The Mets salvaged the final game of the series with the Marlins, earning a 5-2 victory Sunday. The win vaulted the Mets out of last place, as they leapfrogged the Marlins in the standings.
If you imagined in your mind what a game between two teams battling for last place would look like, well – you have a good idea how this one played out. Lots of bad hitting, poor fielding and some less than stellar bullpen work.
Steven Matz started and got the win. But he was only able to go 5.1 IP because his defense inflated his pitch count. There were three errors behind him – one his own doing that led to an unearned run. But he got some strikeouts when he needed them and there was more good than bad from him in the outing. In his last 11 games, Matz has a 2.92 ERA.
Kevin Plawecki had an RBI double, Asdrubal Cabrera hit an upper deck solo homer and Matz had an RBI, too. Todd Frazier got a gift RBI double on a play that epitomized the day. He hit one into the gap that Lewis Brinson ran a mile to track down. And though he got there in time, the ball clanked off his glove and was ruled a double. The ball was thrown home trying to get the runner but sailed over the catcher. Frazier tried to take the extra base and should have been out by a mile. But the pitcher backing up the play at home took his time delivering the ball to third base and Frazier was safe. Then Frazier came around to score when the catcher tried to pick him off and his throw hit Frazier and went into the outfield.
Jeurys Familia worked a perfect ninth inning to pick up the save. The Mets are undefeated in July!
For all the ragging we’ve given to Callaway so far, there certain truths we shouldn’t dismiss.
1) He was brought in to fix the starting rotation. He has done a good job with the three guys available and now needs to focus on Thor preferably Lugo.
2) Supposedly, the bullpen was fixed and the lineup stacked. However, he finds himself needing to address team fundamentals because, well, we couldn’t waste time teaching the kids the small stuff when we we’re a large market club.
3) Callaway seems to have cut his matchup thinking down quite a bit. Early on, he was right to not trust Ramos or Blevins, but with Blevins coming around, he should be seeing more opportunities for longer outings.
No comments from the gallery? My wife gave me the recap since I went to ShopRite, missing the last three innings of the game. So that’s what the season has gotten to: watch a little and find out the score from another source.
Interesting enough Gary Cohen played a tape of Tug McGraw say “You Gotta believe:” which was the 1973’s motto. Terrible team who lost to the Oakland A’s in the Wold Series. Met’s record on July 1 1973: 33-39
Ahmed Rosario has walked 6 times in 3 games, and the swing looks shorter
Interesting, and a good sign that the “rest stop” may have had a positive impact…. and that he is embracing coaching.
3 IBB to get to pitcher, but nevertheless, its a good sign.
In 73, the Mets had a stellar rotation of Seaver, Matlack and Koosman. We have deGrom. They also won in a bad division, where they barely broke . 500. Beating the Reds was a miracle and almost took Oakland.
I am watching the Yankees tee off on David Price. I wish that we had some young talented players like this.
We have to be realistic. We have a couple of decent young players in Nimmo and Conforto and maybe Rosario. We have a bunch of old pieces of junk. One great starter, one could be great and two or three average starters.
The farm team is in the bottom of MLB.
Yes, injuries have also killed the Mets, but Callaway shouldn’t have been hired as the manager, pitching coach yes, but not as a manager. If the Mets lose 105 games, how can they justify bringing him back ? A new GM will want their own manager. But, we may get stuck with Minaya again.
This team will be at least two years away from contending if and only if they make some big changes. I am not confident that the ownership is willing to do what it takes to put a contender on the field. By the time they improve, it will be time for deGrom and Syndergaard to test free agency.
Look at the Yankees prospects from the last two to three years, Judge, Sanchez, Severino and now Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. They put a great product on the field and now they will go out and add a good starter. At the same time, the Mets are in turmoil and will sell a couple of pieces, and keep a bunch if garbage on the team.
I hate to say it, but I see no reason to count Rosario as a “maybe” on the star rankings Mike.
Can’t hit for average, has shown no power, has mastered looking at strikes and swinging at balls, and has little range in the field.
How he was ever considered a “top prospect” — in all of MLB mind you — I will never know.