Mets: Cusp of Elimination [and More Baseball News]

The Mets might have had their final time in the sun by winning the Subway Series, though not exactly in intimidating fashion. The Yanks (who seem a bit better of late) were in the midst of a horrible run.

(The Mets, if they show life, can play spoiler versus the Braves. The Twins have versus the Blue Jays, perhaps; two losses dropped them two back in the wild card race with time running out. It also might have helped save the Yanks.)

The Mets split two high scoring games by one run though they also had a nice 10-3 win, which might also have been Megill's (the nice surprise early on) last moment as well. After a disappointing finish, resulting in a decent but surely not dominating two weeks against the Marlins/Nats, this suggested maybe they might compete against the big boys.

Nah. They won one game (with two left) versus Cards, the Phils (whose playoff chances might turn on their Braves series), Red Sox, and Brewers. The Braves continue to basically win every other day. So, the Mets elimination number is now two, when they really should be eliminated by now. The Cards show how a late run can carry you to the playoffs. The Braves (and other wild card hopefuls until the Cards went on a run) allowed the Mets to stay alive. 

The Mets really didn't have to win too many more games to be still alive at time point, even if (like back in 1999) it would have taken some help and/or sweeping the final series (here the Braves, who then could be forced to make up a Rockies game, if the game mattered).  A team 73-80 shouldn't really be in that position, but again, it shows the mediocrity of the competition.  Until their recent run, the Mets also had the Wild Card route open to them.  The Cards current fourteen game winning streak closed that off.  It also basically put the Padres and Reds out of their misery too.  

The two game elimination number figure is also rather particular.  The Braves have 81 wins and the math is that the Mets can at most get 82. Problem is that the Phils have 80 wins.  And, the Braves and Phils play each other.  So, basically the Braves must win once (Padres - 2, Mets - 3, and Rockies 1 if necessary must all be losses), and it has to be against the Phils while the Phils must win twice (they play Pirates and Marlins too) and only versus the Braves.  

The Mets must win out (Brewers - 2, Marlins - 4, Braves). The math would result in a three way  82-80 tie.  Any other combo is elimination.  Baseball around this time of year is prime for such mathematical gymnastics.  

[ETA: Before the Mets began their game, the Phils won.  The Phils and Braves now have 81 wins.  One will have 83 since they play each other for three games.  So, the Mets are eliminated.

And, after the game (a loss), the Braves won in the tenth. So, they would have been eliminated either way.]  

The basic surprise is the Cards (hovering behind the pack but not that far back) rushing forward.  It looked like Padres/Reds, but both decided to play mediocre again.  Giants/Dodgers for division remains a nailbiter. Again, the Blue Jays (after doing a Cards) must be smacking themselves losing to the Twins.  It's not a lost cause, but the long expected Red Sox/Yanks Wild Card match-up looks likely.  In rather impressive news, Seattle actually has the same record as the Blue Jays now.  Around 90 wins? Who thought?

Anyway, it's "wait to next year ..." again for the Mets. Tiresome. The Mets had a team that was probably good enough to make at least the wild card possible, but then injuries and a lot of underperforming happened. Somewhat amusing, multiple injured pitchers might be available the last week.  It will be like one last look in a television finale or something.   

ETA: Their last game against "the big boys" (the Braves come up after a four game Marlins series though how much they will count for the Braves remains to be seen) put a cherry on top of their embarrassing play. 

Another rough start from "Cookie" (mediocre after he finally got off the DL though providing some decent games), but eventually they were only down 5-4 versus the Brewers.  A couple errors, each helped by Alonso, made it 8-4, which was the final score.  With the Cards never losing going on over two weeks now, the Brewers needed each win to clinch at home (the rest of the season is on the road).  

The Mets obliged.   

The game assured an under .500 record.  The team has problems, but winning ONE game versus the non-Yankees big boys is rather pathetic.  The first of the two misplays alone (the Brewers helped them a bit by questionable baserunning, but the next error scored that run plus another anyway) led Keith Hernandez to go off on how they are a second level team.  The t.v. booth is professional and doesn't like bad baseball. 

Note without giving the Brewers three runs basically (though one was technically earned), the Mets had a decent chance of winning the game.  Maybe. They lost a lot of one run games.  But, the bullpen did their part.  Me?  I was basically screaming that Alonso had to be pulled out of the tame. Dominic Smith was available to play first.  Coming up in a big spot (two guys on), Alonso didn't do anything anyways.  

Leaving Alonso in, though both the pitchers and the manager were pissed, just is an example of how the manager has let the players be. When they were goofing off with imaginary hitting coaches and a stuffed horse, it seemed amusing.  When there was some stupid dig at fans for booing, it looked somewhat less.  But, as a whole, the manager has a role to control the team. Taking out Alonso would have sent a message.