Mets Game 103: Win Over Marlins

Mets 6 Marlins 5

Sometimes all you need is to play a team that makes more mistakes than you do.

Mets Game Notes

Jeremy Hefner — for the third start in a row — just didn’t have it. Once again, he was bereft of command. Though he didn’t allow any hits through the first few innings, he nonetheless struggled in every frame. When he wasn’t walking Fish, he was going to 2-2 and 3-2 counts, causing his pitch count to soar early and putting his defense to sleep. Part of his problem, too, was that — for the most part — his lowered velocity. On occasion he touched 94 MPH, but rarely (if ever?) for a strike. He’s not down in the dangerous 89-90 area but he’s getting close, sitting right around 91 on most of his fastballs. It doesn’t sound like much, but every extra MPH above 90 is like two at a lower range; additionally, slower fastballs make off-speed pitches less effective.

Marlins starter Jacob Turner had his own issues early on, but righted the ship and was cruising right along with a two-run lead when Mike Redmond mysteriously removed him with one out in the seventh, Eric Young, Jr. at the plate, and the pitch count at a manageable 94. What made the move even stranger was that LOOGY Mike Dunn was brought in, turning Young around to the RH side — any 11-year-old with an internet connection knows EYJr. is a much different, and better hitter from his natural side. As was to be expected, the Mets were thrilled not to have to face Turner any longer, and feasted on both Dunn and A.J. Ramos to take the lead.

My only guess is that Redmond recently read the chapter “Getting Young Pitchers to Feel Good About Themselves” in Terry Collins‘ soon-to-be-released PDF download, Managing One Game At A Time.

Thanks to the combined ineptitude of Redmond and his error-prone club, Collins got away with horrific pitching management. Hefner was left in primarily because Gonzalez Germen was burned the day before in a game that Carlos Torres should have been left out as the sacrificial lamb.

While on the subject of things that baffle me, why do opposing teams do anything other than jam Daniel Murphy inside when he comes to the plate with runners on base? Are there not scouts in the stands writing reports? Murphy stands about eight feet away from the plate because he’s aware of his weakness against hard stuff inside, and with runners on, he ALWAYS stays within himself, looking for the inevitable pitch outside, and flicks the bat just enough to make contact and bloop the ball into the outfield. It wasn’t until Ryan Webb faced Murphy with none on in the 9th that the Fish busted him inside.

How about Marlon Byrd scoring all the way from first on those 35-year-old legs? My, how does he do it??? Gary Cohen really wants to know. Answer: it’s all about that half-hour stretching / warm-up routine, eating well, and getting to bed early. I know there are some whispers about PEDs, but as long as Byrd hustles all the time and shows tremendous leadership with his comprehensive pregame routines, it’s all good.

Ike Davis had a spectacular game. He made all the plays a Major League first baseman is supposed to make, and he drove in the winning run with a double.

I counted at least four legitimate errors made by the two teams combined. Only one was noted on the scoreboard.

The umpires also made several bad calls, with at least a few helping the Mets. It all evens out in the end, supposedly. Hey, if the players can make errors and people look the other way, then it should be the same way for the umps, right? It’s only fair.

Next Mets Game

Game two of this four-game set begins at 7:10 PM on Tuesday night. Zack Wheeler goes against Nathan Eovaldi.