Wow, what a stressful game that was. Johan is pitching incredible, only has 90 pitches through 6 (I know that is a lot for only 6 innings but you have to leave him out for one more inning, right?). Batista was able to pitch a clean 7th so what is the problem with pulling Johan early? One more inning to screw up.
That they did in the 8th. Rauch who had been incredible all year had a rough time with the home plate umpire. Honestly I thought he was the beneficiary of some early calls but evidently it was a give and take relationship. Eventually Rauch would leave with the bases loaded in favor of Tim Byrdak who would face pinch hitter Todd Helton with the bases loaded and 2 outs. That’s fine as Byrdak has been great against LH all season, ugh. Grand Slam. OK so tie game.
The Mets offense then proceeded to do what it had all game, get runners on. I am not going to even discuss that issue as it has been expressed in columns all across Mets land. Eventually you have to knock a bunch of these guys in. So where was I? Oh yeah, Wright walked (David managed to get on base 5 times tonight) advanced to 2nd, moved to 3rd on a balk and got stranded.
Game over right? You know they can’t hold the bottom of the 9th. Thankfully Bobby Parnell was brilliant finishing off a clean bottom of the 9th. In the top of the 10th, did I mention the Mets can get runners on? PH extraordinaire Mike Baxter singled to RF bringing up Lenny Dykstra. Captain Kirk. With a drive to LF, Baxter was able to ride his horse all the way around in to score giving the Mets the lead again.
Frankie was ready to close out the game if not for the screaming rocket from Cargo to RF that cleared the wall to tie the game again. Tum Tum Tum Tums… Of course Francisco also gave up a single to Tulo as well to add to the stress level and blown save. Frankie then retired the next batter, walked Rauch’s buddy Helton and then got Ramon Hernandez to pop out.
Time to get runners on, again. David Hot Wright singled up the middle followed by a single from Duda that moved Wright over to 3rd. So Scott Hairston just needs a nice fly ball to take the lead or maybe a fielders choice that just gets the runner at 2nd out and can’t advance Wright? Another left on base ugly inning is shaping up nicely. Especially with Ike Davis at the plate, luckily for the Mets maybe Ike is turning the page. Ike singled to Left bringing in Wright. Davis finished 3/6 today so hopefully that is the spark. Thole would ground into a double play later but I will mention that he did hit his first HR of the year in the 5th inning after looking awful against Moyer the first two plate appearances.
So can we break the trend? Mets score, blow it, get a lot of runners on, blow it, score some runs, blow it. Repeat. It looked like a big NO with 2 outs and a bomb to LF from Scutaro but thankfully it fell silently into Hairston’s glove ending the game and causing a big case of cold chills followed by a bout of nausea.
But the good news is the Mets win in 11.
Obviously there is plenty more good news but I certainly didn’t feel like that right as the game ended. Johan looked like an ace, the Mets finally scored a run for him but of course robbed him of a win. Oh yeah this is supposed to be the good things. Wright is hitting almost .400 with a .506 OBP. Kirk is looking like MR. Clutch. Duda’s swing looks much better, Davis doubled his average today (OK maybe not exactly but he’s back over .180). The Mets have their top 4 players and Thole all hitting over .300. At least until Terry automatically puts Torres back in the lead off spot tomorrow. What in the hell? Parnell looked great going 1.1 innings without a hit or a walk and finally the Mets won the series in Colorado after a heat breaking embarrassing game on Friday.
Tomorrow the Mets play @ the Astros with RA Dickey facing Bud Norris at 8:05.
34 comments
Mr North Jersey
4/29/2012-8:22pm at 8:22 pm (UTC -4)
Oh those Rocky Mountain High games.
Rauch making his 1st appearance since Wednesday had a hard time finding the plate and he walked Cuddyer with 2 outs to load the bases and oh how those walks kill you. He wasn’t going to be perfect on the season so I am not going to get all over him considering his body of work thus far on the season. Byrdak came in and Helton well, did his thing. Santana once again has nothing to show for a well pitched game.
Gonzalez, Tulowitzki and Helton. Those guys are just tough.
Francisco simply failed. He had to close the door after the Mets went back on top and he didn’t.
