Monday, September 8, 2008By Mike Steffanos
Game 141: Phillies 3 - Mets 0 (Friday)
Game 142: Phillies 6 - Mets 2 (Sunday Afternoon)
Game 143: Mets 6 - Phillies 3 (Sunday Night)
The difference between the 2008 Mets and their 2007 counterparts was in evidence Sunday night. The 2007 club went into a tailspin and never could seem to pull out of it. The 2008 Mets have been a resilient team -- once they pulled it together in July -- and have shown the tendency to fight their way off the ropes.
I can't say I ever expected a sweep and the resulting 6-game lead going into this weekend. I knew that it would never be that easy. Of course, it was anything but as Meyers stymied them Friday night and then Moyer teased them Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Pelfrey was great and deserved better, but Pedro put up the kind of performance that casts doubt on how much the team can depend on him in his stretch starts.
The pressure fell squarely on Johan Santana's shoulders last night, and he didn't disappoint. He limited the damage in a rocky first inning and allowed only a third inning solo homer by Ryan Howard after that. It was a clutch performance from Santana and it was greatly appreciated by those of us who didn't wish to be bombarded with stories about the 2008 collapse.
The news that Billy Wagner has perhaps pitched his last game as a Met is sure to inspire countless exercises in doom and gloom from the local dailies, but I never thought Wagner was coming back, anyway. I didn't realize that his problem was career-threatening, but I always figured if it wasn't some sort of structural problem he would have been back already. The near future is Luis Ayala, a bottle of Tums, and hands clasped fervently in prayer. I can deal with it.
I honestly think this Mets team is better with its back against the wall than they are when things are going well. In retrospect, it was almost predictable how things went this weekend. Whether or not this resilience will prove to be enough to get this team into October is beyond my powers of prognostication, but I do appreciate the difference between them and last year's disappointing group. Too bad some of the local scribes are more interested in beating 2007 to death than giving this team its due.
Some quick notes from the series:
One sign that a young pitcher has arrived is his ability to pitch very well in a very important game. In that regard, Mike Pelfrey gets his due despite losing the pitcher's duel with Brett Myers. With all of the uncertainty surrounding Pedro and the unlikeness that John Maine will return to start games in September, Pelfrey is a big part of whatever chance the Mets have of October baseball.
As for Pedro, to me the velocity isn't as big of a concern as his lack of precision with his command. Pedro has the best pitcher's mind of his generation, but if he can't put it where he needs to he simply is not going to be effective.
I found it funny that Philly catcher Chris Coste was questioning the catcher's interference call awarded David Wright in the first inning of last night's game. On the replay he clearly pulled his glove back after contact occurred with Wright's bat, and never argued with the home plate umpire after the call was made -- belying his claim that he never felt any contact.
Wright is usually a dependable September contributor, but is off to a very slow start (.167/.192/.250) in the 6 games played this month. He has more strikeouts (6) than hits (4) and just hasn't looked good at the plate much of the time. His neighbor at shortstop has been even worse -- .120/.185/.240 with 0 runs scored so far. Both are coming off solid months in August. The Mets are going to need these two guys unless Delgado can continue to drive in 4 runs every game.
Damion Easley played both games of Sunday's double dip, going 3-4 in the nightcap and scoring an important insurance run in the eighth. Since returning from the DL, Luis Castillo has five singles in 24 AB with two walks and eight strikeouts. He's clearly not healthy, and I find those stories about the Mets looking to deal him this winter somewhat moot. I don't think anyone wants this guy for the next three years unless he demonstrates that he's healthy. I like him and respect him, but his gimpy knees are making Minaya look real bad.
Final word: all of the pundits in print and on the air are going to try to depress you now that the news is out on Wagner. So what? Show of hands -- how many of you thought Billy would return in September and be a dominant closer? Yeah, me neither. What's really different?
View Mike Pelfrey's Full Season Stats
View Pedro Martinez' Full Season Stats
View Johan Santana's Full Season Stats
Game 141 Box Score
Game 142 Box Score
Game 143 Box Score
Subscribe to Site Feed
Comments (3)
I was at last night's game, field level on the third base side, and as such I had a near-perfect perspective from which to enjoy Delgado's bombs. A thing of beauty was that second launching.
Agreed, entirely on Pelfrey's coming of age. Tell you, despite the fact that he has had success and possesses worlds of talent, I got the opposite feeling from the body language of Cole Hamel last night; in a huge game for his team he was threshing around the mound like a petulant kid. It was hardly the desired message for a team trying to take command of a division race.
Having Castillo mostly hitting against only righthanders is no way to showcase him; what little power he has only shows up when he swings from the right side. I know, it's hardly the time to factor that in, I'm just saying. Luis was a pretty good player in earlier days, but it was a dumb signing, whatever happens next.
I'm proud of these Mets; no doubt Custer was proud of his 7th Calvary soldiers too. Here's it's the home stretch, and Mets are effectively down to three starters and a Chorus Line bullpen. What would you do? Maybe start stretching out Brian Stokes for a starting role? Or even, horrors, see if Heilman remembers how to throw the curve? We need SOMEONE to start these games!
C'mon you Mets!
Posted by dd | September 8, 2008 6:54 PM
Mike - What's really different is that the current bullpen denizens aren't looking over their collective shoulders waiting for the one-man 13th Cavalry to ride in and save the day. It sucks that we'll probably not see Wags on the mound at Citi Field until 2010, but it's far better to know that now that to sit and hope.
I like half of dd's idea - giving Stokes some starts makes sense, considering how many quality log relief outings he's given us. Giving Heilman the first pitch? THAT thought gives me full body shivers.
Posted by NostraDennis | September 8, 2008 9:03 PM
I wasn't exactly endorsing the idea of giving Aaron Heilman a start at this point, Nostra; more a matter of you can't start a ball game without someone toeing the pitcher's rubber.
Hey: since no one else is saying it, let me say how lousy I feel for Billy Wagner. He hasn't been perfect in his stay at Shea; the fact is we acquired him in the downward slope of his career. A couple of years before we got him, according to Bill James Wagner threw something like 65% of all the 100+ mph deliveries seen in the majors that season; but those days were gone before he arrived.
But he's been fearless, brash, funny, willing to open his mouth in all circumstances, even when you might wish he wouldn't, always with an opinion all him own, told with his own excellent sense of the English language. He took seriously his role as a veteran player, helping and herding the prospects and suspects along to his notion of the Major League Way.
One example: the year he became a Met, on the team's first trip to Phillie a couple of those delightful Phils fans displayed a sign behind the visitor's bullpen that read "Wagner You Rat." Wagner's response: "I was impressed that they could spell rat." "Impressed;" I love it.
Billy always took the ball. I miss him.
Posted by dd | September 9, 2008 7:52 AM