More of Last Night, Please
Seriously, when was the last time the Mets made a win look as easy as they did last night?
As accustomed as we've all grown to the Mets scoring runs in the first inning, rarely do we see them pile on the way they did last night. Ordinarily, the Mets would have tacked on those first two runs, sent a man to the plate with the bases loaded and seen the inning die, the opposing team down but not out.
Last night Omir Santos, the savior, stepped to the plate and smacked a grand slam to make it a 6-1 ball game. Santos' slam absolved Gary Sheffield of his first inning mishap in the terrain of despair that is left field, and gave John Maine the kind of breathing room typically reserved for an Ollie Perez-meltdown-in-waiting. Fortunately, Maine was able to make it stand up.
* * * * *
Tonight the team plays its 20th game of the season, and exactly who they are is still difficult to determine.
On the one hand their hitting is both better and worse than I'd have expected. The averages are up and the power numbers are down almost across the board.
Is it Citi Field? Maybe. I definitely think David Wright is a little psyched out by the dimensions, but it's clear that his mechanics are completely screwed up right now. Things looked better last night at least, and with Wright you don't even worry anymore.
On the other hand, Carlos Beltran seems liberated by th emove to Citi Field. Big money guys are expected to put up big home run numbers, but that's not really Beltran's game.
Sure he had the 41-homer season in 2006, but looking at his resume that's clearly the outlier. He's more of a 25-35 home run type hitter. If he winds up toward the bottom of that range, Citi Field gives him cover.
The hitting aside, the starting pitching has realized about every worst nightmare any of us had coming into the season. Perez sucks, Mike Pelfrey is an injury risk and a serious case of glass-half full, and whether it's his recovery from injury, his head, or his stuff, Maine can't be trusted to win 12 games. As for Livan... well, let's just hope for more tonight than the last two times out.
I'm not sure what part of the early returns should surprise anyone, but at least it can only get better. In the plus column, the bullpen has been mostly as good as advertised.
* * * * *
Tonight it's the 20th game of the season. They say a team has until Memorial Day to show you what it's got. So far, it's been inconsistency on offense, clumsiness on the base paths, and shoddiness in the field. Not a recipe for success.
If they're going to show us they're anything worth getting excited about, it'd help if they started with a little more of last night, please. They didn't exactly put it altogether, but it was exactly the type of good, clean win that this team needs more of in order to take the edge off.
- A.F.O.M.G.
As accustomed as we've all grown to the Mets scoring runs in the first inning, rarely do we see them pile on the way they did last night. Ordinarily, the Mets would have tacked on those first two runs, sent a man to the plate with the bases loaded and seen the inning die, the opposing team down but not out.
Last night Omir Santos, the savior, stepped to the plate and smacked a grand slam to make it a 6-1 ball game. Santos' slam absolved Gary Sheffield of his first inning mishap in the terrain of despair that is left field, and gave John Maine the kind of breathing room typically reserved for an Ollie Perez-meltdown-in-waiting. Fortunately, Maine was able to make it stand up.
* * * * *
Tonight the team plays its 20th game of the season, and exactly who they are is still difficult to determine.
On the one hand their hitting is both better and worse than I'd have expected. The averages are up and the power numbers are down almost across the board.
Is it Citi Field? Maybe. I definitely think David Wright is a little psyched out by the dimensions, but it's clear that his mechanics are completely screwed up right now. Things looked better last night at least, and with Wright you don't even worry anymore.
On the other hand, Carlos Beltran seems liberated by th emove to Citi Field. Big money guys are expected to put up big home run numbers, but that's not really Beltran's game.Sure he had the 41-homer season in 2006, but looking at his resume that's clearly the outlier. He's more of a 25-35 home run type hitter. If he winds up toward the bottom of that range, Citi Field gives him cover.
The hitting aside, the starting pitching has realized about every worst nightmare any of us had coming into the season. Perez sucks, Mike Pelfrey is an injury risk and a serious case of glass-half full, and whether it's his recovery from injury, his head, or his stuff, Maine can't be trusted to win 12 games. As for Livan... well, let's just hope for more tonight than the last two times out.
I'm not sure what part of the early returns should surprise anyone, but at least it can only get better. In the plus column, the bullpen has been mostly as good as advertised.
* * * * *
Tonight it's the 20th game of the season. They say a team has until Memorial Day to show you what it's got. So far, it's been inconsistency on offense, clumsiness on the base paths, and shoddiness in the field. Not a recipe for success.
If they're going to show us they're anything worth getting excited about, it'd help if they started with a little more of last night, please. They didn't exactly put it altogether, but it was exactly the type of good, clean win that this team needs more of in order to take the edge off.
- A.F.O.M.G.
posted by A Friend of Mr. Glass' at 9:51 AM
2 Comments:
To me they're still struggling, but looking promising. I think Perez just got himself way behind, but I think he'll put April behind him and be good. I think Maine is coming around now after the injury, and I figured Pelfrey needed a month to really get back to where he was when he was cruising last year.
So that's the pitching. I wonder if you listened to WFAN yesterday afternoon, because I heard Francessa spouting off some stuff about the 'intimidating' ballpark, and Beltran not hitting home runs, and altering swings. I don't believe any of it. This team has never been a home run team. This team has been an aggressive, speedy team. They need to do things like go first to third, drive balls in the gaps, steal bases. Teams can win without the 3-run home run. This is why the Sheffield experiment needs to end (not that he can hit home runs either anymore..)
When Delgado's hip heals and he gets back to smashing some home runs, that'll be fine. He can hook plenty down the Left Field line and get them out. As can Church.
But I say let them loose, and get these guys running, advancing, and scoring on singles.
David Wright's glovework has been stellar...Impressive even. but he still throws side arm too often. I think he has some sort of shoulder injury...his throws are soo inconsistent.
I dont see Sheffield hurting this team. If he is wak Church and Murphy can play. Church is VERY good defensively and all I ask is that he hits 270 and play Defense out of the 6 spot. Murphy has potential but his breakdancing in Left field bothers my soul.
I am most disappointed in D. Wright's offense, Beltran's attentiveness and Perez's asshole start. He is too old to keep walking soo many batters 7 out of 8 starts. But the thing is....who do we bring up to take his spot?
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