A New Direction? I Think Not!

This team is going to drive me crazy. After a blowout game where the Mets destroyed the Cardinals in the series finale, and a strong pitching effort by Mike Pelfrey, I began to wonder if maybe my last post about the Mets was a little too harsh. Perhaps fighting back in the penultimate game of the Cardinal series, even though they lost, showed they were ready to turn the page.

Then came last night’s game against the Phillies. As far as I am concerned, it was ugly; ugly on a number of fronts. First off, let’s start with Santana. Yes, Santana pitched a good game and yes, I think Johan should have been out to start the ninth. I agree with comments made my Lee Mazzilli following the game where he said this is exactly the reason you got him, to pitch in this type of game. Still, Johan deserves a little blame himself. While he pitched well and deserved a win, giving up four consecutive two out hits when you are up 2-0 and allowing the opposition to tie the game on those four hits, is not acceptable. Had he given up two solo shots, spaced out during the game, ironically, I would feel better.

Still, Santana did pitch well. The statistic that in his last six games the Mets have only given him 12 runs total to work with is amazing. The Mets scored almost as many runs in the Pelfrey game as they have in six combined games for Santana. And, it is not like they didn’t have any chances yesterday. They failed to drive in runs when necessary, failed to break the game open when they could have, failed to look like a major league team, AGAIN!

One comment that I do disagree with following the loss yesterday, made by a Met announcer, was this was a must win game. The argument was when you have Santana opening the series and he is opposed by a rookie, by Happ, you need to take the game. Certainly they should have, certainly it is demoralizing (although they have had a number of those kinds of defeats already) but we are just halfway through the season. I don’t think any game right now, for any team, is a “must win”. Still it is a game they should have won.

The Mets continue to play 500 ball and continue to make us believe that is exactly what they are, a 500 club. It is amazing they spent all that money to simply be average, mediocre, okay.

Let’s Go Mets!