ETA: After reports the GM threw a chair and badmouthed Callaway after yesterday's game and a lot of drama in this one (ejections included), the Mets survived four innings of pen including .2 by Matz. The Philly starter was bad, NS only went five but the pen just hung on. A good defensive play helped. Diaz with a clean ninth. It is a game you have win sometimes.
After the Mets won two straight, both times via strong eighth innings by the bats (the second vs. the Yanks was 4-2, so pitching helped), they went back to losing. The second Subway Series game was okay; but tied 2-2, after DeGrom went seven/two runs (the second questionable but they ran out of challenges), Lugo did the eighth but Diaz/Famalia gave up five in the ninth. Avila got the final out. The challenge is one of those cases where Callaway can be blamed. Will all scoring plays be automatically reviewed? At least close ones. Four game sweep plus one more loss vs. Phils.
DeGrom did his job here but overall has came down to earth. After struggling in April, he has been fairly consistent, but especially with this pen, a bunch of 6-7 inning games isn't enough for your putative ace. "Quality" starts not enough. The Mets playoff odds are under 1% though they are marginally in it being seven games back in the Wild Card. Too many teams in front of them. Ending hope on some level is less stressful, but the result be limited trading deadline moves and dubious (if splashy) post-season ones? If the manager is fired, will it matter? A true game changer might but the GM and ownership is often the real problem, Callaway's statements sounding like official lines.
Nimmo being out hurts, including symbolically, though at this point I think he is largely forgotten. Injuries again hurt them but your alleged ace closer being totally off is a killer too. Finally, the offense (a few standouts) has been inconsistent. Again, the bats were key to those two wins. Defense is suspect and the minors limited. Might pay to give up a bit more to build it up. And, I still wonder what trading Wheeler a year earlier would have brought. Still can win the series. But, losses like this killed the season.
2018 is following in the footsteps of 2017 though it seems like it started with more safeguards. (June was more horrible last season but be it more one note, relief pitching standing out, the late June losing streak got the team about the same place). Take the quote. Okay. Starting pitching. Problem was that the team didn't get a safety there really. Guys like "Thor" had troubles in the past. Again, I think DeGrom is somewhat more notable though him pitching well lately made him seem not the problem. If Vargas suddenly didn't become the latest version of Big Sexy in reliability, the team would be in even worse shape. Starting pitching was no lock even id dreams of a great bunch were possible.
Famalia. When he was the closer, he was pretty reliable. This season he has not been in the set-up role and then he was out on the "IR" -- was he hurt before and they didn't say? The problem there was that he was not so clearly clutch that they should have signed him for a three year deal (which upon looking, is back-ended, so he costs less this season). His struggles are somewhat surprising. But, again, they aren't shocking really. Plus, this is a theme, there always seems to be SOME issue with this team.
Diaz/Cano. This was a controversial move since you had to pick up multiple years of Cano (though some of the money was addressed), who already old in baseball years. The hope was that he could give you something now. He provided something but repeatedly was injured and his defense/baseball behavior has been repeatedly dubious. Coming off a steroids punishment and given his history, this is not really shocking. See a theme? The rolling snowball effect might be somewhat surprising, but the pieces yet again are not really too surprising. Too many question marks.
You needed something to balance this out. Diaz was a key possibility but there was some risk because there was some concern he was injury prone, we are talking about two years as a full time closer and the relievers are fickle (Blevins struggled after two good years). And, you gave up some prospects plus have to deal with Cano (another expensive player who they have for multiple years with limited value; old news). Closers are key and if he had even an okay May/June, the Mets would be hanging around the Phils/Nats for the WC. This was the biggest surprise though there might be various reasons, down to changes in the ball.*
The other balance was a better "B" team and maybe Ramos. Ramos has had an injury history and reliance on him probably is questionable though it was somewhat reasonable to think him an upgrade. The pen didn't pick you up either -- early on Diaz was reliable if repeatedly not lights out. Lugo and to a lesser extent Gsellman were too. Then, they weren't (or Lugo was hurt; Lugo had blips lately). Wilson and Avilan (a "B" type really anyhow) were hurt. A key super-utility guy never played. Nimmo got hurt and Cespedes is just out for the season. J.D. Davis turns out to be the only one of those promising off-season pick-ups that have consistently contributed. And, though some bats like Smith provided some offense, lately it hasn't been enough to balance the poor or average pitching. The Phils aren't really this good.
