If the season ended today, the Mets would play the Chicago Cubs. Looking back to the beginning of the year, that wouldn't be a very good thing.
The Mets played the Cubbies twice, for one of those weird two game series on April 21 and 22nd.
Both of those games saw the Mets only score one run, losing 7-1 against Carlos Zambrano and 8-1 against Ted Lilly.
The way these two have been pitching, with Zambo throwing a no-hitter against the Astros last time out, and Lilly taking a no-hit bid into the seventh inning the next day, and the way the Mets offense has been hitting, I wouldn't be surprised if another no-hitter is in the stars.
The Mets have been making the Nationals starters look like Cy Young. John Lannan? One hit. Odalis Perez? Four hits. Shairon Martis? We'll see.
Chicago comes to Shea during the last week of the season, for a four game series September 22 - 25. It's the second to last regular season series at the old park, so hopefully the Mets can do something special.
If they can, they just might be able to get October baseball into the old park one more time.
9/17/08
So long, sweet lucky helmet
All thanks to Willie Harris and his ridiculous catch in the sixth inning.Sixth inning, runners on first and second, two outs for David Wright at the plate. Crack! There goes a smoking line drive to deep left...
Back back back goes Willie Harris...he leaps...throws his glove up...and smack the ball lands in the glove and Harris lands on the ground. Wright slams his helmet down in frustration.
309 miles away, I echo Wright's emotions, slamming my helmet into the closest immovable object: the wall.
Oops.
I just stared at the helmet, nearly in two pieces, in my hand. There she was, the helmet I have worn for two years, thrown around for two crazy seasons, flung across the room on countless occasions, and she just couldn't hold it up anymore.
She's hurt, but I think she's salvageable.
My roommates are refusing to give me any duct tape to fix her up, but I will continue to wear her as the team struggles, falls out of the first place, and attempts to hang on to the wild card lead.Maybe cracking it almost in half may be the best thing for the Mets. Maybe this will break some sort of curse that's been hanging over the Mets. Who knows?
9/16/08
Fernando Tatis out for the season
SNY is reporting that Fernando Tatis suffered a separated shoulder in the fifth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Nationals.
Due to the injury he will miss the remainder of the season.
He was plucked off the trash heap, and put up absolutely amazing numbers for the Mets. I would not mind seeing him back in the orange and blue next season to see is he can recreate the magic of 2008.
Thanks for this season, Fernando.
On a Mets level, are you really surprised? I mean, I keep asking what else can go wrong, and the Mets keep answering me. Nick Evans, Daniel Murphy and Endy Chavez, enjoy the remainder of the season in left field.
Due to the injury he will miss the remainder of the season.
He was plucked off the trash heap, and put up absolutely amazing numbers for the Mets. I would not mind seeing him back in the orange and blue next season to see is he can recreate the magic of 2008.
Thanks for this season, Fernando.
On a Mets level, are you really surprised? I mean, I keep asking what else can go wrong, and the Mets keep answering me. Nick Evans, Daniel Murphy and Endy Chavez, enjoy the remainder of the season in left field.
Game Recap: Nationals 1 -- Mets 0
Go Braves!
Pitching Performance
Another spectacular start down the drain. Mike Pelfrey threw seven brilliant innings of baseball, scattering seven hits. His control was a little off, as he walked four, but he also struck out four batters. Pelfrey allowed one earned run in the fifth inning, off a Christian Guzman ground-rule double, scoring opposing pitcher Odalis Perez.
Pelfrey was efficient, needed 111 pitches while on the mound, but was the hard luck loser tonight as the Mets couldn't do anything with the bats.
This must be so frustrating for the Mets, but especially for pitchers who go out, do almost as much as humanly possible, but have nothing to show for it. It's frustrating for the fans, I'll tell you that.
Joe Smith worked the eighth inning, striking out one.
Woo.
Offensive Output
What output? The Mets could only manage four hits off of Perez.
Odalis Freakin' Perez.
They were all singles, off the bats of David Wright, Brian Schneider, and pinch hitters Ramon Castro and Robinson Cancel.
Seems like the Mets should have played all catchers tonight. Maybe then they could have done something.
The Rest of the Story
I broke my beloved helmet tonight, out of anger and frustration.
Wright, Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran are a combined 1-23 this series.
Willie Harris made another spectacular catch. Figures.
Fernando Tatis had to leave the game, after separating his shoulder on an attempted dive in the fifth inning. He will miss the rest of the season.
Game Ball: Mike Pelfrey.
Pitching Performance
Another spectacular start down the drain. Mike Pelfrey threw seven brilliant innings of baseball, scattering seven hits. His control was a little off, as he walked four, but he also struck out four batters. Pelfrey allowed one earned run in the fifth inning, off a Christian Guzman ground-rule double, scoring opposing pitcher Odalis Perez.
Pelfrey was efficient, needed 111 pitches while on the mound, but was the hard luck loser tonight as the Mets couldn't do anything with the bats.
This must be so frustrating for the Mets, but especially for pitchers who go out, do almost as much as humanly possible, but have nothing to show for it. It's frustrating for the fans, I'll tell you that.
Joe Smith worked the eighth inning, striking out one.
Woo.
Offensive Output
What output? The Mets could only manage four hits off of Perez.
Odalis Freakin' Perez.
They were all singles, off the bats of David Wright, Brian Schneider, and pinch hitters Ramon Castro and Robinson Cancel.
Seems like the Mets should have played all catchers tonight. Maybe then they could have done something.
The Rest of the Story
I broke my beloved helmet tonight, out of anger and frustration.
Wright, Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran are a combined 1-23 this series.
Willie Harris made another spectacular catch. Figures.
