Worst Thing Ever: Marlins 7, Mets 3

by Eric Simon on Jul 28, 2008 10:45 PM EDT

I didn't really think the bullpen was a big problem, and it's usually not good practice to make snap judgments after a single game, but the Mets' relief pitching tonight was just brutal, and with Aaron Heilman given the night off and Billy Wagner unusable except in save situations, everyone coming out of that bullpen right now just looks wretched.

A bigger concern right now is John Maine, who left the game with a stiff right shoulder and whose prognosis and timetable for return is unknown. I'll have more on the Mets' starting pitching situation tomorrow morning, but things look considerably worse than they did a week or two ago (or a day ago, I guess).

Big winners: Fernando Tatis, +22.1% WPA, John Maine, +13.2% WPA
Big losers: Joe Smith, -35.9% WPA, Scott Schoeneweis, -31.1% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Tatis RBI-triple, +14.9% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Uggla RBI-single in 8th, -18.9% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -50.6%
Total batter WPA: +0.6%

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by BobbyV_Incognito; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Name	# of Posts
BobbyV_Incognito	97
Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright	54
JohnPeterson	40
pingel	37
Greenpoint Ian	33
Simons	30
DoctorK16	20
kingcritical	12
LOUtheMETfan	9
itsmetsforme	8
whynot	8
gogomets	2
anonymous	1
Shomov	1
Endys Game	1

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The Mets achilles heel...The bullpen

Sorry I had to depart the game chat but work called…

I actually find it hard to believe that anyone should be surprised by the abhorent play of the Mets bullpen. The brief ‘blip on the radar’ of improvement that was witnessed prior to the All Star break was most likely a mirage. It is a known fact that the Mets bullpen is what reduces this team to just barely being a contender. No, I don’t have a bunch of fancy stats to support my “bitch” (because it’s definitely more of a bitch than an argument) but I have listened to and watched enough Mets games in the past few years to know that the bullpen keeps this team from being great. There isn’t a single soul in this blog who can honestly say that they have a good feeling when Schowenweis, Sanchez or Heilman take the mound.

I have been a Mets fan since 1997 and I have never been angrier than I have been in the past two years. No, not even losing to the Yanks in the 2000 subway series or the Cards in the 2006 NLCS angers me as much as what I’ve had to endure in the past 15 months w/these overpaid nobody’s who can’t place a white ball in a location around, over or near the home plate w/any type of consistentcy or velocity from 60 feet, 6 inches away.

The bullpen problem was prevelant in spring training. Every single time you looked at a score card what did you see? Runs given up after the 6th inning. A large number of people say spring training doesn’t say anything about a ballclub. Well, last year in the regular season and this year in spring training we had the same horrible problem. Runs given up after the 6th inning.

So, in my humble opinion the Mets had better do the following if they want to see post season play and to keep the rest of us from losing our damned minds:

1) HIT w/RISP!
2) Go out and get some damned middle relief in the next three days.
3) PRAY…

If the Wilpons and Omar Minaya are too blind to see what this team is lacking then they don’t deserve to be in charge of winners.

"DUDE...I LOVE IT WHEN DAVID WRIGHT GETS PUMPED UP!"

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Jul 29, 2008 4:27 AM EDT reply actions

Let's Make an Example of Someone

Schoenweiss. Let’s fire him. Whatever his positive contribution to the team, the costs are just too high. Of course we’d like to go out and get a new reliever, and my guess is we will. But meantime, the best way to improve our relief pitching is to fire Schoenweiss. A classic “less is more” situation.

by Jim Pharo on Jul 29, 2008 10:40 AM EDT reply actions

Why didn't

Manuel just pinch hit Castro for Schneider instead of burning Evans? Why didn’t he let Feliciano lay down a bunt once Evans got on instead of burning AReyes? And why didn’t he bring in Feliciano to face Jacobs in the sixth instead of waiting for Jacobs to get on ans score?

I guess he has his reasons.

Plus one on the JC Bradbury article. Buzz B should buzz off. Ha!

by Simons on Jul 29, 2008 2:20 PM EDT reply actions