I made the mistake of checking out the game before heading out last night, and I truly wish I had not.
Top of the 5th, Mets ahead 3-2, two outs and Wright on 2nd. Francoeur hits a sharp single to left-center, and Wright trots around third, not hustling down the line at all, not looking to see if Francoeur was trying for 2nd with two outs.
Francoeur did, in typical Met fashion, head for second when he had very little chance of making it, and was easily thrown out. This was just the second worst part of this play.
As apparently everyone in the stadium—except Shines and Wright—knew, if Francoeur was thrown out at second before Wright crossed the plate, the run would not count. Was Shines visibly urging Wright to hustle, due to the circumstances? Of course not. Was Wright running hard as he always should be? Not remotely. Did Wright even look over towards Francoeur to see what he was doing as David trotted down the third base line? Not at all. Not hustling, head not in the game, throw away a run, who the hell cares.
The second Wright crossed the plate, the Marlins’ catcher immediately made sure the home plate umpire knew what had happened, and as Francoeur was thrown out at second, the umpire declared the run did not count. Apparently, someone was paying attention to the circumstances of the game.
So, to review, all Wright had to do was run hard for a little under 180 entire feet, and the Mets had another run and a 2-run lead. Wright did not hustle, Shines showed no sense of being aware of what was going on, Francoeur was of course thrown out trying to take an extra base, and the Mets—again—did their best Bad News Bears impression on the basepaths. But this is not fair. By the end of their 1976 season, the Bears were running hard and had left the bad fundamentals behind them en route to the championship game. Not these pathetic, lazy Mets.
———————————————————————————————
I have watched a lot of bad baseball in my 36 years as a Met fan, and this play was for me the last straw. There are nine days left in this season, we hear Wright talk about how the season has not gone as planned, we hear Jerry’s absolute drivel about playing “crisp†baseball (as if Jerry would have the faintest idea what that was), we have Golden Boy talking about working with HoJo in the offseason, we have a team of wealthy young men about to head off on their annual four-plus month vacation nice and early for the third straight year, and they cannot even be bothered to simply have their heads in the game and run hard.
This just has to end or this team is going to start losing even more fans than the largely vacant Citi Field stands have already shown lately. It is one thing to choke on the last weekend of the year, it is another thing to have your season destroyed by injuries, many probably not preventable, but when our bright-eyed franchise centerpiece clearly does not have his head in the game on the basepaths or care enough to run hard, it is too much even for this optimistic “sunshiner†long-term fan to take.
This team reminds me of the horrible late 70s Mets or the revolting 1993 horror show. It shouldn’t. A player like Wright should be giving the fans their money’s worth regardless of the situation. If he is hesitant at the plate due to a combination of Jerry’s spring training drill ruining his swing and the Cain beanball making him bail out, that is understandable. However, running the bases like he is dragging an anchor while thinking about his tee times in 10 days is not. In addition, if Wright isn’t what he once was with the bat, he should be making damn sure he maximizes his ability to run the bases.
———————————————————————————————
Yes, it was one play, as was Church’s missing third. How many times have any of us ever seen that happen, and when it probably cost a game no less? Wright and Beltran together were thrown out three times on the bases in one game against Washington. Pagan is a one-man comedy team trying to figure out if a hit is a hit, and his walnut-sized brain might catch fire trying to count outs and run at the same time. We have seen the most men thrown out at the plate in the big leagues this year I believe. Beltran went down at the plate meekly once, refusing to slide, when sliding was most clearly what the play required.
And this is just off the top of my head.
This team is for the most part a bunch of soft, non-hustling, anti-fundamental, check-cashers at this point. Is this going too far? Absolutely not. The worst choke in history, followed by another similar finish, followed by one of the most disappointing years imaginable, and the face of the damn franchise cannot even hustle when he actually is on second and someone gets a hit with two outs. What do Johan, KRod, and Daniel Murphy think of Wright and Manuel when watching this?Â
IÂ am just about ready to join the obnoxious pessimists after witnessing this play. These guys have been playing out the string for weeks, aside for a few innings here and there when they wake up.
The tone for this is, as always, set by the incredibly weak, ineffectual, and universally disrespected man in the manager’s office. The silent, hands-off ownership seemingly could care less. And the GM is clearly focused on saving own job first, as when he loses it, he won’t be getting another.
