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July 5, 2010 Mets 2010 Games Joe Janish

Mets Game 82: Win Over Nationals

Mets 9 Nationals 5

The fireworks began in the initial inning and continued through the final frame.

When it was all said and done, the Mets scraped out a series split with the worst team in the NL East. And they were lucky to do so.

Game Notes

Hisanori Takahashi pitched five innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7. He was removed after 85 pitches but more importantly, after seeing the lineup twice. His junk simply runs out of magic during the third time through the lineup.

Jason Bay had a huge day, going 2-for-5 with 4 RBI and a triple, hitting the ball hard every time he came to bat. He could be at the start of a hot streak.

David Wright continued to pound the horsehide, with 2 hits and 2 runs scored.

Angel Pagan returned to the leadoff spot with a flourish, collecting 3 hits — including 2 doubles — driving in two and scoring once.

The Mets required five relievers to cover the final four frames. For reasons unknown, 8th-inning-guy Pedor Feliciano came on in the 7th to face a few lefthanded hitters before yielding to Ryota “Rocket Man” Igarashi. Igarashi and Bobby Parnell were both underwhelming as they bridged the gap to K-Rod, who didn’t create too much drama for a change.

The Mets had an 8-run lead entering the sixth, yet they somehow needed Francisco Rodriguez to end the game. Whoa.

Next Mets Game

The Mets return home to host the Reds in a 7:10 PM matchup. Mike Pelfrey goes against Aaron Harang.

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Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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  1. mic July 5, 2010 at 8:59 am
    http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2010/07/05/upper-minors-weekend-amid-signs-of-life-from-fernando-bisons-ponder-a-brawl-nieuwenhuis-crushes/
  2. isuzudude July 5, 2010 at 9:29 am
    I have a real bad feeling about the next couple weeks, my friends. This bullpen is going to be completely shot with the way it is being used, if it already isn’t. I’d love to hear the rationale behind the insistence to operate with a 5-man bullpen. I’m not counting Fernando Nieve as a part of this team anymore because Jerry has obviously crossed him off of all future plans. If he’s not going to see any game action he might as well be DFA’d or demoted. I can understand the Mets needing 3 catchers at the expense of a bullpen pitcher if Barajas were still hurting, but the man seems to be recovered from his back ailment now, so what is the point in keeping Josh Thole around? These bullpen issues are paramount over keeping a just-in-case 3rd-string catcher on the roster. And then we have the mishandling of Angel Pagan’s and Jose Reyes’ injuries. If that sentence doesn’t remind you of darker times then you weren’t paying close enough attention to the true woes that befell the 2009 version of this team. It really seems to me like management (and that includes both Jerry and Omar) are once again setting this team up for a 2nd half collapse. As this team continues to roll downhill, they will become more desperate to save the season, and will in turn make a (series of) poor trade(s) that won’t fix what’s really ailing the club, and that is the management. Injuries will continue to mount or be worsened by wrong roster decisions, and the bullpen will continue to erode away because of rampant overuse. These are the chronic problems of this franchise that can only be cured by removing the growths that produce the symptoms. I think you all know of the two growths I am referring to.

    My bold yet morbid prediction is that the Mets will stumble into the allstar break by losing at least 4 of their next 6 games against the Reds and Braves. Both teams are hot and I see them as being poised to take advantage of a tiring, vulnerable Mets team. And when the Mets enter the break on a mild freefall, watch the fanbase explode in Cliff Lee-mania, demanding all valuable pieces of the minor league system be dealt for the lefty. Yet, if they get what they desire, the bullpen will remain exposed, management will be left in tact, and the future will be thrown into turmoil. And then expect the end result to be another September collapse, followed by finger pointing at all the wrong people, followed by another 3-4 years of mediocrity and lowered expectations.

    On a side note, though I feel Mike Pelfrey definitely deserved to make the allstar team this year, it might be for the best that he gets the break to rest if he’s experiencing a dead arm as rumored to be the case.

  3. loge mezzanine July 5, 2010 at 12:28 pm
    Isuzudude speaks for me. Well said, my man!
  4. John July 5, 2010 at 2:59 pm
    I agree that the bullpen is a problem and that it is being overused. And I don’t think Manual is the right guy long term.
    But the reason that the bullpen is overused is that they are not very good and can’t get anyone one out. These guys have no command of their pitches and are constantly an adventure.

    I also agree about Pelf. As far as i’m concerned I would just as soon not have any of my players on the all star team. I think the three day break from baseball at this time of year is a blessing.

  5. Micalpalyn July 5, 2010 at 6:18 pm
    I am not totally against jerry here. Fact is Pedro F., Iggy, and Elmer are not getting it done ahead of Krod. If not for their efforts Krod would be alot more rested. In an 8-0 game no way krod gets up.

    Octavio dotel ?

  6. Joe Janish July 5, 2010 at 9:49 pm
    Has Jerry done a great job of managing all of the bullpen arms since Opening Day?

    Is it Pedro F’s fault that he is on pace to appear in 95 games this year?

    Is it Fernando Nieve’s fault that he was on pace to appear in over 120 games after the first 6 weeks of the season?

    It is ALL Jerry’s fault. ALL. Bullpen management is the single most important aspect of MLB managing, and Jerry fails miserably at the task.