Game #95 at Diamondbacks
The make-or-break road trip to start the second half is breaking them. Who knows? Matter it will shatter them by the time they return home.
The Mets have Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes back, but that hasn’t helped their stagnant offense, which is hitting .203 during the Mets last ten games. The Mets have gone 2-8 in that span, including 1-5 since the break.
They’ve scored just 18 runs in those ten games and 12 in the last six. Two wins is about right.
Once 11 games over .500 and a game behind Atlanta, the Mets are now four over and trail by 6 ½ games. They are behind in the wild-card by 2 ½ games, but have some leapfrogging to do. One of the teams in their way are the Dodgers, whom they’ll play in a four-game series this weekend.
The Mets’ listless offense has abandoned Johan Santana all season, and last night it was R.A. Dickey. Jon Niese is in line to be tonight’s hard luck starter. Niese has lost consecutive starts despite a 2.45 ERA, getting all of one run.
“I always want to think my team’s going to score runs, because we’ve got a great lineup,’’ Niese said. “There’s never a doubt in my mind that we can score runs.’’
There should be.
FIRST INNING: Maybe Jason Bay should be sat down for a game or two. He looks totally lost out there. I know he has to play because of his contract, but a break might not hurt.-JD
Mets already gave Niese a run and he squandered it. He better not do that when he gets the remaining .8 run the Mets offense gets.
Dan (2): That lead didn’t last long. I wonder if the Mets have another run in them tonight.-JD
THIRD INNING: Pagan continues to swing the bat well. I wonder if any pressure was taken off him when Manuel said the job was his.-JD
Wright has cooled down a bit. Striking out a bit more.-JD
Manuel called a team meeting prior to the game. I’d say it was a little overdue.-JD
FOURTH INNING: Reyes out trying to stretch. Not the smartest of plays with Pagan up next. But, I like his aggressiveness.-JD
BOTTOM FOURTH INNING: Three homers off Niese. You figured Reynolds would get one. Considering how far he hits them, the Mets are lucky it only counts for one run.-JD
BOTTOM FIFTH INNING: Second and third and two outs. This is a big part of the game for Niese. With how the Mets have been scoring runs, a hit here could be hard to overcome.-JD
The power of Barajas erupts again.
Dan (10): Kind of like Halley’s Comet. Only this felt longer.-JD
EIGHTH INNING: Yeah, Bay needs a game off. He’s horrid now.-JD
Damn, we’re STILL playing? Just came back home and dialed up mlb.com.
Gil (13): Yes they are. Niese gave up three solo homers.-JD
What’s Valdes doing pitching? I thought he’d be farmed out when the Mets activated Oliver Perez. So it was Justin Turner who was farmed out?
Barajas hit a homer, so did Pagan. …. Mets nearly turned a triple play in the eighth.-JD
Gil (15): Yeah … it was Turner. It couldn’t be a pitcher since they don’t plan on using Perez.-JD
16 Wow. Looking at Niese’s line here…looks ugly. Ninety-nine pitches in five innings? Six hits? Well, the walk-to-strikeout ratio looks good, six Ks to one walk…
I see D-Wright has cooled off…Oh-for-four with three Ks…
Gil (18): He wasn’t sharp. By definition it was a quality start. He had a chance to win, but the offense has been dismal with RISP.-JD
Gil (19): He has. Bay is still frozen.-JD
But Niese’s start can’t be a quality one if he lasted only five innings. I thought it had to be seven with three earned runs or less to be a quality start, right?
Gil (22): It’s six innings for a quality start. I think it should be seven.-JD
My mistake. He only went five. You’re right.-JD
Oliver Perez is warming up.-JD
I see Oliver Perez is warming up…does Jerry want to get swept or what?
How long before the Jason Bay and George Foster first season with the Mets comparisons start?
Another strikeout by Bay. … About Ollie: He’s running out of options.-JD
Gil (27): You just did it. … I think they should sit Bay for a game. Clear his mind.-JD
Mets haven’t had a hit since the sixth.-JD
29 Can we sit Bay for the rest of the season? Nice guy, hustles, tries hard, but he’s produced precious little.
Gil (31): He’s hustled and played good defense, but his offensive production has been anemic.-JD
Three relievers left in the Mets pen: Perez, Nieve, and K-Rod.-JD
Great game at the Ravine tonight — the Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley goes the distance in an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel, beating Barry Zito and the Giants, 2-0.
Perez warming again.-JD
Gil (34): I love those types of games. Would much rather watch a low scoring game than a slugfest. A slugfest is like watching the NBA.-JD
Frankly, Francoeur hasn’t hit well enough to warrant staying in the lineup. Then again, neither has Bay.-JD
Did you see where the Oswalt to the Phillies deal has hit a snag? Oswalt wants them to pick up the $16 million option.-JD
38 Haven’t seen or read about the Oswalt thing. But hey, why should we complain about the Phillies possibly landing Oswalt? We’re adding Oliver Perez!
Gil (39): When you’re right, you’re right. … The thing about the trade deadline, is that you’re not obligated to wait until the deadline to make a deal.-JD
It’s Oliver Perez. I thought there might have been an outside chance he would start tomorrow night. That’s by the boards now. … A leadoff single off Perez. At least it wasn’t a homer.-JD
You know one thing we haven’t broached…Alex Cora’s outburst. I read that he admonished teammates last night who were laughing it up after a loss — and REPORTERS. What’s Cora doing admonishing reporters?
