The Pirates won for the 13th time in their last 15 games by downing the Mets, 5-0, Saturday night in Pittsburgh.
Jacob deGrom didn’t have his best stuff but pitched well enough to win if the Mets had delivered the offense they did in the four games after his last start. In deGrom’s last game, the Mets’ offense put up two runs. In the next four games, they put up 28 runs. And then the goose egg tonight in “support” of the Mets’ ace.
And it’s not like they didn’t have chances. The middle innings was one lost scoring chance after another. In the third inning, they had runners on second and third. In the fourth inning, they had the bases loaded. And the fifth inning they had runners on first and second.
And while the Mets couldn’t come up with a clutch hit, the Pirates went 3-7 with runners in scoring position against the Mets’ ace. Coming into the game, deGrom had limited opposing teams to a .126 average with RISP.
It was a tough night for Brandon Nimmo, who struck out three times, and Wilmer Flores who did not get the ball out of the infield in four tries. And Flores’ being a righty first baseman with limited range may have contributed to a couple of the Pirates’ key hits.
Oh that scamp Flores. He’s got concrete boots on his feet, a piano on his back, and the reflex actions of a sloth.
And with Cabrera gone, that scamp is the team’s leading hitter.
What an embarrassing state of affairs. A bench guy leading the team in offense.
Only if you look at offensive production the same way now as when the Mets started in 1962, If you look at offensive production the way we do in the 21st Century, Flores is behind Nimmo and Bautista and in another week or so will be behind Conforto and possibly Plawecki.
A complete lifeless effort for the visitors while the home steam had all sorts of energy. Stealing bases and hitting in the clutch, while executing fundamentals. This was a real clunker, and clunkers happen. Nimmo is ice cold ever since Rich Hill practiced his aim with Nimmo, and it seems he gives up on those backwoods sliders due to his finicky eye, but those are strikes, and they’re frustrating him as we saw him just flail away at one and just angrily walk back to the dugout with his sombrero.
Bautista has been exposed in RF quite a bit lately, time to get Austin Jackson some time. Why is Wahl in the minors?
No doubt Nimmo slumped in late June and early July. But he seems to be getting back in a good way since the AS break.
In the two games before last night, Nimmo was 4-6 with two doubles and four walks. In his last 11 games, including last night’s 0-fer, he has a .741 OPS. If only all our guys could be this ice cold.
Also, not trading any pitching in order “to compete” next year, is just mocking the clientele. Look at this lineup and tell me how they could not try to add some offense. This team may have two or three first division players in the lineup. That’s pathetic.
Gus,
Agreed that the effort last night behind the ace was lifeless and embarrassing.
To compete next year, the Mets need 3 of the 3 things to happen – a major import of talent that includes 2 quality bats and 2 quality bullpen arms, their young core kids to improve significantly, and good health. I am fine with dealing a starter, but this marketplace doesn’t look like the return would justify the deal.
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