Game Recap
Somewhere, someone is giving Terry Collins and his rant yesterday credit for helping inject this lifeless Mets team with some fight. Those people are mistaken.
The game started ugly. Logan Verrett immediately loaded the bases by allowing a hit and issuing two walks. Then Dan Warthen made a mound visit and for some reason or other told Verrett to throw the grand slam pitch to Ryan Schimpf. Verrett obliged. Then for good measure he gave up a homer to Jabari Blash.
Before there was an out in the game the Mets were down 5-0.
Travis d’Arnaud tried to start the comeback by hitting a two run homer in the bottom of the second. Overall, d’Arnaud had a great night going 3-4 with two runs, two RBI, abd a homer. and throwing out a baserunner. Still, pointing out d’Arnaud had a great night is like saying the Hindenburg was a nice looking Zepplin.
Verrett made sure d’Arnaud’s effort went to waste immediately surrendering three runs in the third off another Schimpf homer and a Christian Bethancourt solo shot. 8-2 Padres.
Why Collins allowed Verrett to continue pitching is stupefying. The Mets demoted Michael Conforto to recall the long man Seth Lugo. The explanation was yesterday’s hero, Jon Niese, had a bum knee. However, you can’t discount the Mets punishing Conforto for having the audacity to have a tough year with an injured wrist and a manager giving him inconsistent playing time.
In any event, Collins allowed Verrett to effectively put the game out if reach before turning to Lugo. Verrett’s final line was 2.2 innings, six hits, eight runs, eight earned, three walks, and four strikeouts.
The Mets mustered a rally in the sixth. A Matt Reynolds RBI double, Ty Kelly RBI single, and a Wilmer Flores RBI groundout pulled the Mets to 8-6. Before the Flores groundout, Curtis Granderson had a chance to tie the game with a homer and struck out. With two outs, Neil Walker was in the same situation, and he geounded out to end the inning and the rally.
It’s the last time the Mets mounted much of an fight. It also marked the end of the days of the Mets being .500 or better.
The Mets lost 9-0. Seriously, what do you need to know about a game in which the Mets seemingly didn’t even bother? That’s right, you should know where to direct your anger. Here’s the starting lineup:
- Alejandro De Aza (CF) 1-4, 2 K
- Neil Walker (2B) 1-3
- Jay Bruce (RF) 0-3
- James Loney (1B) 0-4, GIDP
- Kelly Johnson (LF) 0-2, BB, K
- Michael Conforto (RF) 0-3, K
- Rene Rivera (C)1-3
- Matt Reynolds (SS) 1-3, K
And the pitchers:
- Noah Syndergaard (L, 9-7) 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, 6 K
- Jon Niese 1.0 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- Josh Edgin 1.2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
- Jerry Blevins 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, K
Just pick any of the above to direct you ire. Don’t forget the subs, Ty Kelly (0-1), Curtis Granderson (0-1, K), T.J. Rivera (1-2), and Wilmer Flores (0-1).
By the way, the Diamondbacks were 4/4 in stolen base attempts.
Don’t forget the manager, Terry Collins, who made his latest entry into the case as to why he should be fired.
Game Notes: This team stinks, and it was swept at home by the Diamondbacks.
Pennant Race: Reserved for teams over .500.
It was more of the same for a Mets team that hasn’t won back-to-back games in more than a month.
Steven Matz couldn’t hold up the razor thin 1-0 lead the woeful Mets offense gave him. Worse yet, despite his balky elbow, Terry Collins pushed him to a career high 120 pitches over six grueling innings. For what it’s worth, Matz tied his career high with nine strikeouts. Matz departed in the short side after allowing two solo homers.
This wasn’t Collins only curious decision. In the fifth, Collins ordered a hit-and-run with Matt Reynolds at first and Matz at the plate. Of course it didn’t work. Reynolds was caught stealing, and then Matz would strike out later in the at bat.
Also, none of the Mets pitchers could hold on a runner leaving Travis d’Arnaud looking bad back there – not that his throws were that good anyway. On the night, the Diamondbacks were five for five stealing bases.
