Mets Stumped By Another No Name

So, the Mets are no good against guys making their first major league starts, big deal. Not bloody likely they'll be facing such pitchers in the playoffs.

Two days after losing to a previously unheralded Hong-Chih Kuo and a trio of relievers teamed for a four hit 5-0 shutout, rookie Erik Stults shut down the Mets as well, limiting them to two hits over six innings in a 9-1 victory.


Eric Stults in his earlier career as the elephant man.

So while freakishly, this might mean that the Mets would be crap hitting against the Dodgers minor league pitchers, they did a pretty good tattoo job against Brad Penny and Greg Maddux so I think the worries about an early demise are a bit premature.

Perhaps the bigger story was Steve Trachsel pitching his shortest outing all season, a two and two thirds inning job that cemented the knowledge that no matter how long that pretty little streak of winning decisions lasted for him this season, once in awhile Trachsel is going to have to pitch five or six innings without giving up double digit runs.

"If you’re going to discount May, June, July and August over two starts, that’s up to you guys," Trachsel snarled at reporters who dared point out his inefficiency after allowing four runs, five hits and two walks. "I had four good months and I’ve had two bad starts. So my main focus right now is just to correct what has happened."

Four good months? Whoa, hang on. What year was that, Steve?

Or do you mean October through February?

Helloooooo Mr Trachsel, haven't you given up 36 earned runs over 51 innings in your last 10 starts? Where exactly were these four good months? Swept under the carpet to avoid scrutiny like, how many runs in support of your starts was received from your teammates?

If, harkening back to yesterday's column, this were the playoffs, the idea is that Steve Trachsel would be starting would one of these games. I know that Pedro and Glavine and El Duque are like the auldest starting trio in the history of postseason baseball (well I don't "know" it for a fact, I'm merely guessing,) but if they need rest, I'm not so sure Trachsel is going to be the guy to cover them.


Lastings Milledge? Yup. Untradeable.

Alright, let's just forget all about this little episode.

In the games that "mattered", i.e. the games in which major league pitchers pitched against the Mets and didn't have an exhibition game feel to them, the Mets were 2-0. These kinds of caveats won't be necessary in the postseason.

*****

Since Aug. 1, the Mets are 4-11 in 15 games started by left-handed pitchers, compared to 21-2 against righties.