22
2012
Reeling Mets Fall Under .500 After Sweep By Dodgers
An article by 
“It’s very disappointing. We’re not happy with the way things have gone the last 10 days and we got to buckle down, get after it and get back over. We got a tough three games coming up, we got to pick ourselves up and get ready for them.” ~ Terry Collins
Despite another great outing by Niese, and a valiant rally in the ninth, Ramon Ramirez let up five runs in the 12th and the offense failed to capatalize on multiple opportunities as the Mets dip under for .500 for the first time this season, falling to the Dodgers 8-3.
Man do I hate writing about games like these. In the midst of this awful, AWFUL stretch to start the second half, the Mets lose another by one end of the Mets pitching coming up short, this time the bullpen.
Jon Niese had himself a great outing for the second straight start, and for the second time in a row, it went to waste. Niese had good command of his cutter today as he went seven frames allowing three runs on eight hits while walking none and punching out three. The southpaw needed just 97 pitches to get through those seven innings of work, but left on the hook, in danger of falling to 7-5 on the year. That was, until the ninth.
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Mets came up with Javy Guerra on to close it out. Tejada singled, Valdespin dragged an excellent bunt to move him into scoring position, and Wright hit an infield single on a slow roller to make it a first and third situation with just one dead. Ike Davis stepped up, and grounded one softly to the first baseman James Loney, who bobbled the ball but tossed it to Mark Ellis and it reached his glove about half a step after Ike touched first, but was called out by first base umpire Mike DiMuro. Despite the blown call, Tejada scored and the game was sent into extras.
Bobby Parnell held down the fort throwing up goose eggs in the ninth and tenth and Ramon Ramirez worked around a leadoff walk to Andre Ethier in the 11th before the the top of the 12th did him in. Ramirez allowed five hits and an intentional pass to hand the Dodgers a five run lead going into the bottom half of the inning.
Josh Lindblom came in and made quick work of the Mets in the bottom of the 12th, securing the sweep for the Dodgers, and a losing season for the Amazin’s for the first time all year long. Despite many chances for the lineup throughout the game to score, they failed to capatalize and now sit at 1-8 since the All-Star Break.
Goat Of The Game:
Ramon Ramirez, for his five run 12th, however the goat could have just as easily belonged to Terry Collins for leaving him in. I’m all for preserving arms and all but you’re nearly five hours into a game, wouldn’t you want to do all you can to at least come out of it with a win?
Notes:
- The Mets have announced that Matt Harvey will start Thursday in Arizona to face the Diamondbacks!!!
- Daniel Murphy had yet another great day at the plate, collecting a four-hit game including two doubles, an RBI and a walk.
- Every position player had a hit today, including Wright who had a three-hit game and Tejada, Nieuwenhuis and Thole who each had themselves a pair in the loss.
- Jon Niese took another no decision but now has a 3.59 ERA on the year.
Up Next:
The Mets open up a three-game set against the division leading Nationals tomorrow at home with Chris Young on the hill starting at 7:00 pm.
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
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No they don’t. Start selling now.
Hairston, Murphy, Duda…..ship em out.
Not sure I’d call Niese’s performance great. He pitched well enough to win bu not well enough. The Mets are in the midst of their annual 2nd half tank job. I’m happy to see Harvey get his shot but as Matt above has already suggested it’s time to be sellers not buyers. We just simply don’t have the talent to compete for the potseason. We have too many holes that are currently filled by one dimensional players and no MLB ready talent on the horizon aside from 2 pitchers. I’m sick and tired of watching this team the last few years come out of the Allstar break looking like they don’t belong in the Major Leagues. Hopefully we will once again have a decent nucleous to build aroundin my lifetime.
We should be sellers..The problem is who will want to buy the Wilpons and Alderson and company.They are the pieces we need to get rid of if Met fans ever want to win any meaningful games
Lets face it The Mets are the only team in baseball that gets a leadoff double in the 10th and loses. Pretty pathetic.
That was pathetic.Could not even get the runner to third.I have to say we excel at the collapse.Whether it be the end of September or the end of July, we seem to have perfected it.