Still, heading into the seventh, the Mets had a 3-2 lead because Neil Walker continued his insanely hot hitting. He hit his 20th home run of the year scoring Curtis Granderson, who has led off the inning with the doubles.
Walker’s 20 homers out him in company with Jeff Kent and Edgardo Alfonzo:
Neil Walker: 3rd different @Mets player, whose primary position was 2B, with a 20-HR season
Jeff Kent & Edgardo Alfonzo (twice each)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 10, 2016
Then the unexpected happened. The bullpen faltered – Hansel Robles specifically. Runners were on second and third, after a double steal of course, and there were two outs after Robles struck out Jean Segura. Robles then allowed Michael Bourn to hit a bases clearing triple. Collins would eventually remove Robles, but not before he allowed Paul Goldschmidt to hit an RBI single to give the Diamondbacks a 5-3 lead.
Josh Edgin came on and got the Mets out if the jam, but it was too little too late.
The Mets would not threaten over the final three innings as they found another way to fail to win back-to-back games. Why would they score off an absolutely atrocious Diamondbacks bullpen:
https://twitter.com/brianpmangan/status/762864074182922240
Of course, Collins pinch hit Ty Kelly for d’Arnaud with two outs in the ninth as Collins is really trying to convince Sandy he should be fired.
The Mets next chance to win back-to-back games will be Thursday, August 11th. The way things have been going, don’t hold your breath.
Game Notes: It was Zack Greinke‘s first start since coming off the DL, and fist start against the Mets since The Murphy Game. James Loney had an RBI ground out in the first scoring Walker. Walker is going all he can going 3-4 with two runs, two RBI, and a homer. This was Edgin’s second appearance since getting called-up.
Pennant Race: Nationals lost 3-2 to the Indians. Marlins lead the Giants 2-0 through eight. The Cardinals and Reds are tied at three through five.
With everything happening with the Mets right now, you knew they had a chance as they were throwing Jacob deGrom in a day game.
deGrom didn’t disappoint allowing just seven hits, one run, one earned, and three walks with three strikeouts in 6.2 innings. He would only get a no decision as Collins lifted him in a 1-1 game with him having thrown 103 pitches.
It should be noted that run deGrom allowed was after he departed the game. Apparently, Terry Collins believed Jerry Blevins was a better option to get out of a bases loaded two out jam with Ian Kinsler looming as a pinch hitter. That was the option Collins picked over deGrom against Tyler Collins, who is a career .260/.314/.423 hitter and was 1-3 with a strikeout. This was apparently Collins decision because:
Blevins came in and Brad Ausmus turned to Kinsler just as everyone else thought would happen. Kinsler hit a soft grounder neither Matt Reynolds nor Neil Walker could handle. Tie game.
It spoiled not just a win for deGrom, but also a big moment for Michael Conforto. It’s been mostly a lost season for him, but he came through huge in the top of the seventh hitting an opposite field home run off Anibal Sanchez giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Naturally, the Mets couldn’t touch Sanchez who entered the game with a 6.26 ERA and a 1.629 WHIP.
The game was tied heading into the ninth because, well, this happened:
Give Curtis Granderson credit for making a heady veteran play running that ball back into the infield catching J.D. Martinez off guard and too far off the base creating that inning ending run down.
This set the stage for Walker in the ninth:
Oh sooo clutch, @NeilWalker18.
Last 12 games
.469 BA (23-49)
3 HR
9 RBI
8 Runs#LGM pic.twitter.com/j4Ctw6pv99— New York Mets (@Mets) August 7, 2016
Walker has been even better than his April form over the past two weeks. With the way things have been going for the Mets lately and Yoenis Cespedes on the disabled list, the Mets need him to keep this hot streak going.
They also need Alejandro De Aza and his hot bat, but that may be in jeopardy. He scored on the Walker home run after leading off the inning by getting hit by a Francisco Rodriguez pitch on the hand. Fortunately, x-rays were negative.
Jeurys Familia came on and recorded his 39th save of the season. It wasn’t easy, but then again, what is lately for him or the Mets?
