IGT 6/28/2013: WSH @ NYM -- A New Lease on Life at Citi

[Zvon]

Ronnie said it in one word: atrocious.

[Fman99]

I blame Tony LaRussa for all of this lefty/righty, one inning, one batter reliever bullshit. The best thing he ever did for baseball was to repeatedly get drunk and fall asleep at traffic lights in Florida.

[Zvon]

I needed a smile. thnx Mex.
"Too many walks in todays game. I'm tired of it."

[Guest themetfairy]

Yes - one day back and Keith is immediately back into grumpy old man mode

[Fman99]

C'mon, Fish Bird.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Frayed Knot wrote: The bottom line here is that the entire bullpen -- Parnell included -- have given up more EXTRA BASE HITS than they've gotten outs. If the pen, which has actually been fine lately, is going to act like that there's not much Terry can do about it except for allowing Harvey to go 140 pitches (or more).

In all fairness, Parnell's two hits were a bloop on a nice hitting job by Werth, and a defensive, luckily-placed swing from Desmond. The pitches were decent, if the results were crap. (Compare/contrast to Lyon's walk/grooved gapper to Zimmerman.)

[Edgy MD]

Understandable that the bullpen would be gassed. You can send the starters out a day or two early when the travel schedule is brutal. You don't get that luxury with the bullpen. In retrospect, maybe sending out for a fresh arm or two might have been warranted.

Continued failure to bring their best selves home with them is a big deal, though. Seems to really keep the fans from getting behind them.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Idiotic job over overdoing it by Terry, compounded by a shit effort from Lyon, spoiled everyone's night at the park and destroyed all the momentum this team had on a night everything else was going for them.

Eff Terry and eff Lyon.

[Ceetar]

Worst type of game, A dominating SP performance and a fast-paced game that grinds to a frustrating multiple-pitching change halt in lead-blowing explosive fashion. bleh!

At least I got to talk to (well, listen as the other bloggers talked to since I didn't have a question, Gooden and Nimmo) and got a free shirt with Mr. Met and a gecko on it.

(I'm also on the less is more track. Always believe the more pitchers you go to the more likely you are to find the one that simply doesn't have it. At least when the pitcher on the mound isn't actively exploding that is)

[Ceetar]

Also, coincidence that they started doing the wave just before the game-tying hit?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

btw, didn't understand Byrd not scorng on Satin's hit in the 2nd or 3rd. Right play to tag if he thought it would be caught but clear from my POV it wasn't going to be, Tuffle shoulda been able to see that too. shouldn'tve mattered but of course it did.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: btw, didn't understand Byrd not scorng on Satin's hit in the 2nd or 3rd. Right play to tag if he thought it would be caught but clear from my POV it wasn't going to be, Tuffle shoulda been able to see that too. shouldn'tve mattered but of course it did.

yeah, I forgot about that. One of those where I follow the track of the ball and then look back and do a double take that Byrd was just getting to third. The possibility to score a run is worth the small risk that you don't get to tag up on a nice play.

Of course, freaking get a freaking hit/sac fly? That's where they walked Lagares (first since April!) to pitch to Q and Harvey. I guess that's where you credit Davey's managing.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Or uncredit Buck for failing to put a ball into play. Boy does he look finished, I believe his BA may have dipped below 200 at some point.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Or uncredit Buck for failing to put a ball into play. Boy does he look finished, I believe his BA may have dipped below 200 at some point.

d'Arnaud would so be here..

How's our favorite German catcher doing?

[Ceetar]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Or uncredit Buck for failing to put a ball into play. Boy does he look finished, I believe his BA may have dipped below 200 at some point. d'Arnaud would so be here.. How's our favorite German catcher doing?

He's backing up. sorta maybe hitting okay. not really though.

In fact, NONE of them are. Zack Wheeler was hitting better than all of them. fine.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Idiotic job over overdoing it by Terry, compounded by a shit effort from Lyon, spoiled everyone's night at the park and destroyed all the momentum this team had on a night everything else was going for them. Eff Terry and eff Lyon.

