I Want Mr. Automatic Back

I can accept Wednesday’s loss. The Mets were just outclassed by an excellent pitcher who was on his game. Jake Peavy looked sharp. Yes the Mets mounted a comeback late in the game and it would have been nice to see them beat a game Peavy started after beating Carpenter the night before. Yes, there were a few bad signs for the Mets, but overall this was a game where I was perfectly comfortable tipping my cap to Peavy and the San Diego Padres. And, I figured, they still could take the series with a win on Thursday!

Thursday’s game, as far as I am concerned, however, was a COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE loss! I did not watch a lot of the game but when I turned it on, the Mets were down 6-1. I was not happy. The Padres had taken two of three from the Mets in San Diego and I did not want to see the Mets lose two of three at Shea. Still, with a 6-1 score, I could accept the fact that the Mets got outplayed (although not happily).

When I turned it back on, the Mets had tied it. They showed fight and had a lead going into the ninth inning. A couple of their relief pitcher who have been struggling (Feliciano and Shoenweis), turned it up a notch, and all looked good. Then came Wagner.

Now, I do not want to criticize Billy Wagner. To borrow a phrase from Jim Rome, he has been automatic this year. Wagner has been lights out. But now I fear Wagner is returning to the pitcher we saw last year. That was, he was good and most of the time he got the job done, but he seemed to give the opposition the chance to get back into the game and sometimes the did, he would blow the save. I understand he has only blown three saves this year (you can argue that he blew a “save” in the first game of the series as well. While it was not a save opportunity, he came in with the score tied and let the Padres take the lead—and still came away with the victory I believe). That was Wagner clearly failing to do the job).

I hope that Ron Darling was right in what he said after the game, how all relief pitchers tend to go through a stint like this during the year and it is just temporary. For as much as the Mets’ bullpen has struggled this year, we need Wagner to be automatic once again.

Hopefully we get back on track against the Dodgers tonight.

Let’s Go Mets!