Ominous words from Paul Lo Duca, but look on the bright side. The Mets are no longer living in denial and that's usually the first step toward recovery. There wasn't a lot of false bravado and "we'll be all right" comments following last night's 9-6 loss to the Nationals. The Mets, only a game up on the Phillies, realize now they are in serious trouble. And I think, for really the first time, the prospect of not making the playoffs has entered their minds.
"Unbelievable," is how Carlos Beltran described it and he could have been speaking for every Met fan out there in the Tri-State area. Interestingly, the Mets no longer include the number of days they have been in first place in their pregames notes and the Shea crew did not show Phillies-Braves highlights on the leftfield DiamondVision board last night.They had no problem flashing a few clips from the Marlins-Cubs game, however.
But you can't pretend this isn't happening. It's not a bad dream. This is real. And where were all the supposed fans of this sinking team? The Mets sold 51,940 tickets for last night's game and Shea was half-empty. How is that possible? What are people waiting for? The playoffs? Are these games not important enough to come watch on a Wednesday night? Was everyone staying home for the series premiere of "Bionic Woman?" I don't get it.
Very strange.
Comments (13)
Mr. Lennon,
First off thanks for your writing, blogging and coverage. Had I known the bionic woman was on last night I would have asked them to turn it on at the bar, right when Humber came out of the game.
Unbelievable doesn't begin to cover this story here. They were not showing clips from the Phillies game because the reality of this all does not sell tickets or the false image that this team will be a force to reckon with for the next few years. What is does show is that Jimmy Rollins was dead on when he called the Phillies the team to beat.
If this team won't show up for games this important why should we?
Am I crazy for still believing?
Just hope the Met fans remember this the next time they think they won something by having the best record in May/June. They flooded Yank board with 'we are the new Kings of NY Baseball' and Yank fans were 'jealous losers' who could not accept that our team was too old, slow and out of sync and needed to be torn down and rebuilt and we needed to stop 'living in the past'. Now Met fans see that it's a long season and it's how you finish not how you start. Even if they make it no one is scared of playing the Mets in a 5 game series.
Reyes has hit .207 since August 27. Jeter has hit at least .300 in EVERY month of the season. Only 28 of Reyes SB have come in the second half. Reyes is fading in the stretch, just like his team
Venom-that is the fun here on Newsday Blogs didn't you know. Intelligent conversation is a rare commodity. These things are nothing but, immature bash fests.
The person that talked the trash is an idiot I agree. The Yankees and you fans deserved to party last night. As do the Phillies. Looking at this year I think Phillies vs. Yankess would be fitting WS.
YA GOTTA BELIEVE!
Metro-yes you are.
River-I believed right up until the 5th inning last night. Then reality set in.
I have been a Mets fan since 1984 when I was 10. I have never seen as complete a collapse as painful as this.
It was apparent early on that Mota, Schoenweis and Aaron Sele were not the answers in the pen. Historically Sosa has been a better pitcher as a starter. But at the trade deadline the Mets get Conine and Castillo?
The bottom line is the strength of this team last year was with Wags, Felicano, Sanchez, Heilman, Bradford, Roberto Hernandez and Darren Oliver. This year the supporting staff hasnt cut it, thus Wags, Heilman and Felicano are over worked.
Dont blame Willie for using the horses he has. Blame Omar for not fortifying the pen. Right now Heath Bell, Royce Ring and Matt Lidstrom would all look good in that pen.
Bostick/Vargas for Owens/Lidstron? Fish win that one.
Bell/Ring for Ben Johnson? Pads win that one.
Not trading for a couple bullpen arms at the trade deadline. Phillies win that one.
this guy is terrible!!! Fire Willie!
You are all making is sound like they've already lost. I refuse to accept that. They can still do this. Between Pedro and Smoltz, we could be up 2 games with 3 to play. There, I said it.
Let's go Mets! Let's go Mets!
Call me crazy, but I live in San Francisco...a place with zero baseball hope right now. Give me a team that has a chance this late in the season and I'll take it!
You're right, Alph. I've gotta believe!
I hope and believe just the same as you do.
Just frustrated. St Louis did this last year, we can do it to.
