Mets Game 48: Win Over Phillies
Mets 3 Phillies 0
Run for cover! Do not leave your home! At any moment, frogs and toads are certain to fall from a blue and orange-tinged sky, signifying the rapture! Cataclysm is near!
Or maybe the Mets shutting out the Phillies in three straight is a completely normal event, having nothing to do with the apocalypse. Perhaps it was a staged episode for the return of the Twilight Zone.
Whatever it is, it ain’t normal. But I’ll take it. And revel in it.
Game Notes
Mike Pelfrey was brilliant (again), shutting out the Phillies through seven frames, allowing only three hits. The five walks were too many, but no baserunners scored, so we’ll glaze over them.
I find it funny — now — that one of the questions posed to me by Bill Baer at Crashburn Alley prior to the series was “How much patience do the Mets have with Jose Reyes? He’s currently sporting a .550 OPS.”. Well, I think it’s safe to say that those questions won’t be coming up again. Reyes went 3-for-4 with a double, 2 RBI, and a run scored. Further, he was 8-for-13 with 5 RBI and 5 runs scored in the series, sparking the club from the leadoff spot (note: Reyes was NOT batting third).
Angel Pagan went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, AGAIN. Seems like he goes 2-for-4 with a stolen base every game, doesn’t it?
Cole Hamels didn’t pitch poorly — allowing 3 runs on 9 hits and a walk through 6 1/3 — but the Phillies hitters are in a team-wide, massive funk. The question is: did this three-game sweep say more about the Mets or the Phillies? Meaning, were the Mets pitchers really that spectacular, or are the Phillies hitters in that horrendous a cold streak? Is it a combination of both?
After winning the Yankees series and pasting the Phillies in three straight, the Mets will go into Milwaukee to face a struggling Brewers club. You’ve got to believe that confidence alone will help the Mets to another series win this weekend (don’t even start with the “jinx” thing — if I have that kind of power I’ll use it for something like world peace). A little confidence can go a long way, and in the case of the Mets, it just might jettison them to the top of the NL East come Memorial Day.
At 19-9, the Mets have the best home record in MLB. At 6-14, they have the third-worst road record in MLB. Again I mention the 1987 Minnesota Twins. Look it up.
During the rain delay, SNY showed the press conference announcing the purchase of the Mets by Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon for $21M. This year, the Mets are paying Johan Santana $21M. How times have changed, eh?
Next Mets Game
The Mets move on to Milwaukee to face the Brewers on Friday night. Johan Santana faces Yovani Gallardo. Game time is 8:10 PM.
I think of all the things that happened since Friday the most important is not the pitching, or Jason Bay, or even Jose Reyes (though he was a very close 2nd). No instead the most important thing that happened was David Wright was just good, not amazing or legendary or perfect, and the Mets won. I think proof of concept is needed with David. He needs to understand that he does not need to carry the weight of this team on his shoulders for them to succeed. I think it leads to him relaxing and producing. He is always good in Milwaukee (and Arizona and Colorado and Philly… the trend is hitters ballparks) which I think will help him get going. He is the next Met to get unconsciously hot. Watch this weekend somewhere around 2 HRs, 8 hits, 10 RBI and 3 walks. Okay maybe that is ridiculous to expect. But I expect big numbers in Milwaukee.