Bizarre may be the best way to describe the 2009 New York Mets season. As we went over in my previous post, this team has found new and intriguing ways to lose games this season. The one everyone remembers is the fiasco at Yankee Stadium, and the picture many have in their minds from that game is K-Rod with his hands on his head in disbelief as the Yankees celebrate. Looking back, that is only one of many strange moments in the Mets' closer's season.
After his 2008 record-setting year, there were high expectations in free agency and Rodriguez signed his three year $36 million in December with the Mets. However, what could have been taken as an omen were two differences - Rodriguez had a different uniform number than he wore the rest of his career, as his usual #57 was already taken by Johan Santana, and Rodriguez announced he no longer wanted to be known as "K-Rod," instead choosing the nickname "Frankie."
So it began for sportscasters across the country, especially in New York, fumbling around with the new name. However, "Frankie" delivered, shutting the door on his first 16 save opportunities, winning a game, and posting a paltry 0.61 ERA in 28 games. His secondary stats were good as well - 9.4 K/9, .154 BAA, .453 OPS - and it seemed that the Mets had the best closer in baseball.
Strange things started happening for the Mets; players started dropping with injuries all over the place. Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, seemingly everyone had a nagging injury here or there. But in a bizarre case, Rodriguez was taken to a local Boston hospital after collapsing outside the visiting clubhouse on May 24. He would return, even pitch the next day, and things seemed to be OK.
Then came "that game." Save #17, Rodriguez's dominance, and in truth, the Mets season, fell out of Luis Castillo's glove. The next day, as I was in Trenton catching the Binghampton Mets-Trenton Thunder AA game, Brian Bruney made comments about Rodriguez after his rehab start. In short, Bruney said Rodriguez has "got a tired act" and that the Castillo error "couldn't happen to a better guy on the mound."
After K-Rod, er, Frankie, responded, saying, "If it was coming out from somebody big, like Mariano (Rivera) - somebody who's been around and is good at what he does - I will respect that comment. I might pay attention to it. But somebody like that, it doesn't bother me."
Clearly, he was bothered by it, as the next day Rodriguez confronted Bruney in the Yankee Stadium outfield in pregame warm-ups. Rodriguez needed to be restrained by teammates, and the strange season continued.
Less than a week later, Rodriguez blew his second save, this time in Baltimore (see that game recap below), and the Mets were in free fall with their closer leading the way. Starting with that fateful June 12 game, Rodriguez has seen his stats plummet. In 21 games, he has pitched 19.1 innings, going 1-3 with 8 saves and 5 blows saves. Batters have hit .253 against him through this stretch, and most alarming are his 18 walks and 7.45 ERA.
The old saying is that statistics don't lie, but they don't tell the whole story, either. Rodriguez is a microcosm of that adage, as everyone can see Rodriguez struggling. Watching games, it's obvious hitters are laying off his power curve, sitting on his fastball- if he is throwing it for strikes- or his changeup.
The newest media mantra for Rodriguez has been his "lack of work." True, he hasn't had many opportunities to close out games with the team struggling, but when he has appeared, the results have been less than stellar. What's next? This year, fans can only wonder. But don't think too hard, you might get hurt.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
How the Mets Could Be Winning the East Right Now
It's August 5, 2009 and the New York Mets are 50-56, ten games back of the Philadelphia Phillies. But the truth is, it never had to be this way. In fact, the Mets could very easily be in first place right now, even with all of the injuries they've sustained. After going back through the Mets schedule, I have come up with ten games they should have won, regardless of personnel. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, I give you the ten games keeping the Mets from the postseason right now.
April 12th at Florida
L - 2-1 (LP: Santana)
With two outs and a runner on first, Johan Santana induces Cody Ross to loft a fly ball to left field, which Daniel Murphy-playing completely out of position- drops, allowing Jeremy Hermida to score. Ronny Paulino then singles in the second run, and while the Mets would score a run in the ninth off of the stellar Josh Johnson, the two unearned runs doom Santana and the Mets.
April 28th vs. Florida
L - 7-4 (LP: Green)
A little tough to put in this category, but I will, because they should have won it, and start noticing a trend here. The Mets go up 3-0 after the first two innings and have struggling Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco on the ropes. However, the offense seems to sputter and they end up with a 4-2 lead going into the top of the sixth, still with their All-Star bullpen waiting. Bobby Parnell allows an inherited runner to score in the top of the 6th, but the real damage comes in the 7th. Sean Green enters, and blows the "save" after a walk, fly out, single, and ground out. He then walks John Baker to get to red-hot Jorge Cantu, who promptly crushes a two-out, three-run bomb to left. The Mets offense is naturally never heard from again.
