30 RBI? How is that possible? "Deer In Headlights" Batting Strategy Not Paying Off

The Recap: Yankees 2, Mets 1

Once again, in a clutch at-bat situation, David Wright came up small, grounding out meekly to second with the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth inning to lose the game. Much like the Loch Ness Monster, we've all heard stories of big hits from Wright, but haven't seen them at all this year while his strikeouts are being amassed at an alarming rate. Somehow however, Wright's stats shows him to have 30 rbi on the season so far that when projected on a yearly basis would look quite impressive - must all be before the late innings against the Pirates and Cubs when the runs don't matter.

THE GOOD: This was actually an exciting game. In a pitching duel like tonight, you have to give credit to the starting pitchers - Takman was brilliant once again, giving the Mets a much-needed solid outing after the "Maine" bizarre incident of the previous game and the "Ollie" incidents during the entire year so far. (Perez even made an appearance in relief in the game, so you know the Mets lost - AND he only walked one batter in his 1/3 of an inning of work). It was Takman's first start of his career and by the looks of things, it won't be his last.

And as every Met fan knows, if it takes an embarrassing sweep at the hands of a hated rival to clean house (manager, GM, medical staff, coaches, scouts, grounds crew, stadium vendors, parking attendants, etc.), I'm all for it. Calling Mikhail Prokhorov... please help.

THE BAD: Welcome back Elmer Dessens. On the team for less than 24 hours, he immediately entered the game in Takman's relief, blew it, and took the loss. It wasn't entirely his fault though, Remember last year, when our second baseman dropped a sure out popup and mysteriously threw to second as the Yankees won the game? This time the Met second baseman caught the ball and mysteriously threw to centerfield hoping to start a sure-fire double play, helping the Yankees win the game. Too bad for Alex Cora, because he was one of the few Mets that actually got on base against Yankee pitching.

But here's what's really bad: you can make an excellent case right now that Angel Pagan is the best all-around hitter on this team. I mean really, man on third, one out, late inning, down by one - who do you want at the plate?

Certainly not Jose Reyes, who looks over-matched and completely intimidated each time he steps up to the plate.

Just as Mike Piazza was never the same after getting drilled in the face by Roger Clemens, David Wright hasn't been the same player since Matt Cain nailed him in similar fashion. Wright looks scared, especially with that "deer in the headlights" look he flashed while stepping into the batter's box against the mighty Mariano tonight. I'm shocked he even hit the ball, quite frankly.

You can't put Jason Bay in that situation since he's horrific in the clutch as well. Bay doesn't look scared at the plate however, he just looks disinterested. Either way, you get the same result. And by the way, somehow Jay Ray Bay has 16 rbi this year and he's hitting fourth most of the time. Where did those rbi come from? How is that possible, part 2?

Francoeur? You're kidding me right?

Luis Castillo once batted over 600 times in a season and accumulated just 39 rbi for the entire year with an offensive stacked order, so you know you don't want him hitting in the clutch.

Fernando Tatis? Not unless you want a double play grounder.

The catchers? Way too many strikeouts.

Ike Davis? Maybe, but he's way too young for a sample-size on what the kid can do.

Nope - Angel Pagan is your best hitter, and that's pretty bad.

And speaking of Davis, while the "veterans" Reyes, Cora, and Wright stepped up to the plate scared beyond belief of facing a Mariano cutter, Ike Davis - in his first at-bat against his greatness - calmly stroked a ball into the gap to account for the Mets only run and rbi. I like this kid... he looks like a gamer.

And speaking of Castillo: he was scratched from the starting lineup today due to pain in his left foot. You run with your feet, right? So what does Jerry ManGenius do after Ike Davis doubled in a run in the ninth? HE PINCH RUNS CASTILLO FOR DAVIS! He pinch runs him!... as in we need speed, let's put the guy who we scratched from the lineup with the bad leg into the game to hopefully score the tying run!?! What, Steven Hawking wasn't available? It didn't matter of course, but if the Mets did tie the game, I wonder who was going to play first for the rest of the game?

THE UGLY: Today the Mets honored the 2000 World Series team at the ballpark, which was a real nice idea. It was great seeing Piazza, Benny Agbayani, Rick Reed, and the rest of that improbable World Series team (who managed that team, by the way? And wasn't that guy fired by the all-knowing ESPN analyst and baseball guru Steve Phillips?)

But seriously, did the Mets have to pick the Yankees as the opponent on the day they honor the 2000 team? Didn't the Yankees beat the Mets in that World Series (even if they did cheat with all their players on steroids and all - but that's another story)? Why not honor the team in front of a team you beat instead? How about the Cardinals? Or the Giants?

Jeter, Pettitte, Rivera, Posada - all current Yankees who beat up on the Mets soundly watching the Mets honor their 2000 team that lost to them! Can the Mets do anything right?