With the win, the Mets set themselves up to win two in a row for the first time in a month. They’re set up perfectly to win not just two in a row but many more in a row as their next nine games are against the Diamondbacks and the Padres.
At the end of that stretch, the Mets should be firmly in Wild Card position. As of right now, they trail the Cardinals by one game for the second Wild Card spot.
The Mets batted Ty Kelly second and put him in left field leaving Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, and the Mets hottest hitting outfielder, Alejandro De Aza, on the bench.
Terry Collins decided to make Rene Rivera his DH. I can’t tell you how many times I checked the lineup and this sentence to see if it was correct.
You had to do it because there is no way the left-handed hitters on the Mets could hit Tigers starter Matt Boyd who entered the game with a 4.71 ERA.
The Mets started Logan Verrett.
Seriously, how do you think things went?
Verrett only lasted 3.2 innings allowing seven hits, six runs, six earned, and two walks with two strikeouts. He spotted the Tigers a 6-1 lead with his only run supporting coming off a Jay Bruce solo fourth inning home run.
The Tigers then proceeded to try to give the game away to a Mets team not fully equipped to take full advantage.
Curtis Granderson started the charge with a fifth inning solo home run. Birthday boy Wilmer Flores would hit an RBI single to pull the Mets to with three runs.
It was a terrific game for Flores at the plate going 2-4 with two RBI. With the lefty on the mound, he got the start at first base in place of James Loney.
Flores’ RBI single actually scored Kelly, who actually played well going 2-4 with two runs and a walk. He’d score his second run in the seventh off a Miguel Cabrera throwing error.
On the very next play Mike Aviles would misplay a ball off the bat of Flores allowing Neil Walker to score. Walker continued his hot play of late going 2-4 with a run and a walk.
It set up runners on first and second with no out, and the Mets down a run. Naturally, the Mets wouldn’t score on a night they went 2-12 with runners in scoring position leaving 10 men on base. Travis d’Arnaud would hit into the second of three Mets double plays on the night, and Kelly Johnson popped out to end the threat.
The Mets would have one rally left in them starting with a Bruce two out single off Francisco Rodriguez. De Aza would pinch hit for Flores, and move Bruce to second setting the stage for the final play of the game:
A 9-2 putout.*
(*???)https://t.co/dEicgC3rMZ
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 7, 2016
It took a great throw from J.D. Martinez, and a terrific job by Jarrod Saltalamacchia to legally block the plate under the new rules while getting the tag down.
While Tim Teufel has made some curious decisions as the third base coach, this wasn’t one of them. He should’ve sent Bruce there. Like most of the night (season?), the real issue was with Collins.
First, he could’ve pinch ran an arguably faster Brandon Nimmo which might’ve been the difference between scoring and making the final out at the plate. Second, Collins could’ve at least tried to challenge the play especially after what happened last night.
Sure, it turns out Bruce didn’t touch home, but who cares? There are enough quirks in these replay rules that it might not have mattered. Furthermore, what do you have to lose by challenging? If you don’t, you lose the game. There should be nothing holding you back from challenging that play.
Then again, there is no reason to believe the Mets were best off with Kelly and Rivera in the starting lineup. Collins found a way to do both.
At least the Marlins and Cardinals lost tonight as well.
Game Notes: Bruce had his best day as a Met going 2-5 with a run, an RBI, and the homer. Rivera only lasted two at bats going 0-1 with a walk at DH before getting lifted for Conforto.
This matchup was supposed to be Justin Verlander versus his heir apparent Noah Syndergaard. Instead, we got to see more of the struggling Syndergaard.
In the first, Ian Kinsler would steal second and third off the battery of Syndergaard and Rene Rivera. He would then score on a Miguel Cabrera RBI ground out.
Kelly Johnson gave Syndergaard and the Mets a 2-1 lead with a two run home run off Verlander in the fourth. That 2-1 lead would have been good enough for Syndergaard a couple of months ago. However, this diminished bone-chipped version of Syndergaard would give the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth.
First, he allowed a long two run home run to Victor Martinez. The Tigers would continue the rally scoring another run on a James McCann RBI single. It should be noted that it was J.D. Martinez who scored on the play after doubling to right field.
