Somehow we saw this coming
You hated to see Johan Santana leave the game, but you knew he had to. After seven brilliant shutout innings -- allowing just three hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts -- and 116 pitches,
the Mets had to hand the game over to the bullpen.
All you need to know about the Mets' pen this season can be answered with a question -- how confident were you that the bullpen could close out the game? Not very, I know.
It looked good when the Mets added two in the seventh to go up 4-0, but then it fell apart. Duaner Sanchez must have fallen pretty far in Willie's book after his terrible outing Tuesday because he didn't come in -- at all -- in the eighth inning. Instead, it was Joe Smith, who allowed a walk, a single and a two-run triple that halved the lead.
And then we know what happened with Wagner. Walk, infield single, double, walk, fielder's choice on a grounder that, had it been hit a little harder, could have been an inning-ending double play. But with the Mets' luck lately, of course that doesn't happen.
More damning than the bullpen woes, however, is the inability of the offense to put the game away. After the two runs scored with none out in the seventh, the Mets had the bases loaded and one out with the middle of the order up. But Wright fouled out and Beltran flied out. A hit by either one would have put the game away.
In the eighth, first and second with NOBODY OUT. Castro strikes out, and two flyouts later another opportunity is lost. Then in the ninth, Reyes leads off with an infield single, is bunted to second, but Arizona's defense came up big. Wright was robbed of a potential game-winning double by Augie Freakin' Ojeda, and then Easley was stymied by a diving stop by shortstop Stephen Drew. Again, terrible luck.
Heilman allowed a double in the 10th and then a bunt and a sac fly later -- see how simple! -- Arizona had the lead, and the Mets went quietly in the bottom of the frame, the game ending on a double play.
ESPN reported that Willie is now 'day to day' but the funny thing is that the Mets' most recent travails really have nothing to do with him. It has everything to do with poor execution and rotten luck, and a roster that has huge holes with Alou always hurt and Church out with the concussion.
Moves need to be made, Omar. And this time we're not talking about the manager's office.
the Mets had to hand the game over to the bullpen.
All you need to know about the Mets' pen this season can be answered with a question -- how confident were you that the bullpen could close out the game? Not very, I know.
It looked good when the Mets added two in the seventh to go up 4-0, but then it fell apart. Duaner Sanchez must have fallen pretty far in Willie's book after his terrible outing Tuesday because he didn't come in -- at all -- in the eighth inning. Instead, it was Joe Smith, who allowed a walk, a single and a two-run triple that halved the lead.
And then we know what happened with Wagner. Walk, infield single, double, walk, fielder's choice on a grounder that, had it been hit a little harder, could have been an inning-ending double play. But with the Mets' luck lately, of course that doesn't happen.
More damning than the bullpen woes, however, is the inability of the offense to put the game away. After the two runs scored with none out in the seventh, the Mets had the bases loaded and one out with the middle of the order up. But Wright fouled out and Beltran flied out. A hit by either one would have put the game away.
In the eighth, first and second with NOBODY OUT. Castro strikes out, and two flyouts later another opportunity is lost. Then in the ninth, Reyes leads off with an infield single, is bunted to second, but Arizona's defense came up big. Wright was robbed of a potential game-winning double by Augie Freakin' Ojeda, and then Easley was stymied by a diving stop by shortstop Stephen Drew. Again, terrible luck.
Heilman allowed a double in the 10th and then a bunt and a sac fly later -- see how simple! -- Arizona had the lead, and the Mets went quietly in the bottom of the frame, the game ending on a double play.
ESPN reported that Willie is now 'day to day' but the funny thing is that the Mets' most recent travails really have nothing to do with him. It has everything to do with poor execution and rotten luck, and a roster that has huge holes with Alou always hurt and Church out with the concussion.
Moves need to be made, Omar. And this time we're not talking about the manager's office.
posted by Gaspo @ 6:45 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home