The Mets left the bases loaded in the first and ninth innings. It probably won’t surprise you, then, to hear that they lost 4-2 to the Marlins Thursday afternoon.
It was like early in the season all over again. No problem getting guys on base but plenty of problems getting them home. Overall, there were 15 runners LOB by the Mets in this game. And it didn’t help to have two hits with RISP that didn’t bring anyone home. Also not helping was the platinum sombrero from Javier Baez.
Rich Hill started and gave the five strong innings you hope to get, as he only allowed an unearned run. Miguel Castro and Drew Smith held the fort in the sixth and seventh innings but it all came crashing down on Jeurys Familia in the eighth.
Familia was hurt by a missed strike call by the home plate ump that turned a strikeout into a walk. But that doesn’t excuse the three hard-hit balls he gave up later in the inning. Three runs ended up scoring and two of them were close plays at the plate where the runner was safe because the throw arrived on a bounce. The first throw was by Michael Conforto. A few days ago, he threw a guy out at the plate because the throw came in on the fly. This one, from about the same distance in the outfield, came in on a bounce and that made all of the difference.
The second one was much more frustrating because it came from the cutoff man. And there was plenty of time where the infielder didn’t need to rush the throw. But James McCann couldn’t corral the bounced throw and another run scored.
In the top of the ninth the Mets put together a rally thanks to some bad defense by the Marlins and a fortuitous bounce on a grounder by pinch-hitter Brandon Drury which plated a run. But Albert Almora, who already had three hits in the game, grounded out to end the comeback.
By not taking advantage of a series with the last-place Marlins, the Mets now face a red-hot Phillies squad with first place on the line. The offense needs to get some big hits or they’ll get swept and be in second (or third) place by the end of Sunday.
This team just does not hit the ball. I mean, it is truly pathetic how no one hits the ball hard with RISP… I mean, we are starting to not even expect a base hit with the bases loaded. JD and Baez looked really bad against a soft throwing lefty in the first inning.
And what ever happened to men scoring from second on a hit? It’s little things like these that win games… like taking a good primary and secondary lead, being aggressive, running hard, and not requiring your team to get yet another hit… score, dammit.
I think we just have to look at the new hitting coach… he has failed… this team can’t hit.
If we were hitting just our averages we would be 10 games up on the division. But weeks of going 4-6 leaves us clinging to a half game lead over the Phillies. Here’s our big test. Do we take it to the Phillies and start hitting or is this a defining moment where we continue to drop down and start thinking to next year. Looking for our bats to wake up starting tomorrow night, but I’ve said way too many times. #glasshalffull
Not going to happen NYM6986. After 100+ games, we know how this team is going to (not) hit. We all thought in our pre-season prediction that this would be one of the best offensive teams the Mets ever had. Well, we were partially right…..the hitting is offensive.
Yes I know that hitting numbers are down across the board in baseball, but this particular group of Mets is really awful to watch. I guess we didn’t want to believe how awful they were, giving them the excuse of weather, injuries as factors to them being so bad. Not anymore.
It’ll be interesting to see what Cohen does in the off season after we finish in 4th with about 75 wins. I hope for the following:
1. don’t sign Baez.
2. let Conforto walk
3. fire Sandy, our hitting coach, and conditioning/medical staff.
4. trade deGrom for a #@*&% of prospects
5.and of course, fire Rojas.
Agree that the verdict is in. Overall, they are bad batters.
On your hopes:
1. Agree. They shouldn’t sign Baez. His OBP is atrocious and he Ks too much. Also, McNeil should be left at 2B and the $$ to sign Baez are better spent elsewhere.
2. Agree. Conforto is lost. Yes, he was injured, but now he’s at 277 PAs. And, as well, the $$ is better spent elsewhere.
3. No, they will not fire Sandy (nor should they IMO). He should be given another year or two. But there should be changes in the hitting dept. for coaches and in the conditioning/medical staff probably.
4. deGrom will not be traded, nor should he. You would be trading low (with his half-dozen injuries) and he should retire as a Mets player.
5. I would give Rojas another year. I think he is much improved as a manager. On the other hand, it might shake up the team for the better.
Geez that picture is a bit harsh.
It should be an interesting weekend in the city of brotherly love. Meaningful games in August are not always available to Met fans.
Can’t blame the front office for not going for a win at all cost this year. We are not at that point and to unload a boat load of prospects for a rental – see Max Scherzer and the Dodgers – would be criminal. I like Baez and hope they sign him. He and Lindor would make the best up the middle combo in years both in the field and at the plate and they are bonafide stars. Now they need a true all-star in CF. If the DH comes to the NL then there is a perfect spot for JD Davis. Otherwise bye bye. Like Conforto but unless he explodes and leads us forward, Boras can take his disappointing client elsewhere. We have some trade chips and I expect Cohen and Co to have a busy off season creating a stronger team for 2022.
We are still stuck with Cano for next year (or two?), and he’ll probably end up being a DH only player. I don’t want to see him out in the field, when we have multiple options available for that.
It would be great to have Davis as the DH, but I think he’ll have more value (then Cano), and easier to off load in trades. Maybe Baez & Lindor were “bonafide” stars where they came from, but I’d rather let Baez walk and get a compensation pick for him.
Depending on what Syndegaard shows us in September, I’d rather use Baez $$ for him.
I will say that the overall Mets defense has been a wonderful surprise this year. I guess in a perfect world, having a team with good defense, pitching, offense; and no injuries might mean the World Series for us……but then there’s inept management looming to gum up the works.
*Can you tell I’m not a Rojas fan?