After 95 games the Mets have finally done what only 5 other teams in MLB have yet to do, fall below .500 during the season. Niese pitched a good game and deserved a better fate and despite Ramirez getting hit his 2nd inning of work the pen held the Dodgers long enough to allow ample opportunity where the Mets should of scored a go ahead run. After Niese getting in early trouble in the 8th putting 2 on Byrdak came in and got 2 outs then Rauch the last out to leave the runners stranded. Parnell who at home for whatever reason just is a different pitcher came in and pitched 2 shutout innings before Ramirez came in and got hit in his 2nd inning of work.
The Mets left 14 men on base in a game they needed to win and I hate to rag on Duda cause I believe he will eventually turn it around and there were others with opportunities to do something and didn’t but he was 1 for 6 and left 6 on base.
To say the Mets needs a win is an understatement. The Mets need wins and have to avoid falling any further below .500. One win 2morrow will be a good way to start.
LGM!
Today’s batting order was ridiculous. Putting Ike Davis, who can’t hit, in between the two best hitters on the team, Wright and Murphy, with Duda, who also can’t hit, behind Murphy. This gives pitchers he ability to pitch around both Wright and Murphy. I blame Terry Collins for this loss. Having Nickeas bunt in to a wheel play was silly- there was no place for him to bunt the ball. If he swung he only needed to make contact to get a hit as there was no one to catch the ball if Nickeas hit even a little pop up. It would have been better to pinch-hit with Cedeno, but couldn’t do that because then there would be no one to catch if we didn’t score. e need to carry 3 catchers. Valdespin needs to play every day in left and Neuenhuis every day in center. Ramires should not have been left in to throw 41 pitches- 30 should be his limit.
Please explain to me why so many fans want Daniel Murphy traded.Next to Wright he has most hits,one less than Wright for 2 base, most 3 base and is hitting.306 (.444 in July) There are others who have not performed and could be sent down or DFA. At 2nd base he is as good as most 2nd baseman. Yet his name is always on the trade list by fans. WHY?
Because other tham Wright he is the only player who could bring back someone with a pulse in a trade.Than Valdy could play second every day.Than in about a month when he stops hitting everyone will want him traded.The ship be sinking folks and our captain (Collins) looks like he is going down with the ship
Where do i even begin?? This is beyond pathetic.. This team was over achieving all season long. They were playing out of their mind and considerably healthy for the most part, however, it was clear that this players knew they couldn’t keep this up all season without actual talent and help in this ballclub, in comes the GM, lying through his teeth about being buyers and blah blah blah, next thing you know, the team starts 1-8 Against obviously better talent and competition. Sometimes you deflate the ballclub’s spirit by not believing in them, by sandy not doing anything it is clear he’s not buying into this team, and please, don’t give me that garbage about mortgaging the future, nobody is askign him to trade harvey or wheeler or even flores, just to make something happened that can help this ballclub,to show faith in the ballclub, but, as his goon ricco said “we are in wait and see mode”, well, now they’ve seen how bad they can be, many people are already off the bandwagon, and understandibly so, hell, if the GM don’t buy into the team, why should you? This front office is gonna set up back the same way it did in oakland, and san diego, it is a shame that this team who has fought hard every game for the first half is shown ZERO faith by the front office. I mean, after all, it was this front office who brought those 3 guys on that infamous “good day” by alderson, they’ve all stink big time, you know it’s bad when jeremy hefner is considered a good pick up, that’s how bad this FO has been. They’ve done nothing but sabotage the team and because of it, players like DW, Santana and Dickey who have played out of their mind and have put their heart into the season can now see the season go down the drain barring a miracle recovery.
I still can understand why anyone even defends this Front office and the bad job sandy has done, i know it’s only 2 offseasons etc, but the man has been AWFUL to say the least in decision making, it is what it is, at this point many intelligent mets fans are realizing how bad this guy is as a GM of this team and some even regretting getting rid of minaya for this clown.
Let’s hope the mets bounced back, but the way things are going, sandy alderson as a GM will have his 8th straight losing season as a GM.
Unless we get a shut out or close to it (will b e impossible against the Nats, i.e. Ryan Zimmerman-two homeruns on Sunday) we will probably be swept by the Nats. The team is one game below 500 and this is exactly how I predicted the team will finish the season. I didn’t say this, many bloggers , sports writers said the same. The Mets are not in a slump-this is what they are. Nothing more, nothing less.