April 29th vs. Florida
L - 4-3 (LP: Putz)
Johan goes 7, but is doomed again at the hands of the Marlins. The ace entrusts a 3-2 to Putz, who walks first two batters before allowing 2-run single to, once again, Cody Ross. Mets strand 5 runners in the last two innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th.
May 2nd at Philadelphia
L - 6-5 (LP: Green)
Mets go up against old man Jaime Moyer, and after scratching two early runs against him, pound away in the 6th with Murphy and Ramon Castro going back-to-back. Angel Pagan follows with a triple, and Sean Eyre relieves Moyer. Jose Reyes walks, Castillo knocks in the go-ahead run, and when Beltran is hit by a pitch, Clay Condrey comes in to face cleanup hitter Gary Sheffield with the bases loaded and two outs. However, Sheff grounds out to end the threat. The Phillies would tie the game on a Raul Ibanez home run, but the Mets had a chance in the 8th. Ryan Madson had two outs and a runner on second with Carlos Delgado coming to the plate as a pinch hitter for Parnell, even though he was injured and would later go on the DL. After walking, John Maine entered as a pinch runner. Carlos Beltran then singled to right, and third base coach Razor Shines inexplicably sends slow-footed catcher Omir Santos against Jayson Werth's strong arm. Santos is naturally cut down at the plate, leaving Sheffield on deck. The 10th also brought about great promise for the offense, with Beltran up again and runners on first and third with one out, Beltran grounds into a double play. Green enters and once again has control issues, hitting Matt Stairs and walking Chris Coste to load the bases, then forcing in the winning run by walking Shane Victorino.
May 28th at Los Angeles Dodgers
L - 3-2 (LP: Stokes)
After battling back from 2-0 down to tie it in the 8th, the Mets seem to score the go-ahead run on an apparent RBI triple by Angel Pagan. Of course, we all know that Ryan Church, who was on 2nd, missed third base while trotting home, and the result was the third out of the inning and a tie game going to the bottom of the 11th. Stokes comes in and gets Xavier Paul to hit a fly ball to left center, which Beltran and Pagan both call for, and neither catches. After an intentional walk to Juan Pierre, playing for Manny Ramirez, and a Rafael Fural fly out, Orlando Hudson hits a perfect double play ball to Jeremy Reed at first, who promptly air mails Ramon Castro.
June 1st at Pittsburgh
L - 8-5 (LP: Putz)
The Mets are cruising along with a 5-0 lead against punchless Pittsburgh when they enter the bottom of the 4th. Livan Hernandez struggles, allowing three runs, but with the way the Mets offense was hitting, it seemed safe. Except it wasn't. After a Wilson Valdez double to make it 5-0 in the bottom of the third, the Mets don't get another hit until Fernando Tatis leads off the top of the 9th with a single. Still, it's Pittsburgh, so things are still looking up. Then, enter JJ Putz. With a runner on third and one out, Putz fails to retire any of the five batters he faces, and by the time Brian Stokes is brought in, the damage has been done. 6-5 Pirates with the bases loaded and one out, and Stokes gets Freddy Sanchez to hit into an apparent double play to the shortstop Valdez, except Valdez makes an error, and gets nobody out, allowing Jack Wilson to score. Nate McLouth follows that with a sacrifice fly, and the Mets eventually lose 8-5.
June 12th at New York Yankees
L - 9-8 (LP: Castillo, er, Rodriguez)
As if we need to review this. After battling back and forth all night, the Mets tied it in the 7th off of Phil Coke and David Wright seemed to do it again off of Mariano Rivera in the 8th, lacing a two out double to deep center scoring Beltran and putting the Mets up 8-7. Then, there was the 9th. K-Rod struck out Johnny Damon, and with Jeter on second base and the ice cold A-Rod on deck, K-Rod walks Mark Teixeira, only to watch Luis Castillo drop the easiest of pop ups from A-Rod, and Teixeira made a mad dash home to score the improbable winning run.
