Bobby Parnell made his first major league start at Petco Park on Saturday night, replacing fellow rookie Jonathon Niese in the rotation. Unfortunately, it was not a start to remember as the Mets could not reward him with a victory. New York dropped the third game of the four-game series in San Diego by the final score of 3-1 as their offense sputtered again. The defeat was their eighth consecutive loss at Petco Park, dating back to 2007.
Parnell was on a pitch count of 60-75 pitches, so it was unlikely that he was going to pitch the minimum five innings to qualify for a victory. That became more apparent when he needed 29 pitches to get through the first inning, an inning in which the Padres tied the game at 1 after the Mets had taken the lead in the top of the first on Alex Cora’s first home run in his last 415 at-bats.
After loading the bases with one out in the third inning, Parnell’s evening was done (68 pitches, two runs, four hits, three walks, one strikeout) and Nelson Figueroa was brought in to try to keep the game tied. Figueroa struck out Eliezer Alfonzo for the second out, but then walked last night’s slam dancer, Everth Cabrera to force in the go-ahead run. It was the fifteenth time this season a Mets pitcher had issued a bases-loaded walk.
The bullpen did a fine job keeping the game close, giving up only an unearned run in the eighth inning. Tim Redding in particular did well, pitching three scoreless innings. However, for the second straight game, the Mets were able to score in the first inning and then hit the snooze button for the remaining eight innings. This was epitomized by the 5-4-3 double play hit into by Jeff Francoeur in the ninth inning after Daniel Murphy led off the frame with an infield hit.
For the Padres, rookie Mat Latos picked up his fourth consecutive victory, holding the Mets to one run in his six innings of work. Ex-Met Heath Bell pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 28th save in 29 chances.
The Mets have now lost eight consecutive games at Petco Park and are 1-9 in the ten games played there since the beginning of the 2007 season. They have scored two runs or less in six of those nine defeats. With tonight’s loss, the Mets have fallen to a season-high eight games under .500 (51-59) and are now a full 10 games behind the Wild Card-leading Giants. The Phillies are now light years ahead of the Mets in the National League East standings.
Tomorrow’s series finale will feature Johan Santana against Tim Stauffer. Santana will be looking for his 13th win after being denied the victory in his last start when Francisco Rodriguez allowed the Cardinals to tie the game in the ninth inning in a game they eventually won in ten innings. If the Mets are going to avoid a ninth consecutive loss in San Diego and their second straight four-game sweep there, Santana will have to be at his finest since the Mets are having difficulty finding ways to score runs at Petco Park. Game time will be at 4:05 PM. Should the Mets lose, the eulogy will be delivered shortly after the final pitch is thrown.
What do these men have in common?
Heath Bell, Matt Lindstrom, Henry Owen, Brian Bannister, Darren Oliver, Chad Bradford…
Pitchers that Omar had no use for. I’m sure I missed a couple. Thank you, Omar.
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
TOMMY, WERE U NOT PAYING ATTENTION WHEN RICK PETERSON WAS HIRED BY JEFF WILPON AS THE FRANCHISE’S PITCHING COORDINATOR, PLACED IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE’S PITCHING PROGRAM INCL ASSETS IN MINORS? THE HIRING OF PCs THROUGHOUT ALL LEVELS, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONSISTANT FRANCHISE PITCHING PROGRAM AND REPORTING DIRECTLY TO JEFF, COO, WILPON? OSTENSIBLY A SEPERATE “PITCHING GM”. ALL THINGS PITCHING RELATED WITHIN THE FRANCHISE BYPASSES BOTH DUQUETTE & OMAR & SHOULD FALL SQUARELY ON 10M MIN PETERSON. LOOK CLOSELY, THE SINGLE CONSISTANCY AMONGST ALL BAD DEALS INVOLVING NYM TRADING AWAY PITCHING TALENT SINCE ’04 (KAZMIR,LINDSTRUM,BELL,BANNISTER,OWENS) ALL INVOLVE PITCHERS WHO BALKED AT BEING ‘PETERSONIZED’. HEATH BELL & MATT LINDSTRUM AS WELL AS SCOTT KAZMIR ALL HAVE BEEN VOCAL RE. THEIR TROUBLES WITH RICK & HIS INSISTANCE ON STYLE/DELIVERY CHANGES.RICK’S WAY OR THE HI-WAY?
