Walk It Off: Mets 5, Brewers 4

by Eric Simon on Apr 17, 2009 11:22 PM EDT

Game Result

SB Nation Coverage

* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* Brew Crew Ball Gamethread

Recap

Another game, another 13 men left on base by the Mets. They won this time, fortunately, but it's no wonder they've been losing so many close games with so many fellas stranded when the inning turns over.
Don't be surprised if this is the story for Livan Hernandez all year long: keeps opposing hitters off-balance a time or two through the order, but some combination of fatigue and ineptitude leads to him falling apart in the middle innings.
Fortunately, the Mets' bullpen was great again, pitching four scoreless innings. Another scoreless frame for J.J. Putz, and another inning without a strikeout. He still has just one punchout in six innings so far.
Gary Sheffield: first ever curtain call at Citi Field. I've been a fan of the player for a long time and I really do hope he succeeds with the Mets. Fans certainly seem to be embracing him so far, despite his checkered injury/steroid/attitudinal history.
The Mets lead the National League in bullpen ERA, but they're only tenth in starter ERA.
For all the talk about David Wright's strikeouts, he walked twice more tonight to bring his season total to eight in just 38 at-bats.
Johan Santana makes his third start tomorrow against the Brewers, and there are plenty of good seats still available.

For more coverage, check out AshleyMarshall's recap in the FanPosts.

Swag contest results can be found here and the next game's swag form already available. You can read more about the swag contest here.

Win Probability Added

Big winners: Luis Castillo, +31.7% WPA, Carlos Delgado, +24.6% WPA
Big losers: Livan Hernandez, -26.9% WPA, Carlos Beltran, -24.2% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Castillo walkoff infield single in ninth, +36.2% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Braun three-run homer in sixth, -25.6% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +9.9% WPA
Total batter WPA: +40.1% WPA
GWRBI!: Luis Castillo

Game Thread Roll Call

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

Num	Name	# of Posts
1	zmanmetfan	204
2	Prince	91
3	Gina	59
4	JADDENHOPKINS	48
5	Greenpoint Ian	46
6	Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright	43
7	squid92	36
8	JoshNY	35
9	JoeGoNets	32
10	HotChipWillBreakYourLegs	22

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Comments

oh man

I picked the exact score and I still was only 7th. Hmm… with only 2 swag submissions for 11 games, I better pick up the pace.

by JohnPeterson on Apr 17, 2009 11:42 PM EDT reply actions

Hitting w/ RISP

I know the mainstream media is all over this, but its really the least of my worries with this team. As long as they continue to get on base the way they have, they’ll score some runs. Hitting with runners in scoring position is one of those things that’s easy to get worked up about game to game, but its not really predictive or instructive in any significant way. The thing is if they can’t get better and longer outings out of their SP, its going to seem like their lacking big hits with runners on all season.

The good news is the bullpen, which has already fully displayed its beefed-upitude. I do believe they’re having an easier time scoring runs late in the game simply because the bullpen is better, and they’re not constantly trying to match crooked numbers from the opposition in the later innings. Even if they leave the bases loaded in one inning and get a little down on themselves, they’re getting the chance to get back in the dugout ASAP and put another rally together. A year ago, they might leave the bases loaded down a run in the 7th inning, but then they’d stand around the field for a half hour watching their pitchers stagger to three outs. By the time they’d get back into the dugout, they’re down three runs or four runs instead of one, and they can forget about trying to scratch out a run here or there, all of a sudden they need a big inning just to hang around, and trying to force big innings is going to yield fewer overall run scoring opportunities.

by Mark Himmelstein on Apr 17, 2009 11:54 PM EDT reply actions

Ease off Livan

Why the hit on Livan? He’s doing his job PLUS SOME as a 5th starter. That Braun bomb was an inch over the fence. Livan’s done a great job so far…why no critique of Beltran’s awful night?

The 2009 NY Mets: WE GOT K-ROD! OMG, Putz, too! Sign Lowe! Lowe's a Brave. Sign Manny! Tim Redding, WTF? Sign Manny! Sheets or Perez? SHEETS! Perez?? Oh, Sheets is hurt -- good job, Minaya! WTF?! SIGN MANNY!

by ZaBlanc on Apr 18, 2009 1:02 AM EDT reply actions

Livan

I don’t think I was unfair. In his two starts this season he gave up all of his runs in the final inning(s), which would seem to indicate that he was either tiring or that the opposing hitters figured him out a bit. The jury is still out overall, and if he can get over the hump of that third time through the lineup then he could be very useful.

Beltran had a bad night, no question. He was highlighted as one of the “Big Losers” in the WPA section.

by Eric Simon on Apr 18, 2009 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Truem but..

Most pitchers who don’t last 9 innings give up most of their runs in their last inning. :-) Livan has really helped us out. Better than Pedro could do in the same spot.

Beltran needs special mention for ineptness.

by ZaBlanc on Apr 18, 2009 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah Eric

You should always pay special attention to Beltran’s failures because he’s such a horrendous, unclutch loser.

Groan . . .

'Oh yes, I know all about that duty-of-a-citizen stuff. It doesn't go. There are exceptions to every rule, and this was one of them. When a man risks his liberty to come and root at a ball-game, you've got to hand it to him. He isn't a crook. He's a fan.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 18, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions