“2015 is over as far contending for a postseason spot goes, and we should just admit it.”
—A post on a blog about a team, June 24
The Mets lost their fourth consecutive game Saturday afternoon. They’re still invited to the playoffs. That doesn’t get revoked on account of style points. But the style they are finishing the regular season in should have gone out of style in June.
June was the last time they lost as many as four in a row. June was when we had to remind ourselves, once the losing streak reached seven, that the Mets would someday win a game again. It seemed worth mentioning because it didn’t seem like a sure thing.
The Mets then went out and commenced to win a whole lot. From a nadir of 36-37, they roared to 89-67. If the “89” looks familiar, that’s the number of wins they’ve been stuck at since last Sunday, which was the day after they clinched that invitation to the playoffs. Again, it’s still valid. Hard to believe, based on the activities of the past six days. These games count, but they count differently from the games that preceded last Sunday. They’re in the standings and they help determine where future games will be played, but their outcome won’t prevent those future games from being played.
The invitation is still valid.
We’re clear on that, right? The Mets are still playing as of October 9. The Mets are still 0-0 as of October 9, regardless that they’re 0-4 since September 29. The Mets hoisted a divisional championship flag Saturday afternoon prior to their fourth consecutive loss. Long may it wave…and soon may it be embellished to reflect further accomplishment.
OK. That said, this is mostly lifeless baseball the Mets are playing and they should stop it. Just stop it. We can be only so sophisticated about it for only so long. We’d like to stop being sophisticated about it tonight. Use the second half of this day-night doubleheader to humor us with a 90th win. That would look better than 89. Keeping pace with the Dodgers for home field would look better, too, whether it actually matters or not. Let’s pretend it does. Warm your patrons with something more than a fleece blanket.
Make double plays. Hit with runners on base. Confound the winds. Everybody be as much of a credit to your uniform as Noah Syndergaard (7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 10 SO) was to his during the day portion. Embarrass the Nationals, if just for recent old time’s sake. Go on Mets, play like champions. That’s what you are.
Fill your between-games void by listening to me join Mike Silva on Weekend Watchdogs. About an hour-twenty in, Mike asks me about the Mets going to the postseason and I tell him…hell, hear it for yourself.
“Use the second half of this day-night doubleheader to humor us with a 90th win. That would look better than 89.”
90 wins is my last remaining regular-season goal for this team. It’s frustrating they’ve been stuck on 89 wins for almost a week. Needing only 1-5 to get there with the Phillies on deck is now whittled down to needing 1-1 to get there.
I’m mostly ambivalent about the HFA. The Mets’ recent struggle at home only makes me more ambivalent. The one thing favoring HFA for me is having ups in the bottom of the 9th, game 5.
Good game from Syndergaard.
The cold hitting doesn’t bother me much as far as the DS. The defensive flub by Murphy and Tejada bothers me more.
Possibly not having Matz available is a dilemma. Colon start? Niese the lefty start? Game 1 starter (likely deGrom) doubling up on short rest in game 4?
Those throw away games in Philly are looking pretty good right now. Anybody wish we had them back?
Where would you rather see game 5 played in the LDS?
NY OR LA? Oh wait …nobody cares about that….except the Dodgers.
If memory serves, teams with HFA in the past included the Orioles in the 69 World Series and the Astros in the 86 playoffs. In 06, the Cardinals played like crap down the stretch. So…so what. And it’s fun to watch the Nats playing meaningless games that they figured would be meaningless for a different reason.
Mets have held HFA in five series and are 4-1.
Mets have not held HFA in nine series and are 5-4.
Except for David Wright, none of the Mets from those series will be playing in the 2015 NLDS.
Interesting line-up for game 2 of the doubleheader, likely applying the same logic for the short turnaround of the doubleheader as for the early day game after the late night game. It’s also cool and windy. The starters who sat on Thursday are sitting out again except Granderson is playing this time. Obviously, fitness to play has priority over trying to heat up bats. Herrera is playing instead of Campbell this time. I wonder whether Herrera is under consideration for the DS roster if Uribe is out.
Curtis Granderson, RF
Ruben Tejada, SS
Michael Conforto, LF
Michael Cuddyer, 1B
Kelly Johnson, 3B
Kirk Nieuwenhuis, CF
Kevin Plawecki, C
Dilson Herrera, 2B
—
Matt Harvey, RHP
Know what? To me, it doesn’t matter very much if we lose all three against the Nats. We already clinched, TC is resting players, that’s ok by me, I really even don’t care about home field advantage neither. I’m very confident that, once the Postseason starts, our guys will be focused again. But… The thing is if we start the series against the Dodgers losing game 1 (a fair possibility), then oh boy, it would be Panic City all over the place. So, one last win before postseason could be useful if nothing else to made up everybody’s mind and catch some serenity. Would that be too much to ask? By the way, the blog is great. Regards from Argentina, not many baseball enthusiasts down here as you could imagine. LGM!!
I’m tipping over from ambivalent about the HFA to thinking the Mets will be better off starting the DS in LA.
I agree that an emphatic win in the last game of the season would be comforting. With their ‘A’ line-up and deGrom going against RHP Roark, the Mets should be able to finish strong and collect their 90th win.
Don’t hesitate making non-baseball-related plans for the 13th and beyond. I know I won’t…
At least Greg he didn’t tie Seavers 10 consecutive K record..5 lost in a row , 11 of the last 17…Incredible performance wasn’t needed to beat them tonight…
Put your foot on the gas and leave it there..Attack , always attack , never let up like a championship caliber team does…
…Make double plays. Hit with runners on base. Confound the winds. Everybody be as much of a credit to your uniform as Noah Syndergaard (7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 10 SO) was to his during the day portion. Embarrass the Nationals, if just for recent old time’s sake. Go on Mets, play like champions. That’s what you are….
Um. No, no, no, no, no, no, and, at this point, who the F knows what they are.
Other than that, a helluva performance!
The ice-cold hitting is ugly, but I expect that part will switch back on in the DS, at least in the context of Greinke and Kershaw.
More worrisome is the Mets vulnerabilities, infield defense and bullpen, failed. If the hitting can scratch out a few runs and the starters can hold up, the defense and bullpen need to be airtight against the Dodgers aces.
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I see that the 13 comments posted for the first game are reposted for the second game. Any reason ?
This is a very good blog, I read it daily.
I was at the September 8, 8-7 game. without that 7th inning meltdown, it’s the Nats playing in the offseason, not the Mets.
Fun fact – don’t think there’s ever been two teams facing each other in the playoffs who’ve both been no hit 2x in a season.