Mets Game 84: Loss to Dodgers
Dodgers 11 Mets 2
So much for building on a big win over the best team in baseball.
The Dodgers shrugged off a 5-4 loss on Wednesday night to demolish the Mets, reminding them of their place in the world.
Orlando Hudson wrapped a three-run double in the first frame, putting the Dodgers up by four, and from there it was just a long, painful, dreary wait for the game to end. I’ve had two root canals, and the agony did not compare to what had to be endured through the final 8 1/2 innings of this dreadful contest.
By the time Livan Hernandez was mercifully removed, he had allowed 8 earned runs on 11 hits and 4 walks in 4 frames. Pat Misch and Brian Stokes were passable in relief, but Tim Redding was Livanlike in his two innings, allowing another 3 runs on 6 hits and a walk.
Notes
What is there to say? Livan Hernandez put the team in a hole, and this team — with or without “the cavalry” — does not have the gumption to come back from such a deficit. There’s no way you can convince me that Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes would’ve made a difference in this game.
On a positive note, David Wright was 2-for-3. Gary Sheffield showed a modicum of interest, showing enough emotion to get himself tossed from the game. I’m not saying it’s good to get thrown out, but, it’s nice to see that someone on this team gives a crap.
The score could’ve been worse when you consider that the Dodgers left 13 men on base. Thirteen. Wow.
Jerry Manuel finally came to his senses in penciling in Luis Castillo and his .380 OBP at the top of the lineup. Though, I can’t explain Nick Evans in the two-hole, the insistence of forcing Fernando Tatis into the lineup, nor the decision to sit Dan Murphy after a two-double day. Is the lefty-lefty thing really THAT big a deal? And how can that be, when Manuel openly admits that he doesn’t pay much attention to the numbers?
Speaking of the numbers, Fernando Tatis is now 3-for-31 lifetime vs. Randy Wolf.
Manny Ramirez was 5-for-11 with 3 runs scored and 6 RBI in this series. Good thing I sat him on my fantasy team. I left Randy Wolf on the bench, too. This is why I finish last every year.
Next Mets Game
The Mets navigate their way to the All-Star Break via a three-game weekend series hosting the Cincinnati Redlegs. Fernando Nieve faces Bronson Arroyo in the opener at 7:10 PM on Friday night in Flushing.
My thoughts:
Although it is a limited sample, Daniel Murphy is batting .290 vs. left handed pitching.
There may be other reasons to bench Murphy, but that wasn’t one of them.
Mr. Redding is pitching himself off the team. I would much rather have Figueroa as the long man/spot starter.
Who signed that contract? Put another check mark in the “against” Minaya column.
Livan has had two dreadful outings in a row. That’s how bad Redding has been: Signed as the 5th starter, and there are still two “Fifth Starters” ahead of him (Hernandez & Nieve). Too bad he is of little trade value as the trading deadline approaches. Who would want him?
He has had a winning record in his ML career just once: his rookie season (3-1).
Overall, this was yet another garbage performance by our Mets. It is very hard to stay enthusiastic about the team. Did you see how empty the stadium (or is it field) was in the late innings?
Puh-thetic!
Got to stick with one lineup and get these guys to gel together. Chopping changing every night is going to accomplish very little…sorry HAS accomplished very little.
I think Jerry is under the impression that he gets a raise if he assembles 162 different starting lineups over the course of the season. Somebody should read the fine print in his contract.
Also, I agree with Murph that Redding is (or has) pitched his way off the team. Even if the team wasn’t ravaged with injuries, there would still be no room on the team for a 7.14 ERA thru 51 IP. But with the team struggling to find capable arms, Redding has no right sticking around – especially considering what Jon Niese has been doing in AAA. It is high time Niese gets the nod in the rotation, moving Nieve to the pen, and kicking Redding to the curb. There wasn’t a man among us who thought Omar did a good job by securing Redding to a $2.25-million contract this offseason, and it turns out we were all right. Omar needs to swallow his pride and bite the bullet already on the Tim Redding experiment. Addition by subtraction.
I don’t for a second buy Jerry’s notion that some of these games could have been won for the Mets if they turned some double plays. That’s frustration for hitting into so many, but they are never a guaranteed thing, timing and accuracy is everything for the fielders.