The metaphorical fog that’s been surrounding the Mets for the past six weeks took on physical form at Citi Field. On a diamond shrouded in mist, the Cubs looked like gorillas while the Mets turned to pea soup as Chicago took the opener of this four-game weekend set.
Seth Lugo started this “bullpen game” for the Mets and continued his run of fine innings. He pitched four, in his first start of the season, surrendering three hits, walking none and striking out three. Most importantly, he kept the Cubbies off the board — a claim that his fellow bullpen mates cannot make. Hansel Robles came into a scoreless game in the fifth, and, seeing as it was Hansel Robles pitching, the game didn’t stay scoreless any longer. Kyle Schwarber led off for Chicago and drew a walk, though it should be worth noting that he hit a foul popup just before ball four that couldn’t be handled by Mets catcher Devin Mesoraco. Robles then got Ian Happ to miss a fastball and pitcher Jose Quintana to pop out attempting to bunt. Ben Zobrist hit a booming fly ball into the right field seats, just foul. Two pitches later, he hit a tracer into the bullpen in centerfield and the Cubs had a sudden 2-0 lead. That was pretty much it. Schwarber knocked home a run in the sixth off Jerry Blevins and Jason Heyward earned an RBI on a groundout in the seventh off Buddy Baumann, manager Mickey Callaway oddly playing the infield back with runners at second and third with no out.
For his part, Quintana was mostly immovable over six innings. The Mets loaded the bases in the third on a one-out walk to Lugo, a double by Brandon Nimmo rocketed to left field and a walk to Asdrubal Cabrera. They were turned away, though,, when Jose Bautista struck out and Michael Conforto tapped weakly to second. The seasoned Met fan kind of knew the game would be lost after that, especially since Quintana didn’t allow another base runner. Only a window-dressing homer by Nimmo in the eighth off Brian Deunsing could even slightly lighten the mood. The Cubs got that one back in the ninth on a couple of singles and a sacrifice fly by Willson Contreras off Gerson Bautista.
The Mets will try to shake the cobwebs tomorrow, with Zack Wheeler facing Tyler Chatwood.
Besides for Lugo, Copeland and Nimmo everyone sucked. Biggest at bats today were with the bases loaded in the third inning and Bautista had a horrid at bat where he took some mashable pitches for strikes including a hanging curve. Lugo missed bats and induced weak contact but with a pitch count of round 65 pitches as stated by Mickey before the game he could do nothing but helplessly watch. Robles could have gotten out of the inning if not for the shift and Mesoraco having two left feet but still he needs to make better pitches. I mean every hit he seems to allow is a homer and just another outing where he gets your hopes up. Blevinss and Baumann were both bad and really put the game out of reach.
Nimmo continues to murder the ball this time vs a lefty if he can be even league average vs lefties he could be an even bigger star than he’s starting to look like.
Pretty fugly start to the homestand hopefully they can get to the very wild Tyler Chatwood tomorrow.
Between relying on Robles to do anything but suck, pulling pitchers when they’re cruising and saving his new closer for only the ninth inning when Familia routinely entered in the eighth inning, Mickey is not winning me over. Maybe I’ve misses something due to real life consuming all but a passing interest in the team, but stop trying to reinvent the wheel and win the bloody game.
Maybe if Robles throws an errant pitch into the dugout that hits Callaway in the head, he’ll finally get released.
Sure, Robles gives up another long ball, but in his defense the club blew two chances to retire Schwarber in the frame for the third out. Mesoraco dropped it, but it would have been a tough play, but if Guillorme had busted it all the way, he makes the play easily. Then Mesoraco unleashed a really, really bad throw when Schwarber ill-advisedly went to second. A good throw would have nailed him.
Later in the game, after getting clunked in the head, Mesoraco had trouble just catching a few pitches from Bautista — very odd and concerning.
Bautista’s AB with the bases loaded was piss-poor. How do you go to the plate with the bases loaded and a lefthander on the mound and never swing the bat!!!!!
And the first pitch to him was an absolute meatball, the kind he’d have sent to Saskatchewan last year.
More likely Hudson Bay 😉