17
2011
The Mets Are Still Finding Interesting Ways To Lose
An article by 
I am happier than anyone with how the Mets have been playing lately.
The team is getting offensive production from unlikely sources, the bullpen has been miraculous and Mike Pelfrey seems to be getting back on track.
However, all of a sudden, shades of the 2009 injury plague have crept back to the team. David Wright and Ike Davis are out, forcing the team to reach into its minor league system to pull up able bodies.
Though the team has managed to stay afloat so far, last night’s loss could be the initial dagger in the Mets hearts.
Pelfrey was tasked with keeping pace with arguably the best pitcher in the NL in Josh Johnson, and he did just that.
All the Mets needed was one run, and the rain soaked game would come to an end.
The team had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the ninth, after a Hanley Ramirez error put Justin Turner on second base. If Jason Pridie could get down a bunt, the winning run would have been 90 feet away with one out.
Pridie had been doing all the little things perfectly, but his failure to get down the bunt cost the Mets in the end.
Fast forward to the bottom of the tenth, when the Mets once again threatened. Turner stepped to the plate with first and second and one out.
In one of the most bizarre plays I’ve ever seen, Turner hit a hard ground ball to short that handcuffed Ramirez and looked like it would set up a bases-loaded situation with Carlos Beltran due up.
However, the ball deflected off Ramirez’s shoulder right to Omar Infante at second base for the first out. Infante barehanded the deflection and threw onto first to complete the double play. Side retired.
As if things couldn’t get any worse from there, Burke Badenhop delivered the go-ahead RBI single the next inning…BURKE BADENHOP! The guy is a middle relief pitcher! He should’t be getting clutch hits with the game on the line.
The funny thing is that he was allowed to hit because the Marlins wanted to get at least another inning out him, but once he delivered this hit, he was lifted for Leo Nunez.
Though Jon Niese gave Mets fans a brief glimmer of hope with a triple, Jose Reyes struck out after a good battle with Nunez, who has been virtually unhittable this season.
This game is the type of loss that can really mangle a team’s confidence, especially now that some key players are on the disabled list.
Winning last night’s game would have given the the Mets the realization that they are capable of gutsy performances, even without some of their stars.
Tough losses happen to every team during the course of a season, but the real competitors are made apparent by how they bounce back the next day.
If the Mets come out with fire tonight, they will avenge the loss and hopefully get back on track. The team had won 7-of-10 games before last night, and will need these types of stretches to keep pace in the division.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the team responds. The young guys trying to make a name for themselves (Turner, Pridie, Ruben Tejada, Nick Evans, Daniel Murphy) would be wise to show the passion and energy that got them to the bigs in the first place.
Follow me on Twitter @JMMancari.
About the Author: Jim Mancari
Jim Mancari hails from Massapequa, N.Y. He recently earned a Master's degree in Journalism at Hofstra University. He is a devout Mets fan and takes pride in his team, despite their lack of success over the last few years. Like all Mets fans, Jim has plenty of hope. He also writes as the sports reporter for the Brooklyn Tablet newspaper and the senior editor of metroBASEBALL Magazine. Click my name to view my personal website.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 24 | 18 | .571 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 20 | .535 | 1.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 23 | .465 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 32 | .256 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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Bizarre. Jon Niese, a .143 hitter, manages to get a triple off their closer but Jose Reyes, he of the .315 batting average, strikes out to end the game. A glut of injuries, bizarre plays, all the bounces going to the other team, yep, this could be 2009 all over again. At least this year the guys they’re calling up from AAA have actually been contributing (Turner, Pridie, O’Connor) aside from a failed bunt attempt last night. Go get ‘em tonight Mets!
Of course we can’t give proper credit for the guys coming up to help. All left in the org by Omar Minaya. How are the guys doing that Alderson brought in. Oh well, they are not even good enough to be minor leagers. The future is grim for the Mets.
You are making yourself look stupid – please spare us……….
Dude I can’t take it anymore – what is your deal
Alderson has been here for less then a year and not even a half of season yet.
While Omar brought in some over paid ex superstarts, what did he do? What did he do at the trading deadline when the bullpen was blowing games at an alarming rate? NOTHING, he sat still and waited for the 2nd bomb to hit.
What did he do to improve the team after the disaster of 07? NOTHING
Alderson has a LONG way to go before he’s crowned even decent – but comparing him to the free spending open check book, let me sign bad players and tie up too much money is just DUMB TALK.
STOP – really STOP
Such a frustrating loss! Basically, we bested Johnson, and Pelf was as good as he’s been all year–exactly the performance we needed from him!
Alas!
You really said what needed to be said, Jim. Imperative that we find a way to win this evening to stay competitive and have the Mets show that they’ve got some true grit even without a star-studded lineup at this point.
Marlins staff is a good one!
Pelfrey was outstanding! But… weird. He was up in the strike zone, throwing inside..
Didn’t really seem all that aggressive but definitely much more “just get the ball and throw” Keep Pelfrey with this catcher! No more Josh Thole and Pelfrey.
Argh. one pitch!
Perhaps one on the coaching staff can go out and purchase a few handful of big giant ants, walk into the clubhouse and pour the ants into Reyes and Harris’s jocks. Our offense is now on life support and fading fast. Reyes and Harris need to run, run, run like they have ants in their pants.
Sandy’s first quarter score card:
The Good (5): Buchholz, Beato, Izzy, Cappy, Paulino
The Bad (12): Harris, Hairston, Hu, Emaus, Boyer, Young, (bringing back) Iggy, Carrasco, Byrdak, Tankersley, Bonzer, and the Manager*.
*heinous choice
Willie Harris does play a lot of positions, has very good speed and seems to be a good clubhouse guy… That’s not horrible.
Pete, Overall Collins has done a good job. Late game managing excluded. He has kept the team playing hard when they initially started to slide into the tank but this was a tough team to fill in around. Lots of guys injured or in transition, no money to spend and not much available in the upper minors and an emphasis on getting some guys who didn’t cost us anything to acquire (or subsequently anything to get rid of)
Basically his hands were tied from the get go and if he even had it, he didn’t spend good money after bad.
You have to give Collins credit for keeping them fighting late into games.
Sure he makes a few late calls you can question but the truth is he is trying to get guys who are underperforming into better positions to score runs.
If Bay was doing what Bay should do he wouldn’t need to bunt a runner over but the way he is hitting why not bunt in that situation?
You can’t fault Collins here as the Xtreeme post said quite well, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE!
The fact we are even as close to .500 as we are with no ACE is remarkable!
Any win is only as good as the next win after it. Any loss can be made up with a win. Each baseball game during a season matters until about 5 minutes after its over, then on to the next one.