Paul Blackburn got lit up by his old teammates and the Mets opened their nine-game homestand with a 9-4 loss to the A’s Tuesday night.
• Mets had nine hits and five walks but struck out 13 times
• Francisco Lindor, Jesse Winker and Jose Iglesias each had two hits
• Francisco Alvarez and Harrison Bader went a combined 0-8
• J.D. Martinez was hit on the elbow and taken out of the game
* The A’s have a .600 winning pct since the all-star break, they aren’t rolling over.
* The defensive whiz Inglesias fanned on an easy play as he arrogantly wanted to make a fancier one in the first inning costing Blackburn three runs. Time for Vientos to play everyday and stop the OMG phenomenon.
* There is a virus in the Mets organization’s water as all the bats in the system are sick. We need to kill a live rooster or something.
* I would like to see Winker as the DH if Martinez is out and not Vientos. It would send the wrong message.
Any given Sunday is as true for baseball as with football. Now 2 games back of the dreaded Braves for the last WC spot as the DBacks and Padres have each gone 9-1 in their last ten to plant themselves in the first two WC spots. They are doing what the Mets can’t, win now when the season is on the line. Blackburn was bound to have a game like this after all he’s a back rotation starter not a number three as he has been pitching for the Mets. We are likely all going back to our premise that the Mets should’ve sold at the deadline, but that wasn’t the information we had at the time. The reality is except for moving Alonso, we didn’t stand to gain much from moving a couple of second chance starters, so it’s looking like another rebuild off-season is ahead. And why in the world can’t they figure out what is going on with Nimmo? It’s gonna be a long 43 games to the finish line.
I am glad you brought this up because even if their collapse continues, I would not have wanted them to sell. As I read yesterday, look what they got for Scherzer and Verlander, what would they get for Severino and Quintana? Although slumps don’t last forever, I’m glad they went for it and gave us hope. A collapse though would signal that it is time to clean house get the kids into the big league team.
They are only two games behind Atlanta for the last playoff spot. They were 4-6 the previous grueling road trip. The two games lost against the Angels were one run losses. Things look bleak when you’re on a losing streak. They are still in position to make the playoffs.
I agree with you in part. The Zach Neto homerun was on a pitch inside that he pulled his hands in on, and hit it over the fence. Sucks that the Mets had taken a 4-2 lead on a grand slam, but they didn’t score again. That’s a loss, they happen. As was the first game against the Rockies. The Rockies at home are almost a .500 team and they looked impressive at times. Even yesterday, the A’s aren’t quitting.
It’s the three games in Seattle that I referred to as a collapse. There was no energy, no fight, no emotion. The Tigers yesterday killed those same Mariners 15-1. How do you let a team out hustle you, out play you, out pitch you that badly for three games in a three game series?
As a first year manager, Mendoza is surely getting input from somewhere on bullpen usage. And, whether Butto or Megill is in the rotation or not probably comes from the front office. Many times I tell myself that surely those guys see what we see, so what is the reason they can’t reason the same? Is it Megill is going to traded and they want keep him as a starter?
Test 2
I don’t think they’re rebuilding as much as evolving. Players like Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams, and Brandon Sproat should be coming on line next year, and Vientos, Alvarez, and Christian Scott will hopefully be improving. Alonso, McNeil, Marte, Quintana, Manaea may be departing. It will be a younger club with hopefully a higher ceiling.
Will the real Mets offense please stand up?
Are they the broken wagon they were from 4/21 to 5/29 and are currently, or are they the maulers and mashers of everyone who got in their way, as they were in between?
My impression is that Mendoza is not consistently making the right choices in bullpen management. Opinions?
Gut Reaction: Blackburn didn’t have it in the first inning and by the third inning the game was out of reach. So by the fifth inning Mendoza inserted his tier one reliever, Butto, and burned him for the next two games. Then in the ninth inning, he inserted his closer, Diaz, because he hadn’t pitched in six days. The last game in Seattle, Diaz, was bypassed even though there was an off day the next day. The Mets began the home stand with nine consecutive games. Mendoza’s bullpen usage doesn’t make sense.
Let right this ship tonight.