Boston Massacre Redux!

by Eric Simon on Jun 30, 2006 12:39 AM EDT

I have to agree with Matt on this one: the just-completed three game dismantling of the Mets at Fenway couldn't have come at a better time.

For starters, the Mets have a comfortable lead in the National League East, and coupled with the general ineptitude up-and-down that division, the Mets can certainly afford to lose a few games here and there. "Here" and "there" being "right now" and "hopefully not anytime soon".

Really, go read Matt's article, because he makes a lot of the same points that I would make. Namely:

The Mets have some serious problems with the back end of their rotation. Their sizeable division lead gives them some flexibility to try out a few different things, like giving John Maine another shot or bringing up Mike Pelfrey, either as a reliever or a starter.
Since allowing his first earned run of the season on May 9th, Duaner Sanchez has been awful. Not counting last night's performance, Sanchez has a 5.23 ERA, allowing 24 hits and 12 walks while striking out just 13 in 20.2 innings.
Willie maybe still isn't a very good in-game manager. Largely, his insistence on batting Paul Lo Duca second in the order despite underwhelming production. I like Lo Duca as a person and, speaking as someone who generally sides with the statheads, I enjoy his approach the game. That said, his knack for situational hitting doesn't really justify slotting his .325 OBP and .395 SLG so high in the order.

The Mets leave Boston and head back to New York for three games at Yankee Stadium where they will feature the powerhouse troika of Orlando Hernandez, Steve Trachsel and Alay Soler. Oh joy!

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Yeah I do think it was a good wake-up call

Being openly embarassed by these Sox.

It all falls to Omar in terms of personnel; he's got a much better version of your payroll sheet and org chart in front of him, including stuff that's not reported for competitive reasons and penciled versions of the 2007-2010 teams. He also knows some of that for the other 29 teams around the league.

And he knows another Kazmir-for-Zambrano ain't happenin. I still smart over Julio-for-Duque to be honest.

by peeder on Jun 30, 2006 2:37 AM EDT reply actions

It WAS a good wake-up call ...

and I thought Matt (and Eric here) summed up the weaknesses that need to be addressed before the post-season quite well.

Last night, Ron Darling pretty much said this series has been an eye-opener for the Mets, and this irritated me, and in the heat of the moment of the game thread, I said so.

In the light of day and after a restless night in which baseball invaded my dreams, I realize my reaction to what Darling said was stupidly knee-jerkish and even cocky, i.e. "Hey, we're the Mets, so what if the Red Sox beat us?" Well, I've now eaten my 16 egg whites for the day and feel brain-rejuvenated. Of course there are areas in which the Mets need to improve. I was an idiot.

by BlueYonder on Jun 30, 2006 5:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

Couldn't get swept at a better time. Awesome!

by ReLaunch on Jun 30, 2006 6:12 AM EDT reply actions

Metropolitan Fruit Cup

Serves four.

ingredients:

32 oz. of blueberries
4 medium-sized oranges
whip cream (optional)

Cut oranges into eighths. Combine with blueberries in large mixing bowl. Stir. Chill for half an hour.

Serve in small fruit-cup bowls, with whip cream on the side for those who with to indulge.

Let's go Mets!

by kingcritical on Jun 30, 2006 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

i don't know if this is troll-ish

maybe there was a /snark tag missing, or maybe the guy is just pissed that his team got beat and his fellow fans are trying to spin it.

or, maybe you know something I don't and the guy IS a troll.

Go METS!!!!

Dig down, find more.

by ntrainbug on Jun 30, 2006 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions

chicken little's

If the Mets had gotten swept by the Blue Jays nobody would give a damn, but because people care about the freaking Red Sox so much everybody is all worried. Theirs a decent shot that damn Red Sox won't even make the playoffs and we never see them again. I do agree the Sanchez/Heilman are starting to worry me along with the back end of the rotation and Pedro health issues. But were 16+ on June 28 and 11 games up against the Phillies who can't do anything right on or off the field. The road is long and every team has a little bump in the road at some point so stop panicing and bitching.

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win

by DoctorK16 on Jun 30, 2006 9:20 AM EDT reply actions