Wow.
Sunday morning before the All Star Game. Mets are 7 over .500 and feeling good about a beautifully pitched game by Dillon Gee, a monster HR by the resurgent Ike Davis and an emphatic save by Bobby Parnell, punctuated by a 101 mph fastball to end it.
Fast forward 2 weeks.
Gee? Done for the season with an “injury” so sudden and capricious that it could only appear in a Mets medical drama. Davis? Continues to jack the occasional 3-run bomb, but still isn’t reminding anyone of Dan Uggla’s 2011 2nd half. Parnell? Despite his excellent work yesterday, most Mets fans would say, “Keep him away from my 9th inning!”
And our beloved Metsies? For the FIRST TIME in 2012, a losing record.
After almost 4 months of winning baseball, they’ve crashed to earth so ferociously that we must now know what it feels like to be a Marlins or Phillies fan. LOL, sorry, couldn’t resist.
But, seriously, the various well-known flaws in this roster have finally proven immune to repeated half-measures and blind faith in call-ups from Buffalo. There’s just not enough talent IN the organization to win this year AND hold all the chips for an extended run starting in 2013. Nothing new to any informed Mets fan.
Yes, after nearly four months of overachieving — and actual contending — we couldn’t be blamed for dreaming of having cake now, and some more cake later, please and thanks. The past two weeks have probably dashed those hopes.
It’s doubtful that Sandy Alderson is going to use any of his stockpiled chips to add one or two players who won’t be enough to fix what’s wrong with this pitching staff, especially the bullpen, the catching corps, and the over-lefthandedness of the lineup.
Obviously, the laundry list includes AT LEAST 5-6 items. The current July exchange rate for difference makers is 3-1 or 4-1. For role players / complementary pieces, it’s 1-1, if you’re willing to take on salary.
SA won’t pay EITHER price for a team so deeply flawed, it can only hallucinate about a postseason run this year. It’s sad, but it’s realistic. It’s not personal. it’s business.
So, as the Mets take on the surging first place Nats in about an hour, they will get another firsthand look at what they WANT to be next year. A team with a whole bunch of young talent on the rise, blue-chip power arms in the rotation, a deep and varied bullpen, and enough offensive balance to keep the wheels spinning.
Does this mean I’m giving up on 2012? No way. I love watching this team fight. They win about half the time, even when they’re outgunned. Which is almost every day. How can you not love THAT?
But, as I said the other day. Honeymoon’s over, Sandy. If you tell me next year that there’s no money to fix what’s broke, I’m organizing the boycott myself. Coast to coast.
The MetCave 3.0 
I’m struggling to get off the mat here. Dempster’s not helping. The Fish getting the #22 prospect in the minors in exchange for Infante/Sanchez, isn’t helping. Chris Young’s 32 pitch first inning isn’t helping. Snooki isn’t helping. Star Wars night isn’t helping….and Bryce Harper hitting a dinger in our ballpark….that’s REALLY not helping.
Well, look on the bright side. At least tomorrow, the story won’t be that Young cruised through the first 5 innings, only to come unglued in the 6th. 😉
No. He didn’t become unglued. He was never glued in the first place. He was pasted. (Being snarky here….it seems he’s settling down.)
Watching Bay hit, I wonder how much time we could all save over 3-4 ABs every day, if we just agreed he can start off with 2 strikes as soon as he leaves the on-deck circle. Since we’re being snarky.
Speaking of snarky, maybe you could invite Franchise over here sometime for a couple rounds of electronic beers without offending anyone’s sensibilities (over there).
We have not seen Franchise since before the All-Star break. He got too frustrated w/things I think and I don’t believe anyone knows how to reach him. I did let Mr. C know yu were putting up fresh content….but aside from a pop-in every now and again, he’s not been seen much either.
And….Chris Young completes the 7th. Shows me. Only the 4th time he’s pitched into the 7th this year. Never the 8th.
Snooke got put up on the scoreboard to lead the crowd in a cheer and got booed so loudly she couldn’t be heard.
This game is getting better.
They’re also booing Harper.
And now we learn that Dempster doesn’t fancy the school districts in Fulton County, GA. My bet is he’s angling for a little extra quid to secure his quo pro. But, see? This is why they don’t play these games on paper. First Young splendidly holds the fort, then David and Ike go downtown, Edgin chucks some aspirin tablets and, now …
SnookiBoos. Don’t even get me started on how someone like her is even a topic of conversation. Anywhere. Gonna give DW the benefit of the doubt that he only posed for pregame pix with that little slob because Jay Horowitz thought it might get him some postgame action.
They wanted to film in Hoboken but the mayor decided it was bad for the town’s image. If you havew any idea of the level of penny-ante corruption that goes on here…..than you know that the mayor was really saying something there.
That’s REALLY sayin’ something, eh?
“I take bribes for pretty much EVERYTHING. Anything goes here.
But you can’t pay me enough to let THESE skanks in my town.”
Harper. Of course. Sometimes you’re tortured by a thousand pricks. Other times it’s just one.
FANTASTIC nine innings on the mound and in the field, from both sides.
You pays your quarter, you gets your extra ride on the rollercoaster.
Bonus baseball for the second day in a row.
10th inning. Not so much. 😦
Justice. Pedro Beato sent down.
I feel comfortable that I am speaking for all female Mets fans when I say, we can do without both Snooki and Lady Gaga at Citi. Please don’t give them anymore face time … but, I’m totally cool with Jon Stewart and Jerry Seinfeld. 🙂
Oh and btw, good riddance. Beato. Hope he enjoys rooming with Acosta again. And now Manny won’t have to eat alone anymore on all-you-can-eat-hot-wings.night.
LOL … good one, MBG. Beato’s careless comments about Thole last week, coupled with his careless pitching tonight sealed his fate. This year, he’s no longer protected by his Rule 5 scholarship, so now he’s gotta fight his way back to the show just like everybody else in Beefalo. Even though he’s undeniably got a power arm, I’m frankly not impressed with his prospects anymore. His mechanics have always been a mess and, after five years with the Birds and another year and a half under Coach Dan’s tutelage, there’s still no sign of repeatability or command.
And, if Coach Dan can’t fix ya, ya can’t be fixed. I keed, I keed.