Lyon's effort was obviously the biggest problem - but the worst part wasn't even the bases-clearing 2B to Zimmerman but the walk to Rendon in front of it. He seemed reluctant to pitch to him (a 2-2 curve and then a 3-2 curve) and I assume that's what Keith was mad at after the game with his "too many walks" comment.

I stated at the time that I didn't have a problem with Terry's switches and I'm sticking with that. We needed one more out and he was giving them the best opportunity to do so. The problem was that EVERY reliever failed to some extent in the effort to reach Parnell and then Parnell failed.
For all the complaints about the pen they've been quite good recently. Just not tonight.



Byrd seemed to mis-read that ball right from the start. It looked to be just a fly to RF at the beginning so he understandably tagged up. Problem was that he never seemed to re-evaluate the situation and was caught tagging long past the time when it was apparent that the ball was headed for the corner. Still, with no outs that shouldn't have been such a problem, but once Buck failed in the next AB I knew we were in trouble with Q coming up vs a LHP and then Harvey.
Buck Sucks but Recker is no better and, at this point, if we get d'Arnaud here for a September call up I think that's a sign that things are going well. Most likely we'll see him next April.

[Zvon]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: btw, didn't understand Byrd not scorng on Satin's hit in the 2nd or 3rd. Right play to tag if he thought it would be caught but clear from my POV it wasn't going to be, Tuffle shoulda been able to see that too. shouldn'tve mattered but of course it did.

At this point I was watching the game with my brother and I didn't go off about this in here, but I did go off. Byrd should not have even gone all the way back to 2nd with that play in front of him. And Buck not even making contact killed us in that spot, I'll agree (with other posts above^). I can't fault Collins. This was a total pen fuck up.

[ashie62]

How about trading for a journeyman catcher...Not easy I admit, but you can't punt the position in June...

[Edgy MD]

Trading for a journeryman squatter is easy as squat. The Mets got Shoppach for Beato after the trade deadline last year. The trick is identifying which one will make a difference.

Parnell was working his third straight night in a third city in a third time zone. Maybe the right play might have been having two fresh and bushytailed relievers from Vegas meet them Denver, sending two down, and sending two ahead to New York from Chicago.

[Edgy MD]

Baseball can build you up one day and the next you have to climb a stepladder to stroke a snake. --- Juanito Pesky

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I know my boy Recker hasn't exactly torn it up, but maybe it's time to give him three or four starts in a row and see if he can do something if he plays more than once a week. Hell, he and Wheeler looked good together against the Braves. He is probably starting today, so why not give him today and tomorrow? If nothing else it gives Buck a rest.

[smg58]

Edgy MD wrote: Understandable that the bullpen would be gassed. You can send the starters out a day or two early when the travel schedule is brutal. You don't get that luxury with the bullpen. In retrospect, maybe sending out for a fresh arm or two might have been warranted.

David Aardsma hadn't pitched in six days, and had come into the game with a 1.12 ERA and currently has a .462 OPS against lefthanded batters. Yeah it's a small sample size, but in what universe is Josh Edgin the better option to finish the inning? If Aardsma could get Chad Tracy to pop out, why was pitching to Denard Span unacceptable?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree that more Recker and less Buck is the easiest solution, and one well worth trying.

[metirish]

We have friends and family staying with us from Puerto Rico, I surprised Hommy and his daughter with tix for this game. Hommy is a huge baseball fan(Cards) and regularly goes to games in PR.

Anyway he was stoked to be going to his first MLB park and to see Harvey . I got us good seats in left field section 337(rain didn't bother us), 50% off because i voted for the ASG,we had a blast, as it rained our section filled up, two people from Ireland happened to sit next to us and in front 6 lads from Argentina , everyone was in to it, great craic was being had........and then .....fucking wow.... you could feel the life and good vibes being sucked out of the place , and then anger, we left our seats after they tied so I could show them the stadium and get some ribs...I don't think I have ever felt a numbness and seething anger as last night, just walking around by Shea bridge you could feel it. A real sense of disgust too.

We had a great night but that should have been a win.

