Mets Lose Another Lackluster Game to Dodgers - And That's NOT The Bad News

The bad news is that Jerry Manuel continues to ruin any potential we see from Daniel Murphy. Off the heals of perhaps his best game of the season (both offensively and defensively), Manuel decided to sit him in last night's 11-2 loss to the Dodgers so he can "get Fernando Tatis going". We Met fans know where Tatis really should be going... Have you ever seen a big league team destroy a young kid's confidence more than the Mets and Jerry Manuel are doing to Murphy?

But that's not the worst of it. The worst part was watching another horrendous performance by Livan Hernandez. It wasn't long ago when we all marveled at his 5-1 record. Now he can't even record an out. Yesterday's atrocity totalled eight earned runs and eleven hits allowed in only 4 innings - and compared to his last couple of outings, this had to be considered one of his better starts! The same can be said about Tim Redding (3 runs allowed, 7.14 ERA), who's had his chances but now really needs to go the route of Aaron Heilman into Met-blivion. Take a look at this guy's last 10 outings - how is his ERA that low?!?!

More bad news: Met management must believe Angel Pagan is the answer to their problems as they activated him today to start in centerfield and bat leadoff in tonight's game against the Reds. So who does the team send down? None other than Nick Evans, perhaps the only batter in the lineup (other than Murphy) that's had any kind of clutch hits over the past 10 games.

Is there help on the horizon? Not likely, as management has indicated the team has the talent to compete "as is". That's bad news for us fans...

Here's an unfortunate reality check: With Omar Minaya steering this ship with Jerry Manuel at the helm, even the most optimistic of Met fans have to realize this season's over. Let's start playing the kids and see what they can do. That means Daniel Murphy at first regardless of the opposing pitcher... Nick Evans in the lineup somewhere... let's give Fernando Martinez a true shot at showing us what he can do... and let's see Jonathan Niese start a few games without the threat of being sent down after a bad performance. The team can't just "tread water" and hope for a break before everyone returns from the disabled list, as our fearless manager keeps repeating. The Mets have to play out the year as if no one on the disabled list will play again this year - especially when the Mets crack medical staff keep reminding us that there's no timetable for anyone's return. That usually translates into bad news as well.

And finally, like we Met fans need another dagger through the heart, things must be getting really bad for the Wilpons when they have to auction off a priceless part of the Mets history, namely their 1986 World Series Owner's Trophy. This is no joke. It's bad enough they design a whole new stadium that looks just like Ebbets Field - then forego any history of the past 40 plus years of the team. But to put a World Series Trophy up for auction? I guess Bernie Madoff took them real good. I don't know whether this makes me want to cry or vomit...

Perhaps I'll just save that feeling for tonight's game.

I... Can NOT... Believe... What I... Just Saw!!

Most times, announcers and broadcasters will say that phrase in response to an amazing play that just happened during an exciting game. "I can NOT believe what I just saw!" - and they emphasize each word to further enhance the incredibility of the moment.

Mets fans said the same thing last night. No, not on Daniel Murphy's spectacular acrobatic play at first that still has me wondering how he did it. No, in this instance, that phrase was uttered in the Mets second inning when they finally scored a run after 22 fruitless innings of pathetic play. The Mets were actually down a run when they scored, then posted an additional 4 more runs the rest of the game for a 5-4 win against the Dodgers, who were playing their second home game at the new Ebbets Field.

The Mets escaped a very shaky ninth inning with KRod allowing a ManRam shot and needing a big double play ground ball from the hot-hitting Andre Ethier to end the game with 2 runners on at the time. I can NOT believe what I just saw! - KRod didn't blow it and the Mets actually won a close ballgame, their first against the Dodgers this season.

And how about that bottom third inning for the Mets!? "I can NOT believe what I just saw", said Mets fans across the country. Not only did the Mets get an extra base hit (another double by Daniel Murphy), but David Wright actually drove him home with a single, snapping an 0-17 streak for his first RBI in 7 games! Amazin'!

