for a NL second baseman. He is the Mets best defensive second baseman this year. He wants to come back, understands his role and adds to the team. He would be a good bench piece if the price is right.
He’s a useful arm in the pen, but he’s no Addison Reed.
Mercurial, not steady.
Mets will need more late-inning help if they want a solid pen next season.
I would not resign Reyes. Team needs to turn the page. I’m pretty surprised how the consensus seems to be bring back the same roster of position players for next season. Needs new manager, new energy.
BTW, Lagares still can’t hit. Smith has 36 Ks and 9 BBs (worrying). At same time, in fairness, his numbers are improving. I’m not sold on him, yet.
As a pal mentioned to me, the big winners on the Mets this season are all the guys who got traded away. In a better place now, every one.
With a different GM, I’d still think they could pull off a plus team next season. But my vote is “no confidence.”
On a side note – how does AJ Ramos get away with that foot shuffle? Isn’t that technically a balk?