[Edgy MD]

smg58 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Understandable that the bullpen would be gassed. You can send the starters out a day or two early when the travel schedule is brutal. You don't get that luxury with the bullpen. In retrospect, maybe sending out for a fresh arm or two might have been warranted. David Aardsma hadn't pitched in six days, and had come into the game with a 1.12 ERA and currently has a .462 OPS against lefthanded batters. Yeah it's a small sample size, but in what universe is Josh Edgin the better option to finish the inning? If Aardsma could get Chad Tracy to pop out, why was pitching to Denard Span unacceptable?

I guess in the universe where getting same-side matchups trumps going with the guy who was already in the game, was pitching effectively, and had generally been the better pitcher for you.

"Yeah," Terry might say, "he got Tracy, also a lefty, but Tracy has been hitting terribly all year. Span's been merely eh. "

And you might come around with, "Well, if the matchup against Span is so golfarned important, why not switch one batter earlier and double down on the matchup happiness?"

And Terry'll just come back with how much he liked Aardsma's sinker, and was hoping to get two outs out of Tracy on a GiDP. "Sides," Collins will add, "Johnson was sending up Tracy really to psyche me into taking Aardsma out of the game, and then once Terry went with the lefty, Johnson would call Tracy back, pat him on the ass, and then send up Lombardozzi, or Mary Tyler Moore, or Copernicus, and really own that matchup."

"Kobernus," you'll correct him.

"Kobernus," Terry will agree. "I wasn't going to play Davy's little game."

And then you'll say, "GOOD FOR YOU, COWBOY! You didn't blink! So WHY did you blink when the next batter came up?!"

"Because SPAN'S THE BETTER HITTER!" Terry will scream. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"He's not that good!" you'll come back with. "And there's no reason to raise your voice."

"And you're not raising your voice?!" Terry will come back with. "Is that your act? Provoke me and then act all victimized when I come back at you?"

You sum it up then. "Span sucks. You made him plausably unsucky by going with a suckier pitcher."

"We're just giong in circles," Terry will lament, throwing up his hands. "Besides, I leave Aardsma in there against the lefty, and that lefty, Span, does what lefties do, and turns Aardsma around with a drive into the corner, while my lefthanded specialist is cooling his heels in the pen, you'd still be killing me this morning."

You'll shake your head. "I would not. It would've been the right move."

"WELL ONE OF YOU OTHER **********S WOULD!! You never let up."

At this point you'll know you have the advantage, and you'll calmly raise one eyebrow, Spock-like. "'**********s,' Terry? Have I stumbled into famed holdout bastion of homophobia that is the big league clubhouse?"

"Grfufflebub..." he'll mumble. "Don't like it, you can leave."

"Excuse me?" you'll confidently ask. "I didn't GET that last statemnt."

"GET... OUT..." Terry will say. He'll puff himself up like the bantam rooster that he is. But his heart isn't in it.

"LOOK," you'll say, all filled with it-gets-better righteousness and the confidence that Dan Savage has your back, "I didn't back down from Frank Howard, and I'm not about to back down from you."

And just as Terry's about to come up with a pathetic "Oh, YEAH...?!" Anthony Recker interrupts and offers you a signed picture. "Um... YEAH!" you'll respond with sudden glee.

"Me, too!" Terry will say, waiving his hand frantically. "ME TOO!"

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

metirish wrote: We have friends and family staying with us from Puerto Rico, I surprised Hommy and his daughter with tix for this game. Hommy is a huge baseball fan(Cards) and regularly goes to games in PR. Anyway he was stoked to be going to his first MLB park and to see Harvey . I got us good seats in left field section 337(rain didn't bother us), 50% off because i voted for the ASG,we had a blast, as it rained our section filled up, two people from Ireland happened to sit next to us and in front 6 lads from Argentina , everyone was in to it, great craic was being had........and then .....fucking wow.... you could feel the life and good vibes being sucked out of the place , and then anger, we left our seats after they tied so I could show them the stadium and get some ribs...I don't think I have ever felt a numbness and seething anger as last night, just walking around by Shea bridge you could feel it. A real sense of disgust too. We had a great night but that should have been a win.

That was a perfect description of my mood when I left the park too. Everything that is wrong with how teams use their bullpens was on display. We all saw it coming. I felt terrible for the lost opportunity, we just flushed away all the momentum from that great road trip. Why? So Edgin could get out Denard Fucking Span.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It doesn't get better, Edge.