I was thinking last night as the Mets had a comfortable three-run lead, that maybe, just maybe they have turned a corner and that I can write something positive today. But in the back of my mind I was thinking that a 3-run lead with a (let’s face it) still-shaky bullpen was not going to hold up against the Marlins.
Now with the rubber game today pitting our ace against Cy Johnson, I feel extremely uneasy. Johan will once again be expected to be his stellar self, and will probably deliver like the ace he is. But the Mets have not figured this Josh Johnson kid out, and I have a bad feeling it’s going to come down to a boneheaded play in the field again, with someone playing a position they have no business playing. You’re all thinking the same thing, aren’t you? With Murphy in left, we have to hope Johan makes the Marlins hit everything to right, or not out of the infield.
I also scanned the USA Today stats yesterday, and I swear I was looking for positive things to say. But it’s ugly, folks, it really is. Through Sunday, Castillo is hitting .365 but only has 5 RBI. David Wright has one homer and 6 RBI, adding one last night. Ryan Church is hitting .357 but only has driven in 7 runs. The Mets are batting .283 as a team, third-best in the National League, but have driven in only 73 runs, 11th best in the NL. Their 11 homers is tied for worst in the league with the Giants, and only better in the entire league than Oakland’s paltry 7 (aren’t you all glad we didn’t get Matt Holliday?).
For team pitching, the Mets rank 13th with a team ERA of 4.60, which I’m sure took more of a hit last night as Babe Cantu continued his torrid hitting of Mets’ pitching. Dude is hitting .411 against our Mets this season and blasted two homers last night, including the dagger of a 3-run bomb off Sean Green. And did any of you feel like the Mets would overcome a 3-run deficit? I know I didn’t, and I don’t think Jerry Manuel did either.
“Three runs shouldn’t be something that’s insurmountable,” Manuel said. “It appears when we get in that position, it’s an insurmountable lead. We have to address that.”
You’re telling me, Jerry.
Are you all as nervous as I am about today’s game?