Ollie Perez walks 7 batters in 5 innings and the Mets win the game? I can NOT believe what I just saw! Alex Cora, Gary Sheffield, Ryan Church, and Brian Schneider go a combined 2 for 16 and the Mets win the game? I can NOT believe what I just saw!

All in all, last night's game was a very pleasant surprise.

History Repeats Itself (Sort Of) As Dodgers Blank Mets

The Mets got shut out again last night. That's no surprise. They only had 4 hits the entire game. That's no surprise either. They haven't had an extra base hit in who even knows how many games at this point - much less a home run. And that's certainly no surprise with this weak hitting team of AAA type players at this point. The surprise is the way history repeats itself... somewhat.

When the Dodgers played their first game at Shea Stadium way back in 1964, the Mets were bad and the Dodgers were good, yet they lost to the Amazin's by a score of 8-0. Fast forward 45 years, and the Dodgers come into town to play their first game at Citi Field (and we all know how "Dodger-friendly" the ballpark is) when the Mets are supposedly good, yet the team from LA spanked the New Yorkers by an identical 8-0 score.

It must be tough for the Mets starting pitching staff to know that as soon as they allow just one run, the game's over. It didn't take Mike Pelfrey long to take his fourth loss of the year as the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez put up 3 quick runs to basically take the Mets completely out of the game in the second inning.

The Mets have now lost 9 of 11 and gone scoreless in the last 22 consecutive innings, with just 10 hits - all singles. Met pitchers walked seven Dodgers in the game and Met batters grounded twice into double plays. Dodger pinch hitter Blake DeWitt hit a seventh inning homerun off Tim Redding that still hasn't landed. Met pinch hitter Argenis Reyes struck out looking. Regardless, it was fun watching Manny Ramirez get tossed from the game, the lone Met highlight if you can even call it that.

In their last 4 games, the Mets have hit a measly .183, been outscored 21-3 and struck out 28 times. The "DaRK Wright" went o-for-3 again and is now hitless in his last 16 at-bats while the Mets have dropped into fourth place, 4½ games behind the NL East-leading Phillies. And, according to team sources, no timetable has been set for the return of anyone on the disabled list and the front office believes the team can still compete in the NL East "as-is".

Back in 1964, Met fans didn't know it, but they only had to wait 5 more years for a championship season. These days, with the way the Mets operate, I fear a much longer wait for history to repeat itself.

"The Dark Wright" is No Bat-man

Who can ever forget Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in "The Dark Knight"? Well, New Yorkers and Gotham City now have an even more sinister villain causing havoc and mayhem wherever he goes. And his name: "The Dark Wright" as in "DAvid the Rally Killer" Wright.

"The DaRK Wright" struck in this weekend sweep of a series against the first place Philadelphia Phillies to the tune of an 0 for 11 series, including a 1 for 21 July so far with 8 strikeouts and 2 double play groundouts killing whatever rallies the Mets could amass. Now that's damaging! There is no rally the DaRK Wright can't kill right now.

I would say these last three games were pretty big games, and just when we needed him the most, the "DaRK Wright", just like Christain Bale, let us all down with perhaps the worst offensive baseball since the final days of strikeout-king Dave Kingman.

Okay... I know this sounds very "what have you done for me lately" kind of thing, but the DaRK Wright really needs to do some soul searching here because he's absolutely killing the team. David, are you hurt? Not focused? Feeling too much pressure? Trying to carry the entire team on your shoulders?... Take a day off. Get your eyes checked out. Relax a little.

And as for Jerry Manuel, if you're not going to rest this guy, at least drop him in the batting order so he can't do too much damage up top. Joe Torre batted ARoid 8th (in the post season at that!). Terry Francona dropped Big Papi when he was slumping. Why can't you do likewise? (Oh, I forgot, those are real managers. My bad...)

