The Cubs completed a four-game sweep of the Mets with a 2-0 win Sunday afternoon. It was the first time the Mets were swept at home in a four-game series in five years and it made the team’s record 3-11 in their last 14 games.
Steven Matz deserved a better fate. He held the Cubs scoreless through six innings and gave up two runs in the seventh, although with better defense they may not have scored any. After giving up a solid leadoff single to start the seventh, Matz allowed a hit to center that Juan Lagares might have turned into an out but that instead put runners on the corners. Than the Cubs executed a double steal. After an infield hit, they got a sac fly on a ball to the second baseman. Yep, you read that right. On a ball that reached the outfield grass, Jay Bruce did not call off Luis Guillorme and the runner was able to score.
The Mets’ offense went into hibernation again. They were no hit until the sixth inning and appeared listless throughout the game. They got some baserunners late but threats in the seventh and ninth innings ended with double play balls.
Mercifully, tomorrow is an off day. The team is in desperate need of a spark. Maybe Todd Frazier coming back from the DL will do it. Maybe DFAing Jose Reyes and calling up Peter Alonso to play first base will do it. Maybe if the whole team wears high socks that will do the trick. They need to try something different because what they’re doing simply isn’t working.
Jay Bruce is some kind of player if you like guys that hit lazy fly balls and show no mobility in the OF. If Nimmo or Conforto did what Bruce did on the pop fly Callaway would spend all presser reaming them out. Hey look Adrian Gonzalez pounded another ball into the ground and is a below average hitter, what a signing by the maverick with Matt Adams getting four mil! Mets starting pitchers gave up five runs in a four game series and the team lost all four, lol. Oh and anyone notice Teyes looking angry after not pinch hitting for Guillorme? Hey buddy you are on the team cause you are a nostalgia act that ownership loves for some reason.
Wishful and Hopeful????…. they again had a Good Start. Maybe the SP has reached some stability and quality. The rest could be “fixable”.
I can’t believe so many people don’t appreciate Bruce’s willingness to play through such a painful situation as plantar fasciitis. His leadership speaks for itself in how he is able to play day after day, when most front offices would want to DL him for a few months to recoup insurance money. Also, his stature as a leader makes his #3 spot in the lineup “Mets law”. Even though he has played through such a predicament most of his career, how was Alderson to know that this would affect him again and he would be hitting his usual sub-.250?
Also, there is no way Dominic Smith can perform better than another leader, Adrian Gonzalez. Where would the Mets be without that clutch hit once a month and his professional approaches at the plate?
And the last leader Alderson brought in, Jose Reyes, is a stalwart tutor and leader to show our youngsters how to play the game the right way.
Looking at this roster, I just can’t understand how this team sucks(!!!!) so much.
And the bullpen, who expected it after passing up on most decent arms?
The game was pure torture for the fans and I do believe the players feel the same way. Tomorrow’s day off is a gift.
Joe Maddon’s Team sure thinks out of the box. I thought at the time in the first inning a bunt by Jay Bruce with the top of the order guys on board would have been a Madden move. Get guys in scoring position. Score a run breaking the offensive ice jam.
I was surprised Plawecki was batting cleanup, but then I guess it would not have mattered too much no matter who was hitting in that slot
I know there are injuries in the game and maybe the talent level in the minors isn’t where it should be but can someone explain to me how the team can bat one of the worst catchers and a .172 hitter – Plawecki at #4 with Conforto batting #5 and hoping to score runs. Then we have a bench with Lobaton, and Reyes. Reyes has continued to decline and Lobaton will never hit.
I thought our bullpen was the strength of the team and they are already worn out with no relief in site – when you have to look to the bullpen and see Robles and Bauman sitting there when you starting staff has busted their butts early in the game just doesn’t make sense.
Maybe we just need to start over – starting with an ownership group with a long term plan. Sorry for the venting…….
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Sandy signs all the wrong guys. Imagine Lynn or Cobb instead of Vargas,Holland instead of Swarzak, Kinsler instead of Frazier, Morrison instead of Gonzales, and Gomezw instead of Bruce. We coulda been contenders. And just imagine if they decided to spend some money like a big market team and added Darvish to the rotation!
Madman,
Excellent point. Add to that list Jason Kipnis and Bryan Shaw. While the Met free agent additions have had a big hand in the poor record to date, it’s not like other investments would have made much difference. Things could have been worse if they invested the Bruce money in a player that would have also cost the a draft pick.
The bottom line is that players, and especially the key players, have to perform. The combination of injuries and lack of performance is a recipe for losing baseball.
Reading Kevin Kernan and Mike Vaccaro makes feel like they are more fans than journalists, as they show their frustration and emotions in their work. Two excerpts from today’s Kernan article:
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Defense has never been the top priority with general manager Sandy Alderson and his home run-based offense, and the Mets continue to pay the price for that style of play. Defense matters. Especially when you can’t hit.
