Contrary to what you may glean from accounts of tonight’s game, some good things did happen in Philadelphia:
1. Ruben Tejada went two for three and crashed into the tarp to make a terrific running catch. Yes, this is the same Ruben Tejada who deserved half of an ugly error yesterday against the Brewers. I think he’ll be a good one, and you’ve got to be patient with the young guys.
2. Lucas Duda collected two hits and did not actually miss every ball smashed his way at first base by Phillie after Phillie after Phillie. Just most of them. I think he’ll be a good one, and you’ve got to be patient with the young guys.
3. Dillon Gee didn’t jerk his neck around hard enough to fracture a vertebra as balls were hit out of Citizens Bandbox during the worst outing of his career. I think he’ll be a good one, and you’ve got to be patient with the young guys.
4. Cliff Lee didn’t actually kill a Met with his deadly touch, icy stare or magical breath. Though he probably could have if he’d wanted to.
5. Angel Pagan didn’t have much of an at-bat after appearing late for his final at-bat, but he also neither barfed on the field nor soiled himself. Which is best — we’re dealing with enough jokes here.
6. Ryota Igarashi is a day closer to no longer being a Met.
7. Keith Hernandez was in one of his manic, merry moods, which was amusing at first and a desperately needed distraction later.
8. Terry Collins hasn’t freaked out at a player, reporter, trainer, the Phanatic, or anything else during this horrid stretch. Turning over buffet tables right now won’t help. Everybody’s trying, the team is just outclassed and hurt and tired.
9. Binghamton will soon get a Jose Reyes cameo. Which presumably means we get to return him to active duty soon after that.
10. The game eventually ended. The Mets lost the damn thing by a score of 10-0, but at least it was finally over.
Wake me up when Jose gets to Binghamton. Or when the kids get called up in September, whichever comes first. (Also: When was the last time Jose was actually on the field during a Phillies series? It feels like never.)
As for Duda at first…I got tired of saying, “Ike would have had that one,” over and over again back when Danny Murphy was the one letting ‘em get away, so now I won’t even bother. Why’s he playing 1B anyway? Is there really nobody else who can handle it at all? Shouldn’t Luke be getting his feet wet in RF, if that’s where he’s playing next year?
Also: Is this the worst bullpen this team has had in 30 years, or am I imagining it?
It was close till the bottom of the first!
We need RAIN!
“Is this the worst bullpen this team has had in 30 years”
Where were you in September of 2008? Given the circumstances, that was the worse bullpen in the last 30 years. That bullpen blew 7 games in the last 50 games of the season in which the Mets had a 2 run lead at some point from the sixth inning onward.
Ugh. That 2008 bullpen was so much worse to watch! Especially late in the season, when the Mets were still in the playoff race. The last three innings of practically every game in August and September were just ulcer inducing.
Last night, when it was 5-0 in the third, I thought, OK guys, I don’t care if you lose, but it’s the Phillies. Please just don’t get humiliated out there tonight.
*sigh*
Number 11) This season is one day closer to being over!
Doldrums :`(
Remember when the bullpen was a team strength? June was it? Now it’s just awful…each member takes turns blowing leads…and letting games get out of reach, etc.