Positives has to be Santana’s pitching effort. He deserved a win. Capt Kirk with what has to be the catch of the week in MLB and with a big hit in the 10th to give the Mets the lead. How about some props for David Wright as well. His heads up 1st to 3rd in the 11th scoring what would be the winning run. Mr Tejada was just unconscious with 3 hits and watching his B.A. jump 71 points in this series. But more importantly Ike Davis who continues to look like he is about to break out of his slump and for the Mets that is huge.
Offensively there is just so many good things from this game and series one could do multiple posts and still overlook something.
The Mets biggest attribute from this game is that once again they never folded. They kept fighting back. Blew 2 leads and still found a way to win.
4 games above .500 for what is the 4th time now in 2012 and personally I am enjoying every bit of it. On to Houston to try and see if they can finally get to 5 games above .500.
LGM!!!
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:34pm at 8:34 pm (UTC -4)
kirk seems to be a player. A big time player.
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:37pm at 8:37 pm (UTC -4)
Does he remind any one else of Lenny or is it just me?
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:42pm at 8:42 pm (UTC -4)
hopefully just from the balls to the wall play and flair for a big play. not the roids and penchant to commit felonies.
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:45pm at 8:45 pm (UTC -4)
Well yeah but I am talking about just as a Lenny while with the Mets perspective. I haven’t seen it mentioned much I guess because people are afraid to because of what eventually happen to Lenny. However, for now he reminds me of what I loved about Lenny.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:51pm at 8:51 pm (UTC -4)
I’ll buy that.
gategem
4/29/2012-10:45pm at 10:45 pm (UTC -4)
Other than attitude I would have to say no. Kirk is 6’3”, 215 lbs and Lenny was 5’10”, 160 lbs. Without roids Kirk is stronger but Lenny was much faster. Lenny provided much more of a threat to steal while on base (in 1983 while at Lynchburg Lenny stole 105 bases) and while the stolen base is overrated (I agree with the saber people on this) the threat of a stolen base has a pronounced effect on many pitchers. The speed also allowed Lenny to take the extra base on plays where Kirk has to be more circumspect (which he is not). In the outfield the extra speed allows outfielders to get to balls that slower players could not. Kirk is a fine centerfielder, has good instincts and runs well but Lenny’s speed would allow him to track down balls slower outfielders could not.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-11:10pm at 11:10 pm (UTC -4)
But they both have Grustle, right?
gategem
4/29/2012-11:20pm at 11:20 pm (UTC -4)
Isn’t gurstle a dish they serve down south with eggs for breakfast?
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:35pm at 8:35 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, what you said.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:32pm at 8:32 pm (UTC -4)
time to start the countdown to passing the closers torch over to Parnell. Frankie might kill me before too long.
and staring Torres over Kirk is going to really, really piss me off. Collins needs to get over this weird obsession that torres is some kind of entrenched veteran that has to be given his job (that he held for one day) back!
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:36pm at 8:36 pm (UTC -4)
I think Kirk will still start most of the time in LF but still it’s pointless to play Torres in CF and bat him leadoff when Kirk and Tejada are doing so well. If you want Torres in in front of them then bat him 9th
MediaNow.MVP
4/29/2012-8:41pm at 8:41 pm (UTC -4)
Agree, its working.
By the way.. Nicely written article!
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:43pm at 8:43 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:43pm at 8:43 pm (UTC -4)
yeah, the OF bit is annoying, but considering those guys have been doing a good job up top, why bother to put torres lead off?
gategem
4/29/2012-10:47pm at 10:47 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t believe TC cares whether or not you’re pissed off.
Prismo
4/30/2012-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
The Mets are paying Frank Franc $12MM over 2 years to carry the torch. They won’t pass it on so easily…
Stick
4/30/2012-9:30am at 9:30 am (UTC -4)
depends how bad he sucks.
and they are really paying him budget money for a FA closer. or, good money for a set up man. he has experience getting moved back and forth, so it could happen.
trs86
4/30/2012-9:35am at 9:35 am (UTC -4)
They signed Rauch and Frankie to both close if needed AND to trade one or both of them.
Stick
4/30/2012-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
agreed on that. But, they also signed them to serve as a veteran presence, to avoid going with a totally “kid” pen. At least until the young, live arms supplanted them.
I am thinking that by the end of the year (mid year? next month?) the pen will have Edgin in it, and another power RH arm from the minors (just WAGging here). and that the back end will be parnell, edgin, rauch, rameriz and Byrdak. For some reason, I just see FF out of the picture, though he could still be in there as a set up man.
