Mets End August In Victory

A 4 run margin going into the 9th inning is certainly not, in the venacular of the Mets' bullpen, a safe lead.

However, with Brian Stokes acting as the closer du jour, combined with a diving catch by Jose Reyes to end the game, the Mets managed to squeak by with another valuable victory.

After this comes the call-up of fresh arms from the farm clubs to restock the bullpen and give Jerry Manuel even more arms to barter against last-minute losses with.

For today though, Pedro pitched 6 reasonably strong innings and the bullpen surrendered only three hits in the last three innings.

Perhaps more importantly, unlike the usually lethargic batting displays with a lead in their pockets, the Mets actually hit with men on base and built on their slim one run lead in the 7th, handing the pen three more runs to work with.

And just like that the Mets close out August leading the NL East by a slim margin hoping to avoid another September collapse.

That month of avoidance begins tomorrow in Milwaukee with three lefty starters against the Brewers who have the best record in the Majors against lefties.

Should be interesting.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Relax, everyone: Al "Don't taze me, bro" Reyes is on the way. I seriously doubt Stokes can pitch in 30 straight games.
1:00 AM
katherine said…
Its "amazin", isn't it, that a four run lead with our bullpen feels like a tie game, or worse, like we're behind by one . Going into any late inning, I feel that if we do not have a lead which could survive a grand slam, we're COOKED. Then I am pleasantly surprised if we win.

But I am looking forward to see Al Reyes, the doubly-Tased pitcher. I think Scott Olsen was only Tased once.
3:00 PM
Anonymous said…
my fantasy is that some of the flotsam called up to fill the 40 turns into the magic solution to the shitpen problem and that i never see heilman and company disgrace the mound again. I am prepared to be very disappointed.
5:54 PM
Jaap said…
Rincon, Muniz and yes, Reyes. Is that relief or more heartburn? At least there's alot of options to choose from to see who can blow a lead the fastest.
5:58 PM
Jaap said…
katherine - perhaps they should rename the pen The Chain Smoking gang for the anxiety they automatically induce, regardless of the late inning lead. regardless they only officially blew one out of three in Florida. If they can at least take a game out of Milwaukee I'd consider that quite an accomplishment.
6:00 PM
Jaap said…
IMFM - given the suprises we've had all season, like Evans, Murph, Pelf and even Tatis, hell, anything is possible, nothing is probable. We'll be holding our breath for the next month, no doubt but at least it will be exciting, moreso than last season.
6:05 PM
Anonymous said…
If I am Jerry Manuel-I refuse to lose with the junk that sunk Willie in 2007. I use Stokes, I use Parnell, Reyes, Rincon. Not thrilled about Muniz. My starters go seven. I use the others when I am losing beyond repair. What do they say the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result? If I am Jerry Manuel, I try to prov e that I am not insane. Omar might not like it, since it is an indictment of him, but too bad. Hmmm. Shitpen. I like it.
6:38 PM
Anonymous said…
katherine--you are oh so right. When we were up 7-0 on Tuesday, I was quaking in my boots. I wanted 10 or 11! Ridiculous! But I felt something was going to happen. Late in the game I want a 6 run lead. I am pathetic. I know it.
6:41 PM
Anonymous said…
Let's go Mets! Hope this is going to be their year. They deserve it.
1:15 AM
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