June 18th at Baltimore
L - 5-4 (LP: Rodriguez)
In a game often overlooked, the Mets went to Baltimore for the "easy" part of an impossible stretch on their schedule. After splitting the first two, the Mets had a 5-3 lead entering the 8th. However, the combination of Pedro Feliciano and Sean Green gave up one run in the 8th, before a meltdown by K-Rod in the 9th. A double and a walk set up a sacrifice situation for Brian Roberts, but Omir Santos' throw to third was late, and the bases were loaded with none out. Adam Jones was then walked to tie the game, and two batters later, Aubrey Huff singled in the game winning run to end the 20-pitch implosion.
July 9th vs. Arizona
L - 3-2 (LP: Green)
Against one of the worst offenses in the NL, in a stretch where every game is a must, the Mets found themselves locked up at two apiece in the 8th inning against the D-Backs. However, Sean Green was staring down a bases loaded, none out mess. After inducing a double play, Green promptly throws a wild pitch on a 1-0 count to allow the go-ahead run to score.
August 4th vs. St. Louis
L - 12-7 (LP: Green)
Once again, ace Johan Santana was on the mound, and while it wasn't a vintage Santana outing- 5 ER allowed in 8 IP, the Mets had a 3 run lead in the 8th. After handing a 7-5 lead to K-Rod, he watches it disappear. The lead vanishes in 4 batters, and an error by Angel Berroa almost lost it in regulation. Once the 10th started, Stokes was brought in to relieve Rodriguez, threw one pitch and recorded an out. Mysteriously, Jerry Manuel replaced him with the lefty Feliciano, who allowed the first three runners to reach base. After striking out Skip Schumaker, Green relieved Feliciano, and similar to a few days previous, hit the first batter he faced to force in the go-ahead run. Albert Pujols followed with a grand slam to seal the loss, and the Mets were dealt another crushing defeat.
So there you have it, a team that is 60-46 with a one game lead in the NL East (thanks to the win over Philadelphia, they make up 11 games) instead of 50-56.
April 12th at Florida
L - 2-1 (LP: Santana)
With two outs and a runner on first, Johan Santana induces Cody Ross to loft a fly ball to left field, which Daniel Murphy-playing completely out of position- drops, allowing Jeremy Hermida to score. Ronny Paulino then singles in the second run, and while the Mets would score a run in the ninth off of the stellar Josh Johnson, the two unearned runs doom Santana and the Mets.
April 28th vs. Florida
L - 7-4 (LP: Green)
A little tough to put in this category, but I will, because they should have won it, and start noticing a trend here. The Mets go up 3-0 after the first two innings and have struggling Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco on the ropes. However, the offense seems to sputter and they end up with a 4-2 lead going into the top of the sixth, still with their All-Star bullpen waiting. Bobby Parnell allows an inherited runner to score in the top of the 6th, but the real damage comes in the 7th. Sean Green enters, and blows the "save" after a walk, fly out, single, and ground out. He then walks John Baker to get to red-hot Jorge Cantu, who promptly crushes a two-out, three-run bomb to left. The Mets offense is naturally never heard from again.
April 29th vs. Florida
L - 4-3 (LP: Putz)
Johan goes 7, but is doomed again at the hands of the Marlins. The ace entrusts a 3-2 to Putz, who walks first two batters before allowing 2-run single to, once again, Cody Ross. Mets strand 5 runners in the last two innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th.
May 2nd at Philadelphia
L - 6-5 (LP: Green)
Mets go up against old man Jaime Moyer, and after scratching two early runs against him, pound away in the 6th with Murphy and Ramon Castro going back-to-back. Angel Pagan follows with a triple, and Sean Eyre relieves Moyer. Jose Reyes walks, Castillo knocks in the go-ahead run, and when Beltran is hit by a pitch, Clay Condrey comes in to face cleanup hitter Gary Sheffield with the bases loaded and two outs. However, Sheff grounds out to end the threat. The Phillies would tie the game on a Raul Ibanez home run, but the Mets had a chance in the 8th. Ryan Madson had two outs and a runner on second with Carlos Delgado coming to the plate as a pinch hitter for Parnell, even though he was injured and would later go on the DL. After walking, John Maine entered as a pinch runner. Carlos Beltran then singled to right, and third base coach Razor Shines inexplicably sends slow-footed catcher Omir Santos against Jayson Werth's strong arm. Santos is naturally cut down at the plate, leaving Sheffield on deck. The 10th also brought about great promise for the offense, with Beltran up again and runners on first and third with one out, Beltran grounds into a double play. Green enters and once again has control issues, hitting Matt Stairs and walking Chris Coste to load the bases, then forcing in the winning run by walking Shane Victorino.
