Another game for the Mets that began with a pitchers duel and ended in a blowout. The Chicago Cubs tacked on runs in the eighth inning, again, en route to a 8-1 blowout and series sweep of the New York Mets.
I rarely throw commentary in this early in the game, but this game was ridiculous. I'm not going to go into all out detail as usual, because even after a few hours, I'm furious.
Nelson Figueroa was betrayed by his defense, as misplays and goofs in the field, doomed the Mets and Figueroa. He allowed three earned runs, all of which came off blunders, on seven hits through five plus innings. Figueroa walked five while striking out two.
Figueroa didn't deserve this loss. Sure he walked people, but he got out of a bunch of jams. If it was possible, the defense should be charged with the loss.
From my live blog:
"Cedeno knocks a ball the other way, down the first base line. Pagan can't make the play and boots the ball off the hop. He kicks it around against the wall in right, allowing Fukudome to come all the way around to score. Total misplay by Pagan."
"Lilly grounds one softly to second base. Delgado thinks about making a play on it, thinks better, and starts to go to first. He spies Figueroa coming over from first, who slowed down when Delgado started back to first. Delgado turns away, thinking Figueroa will make the play. Easley eventually flips to Figueroa, but not in time to get Lilly. The bases are loaded. Bonehead play by Delgado."
Scott Schoeneweis pitched 2-3 of an inning, walking one. Joe Smith also pitched 2-3 of an inning, allowing three hits and one earned run. Smith also struck out one. Pedro Feliciano appeared for the third time in a week and did not retire a batter. Jorge Sosa got rocked for the second straight day, allowing four hits, one of them a grand slam to Ronny Cedeno. Sosa let in four earned runs which put the Cubs up for good.
It looked like the Mets just gave up on this game from the pitching standpoint in the sixth inning. Sosa looked great, retiring the side with runners on in the seventh, but then came out in the eighth and just looked absolutely miserable. Another terrible play in the eighth, when the Mets played the infield in, and therefore were unable to turn a double play, which would have ended the inning. Instead, they got the out at home, and the next batter blasted a grand slam to left. Just terrible.
The Mets had chances, but didn't take advantage of them.
The only run came on a bases loaded groundout, which Mark DeRosa went for broke on, and failed. Brady Clark dinked a ball to second, which DeRosa made a diving attempt, but the ball skipped into his glove. Carlos Beltran scored on the play.
Other than that, the Mets had the bases loaded a few times, but just couldn't get the big hit. They looked terrible today, and yesterday. Both days: 5 hits, 1 run. That's just not going to cut it.
Numbers: 1: Hits picked up by Pagan, Delgado, Easley, Clark and Casanova...1: Extra base hit by the Mets (Pagan 2B)...9: Team LOB...Delgado: 1-4, 2 K...15-2: Score over two days in Chicago...Reyes, Wright, Beltran: 0-8...
Game Ball: Figueroa, I guess.
Again, sorry for the change in format/style/detail but this game was absolutely miserable. I churned out over well over 3,000 words in my live blog, and this game needed only one to really explain it: "miserable."
I totally agree Andrew. I was so mad at the riduculous and shoddy play of the Mets that I felt sorry for Figueroa. He certainly deserved better. Pagan fumbling with the ball, then Delgado thinking he was a statue at first. I also felt like the ball hit to Clark in leftfield after that should have been caught on the fly. He just stood there in Shawn Green style and let it bounce in front of him rather than making a shoestring catch. That's the type of ball I can bear to watch. It one thing if you make an error, but it's quite another when you just stand around like you don't care (i.e. Delgado and Clark). Figueroa was giving 110%, it's too bad some of his teammates were only give 25%.
ReplyDeleteAll valid points.
ReplyDeleteOn Clark: If it was a different player, I'd agree with you, but knowing the kind of player Clark is, one that would lay out for any ball, I just don't think he thought he could get it.
I like Clark, but he can't hit anymore and when Moises returns, he'll be sent away. Hopefully he sticks around and goes to AAA because we all know Moises is going to get hurt.
Figueroa deserved better.
Delgado is stinkin' it up at the plate and his defense was already bad enough. Now in the last two weeks he is looking extremely weak on plays that don't involve him reaching up for one of Wright's errants throws and tagging a guy running to first on the back. It's OK for a player to slump, but today was a huge step backwards for Delgado. I'm not ready to bail on him just yet, but this is getting worse and worse everyday.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the line up speaks for itself. A lame effort all around in both games. Let's use Washington to get back to fundamentals and pump ourselves up for the weekend series against Atlanta.
Good stuff NL.
ReplyDeleteDelgado can still turn it around, but the chances are slim, and growing smaller each day.
Hopefully Santana can set down the Nats and the Mets bats can wake up tomorrow.