For the second straight night, the Mets did just enough to lose, getting shut out by the Padres, 2-0, Friday night in San Diego.
The Mets were held without a hit until Francisco Lindor singled leading off the seventh. Lindor wound up on third base thanks to a fielding error and with nobody out, it looked like the Mets were going to tie the game 1-1. But James McCann struck out, Pete Alonso popped up to the first baseman and Brandon Drury struck out to end the inning.
In the ninth inning, for the second straight night, the Mets put two runners on base against closer Mark Melancon but could not score.
Joey Lucchesi gave up a homer to the second batter he faced but otherwise pitched well in his return to San Diego, allowing just the one run in 4.2 IP. He lowered his ERA to 5.79 but saw his record fall to 1-4 on the year.
Could be worse. The current Mets don’t have that defeatist stench that they’ve had ever since Beltran struck out against the Cards to end that post season. They give me the impression that with just a bit more tweaking, they could really be a great team.
Because let’s face it, dudes; 2015 was a big fluke. The Nationals crumbled, and until they added Cespedes, and those 2 quality former closers to beef up their bullpen, and those two utility infielders formerly of the Braves with a winning attitude that had been lacking (forgive me for forgetting those 4 names), the Mets weren’t going to end up atop the NL.
The 3 best teams in the Senior Circuit were the Cards, Cubs and Pirates (all of whom were the only 95+ game winners in the NL). The Mets drew the 4th best NL team in the first round, the Cubs knocked off the Pirates in the WC game and then took down the Cards in the NLDS. Then the Cubbies rolled over and died in 4 straight to push the Mets into the WS, so yeah, the Mets had some incredible luck in 2015.
But this current team is different, the best since Beltran struck out against Wainwright (?), and they have convinced me that if their luck – in terms of the number of regulars on the IL – reaches the level of normal, then their chances are better than any team they’ve had going back to maybe even the late 1980s.
And I’ll further tell you what, the Mets scare the hell out of every other major league team that thinks they’re good enough to go all the way. That’s because everyone is aware that if it comes down to one game against the Mets, there is one and only one pitcher that nobody wants to face in that winner takes all situation.
This is, by far, the longest piece I’ve ever posted on Mets360; hope you guys enjoyed it
Gut Reaction: Lucchesi pitched good and in his last three starts he has pitched good. The problem is that he hasn’t pitched more than 4 2/3 innings in these outings. Rojas needs to stretch him out to saved the bullpen.
Whoever taught Lucchesi that windup should be drawn and quartered. Same guy who taught Kershaw, perhaps. I find it hard to watch…