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.
