After yesterday’s loss to the Astros, the Mets have not won in their last nine Grapefruit League games. At 3-11, they have the worst spring record in the majors. On the bright side, with no game scheduled for today, there’s no chance that they can extend their winless streak to ten.
This is certainly not the start manager Terry Collins was looking for, I can tell you that. And no matter how much Collins and the players try to downplay it by saying the games don’t matter, it is what it is. All 29 other MLB teams have more wins than the Mets this spring. That and the small fact that the Mets are playing at a level consistent with what most experts have them pegged for in 2012 anyway – last place.
Don’t kid yourselves… deep down inside, Collins is feeling the pressure. So do the players. If the games didn’t matter, they wouldn’t smile and high–five each other after a win, or head to the clubhouse with their heads hung low as the Mets have after their last few losses. I didn’t see Collins smiling like his counterpart in the other dugout either.
Yesterday’s loss matters… It matters because Mike Pelfrey gave up another eight earned runs and has now allowed 16 runs in 9.2 innings including 4 home runs. He of the reinvented sinker and fixer of a flawed release point – a Spring ritual with this one..
Five of the last seven losses mattered because the new Three Amigos in the bullpen, Francisco, Rauch and Ramirez, have looked terrible and have five blown saves and allowed 15 runs on 24 hits in 14.2 innings. Everybody’s watching, guys.
What about all the aches, pains and bruises, should I mention them? What about all the errors, the dropped popups, throwing to the wrong bag, not reading the ball off the bat, getting picked off? Does that matter?
You want to say the standings don’t matter, fine I’ll buy that, but guess what? Results still matter – and so far things aren’t looking so good for our Amazins.