I’M CERTAINLY NOT MAKING THIS UP, GO BACK & CHECK THE VIDEO TAPES. I’M RELYING ON FACTS NOT CONJECTURE. I SUBMIT THAT MUCH OF OUR BELOVED METS’ CONFUSED DEMEANOR IS CAUSED BY “BEHIND-THE-SCENES” MANIPULATIONS CAUSED PRIMARILY BY OUR INSECURE COO WHO’S DESPERATLY TRYING TO RESPOND TO “WFAN” RANTERS AND HIS INNATE NEED TO TINKER & CONTROL FROM WITHIN “THE CLUBHOUSE” THROUGH USE OF IMPROPER CHANNELS(SPIES) IS LEGENDARY EVEN IF THE PRESS REFUSES TO DETAIL THE ENTITRE SUBPLOT. REMEMBER THE “INNER-CIRCLE” OF FRANCO,LIETER,GLAVINE ALL SUPPOSEDLY WITH TOO MUCH INPUT? ASK YOUR SELF WHERE WAS THAT IMPROPER INPUT GOING? A ‘PITCHING COACH’ USUALLY IS HIRED BY & REPORTS TO THE FLD MGR, THE GM AT WORST; BUT THE COO?
BERNAZARD WAS A WELL ESTABLISHED COO SPY. SEE WILLIE ISSUES. WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE SO INVOLVED IN THE NYM CLUBHOUSE? OR SABOTAUGING THE DELGADO TALKS, IF NOT AT THE BIDDING OF HIGHER UPS?
IN FUTURE, I SUGGEST U LEAVE OLIVER & BRADFORD OFF YOUR DISCONTENT LIST SINCE NEITHER EVER REALLY REPEATED THEIR ’06 SUCCESS. BRADFORD, IN FACT, REVERTED BACK TO SIMILAR SCAPHEAP NUMBERS SUCH AS .294 BAA, 1.44 WHIP ALONG WITH A 3.34 ERA IN ’07 WITH BALTIMORE. OLIVER’S ERA ROSE A THIRD OF A RUN WHILE CREDITED WITH 0 GS WITH INCR BAA & WHIP. STICK TO THE YOUNG TALENT DEALT NOT THE REMARKABLE VET NUMBERS NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. AND PLEASE REMEMBER WHO’S REALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE 3 RINGS. OMAR’S JOB DESCRIPTION IS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF A SECRET SERVICE AGENT, TO TAKE THE BULLETS MEANT FOR HIS EMPLOYERS. WHILE OMAR’S MADE DEALS, NO ONE’S YET COMPLAINED OF PITCHING TALENT BEING DEALT SINCE PETERSON WENT TRAVELIN WITH WILLIE. COINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT. SEEMS WE’RE MUCH BETTER OFF WITH THE TERRA COTTA TILE.LOL
Very sad performance in a very sad season. Pretty evident that the Mets tossed Parnell out there when he was unprepared to start. A WHIP of 3.33 is horrendous. Parnell is a young player with plenty of potential. But he should be in training in the minors with tutelage by a real pitching coach to develop his capabilities. Instead he is with the Mets having his confidence destroyed and being taught nothing. Befoore we can fix the players, we need to change the training staff. Where are the real baseball people on the Mets staff?
The GOAT for this game is unfortunately obvious. It is Parnell who was set up by his mgmt to fail. And so he did.
GOATS for the 2nd half: Parnell, Pelfrey, Cora, Perez, Pelfrey, Santana, Niese, Green, Pelfrey, Pagan, KRod, L Hernandez, KRod, Parnell.
GOATS repeaters: Pelfrey (3), KRod (2), and Parnell (2).
It is very clear that the Mets are a totally dusfunctional organization. Why would any star player ever want to sign here given the current state of mgmt? We are trapped in a very serious situation, with very little chance to escape.
MASK, ONCE MORE I CHALLENGE THE SELECTIVITY OF YOUR COMPLAINTS. YOU OBVIOUSLY CHOOSE TO IGNORE HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES, PREFERRING TO ‘SNAPSHOT’ PRESENT CONDITIONS ASSUMING THAT’S THE WAY IT IS, WAS & EVER SHALL BE. B.S. IF I GAVE YOU A FOURTH PLACE TEAM WHOSE VETERAN ASSETS WERE ALL PURGED WITH A FARM SYSTEM THAT HAD ONE (1) RECOGNIZED TOP PROSPECT (MILLEDGE) BY BASEBALL AMERICA WITHOUT PRIMARY CONTROL OVER ANY FRANCHISE PITCHING AREAS AS WELL AS NO ABILITY TO PAY HIGHER SIGNING BONUSES TO DRAFT PICKS THAN GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATIONS. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? IN FACT, WHAT COULD JESUS DO? LMAO,SADLY
SHOULD OMAR HAVE IGNORED THE NY METS ROSTER IN FAVOR OF BUILDING A FARM SYSTEM? IF NOT, HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE ACCOMPLISHING BOTH WHEN ADDING THE BEST FREE AGENTS YOU NEED IN THE MAJORS SURRENDERS YOUR FIRST ROUND PICKS STICKING YOU WITH SUBSEQUENT ROUND TALENT WITH WHICH TO BUILD. NO WONDER, MOST AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH FOR ‘FAST TRACKING’! WHEN YOUR FIST PICK ASVERAGES TO CHOOSING FROM THE 45th OR SO LEVEL OF TALENT ASSUMING MID SECOND ROUND CHOICE ALREADY HAS THE BEST 44 CHOICES AHEAD OF IT TAKEN.
