Some losses are tougher than others.
The Giants were playing without Kris Bryant and Evan Longoria and were starting a pitcher with a 5.72 ERA. Meanwhile, the Mets were coming off a day off and were getting Francisco Lindor back in the lineup. So, what happened? An 8-0 loss.
Tylor Megill clearly didn’t have it and he allowed 4 HR in 3.2 IP. He allowed a homer in both the first and second innings. He put two runners on in the third but escaped without a run scoring. But the fourth inning completely did him in.
Megill allowed back-to-back homers, on the front half of four straight hits. Finally, Luis Rojas came out with the hook. Rojas has done a better job here of letting his starters go deeper in the game when they’re pitching well. But you also have to know when they don’t have it so you don’t lose a game in the fourth inning, like what happened tonight.
Every outing doesn’t have to be between 90-100 pitches. You can let a guy go 125 when everything is clicking. And you can yank him at 50 pitches when he doesn’t have it. Especially now that you have a long man in Trevor Williams in the pen.
And for one final gut punch with this game, the Mets loaded the bases in the ninth inning and didn’t score.
Wow, it’s hard to actually summarize this game, but good job being level headed. But I won’t be.
To start with, My Entire Team Sucks. There is no debate any longer, Chris and Name were right. It is rare that an entire team underperforms the whole year, but when that happens we know it isn’t an accident. An entire team doesn’t slump for five months.
I’d fire e v e r y b o d y: the manager, the coaches, the bat boy, the ball girls, the equipment man, the bullpen catcher, the hot dog vendors, and the ushers at the front gate. Why so mean? Because I want to send the message to the next guy that I will not be a fool.
There is no urgency on this team. Ho hum, whatever, we’ll get them tomorrow. That’s their attitude.
You are right Gus. I have a very strong feeling that this team will get completely blown up in the off season. Cohen has to be fuming.
Turned the game on, it was 6-0, went to sleep.
It is easy to react, and overreact to 1/162, but this game was both an indictment and a embarrassment. Yeah, Megill didn’t have it, so how about picking him up? Back at home, with a day of rest, against a fill in high era guy, with the return of your start SS, to put up 0 runs and 5 hits…that screams to clean house whether it is the manager/staff’s fault or not.
This is barely a pulse and they need to show some heart right now.
I’d still fire the training staff first. The number of injuries have been incredible and not just for 30 somethings who are hurt more often. And I’m not talking about the inevitable TJ surgeries that have become so standard that it is now a badge of recovery honor. You’d have to go back to the early years to see such poor hitting and those teams were filled with over the hill basically done players chosen to entice a new NL fan base. I’ve never seen a team hitting slump like this. I don’t think the team needs to be blown up but some shrewd trades and FA signings can be a good omen in year two of the Cohen remake. A star CF so Nimmo can move to a corner spot. A 3B who can field and hit. Another #2 added to the starting crew and the subtraction of Familia and the addition of a few more reliable relievers because we all know that many games are won after the starters come out. Sign Baez to team with Lindor. Say goodbye to Conforto who I’ve always liked but who failed to step up and hovered for most of the season as a poorly added AAA player. And a new and experienced hitting coach and a old hand experienced manager. Dust Baker or Joe Girardi for a few seasons would have whipped this team into shape. No shame losing to the team with the best record but plenty of shame for not remembering how to hit with RISP. We were teased through the 90 days in first place but knew the bad omen was that we were not pulling away from the rest of the division that would eventually wake up. LGM – always first in my baseball heart.
69, you don’t need Baez, you need Corey Seagar or maybe Correa. You need players that make contact and produce; Baez is just more of the same. Nimmo is fine at CF if there isn’t a good alternative and star CF aren’t easy to find. So when you draft one, make sure you trade him away the very next off season (Kelenic, PCA). Conforto=McNeil=Smith, hence there’s options for that spot. Bruce Bochy and Buck Showalter are available. Girardi was the guy, but did BVW do anything that didn’t involve his ego having control?
Oh, and how can we forget? Don’tcha know who’s coming back from suspension? He could DH.
Agree on Baez and Nimmo. The latter is the only starting outfielder worth keeping. McNeil should be kept and put at 2B, with Cano being bought out. Lee could eventually replace Nimmo in CF, but Nimmo has been fine there (dWAR of 0.4 now).
Rojas has not gotten most of the batters to barrel up hittable pitches. The Mets (until I nodded off) made Sammy Long look like Greg Maddux! I agree that Girardi was the guy. Maybe Showalter can do the job.
If Cohen is anything like the guy on Billions, he will kick ass this offseason! Changes in the front office, managerial and coaching staff, and the players will come! Especially the outfielders! And don’t let Stroman and Syndergaard get away! I’m still bummed about Wheeler!
Steve, are you sold long term on Stroman? I think this is a walk year result, I’m not buying…. Wheeler was more than just one year, however.
Yes, I am sold on Stroman LT. And, if we let him leave, who do we replace him with? Maybe Gausman (same age, but lower ERA+ overall). Stroman is 30 and has pitched well not only this season, but in most seasons since 2014. And I love his improved K/BB ratio this year 3.69). He’s a competitor, and I believe that he’ll keep it going for 4-5 years!
Theres a lot in there to unpack. One thing worth noting, and that I mentioned in past articles is that the Mets not only fialed to run away with the Division, they in fact were sitting in first place completely upside-down with their run differential, which was negative most of the time they were atop the division. I cant help but think the only real reasons the team was in first was becuse of having deGrom pitching like Gibson, and lousy rivals. They never had command on first place. It was an illusion.
As far as firings go, I think the first stop is with Alderson and the horrific team philosophy he has shown over the years. This team can hit, because Alderson only sees walks and HR. He does not like baseball players to be complete. And it shows, and has shown, the entire decade he’s been at the helm. Firing Rojas is one thing, and I dont really care, but youre kidding yourselves if you think Showalter is going up to the FO and say heres the game plan. The lousy decision making we see is as much a product of the FO as it is from the dugout. Add to the fact Alderson presided over some of the absolute worst with regards to harassment of women and the only thing you get is toxic. On day one of the post season, Id have his office emptied and tossed out on old Shea stadium first base. Id dump quattle-bum as well and beg Chili Davis to return. This team cant score because the hitting philosophy is to watch middle middle fastballs and chase break pitches in the dirt and swat at bugs at eye level. They are broken. With the luck of being well over .500 in record but under .500 expected now gone, we are seeing the team for who they are.
I think we need to rid ourselves of Conforto (done), McNeill and Smith. McNeill has turned into a better version of Bud Harrelson. Look at his swing. He is now a slap hitter. Let Nimmo stay in center, because there are many more options for left and right. I would keep Davis for DH if it gets adopted, but we need a third baseman. Please, not Baez. He does not get on base like we need and as he ages, he will become a liability. I think the Mets will give Syndergaard a QO and he will accept it. It would be awful though if he went to Philly. I am not sold on big bucks for Stroman. Have to see what we can do with trades, oh whoops, we have a dearth of minor league talent to trade. So, besides Bryant, which SS would like to play 3rd for the Mets ?
Cohen should clean house… Rojas goes bye bye… just not effective enough for what this team needs.
Stroman is a quality #3, but will want #2 money. If he is at the top of his game, then maybe he will fall off in subsequent years… although he has exceeded my expectations, I’m dubious about his future value. Sign him if it’s reasonable.
Keep Nimmo, who improved and may still get better. Yes, corner OF best, but he can still play CF. Get more OF talent!
Smith and McNeil, sorry… go somewhere else and revive your careers. Cano, never. JD, a great DH, spot utility man. Baez, God no.