Willie Randolph was fired because the team was under performing. No one really seemed to mind. The Mets had collapsed at the end of last season. Many blamed
The bullpen has done it again. In a game the Mets had led 7-0 against the Phillies and were poised to make a statement, the pitching staff once again imploded and the Mets now find themselves trailing the Phillies in the standings.
Pedro gave back 5 runs in 5 innings. Then after Brian Stokes did a fine job of holding the fort, Duaner Sanchez, Pedro Feliciano and Luis Ayala coughed up the lead. Two seasons in a row now we have witnessed this Mets bullpen give up lead after lead after lead. Will Omar be held just as accountable as Willie was earlier this season? If the Mets succumb again as they did last season how can Omar Minaya possible be taken seriously as he attempts to build the 2009 Mets in the off season.
I know no lead is safe in Citizen’s Bank Ballpark but this bullpen is a joke. The Mets bullpen has now given up 22 leads this season. That simply cannot be tolerated on a club with a 140 million dollar payroll. Who ever thought that trading away Matt Lindstrom and Heath Bell last year could have been such a bad move. But they were and now the Mets may pay the price for not making the post season for the second season in a row.
Losing last night is not the end of the world. If Santana pitches a gem tonight, the Mets leave town no worse than when they came in. Even if the Mets lose both games of this series, there still is plenty of time to make up the deficit. Don’t forget the Mets still have three games left with the Phillies at Shea Stadium the first weekend in September. But who are we kidding? Ourselves? We have seen many games like last night's this season. Frankly I think this team, this 2008 team, would become known as the miracle Mets if they ever somehow pulled off the division title.
There is no feeling of security with this bullpen. The pen was handed a two run lead and you knew that the Mets pitchers could not hold it. They did not disappoint. The frustrating thing was that Luis Ayala had gotten two fairly quick outs then could not seal the deal. If it was not for Jose Reyes’s fine play in the 9th, the Mets would have lost it right there. Carlos Delgado saved the day again in the 11th. If that ball got by him the game would have ended but instead they put it off until Schoeneweis could pick up the loss, something he is very good at.
Another big problem was the offense who put up seven runs in the first four innings then went to sleep hitting into three double plays and were not able to muster a single run after. The combination of an offense and a bullpen that fails late in the game will dome this campaign.
These games are excruciating. I wonder sometimes what is wrong with me that I subject myself to such torture. Unfortunately we have last September to keep reminding us that there is a very good chance the Mets will blow it again.