Fernando Tatis had to leave the game, after separating his shoulder on an attempted dive in the fifth inning. He will miss the rest of the season.
Game Ball: Mike Pelfrey.
I never thought I'd say this...
But...GO BRAVES!
The Phillies and the Braves begin a three game series tonight in Atlanta, with the Phillies only a 1/2 game behind the Mets with two weeks to go.
Seriously, go Braves!
It'd be great to see Atlanta take two of three here, and maybe the Mets can figure out how to beat the Nationals in September, which seems to be the toughest thing to do for this franchise of late.
The Mets can't worry about anyone else but themselves. If they win, then everything else doesn't matter. So Mets, just win, and don't scoreboard watch. Learn to tack on runs to a lead, hit in clutch situations, and above all else, if someone who enjoys striking out opposing batters would please raise their hand, that would be really helpful.
GO BRAVES!
I need a shower now. I feel dirty.
Such a fitting song
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend,
You could cut ties with all the lies,
That you've been living in,
And if you do not want to see me again,
I would understand,
I would understand,
The angry boy,
A bit too insane,
Icing over a secret pain,
You know you don't belong,
You're the first to fight,
You're way too loud,
You're the flash of light,
On a burial shroud,
I know something's wrong,
Well everyone I know has got a reason,
To say,
Put the past away,
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend,
You could cut ties with all the lies,
That you've been living in,
And if you do not want to see me again,
I would understand,
I would understand,
Well he's on the table,
And he's gone to code,
And I do not think anyone knows,
What they are doing here,
And your friends have left,
You've been dismissed,
I never thought it would come to this,
And I, I want you to know,
Everyone's got to face down the demons,
Maybe today,
We can put the past away,
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend,
You could cut ties with all the lies,
That you've been living in,
And if you do not want to see me again,
I would understand,
I would understand,
I would understand...
Can you put the past away,
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend,
I would understand...
Mr. Met found entering DeLorean outside of Shea Stadium
I just don't know how he's going to fit his head past the gull-wing doors.I thought lightning couldn't strike twice
And this isn't good lightning. The way the Mets are playing, it looks like they'll be fried by weeks end.
I, like every other member of the Shea Faithful, is thinking the exact same thing: Here we go again. And how can we not. Look at this team, look at the situation, and can you honestly tell me this isn't 2007?!?
Sure, there a few different cogs in the machine, but it's still playing the same tune. Everyone brings up Johan Santana as the main difference, that he's not Tom Glavine, he's a true ace, and a winner. I'm not blaming Santana here, but the Mets seem scared of winning games he pitches.
The bullpen has handed away seven possible wins for Santana and the Mets, so unless he plans on pitching complete games everyday from here on out, there is reason to worry and no need to bring him up in the "this is a different team" argument.
The other popular arguing point is that Jerry Manuel is not Willie Randolph. While I love Manuel, there is only so much a manager can do. If the players he puts out on the field can't perform, that's not his fault. He's been playing the hot hand, and it doesn't seem to be working.
If, one day, Manuel plays Fernando Tatis because he had a good game last time out, Tatis will end up going 0-4. If instead, he chooses Nick Evans, Evans will go 1-4, or something sad like that. His moves just don't seem to be working, even if they are the logical choice.
And the bullpen is a whole other story.
Who can he trust out there? Who can he put into the game, in a tight situation? No one. And where does that leave Manuel? Between a rock and a hard place.
Don't look to Manuel to be the savior, because his role is limited. Look to the players, especially the pitchers.
2007, here we go again.
I, like every other member of the Shea Faithful, is thinking the exact same thing: Here we go again. And how can we not. Look at this team, look at the situation, and can you honestly tell me this isn't 2007?!?
Sure, there a few different cogs in the machine, but it's still playing the same tune. Everyone brings up Johan Santana as the main difference, that he's not Tom Glavine, he's a true ace, and a winner. I'm not blaming Santana here, but the Mets seem scared of winning games he pitches.
The bullpen has handed away seven possible wins for Santana and the Mets, so unless he plans on pitching complete games everyday from here on out, there is reason to worry and no need to bring him up in the "this is a different team" argument.
The other popular arguing point is that Jerry Manuel is not Willie Randolph. While I love Manuel, there is only so much a manager can do. If the players he puts out on the field can't perform, that's not his fault. He's been playing the hot hand, and it doesn't seem to be working.
If, one day, Manuel plays Fernando Tatis because he had a good game last time out, Tatis will end up going 0-4. If instead, he chooses Nick Evans, Evans will go 1-4, or something sad like that. His moves just don't seem to be working, even if they are the logical choice.
And the bullpen is a whole other story.
Who can he trust out there? Who can he put into the game, in a tight situation? No one. And where does that leave Manuel? Between a rock and a hard place.
Don't look to Manuel to be the savior, because his role is limited. Look to the players, especially the pitchers.
2007, here we go again.
9/15/08
Game Recap: Nationals 7 -- Mets 2
Ed. note: Sorry everyone, I built a time machine and brought us all back to September 2007. You'll just have to live with it until I fix this thing.
If you're a masochist, find the recap yourself.
This is getting scary. I know they're still in first, but this is the NATIONALS!
Oy.
If you're a masochist, find the recap yourself.
This is getting scary. I know they're still in first, but this is the NATIONALS!
Oy.
John Maine wants to close
Please, let him.
According to Jeremy Cothran's notebook, John Maine threw some pitchers today, and wants to come back by next week.
According to Jeremy Cothran's notebook, John Maine threw some pitchers today, and wants to come back by next week.
Maine threw 35 pitches from flat ground Monday, and later said he felt great. He has designs on pitching at the tail end of next week's homestand...and wants to close.Why not? Can't get any worse.
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