As of today - the exact halfway point of the season with the team maybe in 3rd place at best and 3 games under .500 at 39-42, The DaRK Wright is hitting the lightest .329 I can ever remember. Sure that's a pretty solid batting average, but unfortunately batting averages do not win baseball games. Homeruns and rbis do, and the DaRK Wright's 5 and 42 respectively are not going to cut it if the Mets have any hope whatsoever just to stay in the NL East race, much less make the post-season.

Is Wright overrated? Is it unrealistic to ask him to step up his game? Perhaps... But he has a lot of things and intangibles going for him. If he wants to enjoy the glory of playing in New York (endorsements, nightlife, David Letterman appearances, etc.), it's only fair he takes the blame when it's warranted. Right now, he's the best chance we've got and he needs to start performing better in big games (or at least start making productive outs).

So what was the result of the DaRK Wright's diabolical holiday weekend plan? The Mets totalled 3 runs in the entire weekend series with the hated Phillies, losing 7-2 on Friday, 4-1 on Saturday, and 2-0 on Sunday. You saw a really bad Livan Hernandez losing to Rodrigo Lopez, his first win since July of 2007. Then you saw a young Fernando Nieves lose to Jamie Moyer, old enough to be his grandfather. And then, behind Johan Santana, you saw the team get a total of 4 hits against the likes of 4.69 ERA Joe Blanton. Pathetic for any team with resources. Any real team sweeps this series in Philly - which is what the Phillies did to the Mets... again.

That's the frustrating part of being a Mets fan: we know the team has resources. But while all the other GM's in baseball see injuries and crazy things happen to their teams and make moves, what does our Omar Minaya do? Like Commissioner Gordon, he just sits there and waits for his Batmen to bail him out. And just like Commissioner Gordon, Omar seems immune from criticism, somehow making blunder after blunder while keeping his job. This team reeks of Omar - when will he have to pay? If real GM's play chess, Omar's stuck on checkers. The worst part is that ownership seems content about it - and that's really bad news for Met fans, because it probably won't get better.

And lastly, I'm as patriotic and charitable as the next guy, but this "Red Cap" thing MLB is doing really irritates me. Anytime anything is "forced" on someone, it's almost always a bad idea and this honorary red cap farce is probably the worst baseball related idea since Fox's "Scooter" graphic. There's nothing worse than watching your team get completely humiliated by your arch enemy while wearing a red Philly-looking cap in the process.

The only red I want to see is the red phone ringing on Commissioner Omar's desk from Batman telling him he's fired. There's just something inherently wrong with watching the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Mariners, Royals, etc. wearing red. It's just wrong. And speaking of the Dodgers, they're up next at Citi. Remember they swept the Mets in LA a few weeks ago - and that was without Manny. Mets hitting coach Howard Johnson (also known as Chief O'Hara - another bumbler somehow avoiding the axe) better start coaching the hitters better... and fast!

In fact, tell me right now that the "Dark Wright" gets 3 hits total in the entire LA series, and I take it - it's come down to that. Because right now, amen, amen I say to you: citizens of Citi Field (also known as Gotham City Park) are in danger every time the DaRK Wright steps to the plate. And he's an All-Star! (you can't make this up folks)

Roller Coaster Game Ends with Mets Win

First they looked bad - really bad. Then they looked good - really good. Then they looked bad again, and finally the Mets ended up looking good again by winning an improbable game by a 9-8 final in 10 innings.

The Mets had to rally from 5 runs down to win this game. You read that right! There aren't any typos in that sentence. Usually, when the Mets are down by a run or two at any point in the game, you can stop watching and start doing something constructive instead because the team won't win that game. But today in Pittsburgh, it was a totally different story. In fact, it's the kind of win that can build momentum and turn a season around. Let's hope.

Ryan Church came up with another big hit to drive in Fernando Tatis in the 10th inning after there were 2 men out and nobody on base. Tatis was hit by a pitch and really took one for the team in this one. The Mets had to play the tenth inning because KRod blew his 3rd save opportunity of the year by allowing a monster shot from the bat of Adam LaRoche. Tatis was hit by a pitch previously in the game as well, plus he also hit a two-run homer which looked to give the Mets the insurance runs they hoped they wouldn't need. He totalled 3 hits, scored 4 runs, stole a base, didn't ground out into a double play by hustling down the line at first, and flashed a good glove in the field.