Callaway & Co. have to find a way to clean up the mess. “It’s frustrating,’’ Callaway admitted. “You’re giving them the game instead of them winning the game from you. And that’s hard. If you do things the right way and you get beat, you don’t feel great about it because you lost, but you can accept it and move on. We have to learn from those mistakes and make sure they don’t happen again.’’
The Mets’ lack of defensive awareness at times is staggering, and the word is out the Mets are such a poor defensive team. Other teams are beginning to take more advantage.
“When you are an outfielder, you have priority over the infielder,’’ Callaway said of the pop-up RBI by Ben Zobrist.
That is Baseball 101, but Bruce gave way.
“I think we need to shift our focus,’’ Callaway said. “We are not focusing on that part of the game very well. If we have to go out and work on cutoffs and relays and pop-ups and PFP [pitcher’s fielding practice], that is what we will do instead of being on the field and hitting. I guess we need to make some adjustments on what we are focusing on.
“We go out there and do defensive work every day and we go out there and hit, maybe we need to shift our focus to make it more stuff like just ground balls and throwing to bags to be more fundamentals specific,’’ Callaway added.
“I think it’s focus.’’
https://nypost.com/2018/06/03/these-are-the-mets-mistakes-sandy-alderson-enables/
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Callaway is not just raising his arms to this. I applaud his persistence and despite the fool in the Front Office, this team may have a chance, someday.
Kevin Kernan is one of the worst writers in ny but not the worst that’s Wilpon slurper Mike Lupica.
We can only imagine…….
The question is, what do we do now? It has to start with Lobaton and Reyes. They both need to go now.
They need to make a lot of changes either by the end of the season or in the off season.
Just think, Bruce, Cespedes and Frazier will be a year older too.
Familia, Cabrera, Reyes and Gonzalez will be gone.
I remember in 1983, when the Mets brought up Darryl Strawberry. It was the first seed that was planted in building their championship team.
Maybe it is time to see what Alonso can do.
Let fire sale begin? Maybe it’s time. Give Alonso and McNeil shots in 3-4weeks if they’re still playing well. See what Cabrera can bring back. Familia could bring back a good second tier prospect from the Indians,Dodgers, Astros,Cards. Bite the bullet and listen to offers for DeGrom and Syndergard. They could certainly bring back 6-8 very good prospects with 2-3being elite ones. This team is old and looks to be at best a 500team. Too many older players who have seen their best days.
Absolutely putrid. Lately, I’ve been wondering when the low point will come. I’m still waiting.
The worst part in all of this is the absolute smacks in the face (never mind the losses) opponents regularly give this club because of its utter lack of being able to play the game as it should be played. The Cubs not only easily swept this club, but also completely embarrassed them in each and every game. A couple examples:
1) Going first to third on a hard hit single to left — and the guy wasn’t running on the pitch. The off-line throw from Bautista was also late.
2) Batting the pitcher first in extra innings with the score tied (Farrell) and then batting Lester immediately prior to taking him out. No fear any runs were needed as the Mets offense isn’t going to score anyway.
3) Taking full advantage of Matz **always** lobbing the ball to first on a pick off, which is something any sharp team would know from competent scouting. He even did this when he picked the guy off. Making it worse, was the fact that the Cubs completely baited Matz into doing it with the fake steal on the previous pitch. Obviously, our guys don’t have the ability to think and play at the same time.
Just a few examples of how teams regularly take full advantage of playing against our lovable, losing zombies. I suppose its still early June and anything can happen, but its looking more and more like the day of reckoning sell off is fast approaching. It might not be a bad idea to start it off with Familia and Cabrera right now, who might generate a decent return, even though they are rentals.
+1
And thats not even the complete list. The Cubs gave up in the extra innings game, and that wasnt enough. Game for sat Bryant and Rizzo and put Contreras to catch the day after a 14 inning game. Other than forfeiting it is not clear what else the Cubs could have done to help the Mets win. I mean seriously, they scored touchdowns on the “statue of liberty” play, and the double reverse with a wide receiver throwing to the quarterback. If you cant shut that down, then you got no business here.
Matz…”I *never* look at the runner at third”. Absolutely shocked reading that. Lets see a critical runner is 90 feet away, and there is no interest on his location.
Absolutely Chris. I gave just a couple of examples. The Cubs were rubbing it in our face the entire four game set.
How does this not fire up our “leaders”????
Its time for Callaway to throw a little weight around. Calm matters, but sometimes, when the situation calls for it, being upset sends the right image. Now is that time since the pat on the a$$ approach to calling people out had no effect .
Bringing up Alonso right from AA is interesting. I don’t think it will happen, at least not until he’s out of his current slump.