20/20 Hindsight: Mets Blow Another Series
You can understand blowing games against the Dodgers. They are both a really good and a relentless team. It really becomes an issue when you do it against mediocre teams like the Diamondbacks:
1. The most bizarre criticism of Mickey Callaway was his lifting Pete Alonso for a pinch runner in the eighth inning of a game where the Mets had a four run lead. By lifting him for Juan Lagares, you’re getting more speed on the basepaths, and you are helping bolster both the infield and the outfield defense. It was 100% the right decision.
2. The criticism over his use of Jeurys Familia and Robert Gsellman was understandable, but let’s not pretend there was another real option. Drew Gagnon was bad in his last two pressure situations. Tyler Bashlor had three consecutive blown saves, and he wound up being the losing pitcher in the game. Really, other than those two and with it being too early to utilize a fatigued Edwin Diaz, there really wasn’t a better choice.
3. On Familia, there appears to be two problems. The first is he’s walking too many. The second is the defense behind him. He has a career worst .344 BABIP (.312 career) and a 66.2% LOB (75.4%) career. Essentially, the Mets are combining a ground ball pitcher with a bad infield defense. Not a good mix.
4. We should again note that as of today Craig Kimbrel no longer has draft pick compensation attached to him. We should also note he is now only going to get a prorated portion of the salary he wanted. If you’re all-in, there’s absolutely no excuse for the Mets to not sign him today.
5. The Mets have a National League worst -48 DRS with Amed Rosario (-13), J.D. Davis (-9), Wilson Ramos (-7), and Robinson Cano (-4). That’s -26 DRS from your infield.
6. Davis had a hot start, but he’s regressed to the mean, and he’s now one of the problems with the team. His defense is unplayable across the diamond, and he has been hitting .248/.313/.385. Since May 1st, Davis is hitting .208/.238/.351. As a point of reference, Eric Campbell hit .221/.312/.311 in his career with the Mets.
7. Seeing Arizona is a reminder how much the Mets miss Wilmer Flores. Aside from the things he did well as a player, he would have been great for this clubhouse. Flores went through this in 2015 and 2016. He also knows what it’s like to go from struggling to fan favorite. His attitude, rapport with his teammates, and his ability to play is needed on this team.
8. Looking at the team Brodie Van Wagenen assembled, the players he brought in have combined for a -0.7 WAR. The best position player he has brought aboard was Adeiny Hechavarria. Not to unfairly dump on Hechavarria, who is playing the best baseball of his career, but no General Manager in the history of baseball should ever be in a position to say the most productive position player he added to the roster was Adeiny Hechavarria.
9. The Mets are winning behind the talented players left behind by Sandy Alderson. One of those players has been Dominic Smith, who the team didn’t even want to give a chance to win the first base position in Spring Training.
10. Smith has really proven himself. He’s in the best shape of his life, and he’s a better player having had better treatment of his sleep apnea. He’s been great in the clubhouse, and he finally got his chance. It’s an extremely small sample size, but he’s hitting .359/.519/.609 with a 1 DRS when he’s a left fielder.
11. The Mets are playing Smith and Davis in left field because the team went into the season with just two starting everyday outfielders. This has also led them to flipping coins over whether Carlos Gomez (79 wRC+, 0 DRS), Aaron Altherr (-40 wRC+, 0 DRS), and Lagares (40 wRC+, -1 DRS).
12. It should also be noted the Mets had a chance to give Keon Broxton more playing time to see if they could salvage him. Instead, they cut him so they could call up Gomez. Since being traded to the Orioles, Broxton is hitting .250/.300/.500 (0.2 WAR). That’s a clear upgrade over the mess they have now.
13. Between Broxton and Davis, that’s just five prospects and Bobby Wahl thrown away from nothing.
14. That is a good reminder when Adam Jones hit that game tying three run homer off of Gsellman. It’s important to remember here Jones signed for just $3 million. THREE MILLION!
15. Steven Matz needed to be better than what he was on Sunday. The team needed a lift, and he gave up two runs before he even recorded an out. He gave up five runs total. Yes, the offense and defense didn’t show up either, but the Mets needed more from him. To be fair, he at least gave them length to help the pen, and unlike most of the lineup, he actually had a hit.
16. This team sure looks a lot different when Seth Lugo is available. His ability to pitch well and give the team length certainly masks a lot of problems with the bullpen.
17. It is great to see the Jacob deGrom of last year return. Maybe it’s Tomas Nido, and maybe it’s just getting back into a groove, but he’s looked like the guy he was last year. Since May 1st, he’s allowed two earned or fewer in six of his seven starts. Even with the inexplicable clunker in Miami, he has a 2.68 ERA, 1.008 WHIP, and a 4.6 K/BB over this stretch.