I don't recall if it was Omar or Willie (or both) who said they were satisfied with the pitching staff, especially the bullpen, at the trade deadline. Whoever said it deserves to eat their words now. If we can get a former All Star like Castillo for next to nothing, how much could a Bradford, or another middle reliever with a big contract which a second division team is looking to dump have cost the Mets? We'll never know the answer to that question, but we now know that NOT making a deal to bolster the staff may have cost the Mets the playoffs this year.
the mets dont need to worry. theyll win it all. because their the mets. best team in baseball.
Lets see; we have just suffered loss # 15 in the last 18 games, or so it seems. This has gone way beyond a few bad breaks. almost everyone is taking a turn screwing up. I am actually amazed that the press has not been all over this team for totally collapsing.
This team is too old. This team was built to win last year (& now). Our "big" 3 starters cannot be expected to carry the load next year. Tommy G still wants to pitch in Atlanta: adios. We can get 10 wins for a lot less than $(12-13.0)m. Orlando pitched very well, incredibly well for a 41, 43, or 45 yr old. There is no way he is 37. How can you expect any more than 7 wins and 15 starts, with 2-3 DL stints from him next year ? Enough of this big game hype - that was realistic 10-12 yrs ago. Pedro cant be asked to carry the staff; it would be great if he won 12 games (as a #4 starter). Personally I dont know if D.Willis can carry this staff. Maybe we was pitching hurt this year, but his #'s do seem to decreasing the last few years.
Definitely have to find out what Milledge & Gomez can do over a full season. I have to believe they can each put up 50 rbi's like Greenie. Only difference is they will save runs with their gloves, create runs with their legs, probably hit for more power, all for much less than $7-8.0m ...... After seeing Shawn hit that moonshot in Milwaukee, it is so hard to believe that he doesnt hit 30 hrs a year. It looked so effortless; he doesnt overswing.
How can the entire pitching staff, other than Feliciano & Heilmann all be so spent at the same exact time ??? Not even sure you can point the finger at one or two disappointments, (aside from Mota). Scott was hurt for a while. Jorge was great for the 1st 2 months. He hasnt been lights out as a reliever at all; how do you make 8 great starts and then turn into a BP hurler ? Smith was great then just ran out of steam.
Is it worth tying up all this salary in Wagner ? His #'s look very good but he did seem to slip in crucial times.
We definitely need a plan for improving at 1b. There were just too many 3k, 0 for 5's with 5-6 LOB's. That being said, Carlos is still around 85 rbi. just 10 more HR's and he is looking at 100 rbi's and he is still being viewed as Mr Steady. Assuming Carlos rebounds next year, we still need a future 1b stud. I get the feeling Andy Tracy is being looked at as a AAAA player; I dont recall seeing any minor league stats that scream out, immediate offensive help is on the way.
Catcher - Paul it's been a nice 2 years. We just need more power from your position and you're at an age when offensive output goes way down for guys behind the plate. The greatest hitting "catcher" of all-time became ordinary at age 35/36. Ramon Castro deserves more AB's. Pudge R. and Jorge P are NOT the answer !!! Old men do not excel at this position. Carlton Fisk might be the only freak of nature, catcher, who could still hit past the age of 36.
2b: (Damon,Jose, Luis). We cannot carry all 3 guys plus Gotay. Gotay hit incredibly well. Supposedly his fielding wasnt up to par. It's not going to improve by sitting. Damon was hitting incredibly well; Stach got hurt. Realistically Jose cannot be expected to put up 17 hrs next year. Damon doesnt shine defensively, but he can also play 1b, lf, and maybe 3b. During the last 2 years I considered Luis a great 2b option, but I havent really seen much evidence of him being the great table setter he was in FL. I think Damon returns and Jose and Luis look elsewhere.
To sum this up; the following guys do not return: (Greenie, Paulie, -Stache, Luis, TG, Mota)
On the bubble: Carlos D, Billy W.
Next years core: (Jose, David, Carlos B; Oliver, John, Feliciano, Aaron; hopefully Moises doesnt get banged up as a PH or ocassional 4th OF. Endy can be the fill in if injuries come up). Hope for continued developmt from Ruben, Gomez, Rapster, & Ramon C). How about Anderson Hernandez ?