Jay Bruce made a strong throw to second, but Matt Reynolds laid down an awkward tag. Still, Reynolds held the tag on Martinez. Replays would show Martinez came off the bad, but Terry Collins would not challenge. Martinez would score later making it 4-2. It would prove to be the deciding run in the game.
Syndergaard would make it through six innings throwing 112 pitches. His pitch count rose in part because he has issued a 10 pitch walk to Nick Castellanos and a nine pitch walk to Victor Martinez. It is indicative of Syndergaard’s location being off. Syndergaard’s final line was six innings, seven hits, four runs, four earned, two walks, and seven strikeouts.
In contrast to Syndergaard, Verlander wouldn’t struggle. He dominanted the Mets over six innings allowing four hits, two runs, two earned, and one walk with nine strikeouts. Those nine gives him an American League leading 164 on the season.
The Mets offense only mustered four hits until the ninth. The team had gone 0-3 with runners in scoring position. Even if you were to claim Verlander was that dominant, it does not explain why the Mets couldn’t do anything against a Tigers bullpen that entered the game with a 4.18 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and a .266 batting average against.
Former Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez would come on and survive a Mets rally in the ninth. Neil Walker had a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and to third on a Bruce ground out. He scored on a James Loney ground out ending the rally. The final score was 4-3 with the deciding run being scored Martinez, who would have been out if Collins challenged the play.
Yet again, the Mets have failed to win back-to-back games. They haven’t done so since July 6th – July 7th. The Nationals won moving the Mets back to nine games out in the division. The Cardinals and Marlins are leading in their games. And, oh yeah, Gary Apple is terrible.
Game Notes: Today’s game of center field musical chairs had Brandon Nimmo in center, Alejandro De Aza in left, and Curtis Granderson at DH. Michael Conforto sat even though it was a right-handed pitcher on the mound.
After tonight’s loss, the only person angrier than Mets fans was fake tough guy Mark Teixeira.
In an interview earlier in the year with Carton and Governor Chris Christie, he admitted he would never charge the mound, but he sure is good at pulling a hissy fit.
Whether it's yelling at his own 3B coach or screaming at Matz, Mark Teixeira is one doofy angry guy. #Yankees #Mets pic.twitter.com/gTUYGiTym5
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) August 4, 2016
He would then have a very late slide into Neil Walker because sliding late into a defenseless player is tougher than being a man and facing off against Steven Matz.
It’s hard to imagine Matz throwing at Teixeira even though Teixeira hit a three run homer off of him in his prior at bat to break a 3-3 tie. Matz hadn’t had pinpoint control since he’s been dealing with the bone spurs, the ball was at Teixeira’s feet, and it was an extra base runner with the Mets trailing. In this pennant race, the Mets need all the wins they can get, and they’re not sacrificing games to exact revenge on a .195 hitter.
Regardless, the Mets should not have been in that position. They were tattooing Yankees starter Chad Green starting with Curtis Granderson delivering the keynote address:
It was his 18th leadoff home run with the Mets breaking his tie with Jose Reyes.
Granderson has a terrific night going 1-3 with two runs, one RBI, three walks, and a home run. The rest of tur a Mets offense? Not so much.
Wilmer Flores was halfway to a Joe Torre (four GIDPs in one game) by the third inning. He killed a first inning bases loaded rally by grounding into an inning ending double play. In the third it was only runners on first and second when he grounded into his inning ending double play.
In the second, it was Walker who killed a rally with a double play. Given the amount if base runners were left on base, you knew it was going to come back and haunt the Mets. The Mets should’ve score much more than three runs in the first three innings, but what else is new?
The team was 2-12 with runners in scoring position including Michael Conforto striking out in a big spot in the seventh when he represented the tying run, and Granderson had scored a run on a James Loney ground out to make it 6-4. He was amongst the biggest culprits of the night as six different Mets would leave multiple men on base:
- Neil Walker (2)
- Yoenis Cespedes (5)
- Jay Bruce (3)
- James Loney (2)
- Michael Conforto (5)
- Wilmer Flores (5)
Between that and Matz allowing six earned over six innings of course the Mets weren’t going to win this one.