18. The hysteria about the personal catcher for deGrom is muchado about nothing. If deGrom pitches well to Nido, let him pitch to Nido. We should also note his pitching to Nido also affords Wilson Ramos a little extra rest. That seems to be working for him with him hitting .293/.376/.500 since May 1.
19. Zack Wheeler could’ve been better on Friday, but he did give the Mets a chance to win that game, and he gave them length to help save that bullpen.
20. After playing 20 consecutive games and going 9-11 over the stretch, the Mets are in need of today’s day off. Seeing Mets fans completely overreact to Callaway’s every look and smile, the fans can use the day off as well.
Yup to continue pull your first or second best hitter in the seventh inning when his defense is cromulent and the metrics support that and he destroys relievers. Oh and Alonso’s lineup spot came up once late in the game and Lagares had yet another pathetic at bat. Oh and the defense of Mickey’s abhorrent use of the bullpen is weak unless you think using Gsellman in ten out of nineteen game, which is Terry Collins level insanity. Mickey is so over his head as is Brodie.
Alonso was pulled for a pinch runner with no outs in the eighth, not the seventh. Also, his spot in the order didn’t come up until the 11th. The Mets were up four. You do what Mickey did there.
As for the bullpen, tell me the guy you wanted over Gsellman? Really, name which of the near 5.00 ERA guys who haven’t held a late lead with any consistency you wanted there.
Gsellman was dog tired bro and it’s not like Mickey didn’t bring in Diaz to finish an inning and pitch another one later in the game…
Diaz was also tired. What else you got?
Diaz came in the game in the middle of the inning later in the game and pitched another inning so he clearly could have relieved Familia and pitched the ninth.
You’re either concerned about tired relievers, or you’re not. Pick a lane.
Diaz had two days off
And he was still fatigued
I made two comments that you moderated and didn’t let go through lol. Very Francesian on your part to cut them both out.
You are as about right here as you usually are.
There is no confidence of a relief pitcher hitting the spots he is asked to game by game. If I was a playoff team aside from the obvious other opportunities like long relief or pitching in a game behind basis I would NOT from elsewhere trade for anyone for my eighth inning, let alone my seventh with the playoffs starting soon. . I do not like the fastball/slider, or sinker/slider relievers I know here. I would want a pitcher that has a breaking pitch preferably a change or curve combo of whatever that can go away from either a lefty or righty or an unhittable pitch or an evolved pitcher like Holland. If Gsellman and Lugo can move up to maintain 95/96 and be consistently precise? Familia — it is all in his head.
The team can not play small ball and consistently get insurance runs late, there is subject speed in its fastest players.
It is a late inning crapshoot and with no pitching prospects a year away — we are in rebuilding mode or garbage time.
The Mets issue isn’t small ball. It’s defense, depth, and being short staffed in the bullpen.
Ok, you like their responses to teams scoring runs on their bullpen in the seventh and eighth. I do not and I prefer teams having their best hitters to chock up, start with one run, rattle pitchers and start bigger rallies. I seldom see fight back w this team after the opposing team scores in the eighth or anytime the Mets are down 4+ runs.
What is the Mets record after trailing in the 7th?
I miss Cabrera and Murph…
Like whatever you want. That approach doesn’t win games.
Conforto is a nice guy. Daddy you seem to get vested in players like anyone else…. but from your well earned perch you have to be more objective and look into the mirror sometimes.
Daddy you were right about McNeil being ready last June but so wrong about Cabrera being me above team, a cancer and Rosario being ready two years ago in the spring. You never say mea culpa that I recall.
You at times lock in on a minor leaguer, a perceived clubhouse threat and fall in love with guys like Cespedes or Conforto who you seem to never hold accountable to earning star status, hitting third or being a ninth or extra inning outfielder. At times, you trash guys and never compliment them when they do well.
Saying Conforto is a very good player is an objective fact.
What I said about Cabrera was true. He put himself above the team.
I criticize people when they deserve it. My not over reacting to SSS doesn’t mean I don’t.
Cabrera was on the DL list for over two weeks in the summer of his second of his two year deal. Cabrera rehabbed the second week at SS.
The first game back at 5pm Terry Collins told him that he wanted him to play second base. I say Terry Collins is a fucking asshole. Collins BS move, especially if coordinated with the organization would never happen this way with any playoff team organization in recent history. You blame the player… that is your opinion… you were so infatuated with Amed’s SS play for years and Cabrera blocked your man!
That’s right. Cabrera not being a team player is on Collins. His trade demand was too as was his pushing to play second over third.
It’s not Cabrera refusing to be a team player helping his team out. It’s just Terry Collins.
Anyone that hates on Conforto is a fricken buffoon. Conforto is a great on base machine and has power and is a very good defender. He is one of the best players in the nl.