Mets Game 127: Loss to Marlins
Marlins 11 Mets 4
At first, it seemed as though the game was in the bag for the Mets. They had a 4-zip lead early on, and Jonathon Niese was mowing down the Fish, striking out 6 in the first three frames.
The Fish chipped out two in the fourth on a homer by Hanley Ramirez, and then fed on Niese like piranha in the sixth, splashing seven runs before the tide rolled out.
Oh, and to add injury to insult, Jose Reyes left the game in the first inning with an aggravation of his oblique injury. He’ll be out at least one game, and until he “is completely healed”.
Game Notes
Niese looked so good initially, then completely fell apart. 5 2/3 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, but 8 Ks. It was too ugly to talk about.
In contrast, Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez looked awful at first, but wound up the winner. He was walking and hitting batters like it was his intention, and allowed 15 baserunners in 5 innings, but the futile Flushing offense couldn’t take advantage, leaving a dozen men on base. This game was representative of the three-game series, and the Marlins-Mets meetups in general, in that it always seems like the Fish are trying to give the game away but the Mets appear unable to take it from them. Ever since Joe Girardi left, the Marlins have been a fundamentally flawed team that finds ways to lose ballgames — a function of having a tiny payroll and playing kids who should be getting seasoning in the minors. Yet, they’re a game and a half ahead of the Mets in the standings.
Ah, yes, the standings. The Mets gained no ground on the Phillies, who were swept by the Astros in four straight, nor the Braves, who lost their last three. They’re once again under .500 and 10 games back in the NL East.
But let’s try to be positive. For example, David Wright is definitely “in the zone”, as he had two more hits including a monstrous homer in the first. Angel Pagan is also long beyond his mini-slump, as he collected two more hits, including a double.
Another positive: Manny Acosta threw two perfect innings, expending just 18 pitches in the process.
Further, Jeff Francoeur had two hits, an RBI, and a walk (!) and made a fantastic catch at the wall in the sixth of a Wes Helms liner … but allowed a blooper by Brett Hayes to bounce into the stands only minutes later.
Speaking of Francoeur, during the postgame coverage on SNY, the ebullient rightfielder was quoted as saying “…after they scored the ninth run, it was pretty much over.” Hmm … at that point, it was 9-4. Not to nitpick, but about 24 years earlier, there were two teams that came back from 10-1 deficits to win. Being down five runs doesn’t seem so insurmountable compared to being down nine. Maybe that defeatist mentality is something solely specific to Francoeur — or maybe it is something that has been cultivated by Jerry Manuel over the past two and a half years. You’ve been watching this team over that period, so you be the judge.
So much for the positive.
Next Mets Game
The Mets host the red-hot Houston Astros for a weekend series in Flushing beginning Friday at 7:10 PM. Mike Pelfrey faces former Met Nelson Figueroa.
Needless to say, that was the only inning I watched.
I agree with Francour that after the 9th run scored, it was pretty much over. But its one thing for a cynical Mets fan to think that. Mets fans have seen this nonsense for many, many years and perhaps have grown cynical. It’s quite another for a player to think that way.
For a normally positive guy like Francour to have that attitude after only being with the organization for little over a year, provides more reason to favor a top-to-bottom house cleaning. An organization with a losing attitude will always be losers.
As for Jose’s injury, he did NOT want to be removed from the game. At least he didn’t react like the very first game Jerry managed against the Angels a few years ago when he got pulled in the first inning.
Speaking of Reyes; not sure how another blogger can interpret Jose as a ‘chronic injured player”. From 2005 thru 2008, Reyes played in 161, 153, 160 & 159 games. And if his hammy was diagnosed properly last season, he may have been back on the field later in the season. Give me a break.
I always thought that players such as Reyes, Pujols, Hanley Ramirez et al, have bulked up because they’re getting older, growing into their bodies and have worked hard to enhance their athletic abilities in order to compete at the highest level. Silly me.
Niese has had continued hammy problems. Must be the PEDs. Reese Havens has been shut down with a nagging oblique injury. Must be the PEDs. FMart? Where do I start. Must be the PEDs. Shall I continue?
Right at this moment, another website features a blogger convinced that Reyes is a heroin user. Another makes the accusation that he’s a meth head or cocaine abuser. The heroin accuser is convinced that Jose gets his fix from Puerto Rico, which is where he initially injured his oblique. The other idiot claims Jose was out at a club in NYC recently. Therefore, he must be using.
Everyone claims to know the facts. And it must be the truth because it’s on the internet. LOL!!
Oh, BTW, if you ever visit the Mets during Spring Training, or when they play in Sun Life Stadium, please let me know. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve taken batting practice with the team over the years. And my son has been playing catch with Reyes or Wright before Marlins since 2005.
In fact, Jose taught my son to place both his ring and pinky finger in the pinky slot in his glove (they both use a Rawlings black 11 1/4 Pro Preferred) and slide his middle finger down one slot too.
If you’d like pictures of Jose, David, and other Mets and Marlins, plus other players such as Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Rickey Henderson and the above mentioned “Wizard”, I’d be happy to show you one day. Most include my sons in them.
Read it slowly so you may understand this time because this will be the LAST time that I explain it to you.
I did address Jose Reyes alleged weight gain, as well as other professional athletes who were young and thin and then grew into their bodies as they had gotten older. I even gave examples. Again, explain to me and the rest of the logically think world why Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez have added weight as they have gotten older. How about Miguel Cabrera? Remember him at 20? What about Paul Konerko? Andrew Jones? Ty Wigginton? Jose Bautista was 173lbs when he came up in 2004. He’s now 195 plus. According to your thinking, it MUST BE HgH.
You have failed to respond with any cognisant or logical answers. In fact, you had NO OPINION on players such as Hanley Ramirez and Albert Pujol’s weight gain except that “you take pictures” of Reyes. LMFAO. Way to defend your portion of the discussion, pally.
I guess Ruben Tejada and Ike Davis are going to stay stick thin too. God forbid they work out and add some weight as they age because they too will be labeled PED users. Cause I’m sure you have pictures.
The bottom line is that I have refuted EVERY SINGLE allegation of yours and backed them up with FACTS and EXAMPLES. I don’t see any logical explainations on your behalf except your opinion and “pictures”. Again, in your world, Neise must be on PEDs because he reinjured his hammy. Same with Reese Haven’s oblique. Got any pictures?
Don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion and “pictures”, jealous little man. LOL !!!!!!!!!!!
Oh; and I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt by calling you a man. Got any pictures?