I would have to say that, for me personally, I have now truly had it with this team and its 98-pound weakling of a manager. Jerry and the utterly lackadaisical and truly embarrassing play his “style†of managing tolerates must go, and it must go before spring training 2010 begins. If Jerry is allowed to start another season at the helm of this soft, lazy, contented, clock-punching group, there is no way we are going to see improvement. If we sign Lackey and Holliday and it takes 91 wins to make the playoffs, we will do just enough to win 90. Maybe a hands-off guy with little previous success can win a handful of rings with a roster full of Jeters and Pettittes and Bernies and Marianos and Posadas, but there is simply no chance this group is going anywhere without a serious change of philosophy, which can only start to come with a new manager.
It is starting to look like the folks who cite Lo Duca and Valentin and Floyd as the heart of the 2006 team have been right all along.
I can take injuries, I can take going down trying, and I can take losing without talent. This group, for three years now, has managed to lose more than it should consistently. They lost at least one game too many the last two years, and regardless of injuries, this should not be a 90-plus loss team.
I really wish I had not seen this play. It symbolizes this soft and lazy group perfectly. They say one thing and do another, they run hard going for the extra base when they shouldn’t, and they jog when they should run hard, and I am sick of it. And they again drew zero walks last night, against a group of pitchers that would surely make Gibson and Seaver blush.
In the postgame, Bob Ojeda apparently said the Wright play was mind-boggling, and he noted how Pagan was loafing in left, and he said this all falls on the manager. Ojeda asked if this was the reason the team fell one game short the last two years.
How right he is. How I am giving time and mental energy to a team like this is what is mind-boggling.
49 comments
rustyjr
9/27/2009-12:11pm at 12:11 pm (UTC -4)
hey kong I agree with about 90% of your post – but maybe im a wright apologist but i think he is just worn down by everything that has gone on in this past wretched season- remember the old adage its hard to fly with eagles when you are surrounded by turkeys – and as I said yesterday omar and jerry must go because it is obvious that they have lost control of their team and also lying to the mets fans on players injury status, whether we would be players at the trade deadline etc – oh and I bet dollars to doughnuts bobby ojeda gets fired from this organization again – for his candidness and outspokeness about this franchise again ! but If you are a mets fan and you quit when the going gets abysmal – then you are not a mets fan ( not directed at you kong – just the fair weather fans out there)
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-12:20pm at 12:20 pm (UTC -4)
My friend, rooting for a guy who cannot be bothered enough to run hard when the situation demands it is ridiculous. And it has gone on all year.
Hope to see you next Saturday!
rustyjr
9/27/2009-12:56pm at 12:56 pm (UTC -4)
im gonna try my best to be there – might have to take my dofg to pysical therapy – but hopefully i can send the mrs there in my sted lol. and look we know david to be a hard nosed head in the game player – we got on piazza strawberry hundley reyes etc when theyvemade bone headed plays – we gotta give him some slack this isnt george foster or gregg jefferies or tony fernandez we are talking about here
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-1:40pm at 1:40 pm (UTC -4)
It is not just Wright—the fact that this disease has infected him is why I think it is so disappointing.
This team has spent three solid years regressing, and they cannot even show effort for the last ten games.
And their pathetic manager could not get them to hustle and think if his life depended on it. Let’s at least hope his job depends on it.
A light went off when I watched this last night…I have been deluding myself about most of these guys.
They ARE soft and lazy, and how do we know if some of them even worked hard to return from injuries? Maybe that is why we have not see Delgado, Reyes, Putz or Ollie, all of whom were going to be back long ago.
CaseStreet
9/27/2009-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
I think that’s going too far. Being in a walk year, Gado and Putz would benefit from coming back early and show they can play. Why would they not work hard to return? I’ll never believe that Reyes doesn’t want to play. The guy loves playing baseball. There’s no way he’s not trying to get back as soon as possible.
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-2:16pm at 2:16 pm (UTC -4)
Who knows?
JJ will play MLB next year regardless, his pricey option will not be picked up regardless, and he knows all of this. Why bother to work hard to come back to a losing, loser team?
trs86
9/27/2009-5:25pm at 5:25 pm (UTC -4)
Kingman you need to take a break man. It’s hard as hell to get up for games that don’t count at all when you are supposed to be in games that do count. Did they show effort the game before, how about today? No at this point they can’t give 100% mentally like they should. Some of that IS manager but some of that IS the situation. It happens in EVERY sport at EVERY age leve.
darknova306
9/27/2009-6:16pm at 6:16 pm (UTC -4)
Just because it happens doesn’t make it excusable. These are professionals, they should be professional. Mailing it in because the season’s over is ridiculous. Play like a pro or get the hell out, is what I say.
