The Mets never seem to run out of ways to lose ugly. They let this winnable game get away thanks to AJ Ramos walking in the winning run in the 10th inning.
Noah Syndergaard looked awful early (more on that later) but settled down to go six innings, allowing three run and striking out eight. Despite a low pitch count, he was pulled for a pinch hitter because the Mets were busy making journeyman Junior Guerra look like Juan Marichal. Their lone runs off him came courtesy of solo home run from Amed Rosario and Michael Conforto. Asdrubal Cabrera contributed three hits, but most of the rest of the lineup was 0 for the ball game.
The Mets looked feeble against Brewers reliever Josh Hader, but then so has the rest of the league. The unhittable lefty struck out four and allowed no hits in two innings of relief work, before giving way to the normally reliable closer Corey Knebel. After getting two quick outs, Knebel lost the strike zone and walked twoo before surrendering the clutch game tying hit to…Jose Bautista! Luis Guillorme then walked to load the bases, but Rosario grounded out to end the promising opportunity.
Syndergaard, who exited after six innings, allowed all three earned runs to score in the first two innings. The first run came courtesy of a Travis Shaw home run and several hard hit singles. Seth Lugo again did his job, tossing another two scoreless innings to extend his streak and lower his ERA to1.72. Robert Gsellman took over and pitched one clean inning and had two outs in his second when Mickey Callaway pulled him to let his favorite (not) LOOGY pitch to Christian Yelich with a runner on. Once again, Jerry Blevins failed to get the one out he was brought in to get, allowing a hard hit single to advance the runner to third. Guess what Callaway did next? That’s right, he turned to the rarely reliable Ramos who walked not one, but two batters to give the game away.
What an ugly loss and on a night when both the Phillies and Braves lost. Blech.
Gut reaction #1 – Callway needs to rethink where his faith lies in the bullpen because the long guys at the front have been a lot more reliable than the guys at the back.
Gut reaction #2 – Syndergaard throws hard, throws strikes and a great mix of pitches. Know what he doesn’t do? Vary location. Every pitch he throws is knee high. He occasionally will work east-west, but he doesn’t seem to know how to go north-south. He should take note of the phenomenal success deGrom has going upstairs downstairs. The better hitters can time a 98mph fastball, but almost no one will catch up to one that’s letter high. Dwight Gooden was so good at this that he dominated as a starter with mainly two pitches – unheard of today.
Perfect recap Matt. Rosario reaches to pull an outside pitch when the Brewers were on the ropes in the ninth. That was their best chance. This went from a game the Mets could have stolen to a game they didn’t want to win.
I remember Ramos as a Hard thrower.. bad memory or did he entirely lose that?
He pitches like he knows he doesn’t have the stuff to pitch to MLB hitters…. and I think that’s correct I don’t think he’s an MLB Pitcher.
Well we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory once again. Does Marv throneberry haunt the dugout still? . Lovable losers were once endearing, but I’m growing disinterested in this depressing scene. Did we actually go to the WS in 2015? Seems otherworldly from this perspective seeing where we are at currently! Why are the Braves so much more determined and enthusiastic. Where are our fresh blood who infuse us with winning spirit?
Eraff,
You nailed Ramos. Darling kind of said the same thing somewhat diplomatically on air. Ramos is a stand up guy but he should be limited to mop up or released.
Brewer closer did some melting of his own but Rosario looked like an instructional league player in that at bat with the bases loaded. Especially on the 1-0 pitch that he swung at which was so far out of the strike zone it was rediculous. Very disappointing complete lack of approach.
Yes TJ, and to add to your point, when Luis Guillorme was hitting, he kept taking obvious deep long breaths to try to stay relaxed. Those are intangibles that make big differences in crucial spots. The kind of stuff a young player must know in order to contribute to winning ball. However, Mets youngsters aren’t as affluent in the heady part of the game.
Ugly case of over managing displayed last night. Gsellman was pitching cleanly, but we put in Blevins because it was “right” in the situation. I can’t help but think that if Gsellman has his shot at Yelich, the Mets get out of that inning.
Dalton, I had the same thought. I’d rather have the game in the hands of Gsellman or Lugo than Ramos or Blevins. If Swarzak ever comes back he could really help.
Yesterday was a perfect example of Callaway not understanding that the baseball season is a marathon and inability to grasp the complexities of NL managing.
We are in the midst of a stretch playing 18 games in 17 days, and Vargas and Wheeler are pitching the next 2 days, both of whom can easily bomb and have to be pulled early. So you have Noah at just 76 pitches thru 6 innings, having retired 10 of the last 11 batters, with the exception coming on an error. Furthermore, you have the dominant Josh Hader on the mound with 2 outs and a runner at 1st, who has held opposing batters to a .081 BA. Noah probably had no shot getting a hit of him, let’s say he had a 1-100 shot, but did Reyes really have any better odds of getting a hit? And since the runner was only at first, you would either need a well placed double or need 2 runners to reach to score the run and tie the game. I’d say that the odds of the Mets scoring in the 7th last night was very low, let’s say 5%. Was it worth gambling with those those minuscule odds to tie the game vs getting 8 innings out of Noah and having a rested bullpen for the next few games? I would say no. There are times where’s it worth sacrificing a chance to win for benefit down the road, and this was the time to do it.
The inability of Callaway to plan and think ahead is inexcusable and shows that he has no business managing, let alone managing in the NL.
Name, while I agree with the reality of everything you said, new managers get a former manager to be bench coach and help them learn, but the Mets created an all-AL coaching staff and no manegerial experience in the bench coach. I wonder if they can actually think anything through.