Long term, the Mets outperformed expectations in one year (helped by some deadline acquisitions and the Nats struggling) and fought through adversity to get a respectable wild card berth. Other than that, losing baseball. And, even in the mix there was some bad baseball (pitching carried them in the first half of 2015). At some point, repeats are not too surprising, though the specifics might be somewhat novel.
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* The Mets last month fired the pitching coach that helped various pitchers and the bullpen coach. An old vet came on to replace one and someone returned to replace the other. Rather unclear what value this brought in the last two weeks, the pitching situation if anything worse right after. Is this the team's idea of a big move to shock the system? Perhaps, try to make the team more professional overall. For instance, that thing with Callaway and Vargas against a reporter was handled badly. Public statements to me often come off as 'bs' and a reporter complained the GM is AWOL. And, the team does not seem to be crisply run.
There is some question of what to do with Diaz. Should he shift down and deal with his problems? But, who would close?! Well, after Famalia left last season, they figured out the closing situation (Gsellman often closed and Lugo had a few). So, figure we can figure something out now too, if they wanted to try that. Using Matz (who stepped in as a LOOGY in a game this week) as a closer, was floated, which seems silly -- he often struggles in his first inning plus has injury issues and suddenly you will try to make a starter into a closer, especially one who is something of a mental case? I rather not. He's basically a fifth starter now.
On some level, it doesn't matter and maybe he will snap into gear somehow. After all, he started okay, if a bit iffy. But, the pen repeatedly blowing it has to affect the rest of the team, including a starter who is gun shy about making any mistakes. Anyway, another possibility is they pick a good reliever in a trade and that might work as a spot closer when necessary. Wilson also is a maybe. It is less important for a losing team.
After the Mets won two straight, both times via strong eighth innings by the bats (the second vs. the Yanks was 4-2, so pitching helped), they went back to losing. The second Subway Series game was okay; but tied 2-2, after DeGrom went seven/two runs (the second questionable but they ran out of challenges), Lugo did the eighth but Diaz/Famalia gave up five in the ninth. Avila got the final out. The challenge is one of those cases where Callaway can be blamed. Will all scoring plays be automatically reviewed? At least close ones. Four game sweep plus one more loss vs. Phils.
DeGrom did his job here but overall has came down to earth. After struggling in April, he has been fairly consistent, but especially with this pen, a bunch of 6-7 inning games isn't enough for your putative ace. "Quality" starts not enough. The Mets playoff odds are under 1% though they are marginally in it being seven games back in the Wild Card. Too many teams in front of them. Ending hope on some level is less stressful, but the result be limited trading deadline moves and dubious (if splashy) post-season ones? If the manager is fired, will it matter? A true game changer might but the GM and ownership is often the real problem, Callaway's statements sounding like official lines.
Nimmo being out hurts, including symbolically, though at this point I think he is largely forgotten. Injuries again hurt them but your alleged ace closer being totally off is a killer too. Finally, the offense (a few standouts) has been inconsistent. Again, the bats were key to those two wins. Defense is suspect and the minors limited. Might pay to give up a bit more to build it up. And, I still wonder what trading Wheeler a year earlier would have brought. Still can win the series. But, losses like this killed the season.
I don’t care how much you hated the Cano deal. NO ONE could’ve predicted this level of regression from Diaz/Cano, let alone guys like Familia, Ramos, and Syndergaard. Regression, sure. But this significant? Had even just a few of them worked out, this would be a different season.So argues a leading Mets Twitter account. The problem being that there always seems to be something with this team -- speak as a fan since the late 1990s (basically the Bobby Valentine years), this all seems unsurprising. The Mets had an unofficial rebuild in the Terry Collins years and had an exciting run probably a year earlier than expected. Ended in depressing fashion, helped by breaking a better defender's leg (mattered defensively in the World Series). Seemingly by spit and bailing wire, they got a Wild Card spot in 2016 but Famalia blew it after the other two went mano-o-mano against Mr. Baseball.