When the boxscore shows 11 different players batting in the ninth spot in the order, you know you're watching a roller coaster game. Nick Evans and Alex Cora each had 2 hits apiece in the game, and Daniel Murphy drove in 2 big runs to start the comeback rally.

And how bad was Tim Redding and his 6.99 ERA? He couldn't even make it past the third inning against the Pirates and will probably be bumped from the starting rotation after Oliver Perez makes his rehab start tomorrow. That's bad.

But a Met comeback?... a real Met rally?... scoring more than 1 run in an inning NOT due to a homerun?... that's good. The team is back at .500 and hopefully has a better attitude going into the 3 game set at Philly than they had 3 days ago.

Pitching, Defense Help Snap Losing Streak as Mets Pelfreyize Brewers

On a day former Mets closer John Franco ripped the team for their lack of leadership and mental mistakes, the Mets finally put together a good pitching and good defensive effort in today's 1-0 shutout of the Brewers, salvaging one game in Milwaukee and snapping their 5-game losing streak on the heels of a really nice outing by Mike Pelfrey.

Pelf struck out 6, walked 2 and went 7 2/3 innings for his sixth win against three losses. Sean Green came into the game in the eighth to record a huge "hold" - his biggest hold of the season no doubt - and KRod pitched the ninth for a huge Q-Save (that's a "quality save") to preserve the victory.

Not much happening with the bats as that's still a major concern for this team going into tomorrow's makeup game with the Pirates, and then on to Philadelphia for a 3-game set against the Phillies. The Mets have scored just 13 runs over their past 6 games (and remember 5 of them were charity), but in today's game, Ryan Church had the big RBI single in the sixth to drive in the lone run of the afternoon.

And with Prince Fielder on second base in the seventh (single and second on Pelfrey's fifth balk of the season), Brian Schenider quick-threw back to second to try to pick him off. Fielder knew he was deadmeat, so he tried for third instead and was thrown out on a nice tag by Wright. That was a huge defensive play that probably saved the game.

Interestingly enough, today's win was the Mets third 1-0 victory of the year, having gone all season last year without winning a 1-0 game. Strange... And trying to force team unity by making the entire team travel to the stadium by bus isn't really my idea of motivation (forcing people to do anything rarely solves any problems), but maybe Jerry's closed door session brainstorm idea yesterday is working. On to Pittsburgh!!!

Welcome to Third Place

As the Mets losing streak gains momentum, the team continues to falter in the standings of the National League East. A couple of days ago, we at MetsFanClub.com predicted a very interesting 4-team race towards the final week in September in this division, and it looks to be taking shape that way even as we speak.

Four games now separate first place Philadelphia with fourth place Atlanta with the Mets now occupying the third place spot after last night's loss to the Brewers in Milwaukee. Seems the Mets lose even when Johan Santana pitches too, this time to Milwaukee by a 6-3 final.

But let's not blame this one on Santana (despite the idiots calling into the FAN today about trading him for prospects - please!, don't they screen callers these days?). Besides Santana being mercilessly squeezed on strike calls from home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom, this time it was Mets centerfielder Fernando Martinez' turn to miss an easily catchable fly ball in the fourth inning, which put the Brewers well on their way to victory despite a 2-run homerun from David Wright in the first inning. It was Wright's first dinger since June 9th. (And we thought David Ortiz was slumping in the power department?!?!)

The team went 9-18 in June, their worst month in nearly six years. At 37-39, these third-place Mets are still just three games behind first-place Philadelphia in the NL East but only a game in front of Atlanta.

After another depressing loss, the injury-depleted Mets held a closed-door meeting that sources say lasted almost 30 minutes. It was reported that manager Jerry Manuel did all the talking. We'll see today whether he's an inspirational soul or not, but judging from the lineup Jerry's putting out for today's game, I have my doubts about a barrage of runs in the Mets favor.