Under Control
In an easily imagined parallel universe, it would have been the biggest win of the season.
The Mets failed to knock a flailing pitcher down when he was on the ropes. Out in the field, the Mets' pitcher coughed up a 2-0 lead thanks to two walks and a piece of crap dribbler.
And then the 5-run 8th inning came, and the ensuing comeback victory over the Braves was every bit the dramatic late-inning catharsis that we needed.
Only last night was none of those things. In 1999 it would have been, but in 2008, no. This is not the Atlanta Braves ballclub that tormented your high school years, even if Chipper still makes you sick every time he steps in the box.
Last night wasn't meant to be a catharsis. It was meant to be another step along the way. But with the Phillies playing the hapless Nationals, losers now of 11 straight, and with the Mets having sputtered on their way out of Pittsburgh and having lost their closer for the foreseeable future, it sure felt like an important game.
* * * * *
We can all spare ourselves the suspense: our bullpen is going to blow more games than it should down the stretch. Hell, it's already blown more games than it should have.
Meanwhile, the Phillies' bullpen has been outstanding all season. Brad Lidge hasn't blown a save all year for chrissakes.
In spite of it all, the Mets are 1.5 games up in the division. Remember, like the Mets, the Phillies have their strengths and weaknesses. Through 126 games, the Mets' strengths and weaknesses have added up to a slightly more valuable equation than the Phillies'.
Will it last? Who can say?
But think of it this way: losing games late hurts, but if your starters are giving your offense 7 innings to put the game away (and your bullpen only 2 innings to give it back), that, to me, is a more reliable formula than leaning on bullpen guys after your starters give you, what, 6 shaky innings whenever Hamels and Moyer (my god) aren't pitching.
* * * * *
Given the way everything unfolded last year and earlier this season, the key to the season, to my mind, is the Mets need to avoid getting caught up in the things they can't control.
The questions about their shaky bullpen? The questions that will inevitably come in September about whether they can avoid collapsing like they did last season? There's no right answer to give.
Last night the Mets did what they had to do. They took care of something they can control, wins and losses, and took another step in the right direction.
Tonight they'll go at it again. It's not 1999 anymore but tonight's game against the Braves feels like a big one.
Or maybe it's just that this time of year, all games do.
- A.F.O.M.G.
The Mets failed to knock a flailing pitcher down when he was on the ropes. Out in the field, the Mets' pitcher coughed up a 2-0 lead thanks to two walks and a piece of crap dribbler.
And then the 5-run 8th inning came, and the ensuing comeback victory over the Braves was every bit the dramatic late-inning catharsis that we needed.
Only last night was none of those things. In 1999 it would have been, but in 2008, no. This is not the Atlanta Braves ballclub that tormented your high school years, even if Chipper still makes you sick every time he steps in the box.
Last night wasn't meant to be a catharsis. It was meant to be another step along the way. But with the Phillies playing the hapless Nationals, losers now of 11 straight, and with the Mets having sputtered on their way out of Pittsburgh and having lost their closer for the foreseeable future, it sure felt like an important game.
* * * * *
We can all spare ourselves the suspense: our bullpen is going to blow more games than it should down the stretch. Hell, it's already blown more games than it should have.
Meanwhile, the Phillies' bullpen has been outstanding all season. Brad Lidge hasn't blown a save all year for chrissakes.
In spite of it all, the Mets are 1.5 games up in the division. Remember, like the Mets, the Phillies have their strengths and weaknesses. Through 126 games, the Mets' strengths and weaknesses have added up to a slightly more valuable equation than the Phillies'.
Will it last? Who can say?
But think of it this way: losing games late hurts, but if your starters are giving your offense 7 innings to put the game away (and your bullpen only 2 innings to give it back), that, to me, is a more reliable formula than leaning on bullpen guys after your starters give you, what, 6 shaky innings whenever Hamels and Moyer (my god) aren't pitching.
* * * * *
Given the way everything unfolded last year and earlier this season, the key to the season, to my mind, is the Mets need to avoid getting caught up in the things they can't control.
The questions about their shaky bullpen? The questions that will inevitably come in September about whether they can avoid collapsing like they did last season? There's no right answer to give.
Last night the Mets did what they had to do. They took care of something they can control, wins and losses, and took another step in the right direction.
Tonight they'll go at it again. It's not 1999 anymore but tonight's game against the Braves feels like a big one.
Or maybe it's just that this time of year, all games do.
- A.F.O.M.G.
posted by A Friend of Mr. Glass' at 11:18 AM
4 Comments:
"We can all spare ourselves the suspense: our bullpen is going to blow more games than it should down the stretch. Hell, it's already blown more games than it should have.
Meanwhile, the Phillies' bullpen has been outstanding all season. Brad Lidge hasn't blown a save all year for chrissakes."
If the team under performing is in first place, and the team over performing is in second, who wins the division?
It's not a matter of overperforming and underperforming. As I wrote in the paragraph immediately following the ones you cited, the Phils have strengths and weaknesses just like the Mets, and so far the Mets' strengths/weaknesses combination has added up to a more valuable equation than the Phillies' has.
To be clear, I agree the Mets' bullpen has underperformed and the Phillies' bullpen has overperformed, but the way I see it that's not the point.
Yeah the Mets' bullpen has been bad, and the Phillies' bullpen has been good -- but so what? The point I was making is we should spare ourselves the grief over that -- the bullpen is what it is and the Mets are what they are in spite of/because of it. To this point in the season, somehow in spite of everything that's meant being a first place team.
As good as the Phillies' bullpen has been, their weaknesses have compromised their team more than the Mets' weakness (our bullpen) has compromised us.
Will it stay that way? As I said, who can say?
Yeah. my comment wasn't really related to what you said, just merely an observation as I see it.
who knows where things will go, but I like our chances the way things look.
Hey -- the New York Post has a Tragic Number count on the site for the Yanks (It's 23 for the division, 24 for the wild card).
Can we get some hate up in here? That's more fun to discuss than Lights Out Luis Ayala.
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