trs86
9/27/2009-6:20pm at 6:20 pm (UTC -4)
LOL, this site is ran by professionals who slack off on their job so they can do this site.
darknova306
9/27/2009-6:32pm at 6:32 pm (UTC -4)
Get to work, slackers! :p
trs86
9/27/2009-5:23pm at 5:23 pm (UTC -4)
Kingman until you have been there we don’t know. I do know what it is like to just have to play out games. When you wanted to be somewhere else and you think an entire season was wasted. It has nothing to do with “I don’t care, I am not going to run hard. Who cares?” That is ridiculous. I am sure Wright cares more than any of us ever will. You think he wants to be known as a choker? I think at this point it when we need to stand up strong as Mets fans instead of choking like we have the past 2 times the team was struggling in September.
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-5:45pm at 5:45 pm (UTC -4)
It is not just Wright, I was saying that this play epitomizes this entire pathetic season, and I believe that it does.
We have seen shoddy and sloppy play from early on right on through to now.
The tone is set by the clueless, powerless manager who cannot get everyone to hustle and think, and this has infected almost the entire roster.
I have tried to stand up and support them, but I am sick of less than full effort.
And as for the below, as a business co-owner who does not get 4.5 month vacations and who does not make millions per year, and who does not have the option of slacking off (or I lose customers in my very competitive field), it makes me really damn sick to watch these guys continue to make the same errors again and again and again–with ZERO consequences.
trs86
9/27/2009-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
I agree this year has been increibly sloppy in the field and on the bases. I can’t explain it. It makes no sense and hopefully we address it this offseason. However, at this point in the year, I can’t hold anything that happens against them, they are very human and are acting like it.
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-12:30pm at 12:30 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe they should hire Bobby O as manager!!
rustyjr
9/27/2009-12:57pm at 12:57 pm (UTC -4)
i dont think he’d take it lol i still think jerry will quit at the end of the season lol
Mr North Jersey
9/27/2009-12:22pm at 12:22 pm (UTC -4)
RANT
–verb
1. To speak or write in an angry or violent manner; rave.
I think this qualifies as a rant.
gonzowill
9/27/2009-1:39pm at 1:39 pm (UTC -4)
Kingman you are on the money. There never seems to be a rock bottom. Here we are, just trying to play spoiler and we can’t even do that. One more week to go.
trs86
9/27/2009-5:27pm at 5:27 pm (UTC -4)
You may want them to play spoiler to make you feel better, but the players are not buying into that. They don’t really care if the Marlins make the playoffs or not, they want to try and win as many as they can and get this damn season over with. What is this crap about getting motivated to be spoiler? That’s a loser’s mentality. I am going to route against you because I can’t get there myself?
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-5:31pm at 5:31 pm (UTC -4)
Hmmm, did the Marlins care the last two years if the Mets made the playoffs?
I have been trying to subscribe to this attitude all year, but running hard is actually a very easy thing to do.
And I know you are a coach, but amateur kids are there for vastly different reasons than millionaire pros.
Cannot make excuses for what is, very clearly, a team that for the most part could not care less and has not cared for weeks if not months.
trs86
9/27/2009-5:37pm at 5:37 pm (UTC -4)
Like I said, I think it’s tougher than we imagine. I am sure there are times in your job where you get disgusted and do not put your maximum effort into something because you are pissed about something else.
As for the Marlins last year, what expectations did they have? Were they just playing out the string in a season that they expected to make the playoffs? Other teams hate the Mets, they get up to play them just because they are NY. Why do the Mets care if the Marlins go on and make the playoffs, because they did not want us to? If I was a Mets player I would not care at all about the damn Marlins.
CaseStreet
9/27/2009-1:40pm at 1:40 pm (UTC -4)
hey kingman,
Sadly, I have to agree with your rant. You just don’t hear other teams playing like this.
Aside from changing the Manager, is there anyone that they can bring in to change the culture of the team? It’s one of the reasons I’d consider bringing back Alex Cora. He’s a smart baseball player.
Are Lackey, Holliday, or Crawford that type of player? What about behind the plate? Is there another Carter or LoDuca out there that we can trade for?
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-1:41pm at 1:41 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks Case, and I seriously debated not publishing this.
I honestly feel that only a new, experienced taskmaster (Showalter, Bobby V, LaRussa, etc) can change the culture of this group.
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-1:53pm at 1:53 pm (UTC -4)
And Murph must stay and play every day.
