What a dreadful game.
The Mets received a thorough shellacking at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals and relapsed to some 2017-style baseball tonight. Really, the less said about it, the better. Once again, Steven Matz couldn’t get through the fourth inning. The Mets committed three errors in the third and fourth innings, leading to four runs. Corey Oswalt made his Major League debut and christened it by surrendering a long bomb off the bat of Jedd Gyorko for the Cards’ eighth and ninth runs. The Mets could barely touch Michael Wacha this time, even though they actually had a 1-0 lead.
Just a sloppy effort all around, but props should go to manager Mickey Callaway for utilizing Oswalt’s starting experience: Oswalt relieved Matz with one out in the fourth and stayed in through the end of the game. Somehow, I can’t see Terry Collins preserving his bullpen in a blowout game in quite this way.
Noah Syndergaard takes on Carlos Martinez in a getaway day matinee tomorrow. After that, it’s on to sunny San Diego.
Starting pitching is a *genuine* problem.
Harvey, no.
Wheeler, no.
Matz, no.
Tell me Im wrong all you want, but none of these guys are better than #5 starters, in their best hour. Something must give.
Harvey might want to slide down and save a spot for Matz on the BP bench. Matz has been one big disappointment.
Wow, what a beating. I’m sorry you guys had to see it, as I was fortunate enough to be preoccupied with work. At least it wasn’t 15-2 like the Giants did while facing the Nats “D” lineup and having one of their best pitchers on the mound.
I would think when Matz gets asked about moving to the bullpen, he will give a better answer than the previous two memebers of the “Fab 5” gave. He probably can get another start to show better mound presence and ability to control a game, but I would not blame the decision makers if they make a change. But, if Matz isn’t measurably better, Seth Lugo, who had his spot taken away without any fault of his own, should get a shot.
My next point has to do with Lagares and Nimmo rotting on the bench while we wait for veterans to “get going”. Time to give Bruce some first base time and Conforto some “clear your head time” to get Lagares and Nimmo in there while they are still feeling good at the plate.
“But, if Matz isn’t measurably better, Seth Lugo, who had his spot taken away without any fault of his own, should get a shot”
Take away Lugo’s first start and relief outing last year, and you had a guy who equally horrible with a 5.02 ERA in 16 starts.
The time for Lagares has also passed. He had a hot first week, but since April 10th, he’s had a weak .594 OPS in 20 PA. He belongs in the MLB trash bin
Name, from April 11th on, I see a .732 OPS in just 16 PA’s as opposed to Gonzalez’s .462 OPS during the same stretch with 33 PA’s, and I’m not saying all out benching but rather giving other players opportunities when some of these “leaders” are scuffling.
Also, last year everybody sucked on the mound. You give people chances when they’ve earned them and there are spots available, and you never know. Lugo flops, we move on.
I don’t want to sound like a smart ass, but I had zero confidence in Matz going into this game with a hot, mostly righty lineup, like the Cardinals. It’s why I’d give him one more shot, but I would have given Harvey one more also, but they didn’t agree. And going into his next start against the Braves, I’m worried already!
It was an awful game. Vargas will be pitching Saturday. Wheeler and Matz should get one more start to right themselves. It would also allow Harvey some bullpen work to see how he is progressing . If none the three improve then it is time go to Lugo and Gsellman which will cripple the bullpen. Oswalt in his 4+ innings represented himself well. In general let’s not panic. These things can work themselves out.
No, of course. A win this afternoon and things will appear all rosy again.