2018 is following in the footsteps of 2017 though it seems like it started with more safeguards. (June was more horrible last season but be it more one note, relief pitching standing out, the late June losing streak got the team about the same place). Take the quote. Okay. Starting pitching. Problem was that the team didn't get a safety there really. Guys like "Thor" had troubles in the past. Again, I think DeGrom is somewhat more notable though him pitching well lately made him seem not the problem. If Vargas suddenly didn't become the latest version of Big Sexy in reliability, the team would be in even worse shape. Starting pitching was no lock even id dreams of a great bunch were possible.
Famalia. When he was the closer, he was pretty reliable. This season he has not been in the set-up role and then he was out on the "IR" -- was he hurt before and they didn't say? The problem there was that he was not so clearly clutch that they should have signed him for a three year deal (which upon looking, is back-ended, so he costs less this season). His struggles are somewhat surprising. But, again, they aren't shocking really. Plus, this is a theme, there always seems to be SOME issue with this team.
Diaz/Cano. This was a controversial move since you had to pick up multiple years of Cano (though some of the money was addressed), who already old in baseball years. The hope was that he could give you something now. He provided something but repeatedly was injured and his defense/baseball behavior has been repeatedly dubious. Coming off a steroids punishment and given his history, this is not really shocking. See a theme? The rolling snowball effect might be somewhat surprising, but the pieces yet again are not really too surprising. Too many question marks.
You needed something to balance this out. Diaz was a key possibility but there was some risk because there was some concern he was injury prone, we are talking about two years as a full time closer and the relievers are fickle (Blevins struggled after two good years). And, you gave up some prospects plus have to deal with Cano (another expensive player who they have for multiple years with limited value; old news). Closers are key and if he had even an okay May/June, the Mets would be hanging around the Phils/Nats for the WC. This was the biggest surprise though there might be various reasons, down to changes in the ball.*
The other balance was a better "B" team and maybe Ramos. Ramos has had an injury history and reliance on him probably is questionable though it was somewhat reasonable to think him an upgrade. The pen didn't pick you up either -- early on Diaz was reliable if repeatedly not lights out. Lugo and to a lesser extent Gsellman were too. Then, they weren't (or Lugo was hurt; Lugo had blips lately). Wilson and Avilan (a "B" type really anyhow) were hurt. A key super-utility guy never played. Nimmo got hurt and Cespedes is just out for the season. J.D. Davis turns out to be the only one of those promising off-season pick-ups that have consistently contributed. And, though some bats like Smith provided some offense, lately it hasn't been enough to balance the poor or average pitching. The Phils aren't really this good.
Long term, the Mets outperformed expectations in one year (helped by some deadline acquisitions and the Nats struggling) and fought through adversity to get a respectable wild card berth. Other than that, losing baseball. And, even in the mix there was some bad baseball (pitching carried them in the first half of 2015). At some point, repeats are not too surprising, though the specifics might be somewhat novel.
---
* The Mets last month fired the pitching coach that helped various pitchers and the bullpen coach. An old vet came on to replace one and someone returned to replace the other. Rather unclear what value this brought in the last two weeks, the pitching situation if anything worse right after. Is this the team's idea of a big move to shock the system? Perhaps, try to make the team more professional overall. For instance, that thing with Callaway and Vargas against a reporter was handled badly. Public statements to me often come off as 'bs' and a reporter complained the GM is AWOL. And, the team does not seem to be crisply run.
There is some question of what to do with Diaz. Should he shift down and deal with his problems? But, who would close?! Well, after Famalia left last season, they figured out the closing situation (Gsellman often closed and Lugo had a few). So, figure we can figure something out now too, if they wanted to try that. Using Matz (who stepped in as a LOOGY in a game this week) as a closer, was floated, which seems silly -- he often struggles in his first inning plus has injury issues and suddenly you will try to make a starter into a closer, especially one who is something of a mental case? I rather not. He's basically a fifth starter now.
On some level, it doesn't matter and maybe he will snap into gear somehow. After all, he started okay, if a bit iffy. But, the pen repeatedly blowing it has to affect the rest of the team, including a starter who is gun shy about making any mistakes. Anyway, another possibility is they pick a good reliever in a trade and that might work as a spot closer when necessary. Wilson also is a maybe. It is less important for a losing team.
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