What do you know … a walk after being ahead 0-2.-JD
can coin flip get an out before giving up the run?
Gil (42): That’s the story. There is an etiquette about being quiet in the clubhouse after a loss. … It’s supposed to be a show of respect.-JD
Dan (44): It’s almost like we know what’s going to happen. We just don’t know how the ugliness will transpire.-JD
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a wild pitch on an intentional walk.-JD
Intentional walk to make Ollie get two outs without giving up another walk???
Perez needs a strikeout or a pop up. He just doesn’t have the fastball anymore.-JD
45 Oy vey! I’ve been in locker rooms with notebook and pen in hand after teams lose. For goodness sake, I can understand if there’s a death or something but c’mon…it’s losing a regular season game, not being eliminated for the season.
What do you know … a pop up. What was Drew thinking swinging at 2-0?-JD
Why would Drew swing on an 2-0 pitch? No wonder the Snakes are in last place.
Gil (50): I’m not saying I agree with it. That’s the protocol.-JD
Dan (52): Yeah, that was just dumb.-JD
Wow…a scoreless inning by Perez! I don’t believe what I just saw.
How about that … Perez escapes. Then again, he put himself in trouble to begin with.-JD
Dan (55): Gotta give Drew a lot of credit for that inning. I don’t believe that.-JD
Poor Gary Cohen. There’s still so much hope in his voice despite what’s going on with the team. I feel so bad for him. Even though he’s been down with the Mets as long as we have, I feel like the parent who dreads telling the little kid one day that Santa Claus is a myth. I keep wanting to be wrong in saying the Mets won’t deliver this year, but they keep proving me wrong — and making me a realist.
55 Dan: How ironic that you make reference to Jack Buck’s call of Kirk Gibson’s 1988 WS Game 1 homer — as Gibson is now in the D-Backs dugout as their manager!
Gil (58): Very well put. Like I said, we just don’t know how we’ll be disappointed. Only that we will.-JD
Four straight strikeouts for Bay. He’s not coming close.-JD
Manuel has to sit him tomorrow. Play Pagan in left and let Francoeur play a game.-JD
How about this question, guys?
Which of the following big-name Mets who arrived via free agency or trade had the worst first season in Queens?
a) George Foster, 1982
b) Vince Coleman, 1991
c) Bobby Bonilla, 1992
d) Bret Saberhagen, 1992
e) Carlos Beltran, 2005
f) J.J. Putz, 2009
g) Jason Bay, 2010
That’s it for Perez. Manuel came out of dugout pretty fast.-JD
Gil (63): Hell of a question. … I might go with Bonilla. How about you? … Putz, by the way, is having a terrific season this year. Twenty-five straight scoreless appearances.-JD
By the way, for the record I don’t like them taking out Ike Davis now. He’s a HR bat and he’s already saved a couple of bad throws tonight. Manuel Is over managing.-JD
65 I might go with Beltran. I was at the game in San Diego in which he and Mike Cameron had that awful collision. How much can go wrong in a year for one player? Beltran struggled at the plate (only Mike Piazza provided any protection in the lineup), eventually got booed at home, had knee issues and then nearly had his face rearranged in that collision.
With Bonilla and Foster, they were both expected to be saviors; Saberhaged had that weird odd-year success, followed by even-year failure thing; Vince Coleman was just a jackass; and Putz was damaged goods. Bay? I just don’t get it.
By the way, JD, I’m gonna head down to the gym to sneak in a workout before midnight. Our boys will have to manage on their own. hope we can get a win.
Gil (67): I don’t get Bay either. It’s like somebody flipped a switch and turned off the power.-JD
Gil (68): We might be here when you get back.-JD
#63 I go with Vince Coleman with all the day to day injuries and off the field activities. Throw a firecracker at a child??
Not quite Queens but Jimmy Piersall hit .194 with the Mets in 1963, went to the Angels and hit .308
Dan (71): Gil was right. Coleman was a jackass.-JD
That’s 11 walk-off losses. Ouch.-JD
Head off the the City of Angels to play the Dodgers in 20 hours. I thought two weeks ago people were talking about the Mets playing the easy part of the schedule.
A QUICK WRAP/Game #95
FINAL: Diamondbacks 4, Mets 3 (14).
RECORD: 49-46.
THUMBNAIL ANALYSIS: A brutal road trip continues as the Mets were swept by the Diamondbacks. So much for team meetings.
ON THE MOUND: Jon Niese gave up three runs on six hits, three of them solo homers. … Oliver Perez returns. … Raul Valdes was spectacular in relief. Fernando Nieve was not and took the loss.
AT THE PLATE: Angel Pagan and Rod Barajas homered. … Jason Bay continues to struggle. … Carlos Beltran drove in his first run of the season.
IN THE FIELD: David Wright committed his tenth error to prolong the game in the ninth.
LOOKING AHEAD: Hisanori Takahashi gets the start tomorrow night.-JD
When will they rest Nieve/KRod. these guys are fried.
Looks like tomorrow the relieve will have to kick in high gear after the 3rd inning.
If Taki goes 3 again will M&M finally put the man in middle relief?
63. hey Gil. that was covered the other day. believe it or not both beltran and bay had similar first years and the exact same batting average.
JD: Armando Benitez had a ton of trouble issuing intentional walks. He wild pitched a few of those in his Met career.
78. been there and seen that. and cried in my beer..