AT WHAT POINT ARE YOU WILLING TO ACCEPT THE REAL PROBLEM IS NOT OMAR; BUT JEFF & FRED? STOP & AIM BEFORE YOU SHOOT INSTEAD OF READY, FIRE, AIM
DISORGANIZED FRANCHISE? YOU BETCHA! LOOK AT THE PAST FOR ONCE & MAYBE GET A CLUE AS TO THE ROOT CAUSE. NONE OF THE ISSUES YOU VOCIFEROUSLY COMPLAIN ABOUT ARE NEW OR LIMITED TO OMAR’S REIGN COMMENCING IN ’04-’05.
WHERE ARE THE BASEBALL PEOPLE? DIDN’T YOU HEAR? JEFF ‘PLAYED’ MINOR LEAGUE BALL FOR A YEAR, HIS OLDER BROTHER IS HEADING UP JAPANESE SCOUTING FROM TOKYO. WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATION HAS A PITCHING COACH REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE COO? NONE!U SEE, THEY’RE AHEAD OF THE PACK. WHAT OTHER FRANCHISE HAS THE VP OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT, A FORMER UNION OFFICIAL, SPEND MOST OF HIS WORKDAY WITH THE MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM/CLUBHOUSE REPORTING TO THE COO? WHO HAD A CADRE OF VETERAN PITCHERS DIRECTLY ADVISING THEIR COO ON ALL MATTERS ADDRESSED BY WFAN? WHAT OTHER FRANCHISE DEALS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED PITCHING PROSPECTS(KAZMIR) FOR A D.I.Y FIXIT PROJECT A HANDFUL OF GAMES OUT OF FIRST PLACE EVEN IF THE PROJECT IS ONLY SLATED TO TAKE 10 MIN. PLEASE HELP ME OUT HERE, IF YOUR ANSWERRS TO ALL OF THE ABOVE IS ONLY THE NY METS, I’M WONDERING WHAT, OTHER THAN MIRACLE WORKER YOU EXPECT FROM A FINANCIALLY SHACKELED MINAYA? ONCE MORE, IF YOU WERE GM UNDER THE SAME CONSTRAINTS, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE BETTER? LEAVE YOUR 20/20 HINDSIGHT GLASSES IN YOUR POCKET. NONE OF THIS IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW…CRAP. TRY “IF YOU KNEW NOW ONLY WHAT YOU KNEW THEN” WERE THERE 2 SUCCESSIVE COLLAPSES? CERTAINLY. WAS THERE THE TALENT ACQUIRED TO GET A LOOSER TEAM INTO TOP CONTENTION 3 YRS RUNNING WITH ONLY 1 YR NEEDED FOR THE 180 TURNAROUND FROM MEDIOCRITY TO MEANINGFUL. WASN’T THAT OWNERSHIP’S SOLE GOAL? NO CHAMPIONSHIPS? REMEMBER FRED NEVER PROMISED YOU ONE, WHY SHOULD HE? THE BEST TEAM HE EVER DESIRED ONLY AMASSED ‘ONE’(1955) NEXT TIME U R IN CITI, STOP, LOOK AROUND AND ASK WHICH IS MORE VALUED THE FRANCHISE WITH 1 WS CHAMPIONSHIP(BKLYN) OR THE ONE WITH 2(NYM)?
DISFUNCTIONAL? CERTAINLY. WE HAVE AGREEMENT!HALLELUJAH!!!LMAO! THINK!
Mets 62, I agree that the problem originates with ownership. The best solution is for the Wilpons to sell the team. Nevertheless, I am not content to ride with Omar as you appear to be. I am not ready to cut him any slack because of ownership. His job is to build a strong franchise, both at the major league and minor league levels. Instead, we have a franchise in disarray. Omar bears the responsibility for that even with the ownership problems. What has he done for us lately? In one word, nothing! I am not content to sit with mediocrity. There are some franchises in baseball which are professional, such as Boston, St Louis, Philly, and LA. Recruit a GM from one of those and start to rebuild this franchise. If that involves a sale of the team, so be it. We do not have to ride with the Wilpons forever and carry their baggage on our shoulders.