May 28th at Los Angeles Dodgers
L - 3-2 (LP: Stokes)
After battling back from 2-0 down to tie it in the 8th, the Mets seem to score the go-ahead run on an apparent RBI triple by Angel Pagan. Of course, we all know that Ryan Church, who was on 2nd, missed third base while trotting home, and the result was the third out of the inning and a tie game going to the bottom of the 11th. Stokes comes in and gets Xavier Paul to hit a fly ball to left center, which Beltran and Pagan both call for, and neither catches. After an intentional walk to Juan Pierre, playing for Manny Ramirez, and a Rafael Fural fly out, Orlando Hudson hits a perfect double play ball to Jeremy Reed at first, who promptly air mails Ramon Castro.
June 1st at Pittsburgh
L - 8-5 (LP: Putz)
The Mets are cruising along with a 5-0 lead against punchless Pittsburgh when they enter the bottom of the 4th. Livan Hernandez struggles, allowing three runs, but with the way the Mets offense was hitting, it seemed safe. Except it wasn't. After a Wilson Valdez double to make it 5-0 in the bottom of the third, the Mets don't get another hit until Fernando Tatis leads off the top of the 9th with a single. Still, it's Pittsburgh, so things are still looking up. Then, enter JJ Putz. With a runner on third and one out, Putz fails to retire any of the five batters he faces, and by the time Brian Stokes is brought in, the damage has been done. 6-5 Pirates with the bases loaded and one out, and Stokes gets Freddy Sanchez to hit into an apparent double play to the shortstop Valdez, except Valdez makes an error, and gets nobody out, allowing Jack Wilson to score. Nate McLouth follows that with a sacrifice fly, and the Mets eventually lose 8-5.
June 12th at New York Yankees
L - 9-8 (LP: Castillo, er, Rodriguez)
As if we need to review this. After battling back and forth all night, the Mets tied it in the 7th off of Phil Coke and David Wright seemed to do it again off of Mariano Rivera in the 8th, lacing a two out double to deep center scoring Beltran and putting the Mets up 8-7. Then, there was the 9th. K-Rod struck out Johnny Damon, and with Jeter on second base and the ice cold A-Rod on deck, K-Rod walks Mark Teixeira, only to watch Luis Castillo drop the easiest of pop ups from A-Rod, and Teixeira made a mad dash home to score the improbable winning run.
June 18th at Baltimore
L - 5-4 (LP: Rodriguez)
In a game often overlooked, the Mets went to Baltimore for the "easy" part of an impossible stretch on their schedule. After splitting the first two, the Mets had a 5-3 lead entering the 8th. However, the combination of Pedro Feliciano and Sean Green gave up one run in the 8th, before a meltdown by K-Rod in the 9th. A double and a walk set up a sacrifice situation for Brian Roberts, but Omir Santos' throw to third was late, and the bases were loaded with none out. Adam Jones was then walked to tie the game, and two batters later, Aubrey Huff singled in the game winning run to end the 20-pitch implosion.
July 9th vs. Arizona
L - 3-2 (LP: Green)
Against one of the worst offenses in the NL, in a stretch where every game is a must, the Mets found themselves locked up at two apiece in the 8th inning against the D-Backs. However, Sean Green was staring down a bases loaded, none out mess. After inducing a double play, Green promptly throws a wild pitch on a 1-0 count to allow the go-ahead run to score.
August 4th vs. St. Louis
L - 12-7 (LP: Green)
Once again, ace Johan Santana was on the mound, and while it wasn't a vintage Santana outing- 5 ER allowed in 8 IP, the Mets had a 3 run lead in the 8th. After handing a 7-5 lead to K-Rod, he watches it disappear. The lead vanishes in 4 batters, and an error by Angel Berroa almost lost it in regulation. Once the 10th started, Stokes was brought in to relieve Rodriguez, threw one pitch and recorded an out. Mysteriously, Jerry Manuel replaced him with the lefty Feliciano, who allowed the first three runners to reach base. After striking out Skip Schumaker, Green relieved Feliciano, and similar to a few days previous, hit the first batter he faced to force in the go-ahead run. Albert Pujols followed with a grand slam to seal the loss, and the Mets were dealt another crushing defeat.
So there you have it, a team that is 60-46 with a one game lead in the NL East (thanks to the win over Philadelphia, they make up 11 games) instead of 50-56.
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