SaltyGary
4/29/2012-8:35pm at 8:35 pm (UTC -4)
Tejada’s AVR is over a hundred points higher than Reyes’s at this point. I believe he had 10 hits this series? So he wins the first month.
Game was way too stressful. If Ike is going to struggle then he needs to hit lead off so he isn’t put in so many game winning situations.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:44pm at 8:44 pm (UTC -4)
11 actually I believe. amazing.
gategem
4/29/2012-10:51pm at 10:51 pm (UTC -4)
I didn’t realize they were in competition but from the point of view of career contributions and contract amount they’re not close.
MediaNow.MVP
4/29/2012-8:38pm at 8:38 pm (UTC -4)
“So can we break the trend? Mets score, blow it, get a lot of runners on, blow it, score some runs, blow it. Repeat”
Actually the character of this team is that they took the shot of losing a 4-0 lead and came back not only once but twice. As the visiting team in the Rockies had the edge with mo, the fans and home field advantage working for them. Last years model may have let this one go.
I like the way the offense is coming together. Opposite field hitting and not looking for the long ball to get them out of every hole can pay off.
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:41pm at 8:41 pm (UTC -4)
It can build character for sure, ulcers no doubt. Welcome.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-8:49pm at 8:49 pm (UTC -4)
you forgot a big part of today.
Nats got shutout (after blowing a game last night in spectacular fashion) and the Mets are now only 1 game out of the division lead.
Considering how many people prior to the season pegged April as some kind of death march where the team would be dead and buried by May 1, truly amazing.
TRS86
4/29/2012-8:51pm at 8:51 pm (UTC -4)
I guess I refuse to look at the standings this year. I will just let someone tell me when September rolls around
srt
4/29/2012-9:58pm at 9:58 pm (UTC -4)
18 hits and 6 runs. Pathetic. They’re lucky they won this one.
IDK about you all but I won’t be shedding any tears if we’re able to trade Francisco at the trade deadline.
Lutz down for Torres.
I’d leave Kirk in CF and put Torres in LF but apparently that’s not Terry’s plan at the moment. Bah.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-11:17pm at 11:17 pm (UTC -4)
Sure, would be nice to get more out of it, but the good part is, they are getting on. And you don’t get bonus wins for style points. Winning ugly is better than losing pretty.
I do agree about CF and LF, but at this point, if they are both playing, see how it goes. Possible that longer term Kirk ends up in a corner OF spot anyway.
I do worry that Torres is going to bomb, so if that happens, he won’t be playing long.
Now, the bigger concern is if Bay comes back, and torres is not lighting the world on fire, who loses their job?
but, I suspect Bay will be out for quite a while. Man, easy to forget he ever existed!
kingman 26
4/29/2012-10:48pm at 10:48 pm (UTC -4)
Great, great win.
Loads of LOB, the grand slam, the 10th inning, and a win.
5-1 since the DH sweep, 13-9 going to HOU and a month of an easier schedule/
gategem
4/29/2012-11:18pm at 11:18 pm (UTC -4)
I believe the LOB is a product of team speed or the lack thereof that causes the team to play station to station baseball. Other than a couple of players they have average to below average team speed that shows up in their inability to take the extra base or score on an extra base hit. Speed also causes the defense to speed up their decision making and rush the play causing more likelihood of error.
An easier schedule could play to a disadvantage. Early in the season bad and mediocre teams still believe they have a shot at winning and tend to play harder. Of course, on second thought, right now that may be playing to the Mets advantage.
Stickguy
4/29/2012-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
yup. Hopefully they take advantage of Houston, and don’t have a letdown.
and the teams over the next month don’t look that bad. As long as they can handle an overload of road games (so far not a problem) no worries!
gategem
4/29/2012-11:25pm at 11:25 pm (UTC -4)
It was an important win in that a loss could have had a negative effect on this team (it’s a much tougher way to lose than 50-7 or whatever that score was). OTOH this team is either too tough or stupid to let a loss get them down. But I had to hold my breath on the last out.
srt
4/30/2012-6:59am at 6:59 am (UTC -4)
50-7 LOL
You weren’t the only one holding their breath on that last out.
You might have a point above about speed. Other than Wright, Kirk and Baxter I don’t think we have any speed. We’re down near the bottom on stolen bases and we’re certainly not seeing any speed generated doubles or triples.
Good thing we’ve got a couple of guys who can hit HRs occasionally.