16
2009
Questions Linger As Mets Fall To Braves 6-0
An article by 
The Mets were shutout last night by Tommy Hanson and the Atlanta Braves 6-0 in front of a sparse crowd in Turner Field.
Pat Misch made his fourth start for the Mets and wasn’t sharp at all, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk in five innings pitched. He’s looking less and less like an option for the rotation. After two spectacular starts, Misch has followed them up with back to back dismal performances.
The offense was practically inept, much as it was on Sunday when they were shutout by Pedro Martinez. The Mets were only able to collect four hits, two of them by Daniel Murphy.
Here’s the scary thing though…
Look at that bench…
What we are seeing right now is quite possibly a preview of the 2010 Mets without the presence of Jose Reyes.
With all this talk of Dan Murphy remaining at first base, and a platoon with Angel Pagan being a viable plan in left field, we’re getting a glimpse of how impotent this team could be unless the Mets get a bonafide slugger for first base, left field or both.
With Carlos Beltran and David Wright back in the lineup, and Luis Castillo, Jeff Francoeur and Thole/Omir behind the plate, would this team be that much better even if Jose Reyes was healthy and playing?
First we were shutout by an aging pitcher who was left for the dead on the side of the road by Omar Minaya, and now the team is shutout by a rookie who was the Braves 22nd round pick in 2005. All a starting pitcher needs is just one plus pitch to shut this team down.
Another thing worth discussing is this…
Last week, Jerry Manuel held a team meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to get the message across that he expected his team to think and play as if they were going to win a championship.
“I just wanted to be sure that we stay concentrating on what’s ahead. And, despite where we are in the standings, even though the end is very near, the quest for a championship continues. You have to try and prepare that mindset, despite the conclusion of the season being so close. There are enough players here who we feel are going to be a part of this, who still have to think in that mindset of ‘championship.”
Somehow, it doesn’t seem like the team embraced this idea… Either that or Manuel’s message went in one ear and out the other. And therein lies my concern… Does Jerry Manuel still have his finger on the pulse of this team?
Are any of the current players still listening as intently as they were when he first became manager or when he directed his first spring training with the team?
It just bugs the hell out of me that this team looks like they would rather be doing anything else besides playing baseball right now, and that’s a little disturbing to say the least.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationals | 26 | 18 | .591 | - |
| Braves | 26 | 20 | .565 | 1.0 |
| Mets | 24 | 21 | .533 | 2.5 |
| Marlins | 24 | 21 | .533 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 23 | 23 | .500 | 4.0 |
Last updated: 05/25/2012
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Write Your Own Mets Post
Delgado was a stabilizing part of the lineup. Without him you have no true slugger. He should be resigned to a incentive-laden deal before we make any other moves.
Man, I don’t want to say it about the team but I have to because they play like beer leaguers.
Another disapppointing performance to say the least. There was nothing to write home about in this one. The Braves have brought Tommy Hanson along very well this season. How do the Mets look with their newbys like Parnell and Niese by comparison? That was a rhetorical question as the comparison is ridiculous.
The GOAT for the game is obvious as Misch pitched poorly and did not keep the game close enough to win even with an offense.
The GOAT for the game is Misch, and he now qualifies as a three-peat.
GOATS for the 2nd Half are: Parnell, Pelfrey, Cora, Perez, Pelfrey, Santana, Niese, Green, Pelfrey, Pagan, KRod, LHernandez, KRod, Parnell, Pagan, LHernandez, KRod, LHernandez, Parnell, Tatis, Misch, Perez, Parnell, Murphy, Pelfrey, Stokes, Parnell, Pelfrey, Stokes, Pagan, Redding, Misch, Parnell, Tatis, Valdez, Murphy, Misch.
GOAT Repeaters: Parnell(6), Pelfrey(5), Pagan(3), LHernandez(3), KRod(3), Misch(3),Perez(2), Stokes(2), Tatis(2), Murphy(2).
The season is rapidly winding down and we will be able to award the Golden Horns before much longer.
Joe –
he team is completely listless and very wary of getting ‘hurt’ before the off season.
David Wright is a complete mystery to me. For someone who wants to be ‘like Jeter’ he certainly is not paying attention – Jeter works like a dog on and off season, never argues and tries his best every time. He also has changed his stance, etc. very little in the past 15 years. David could be like that, but I’m not sure he has the ambition to work that hard. He’s very OK with PR for the team, but unfortunately these days there is not that much good stuff to talk about for this team.
I still believe that the Wilpon’s are in very serious financial trouble and have been using Mets income to support their various real estate ventures. It takes a lot of $$$$ to play in the Big Leagues and apparently the Mets budget for next year is meager. As for keeping the team as a legacy for grandchildren, I think that’s a Wilpon dream.
As I’ve mentioned before, there is a former president in Texas who used to own a team there and called that experience the best time of his life – wonder if he wants to get back ‘in the game’?
“As for keeping the team as a legacy for grandchildren, I think that’s a Wilpon dream.”
Forget the legacy, the grandkids better crack the books and put in some serious time in college beause they may actually have to work for a living.