26.6.08

Mets Avoid Getting Swept By Crappy Mariners

You can't really say it's something to be proud of, avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.

But, taking in mind the bright side, at least they weren't swept by them.

They followed the humiliation of an 11-0 loss with miniature run explosion of their own through the first three innings, jumping ahead to an 8-0 lead through the first three innings before falling silent for the rest of the game.


Maybe the whole team should be given a day off.

David Wright, after being benched for a game (or call it a "day off", however you want to coin it,) homered in his first two at-bats over the first two innings and Jose Reyes hit a three-run homer of his his own in the third inning.

But Carlos Delgado, who unlike Wright, isn't getting benched, or "rested", had another hitless night to his credit, dropping his batting average down to .229. He may be getting more rest in the future though. Andy Phillips, conceivably a back-up first baseman was claimed off waivers yesterday. Claimed off waivers, mind you. He isn't a cure-all. Not with a career .248 batting average. But you don't really need much to improve upon Delgado, do you?

Carlos Beltran, a day after getting tossed from a game for the first time, had only a walk in four trips to the plate and unlike Jerry Manuel, no public apology from the ump, Brian Runge, who ejected both of them for his own miserable behaviour the night before in that debaucherie of an 11-0 loss to the worst team in baseball.

John Maine threw six innings in earning his 8th win of the season. It wasn't necessarily impressive, bar the first four hitless innings, simply reasonably effective yet his ability to get through innings flawlessly remains an issue. He has pitched at least 7 innings only once all season. It's an issue because the bullpen needs time off from time to time and none of the Mets starters seem capable of giving them one.


What a relief, not swept.

Last night, the bullpen did their job: Heilman, Smith and Sanchez surrendered one hit and two walks over three innings to keep the lead intact.

So rah, rah, the Mets won a game.

Big deal.

It doesn't make up for the first two losses to the worst team in baseball.

It doesn't make anyone believe that although his style is slightly different, Jerry Manuel is going to have any more luck than Willie did pinching performances out of this puny team.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know I cannot conceive of Andy Phillips as the Mets backup first baseman. He is a right handed Endy as far as I am concerned. Did you see that interview with Hojo last night? He sounds like a pure idiot. Ron Darling had it right. The Mets have to grind out at bats to win games and they refuse to do that. No hits after the third inning last night. Incredible.

Jaap said...

well, I know fuck all about Andy Phillips but I was reading his wife has cancer and his mother was nearly killt in a car crash over the last few years (both) thus regardless I hope his life gets better- is it better to be a mediocre baseball player or not a baseball player at all, I sometimes wonder.