He is about the only non-pitcher who seems to always hustle and always care.
And Frenchy too.
CaseStreet
9/27/2009-2:09pm at 2:09 pm (UTC -4)
I’d be fine with Murph at 1st if we improve SP and LF and we don’t have the money left to upgrade at 1b. He still needs to work at playing 1st, especially picking up bouncers.
CaseStreet
9/27/2009-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
I love the French.
CaseStreet
9/27/2009-1:56pm at 1:56 pm (UTC -4)
GKR just talked about DW’s play last night. If you read between the lines, they’re putting the blame on Jerry.
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
LOL! I felt VERY vindicated in what I wrote, as Gary’s thoughts sounded like a condensed version of my babbling!
It is 100% Jerry, and if they bring him back we will see more of the same.
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
I agree whole heartedly with Jerry must go. We need a fresh start, no doubt about it and I don’t think the team can do that with the same manager coming back.
I was on the fence about Jerry for a long time. But watching plays like last night over and over and over all season….well, Jerry might be trying to stress fundamentals but it’s not working. For whatever reason, he’s not getting through. I truly believe he individual has to take responsibility for playing hard themselves, you can’t blame it all on the manager. However, if they’re not taking responsibility, it’s up to the manager to do something about it. And I’m seeing no evidence of that…
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-2:10pm at 2:10 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve been a Met fan for over 40 years. I’ve seen some pretty horrible teams/seasons. I think I could make a case though for this 2009 season tops the list of the worst I’ve witnessed.
I don’t agree with Case though about other teams not playing like this. I’ve been following the Phillies games for weeks now. They don’t look much better. Example, fans were irate with Werth loafing in the OF last night and not making a catch b/c of no hustle. They were calling out Rollins for a lazy basket catch that he dropped that cost 2 runs. They’re pissed that everyone not named Howard right now look completely lethargic at the plate, not working counts, like they just want the game over and have something better to do. And this is a team trying to repeat a WC….
I’m not making excuses for the Mets at all. Far from it. But I’ve watched enough games this year that didn’t involve the Mets, and read enough of their fans blogs, to know that there are at least a handful of teams being called out by their fans for the same lack of ML play…
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-2:14pm at 2:14 pm (UTC -4)
One major difference MF4D–the Phils have had their third straight playoff appearance virtually assured for a long, long time.
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-2:18pm at 2:18 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. I’m just saying that it’s not just the NY Mets right now.
And truthfully, if you’ve been following the Phils play all season, you have to agree one of the reasons they’ll be going to post season is – outside of the Braves the past 3 weeks – there wasn’t any one team worth a damn in this division this year.
Phillies tried to hand that lead over back mid season too when they lost like what? 11 in a row at home? It’s just the rest played even worse….
I truly don’t know what the Nats main problem is – their horrible start not withstanding – but if it wasn’t for May, we might have wound up in last place this year.
Can’t wait to put this season behind us……
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
You are probably the last person on here I want to argue with, but the Phils’ pen has rivaled the 2008 Mets’ pen, and they still have held a comfortable lead all year.
They are going to the postseason again because they and their manager have a lot of the qualities our team does not.
We had trouble clinching in 2006 after leading all year, and after this terrible stretch we swept right past the Dodgers and took the eventual champ Cards to the last inning of Game 7. I would expect the Phils to wake up real quick when the playoffs start.
Our guys will wake up real quick when they are headed off to golf courses and ultra-luxury vacations, which they cannot wait for.
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-2:42pm at 2:42 pm (UTC -4)
No, I’m not disputing their lead. I’m not disputing they’ve been the better team. They’ve remained relatively healthy – which is a big plus, and have less holes than we do. I think they’ve got 5 guys on their team right now with 30 or better HRs – right? Compare that to the current Mets. Depressing. But their offense picked up their pitching, when it was bad. And good thing their regulars stayed healthy b/c their bench is awful.
And I couldn’t agree more – going all the way back to late ’06 – something is wrong. I remember it took forever for them to clinch that year.
I can’t put my finger on what is wrong though. This is 2 managers, same results. Not all the exact players, and same results.
Is it confidence? Do you have to have confidence to win? Or does confidence come from winning?
I won’t pretend to have all the answers but then again, I’m not getting paid to. We know the Wilpons aren’t selling this team but I truly believe now the place to start to turn this around is to replace Omar and Jerry.
I’m giving it 50/50 odds right now that will happen. If they still both have their current jobs come end of Oct., we’ll likely be starting the season with both. So it’ll be up to the players themselves then to get the job done.
