The Miami Marlins are a tough team to like. There are teams that are uber-successful and have obnoxious fans — like the Yankees, Cardinals, Braves or Red Sox — but oftentimes, they can be “likable” teams. Teams that have good guys, guys you can root for, even if you hate the laundry. The Marlins have nonesuch of these qualities. They are a team of smug-looking punks, who play every game against the Mets as if it were the seventh game of the World Series. Always have been, always will be, going back to the days of Hanley Ramirez and Jeff Conine. They have no history, no tradition, no fan following and they act like they own the world.
And they beat the Mets tonight.
Zack Wheeler started for the Mets and looked terrific in five of the sixth innings he pitched. In the second, Brian Anderson — a rookie who barks at umpires on called strikes — roped a 3-2 pitch into left field leading off. The ball was stopped by skidding left fielder Jose Bautista — yes you read that right; more on that in a bit — but was good for a double anyway. . Anderson was driven home when Derek Dietrich rifled a single through the middle and Miguel Rojas lined a safety to right. Speedy Lewis Brinson hit a liner to Bautista for the first out. Pitcher Caleb Smith blooped a bunt that third baseman Jose Reyes let drop in front of him. Eschewing a sure out at second and a possible double play, Reyes made a lousy throw to first and all hands were safe. After Martin Prado popped out, J. T. Realmuto wormed a single though the middle and Dietrich and Rojas both crossed the plate. Finally, Justin Bour — who has a face like a prize sow at a county fair — struck out to end the inning. After that Wheeler settled in nicely, ending his six-inning stint having surrendered seven hits, one earned run, walking none and striking out nine.
In the bottom of the second, Bautista skied a double into the left field corner for his first hit in his first at bat as a Met. He was moved over to third on a ground out by Reyes and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tomas Nido. That’s where the game stayed until the eighth. For his part, Smith was implacable. He allowed only three hits over six-and-two-thirds innings, walking two and striking out eight. He was able to squelch even the hint of a Metsian threat. He was removed in the seventh after a two-out walk to Reyes, replaced by some baggage named Drew Steckenrider. He was able to induce pinch hitter Devin Mesoraco to fly out after a seven-pitch at bat. The Mets’ bullpen wasn’t up to a similar task, though. Last night’s hero AJ Ramos came on in the eighth and walked Anderson leading off, then gave up a long home run to right by Dietrich to salt the game away.
A note should be made about Jose Bautista. He only arrived in New York at 6:20 and found himself in the lineup, batting fifth in the 7:10 start. The signing had been rumored for a little while, but it remains to be seen how much he has left in his gas tank — the Braves released him after 35 mostly unproductive at bats. With the Mets short on outfielders, he’s definitely worth a flier, but I would suggest against getting too attached.
It’s Dan Straily vs. Jacob deGrom in the rubber game tomorrow night.
Have I mentioned how I really dislike the Miami Marlins?
Is Joey Bats the answer? Maybe somebody can sprinkle fairy dust on him and he will turn into Joey Bats from five years ago.
Charlie, your disdain for the Marlins peeked through into your words when you mentioned that teams like the Yankees, Braves (really dude?), and Red Sox can even be more likable at times than the Marlins because they have good guys. But, what bothered me the most in reading your gut reaction, is how you offended prized sows everywhere by comparing Justin Bour’s scowled frying-pan flattened face to their prize winning faces.
Jose Reyes needs to be offered the Harvey package: Go to the minors for three weeks and find your swing and your focus, or we will release you. I like Reyes because he wants to be a Met. Just like we want to be Mets fans and endure endless folly from the front office, we must embrace those that want to stay here. However, his head is not in the game. Go to Las Vegas and play third, second and a game or two at shortstop. Play everyday and make sure you have sharpened your mind and your focus when you come back. Way too many mental errors for a player of his experience.
As I mentioned in the chat, while driving to work after the sixth inning, Josh Lewin told me that Adrian Gonzalez was instrumental in getting Wheeler to throw that splitter more and to trust it. Hmmm, interesting.
What wasn’t, was Jason Vargas’ pregame interview. The most boring, cliche-filled piece I’ve ever heard. “Just want to do my best to help the team and improve”… “want to the thank Mickey and Dave for sticking with me and having confidence in me”… “just want to help the team win games”, yadda yadda yadda. I hope they don’t interview him ever again.
Gus, sounds like Vargas has been coached on interviewing by Crash Davis. I agree with what you said about Reyes, but they may have to wait a few days until Frazier is back to do that.
Even without Ces and Frazier, we should be able to muster a few runs against Caleb Smith. This current team just cannot hit lefties.
Charlie – I’m with you about this Marlins team. Deitrich is an average Major Leaguer at best and against the Mets, he’ s an All-Star. This team, regardless of whether it’s a rebuilding year, always gives us hell. And it’s amazing to me when you look at the all-star numbers posted by the four big bats they lost in the off-season that they weren’t more competitive last season. I know the Jose Fernandez tragedy was crushing, but that was probably the best lineup in the NL.
Lastly, Tomas Nido is making us really pine for Kevin Plawecki.
I love how people pretend that the Marlins are some team that the Mets fear when they are currently 4-1 against them this year, 12-7 in 2016, and 11-8 in both 2014 and 2015. Only last year we had a losing record at 7-12, but they finished ahead of us in the standings anyways.
Indeed.
It probably stems from 2007-08, when the Mets played the Marlins the last series of the year with a playoff spot on the line. The Mets went 1-2 against them both times and missed the playoffs both seasons. FWIW, the Mets finished with winning records against them both of those years, despite the late stumble.
Only Jose Reyes can master the art of doing three bad things on one play.
1) He inexplicably let that bunt drop approximately 18 inches in front of him instead of catching it on the fly;
2) He (really, really) inexplicably actually looked back to third for a possible play, apparently to throw it to the third base coach, since no Met rightfully was in that zip code at the time. This look to no-mans-land also cost him the chance for an easy, easy out at second, if not an inning-ending double play; and
3) Proceeds to make a horrible throw to first.
I don’t want to hear it that third isn’t his natural position. Fact is, he is (supposedly) a pro and should have run all scenarios of the play in his noggin before the play happens like true pros do.
I think it’s clearly time for him to go. It’s bad enough that Bautista is the latest “blocker” for a younger player, but it is well past time to allow a Guillorme or a Cecchini a legitimate back up role instead of Reyes and his .140 average, poor fielding and bad baserunning.
BTW Charlie, I was going to ask you to tell us how you really feel about the Marlins, until you made it crystal clear in your final sentence!
For what it’s worth, Zack stood up for Jose. Said a lot of people were telling him to throw it to different bases, which is why he looked to 2nd. Then the throw to first was low, but Cabrera should have handled it. Bad play all around, but not entirely Jose’s fault, although it looked awful. All that being said, there are better options for 3rd base in Frazier’s absence. Like, how about Cabrera at 3rd and Jose at 2nd.