To make matters worse, Teixeira would get the last laugh. He got into Hansel Robles‘ head with Robles thinking Teixeira was stealing signs. Robles lost his concentration and his cool leading to a Starlin Castro infield RBI single to Robles. No, Asdrubal Cabrera doesn’t make that play.
After an uncharacteristically poor performance, Robles was pulled while Teixeira and the third base coach were laughing at him. After Josh Edgin walked in a run against Didi Gregorious, the only batter he faced, there would be three runs charged to Robles making it 9-4.
That’s where it would remain as Luis Severino came on and shut down the Mets allowing one earned on one hit and one walk with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Walker would homer off Tyler Clippard in the ninth to provide some window dressing in a 9-5 loss.
With Daniel Murphy going off again for the Nationals, the Mets are a season high 8.5 games out of first place.
Game Notes: Bruce is now 0-8 with one walk and three strikeouts to begin his Mets career. Despite Collins’ you hit you play philosophy, Alejandro De Aza, Travis d’Arnaud, and Matt Reynolds would sit. Cespedes shot an 83 before the game, and he would go 1-5 with two strikeouts in the game.
Pick a date from this season including last night. If anyone told you Alejandro De Aza and Travis d’Arnaud would lead the Mets offensively to a win, you’d either stare in disbelief, or you’d call that person an outright liar. Frankly, a James Loney stolen base would seem more believable. Well, tonight not only would Loney steal a base, but De Aza and d’Arnaud would lead the Mets offensively.
It started in the bottom of the third when, at the time, Masahiro Tanaka seemed to have no-hit stuff. The early no-hit bid was broken up by Jacob deGrom, and he would score when De Aza homered to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.
This was more evidence that De Aza has been the Mets best offensive player for more than a month now, and the Mets need to find him playing time especially with the team having no true center fielder on the roster.
That 2-0 lead would grow to a 3-0 lead when d’Arnaud hit a solo shot to lead off the fifth.
Since the rumored Jonathan Lucroy fell through, d’Arnaud seems like a much more relaxed and better player.
This was more than enough support for a deGrominant deGrom. The final line for deGrom was seven innings, four hits, no runs, no earned runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts. His velocity and swagger are almost completely back. When he’s this good, you’re reminded why the Mets should not be counted out.
In the seventh, the Mets would put the game far out of reach seemingly taking out their aggression from last night’s game and a season long struggle hitting with runners in scoring position.
It started with Wilmer Flores singling and advancing to second on a Brett Gardner error. He would come home to score on a Michael Conforto RBI double. He would score on a Matt Reynolds RBI single. He’d move to third on a deGrom single, and he would score on a Yoenis Cespedes pinch hit infield single. The hobbled Cespedes certainly turned on the jets when he smelled a base hit. Terry Collins would still play it safe pinch running Curtis Granderson for him. The fourth and final run of the inning would score on a Neil Walker RBI double.
In the inning, the Mets would send nine batters to the plate scoring four runs on six hits.
Jon Niese made his first appearance since the trade, and he was less than warmly greeted by a fan base who remembered him bad mouthing everyone out the door. He worked his way into a bit of a jam in the eighth before striking out Brian McCann on a borderline pitch to end the rally. However, Niese wouldn’t escape the game completely untouched as Didi Gregorious would hit a solo shot off of him in the ninth to break up the shutout. On the bright side, he pitched much better than Antonio Bastardo, which, admittedly, isn’t saying much.
One Met that was warmly greeted was Jay Bruce:
The Mets got Bruce, in part, to revitalize the offense and hit with runners in scoring position. On his debut, Bruce would go 0-4 with two strikeouts, but the Mets overriding goal was achieved for at least one night as the Mets scored seven runs while going 4-10 with runners in scoring position.
Following the 7-1 win, this seems like a different Mets team for at least one night.
Game Notes: Conforto had a great game going 2-4 with one run, two doubles, a walk, and one RBI.