I almost feel bad complaining about how the Mets didn't really show up for this game when Mariners' fans just lost the only thing worth rooting for this season.
But, yea, the Mets really phoned this one in. They couldn't get anything going against Felix Hernandez, but he's also a great pitcher and is often unhittable. They managed just two hits in four-plus innings against the beleaguered Mariners' bullpen, finally squeaking a run across in the the ninth when they managed to get the tying run to the plate with just one out. Carlos Delgado against a lefty made that two outs. Damion Easley against anyone unless it's one of the several times a year he comes up with a huge homerun made it three outs and game over.
The Mariners are probably the worst team in baseball. The Nationals are pretty bad, too, and actually have a worse run differential by about -30 while playing in a crappier division. Still, I think we're all in agreement that Seattle blows and anything less than a 2-1 series win would be a significant blow to morale. Thanks to the Mets leaving their bats in Colorado, they have to win the next two games to salvage this thing, and that's seriously in question when you're starting four of the following every day:
Endy Chavez
Trot Nixon
Brian Schneider
Damion Easley
Marlon Anderson
Carlos Delgado
That's a pretty solid bench, not the 5-thru-8 hitters of a $139 million ballclub. But the Mets are skating by with the latter, and we can only hope the Phillies and Braves keep treading water while the Mets wait for Ryan Church's scrambled brains and Carlos Delgado circa two years ago to come and rescue them.
Big winners: Carlos Beltran, +6.7% WPA, Jose Reyes, 2.2% WPA
Big losers: Johan Santana, -22.0% WPA, Carlos Delgado, -11.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Beltran 9th inning RBI single, +6.1% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: King Felix goes boom, -29.7% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -20.7%
Total batter WPA: -29.3%