CaseStreet
9/27/2009-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
No, I’m positive there are other teams not playing well. What I meant was that you don’t hear about these bizarre plays, or mental mistakes, like you do with the Mets.
There’s a difference between not running out a pop fly and some of the weird plays we’ve seen with the Mets.
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-3:00pm at 3:00 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, agreed. Like how the heck do you miss third base on the way to home?
Sigh……
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-3:36pm at 3:36 pm (UTC -4)
Nice game, Pat Misch.
Who would have thought the best pitched game of the year by Met pitching – a complete game shutout would be owned by Misch?
Strange season indeed.
darknova306
9/27/2009-6:25pm at 6:25 pm (UTC -4)
It actually makes sense given how this season has gone. :/ That was a very nice game for him.
trs86
9/27/2009-5:31pm at 5:31 pm (UTC -4)
Kingman, I commend you for stepping out and saying how you feel. I don’t agree with much of it but keep up the good work. Also, there is one common thing we do agree with in that 10%, Jerry must go along with Hojo and Warthen. If Omar is going to get another year it has to be with a clean group of coaches. Also, please no big celebrity to coach this team, just get me a baseball coach not a media circus savior.
Kingman 26
9/27/2009-5:33pm at 5:33 pm (UTC -4)
Well, do I need a break or should I keep up the good work?
trs86
9/27/2009-5:38pm at 5:38 pm (UTC -4)
LOL, hell if I know.
gipperpdx
9/28/2009-1:40pm at 1:40 pm (UTC -4)
Amen…jerry has to go.
trs86
9/27/2009-5:48pm at 5:48 pm (UTC -4)
So looking at next year’s team, can Anderson Hernandez take Cora’s spot saving the Mets 1.5M?
Murphy, Castillo, Reyes, Wright, Santos, Beltran, Frenchy, Hernandez, Pagan, Sullivan/Carter, Tatis/Quinlan, BU C, new LF
So really on offense all that requires is 1-2 extra players which is very reasonable.
Johan, new SP, Pelfrey, Perez, Maine and cast of #5′s. Krod, Parnell, Stokes, Feliciano, Misch. New setup type, mop up man/Green.
So for pitching staff that is only 2 players. So honestly Omar has a plan here that he needs to follow 3 vacant spots that have to be filled with high quality players.
darknova306
9/27/2009-6:27pm at 6:27 pm (UTC -4)
Ugh, a rotation relying on Pelfrey, Perez and Maine doesn’t leave me with much confidence, but that would be a lot of holes to fill. And I want no part of Parnell or Green being back on the team next year.
trs86
9/27/2009-6:33pm at 6:33 pm (UTC -4)
Parnell? Really? Tired of him already huh? So we need to go out and replace him to? Should we just release him?
darknova306
9/27/2009-6:43pm at 6:43 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve been tired of Parnell for most of the season, actually. Off the team was too harsh. I’d be content leaving him in AAA after ST. I think he still needs too much work to be on the major league team.
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-8:43pm at 8:43 pm (UTC -4)
I have no problem with bringing Parnell back. But Green? In my opinion, he’s no better than Shoe was. You can’t rely on him at all. He should go.
darknova306
9/27/2009-6:30pm at 6:30 pm (UTC -4)
Great post, Kingman. I’m with you 100%. People were ignoring the sloppy play back in June and July while they hid behind silly phrases like ‘wait for the cavalry’. Ugh. It’s been like watching a circus all season on the field.
stickguy
9/27/2009-7:29pm at 7:29 pm (UTC -4)
lots of posts here. good job Kong!
couple comments: 1) the Phils are just playing out the string, so some of the sloppy is that, but they hav ebeen amazingly healthy all year on offense. I think Ibanez missed a couple of weeks, but the other core guys all played almost every inning all season. If they lost Howard and Utley for a couple of months, the Braves would have taken the division.
2) I think the recent play is just reinforcing that it wasn’t just injuries, but Jerry stinks. And frankly, the more boneheaded embarrassing plays the better right now, so even the mets “braintrust” will realize that they need some fresh blood in the clubhouse. Bye Bye Jerry, Hojo and Warthen.
The bigger disaster will be when they start off slow or sloppy, and have to can them mid season, and have no viable replacements. Oops.
metsfan4decades
9/27/2009-8:44pm at 8:44 pm (UTC -4)
Good points. Here’s hoping we won’t have to hold our breath starting next season and they just do the right thing come this October….