Mets62, The other thing regards your reference to my comments as shortsighted. By that, I guess you view your comments as long term. I would be happy to look for long term improvement, if there was some basis for it. But, unfortunately, there is none. With the combination of the Wilpons and Omar, the team has settled into mediocrity for the long term. Is there any prognosis for improvment with time? I don’t believe there is. So we are stuck with the 2nd most expensive team in baseball with performance among the worst. Mgmt actions show nothing will be done to change this. All we get is excuses and lies. Perhaps you are satisfied with long term failure. I am not and demand better. I like to see victories not unending mediocre play at very high prices. I will not return to Citi until this turns around. And that means the team is sold and people with genuine baseball knowledge are running it.
MASK, I’LL ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS ALL YOUR SOMEWHAT VALID CONCERNS BY STATING YOU CAN’T FAULT THE FASTEST RUNNER FOR NOT WINNING WITH HIS SHOELACES TIED. IT’S REMARKABLE THAT U TRULY BELIEVE U CAN SOMEHOW SEPERATE OWNERSHIP FROM GM JOB. UBTIE MINAYA’S SHOELACES AND THEN JUDGE HIS PERFORMANCE. HERE’S YOUR PROBLEM, YOU WEREN’T ‘LIED’ TO YOU HEARD WHAT U WANTEDE TO HEAR AND ASSUMED THE GOAL WAS CHAMPIONSHIPS WHILE ALL U WERE ACTUALLY PROMISED BY THE REAL POWERS WAS RELATIVITY AND IF A FIRST PLACE FINISH ALONG WITH 2 SECONDS ISN’T COMPETITIVE RELATIVITY WHAT IS? U WANTED CHAMPIONSHIPS. FRED WANTED THE BKLYN DODGERS. YOU REALLY SHOULD’VE SEEN IT COMING. NO, THEY AREN’T LIKELY TO SELL, THEY’VE TOO MUCH INVESTED IN CITI,SNY,THE “TRAIANGLE DEVELOPMENT”.
CONTRARY TO YOUR OPINION OF ME, I’M NOT CONTENT WITH OMAR’S POSITION, I’M JUST A REALIST THAT WANTS EVERYONE TO STOP GRASPING FOR THE OBVIOUS ANSWERS AND LOOK FOR THE REAL SUBTLE ONES. WAS THERE A FARM SYSTEM BEFORE OMAR? CHAMPIONSHIPS BEFORE OMAR? WITH BOTH ANSWERS BEING NO HOW IS THE CONTINUATION BE HIS FAULT AND NOT THE FRANCHISES. COMPETITIVE FRANCHISES DON’T BUILD FARM SYSTEMS OUT OF NON-FIRST ROUND TALENTS. NOR DO THEY TRADE A BEVY OF HIGH PRICED UNDER-PERFORMING VETS WITHOUT GARNERING MORE THAN ONE MARGINAL PROSPECT BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO INCLUDE FIN’L INCENTIVES. THEY ALSO DON’T ALLOW IDIOT RELATIVES TO PLAY WITH THEIR ASSETS AS A SALVE TO THEIR EGOS. REGARDLESS OF THE CURRENT PAYROLL, APPLYING A “GHARD CAP” PROVIDES STAGNATION AS WELL AS IMPOTENCE TO RESOND TO NEEDS SUCH AS INJURY PLAGUES. THEY MOSTLY DON’T ALLOW BOTH THEIR MLB ROSTER & THEIR PIPELINES TO BECOME SO INADEQUATE AS TO REQUIRE THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF BUILDING BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY.
FINALLY, WHAT’S YOUR INDUCEMENT TO A SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE’S GM TO JUMP TO SUCH A SHIP OF FOOLS? WHAT OTHER GM IS WILLING TO BE THE SECRET SERVICE AGENT FOR THE WILPON CLAN BY THROWING HIMSELF IN FRON OF ALL POTSHOTS? MASK, PLEASE ACCEPT THINGS ARE WHAT THEY ARE & NOT WHAT U THOUGHT THEY SHOULD BE. WE’RE IN THIS FIX FOR A REASON. TRY REMEMBERING IT WAS FRED WHO ORDERED PHILLIPS TO NOT CONSUMATE A PIAZZA DEAL WHEN OFFERED UNTIL DOUBLEDAY OVERRODE HIM! THAT THE WAY THINGS ACTUALLY ARE. WINNING WOULD BE NICE TO FRED, CONTENTION, IN HIS MIND IS VERY BROOKLYNISH(BUMS)
Parnell might have been a good started down the road, but he was certainly unprepared and looked like a fish out of water. But they got out of it most of the time. I still am not sure why Jeryy did not start Figueroa but whatever. Very nice job by the bullpen except for Green, but nothing new there. Even if the score had remianed 2-1 we would have lost, so it doesn’t really matter.
iam soooo ready for football!!!
i second that.
Figueroa struck out 4 batters with the bases loaded, 2 in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th. The bases loaded walk came on a 3-2 pitch to the guy that grand slammed K-Rod the night before. Better 1 run than 4.