Game 35: Loss

Brewers 9 Mets 6

This game was lost before it started, when the lineups were handed to the umpire and Jose Lima was listed as the starting pitcher.

The Great Lima Experiment must end now. It is ludicrous to believe that the worst pitcher on the worst pitching team in baseball last year will somehow find the magic to be a legitimate #4 or #5 starter.

The Mets already have too many experiments in the pitching laboratory: Pedro Feliciano as LOOGY, Darren Oliver as who-knows-what, Jorge Julio as setup-in-training. Julio and Feliciano, at least, show some promise, and Julio has youth and talent on his side. Oliver and Lima need to go, Lima first.

The bright spots: Carlos Delgado continues to pound the ball, and Endy Chavez continues to make me look stupid by playing remarkably well in all facets of the game. Cliff Floyd had a couple hits and a walk, and seems to be moving out of his slump. Billy Wagner struck out three in a perfect eigthth that meant nothing.

Heath Bell got pounded again, which is really too bad, as Mr. Willie has no confidence in him to begin with. I hope they don’t send him down. It certainly wouldn’t make sense, since Randolph continues to give has-beens and never-wases such as Lima and Oliver chance after chance to fail. I would hope that he’d extend the same length leash to someone with potential, such as Bell.