Mets Lose 6-1

Author: Will Hernandez

The New York Mets (34-36) failed to give interim manager Jerry Manuel his first win and they lost 6-1 to the L.A. Angels of Anaheim (43-29) in California.

Before you get into reading this dismal recap, I want to give my opinion of what’s happened in the past 24 hours. How the Mets went about firing Willie Randolph late Monday night is another black eye for the organization. No matter what poor excuse Omar Minaya gave at Tuesday’s press conference, the decision came at a poor time. The Mets hung Randolph out to dry and it was classless, gutless move on the part of Minaya and the rest of the Mets organization.

Whether you agree with the decision doesn’t matter, and I don’t, but the way it was done, again, was a disgrace for an organization that has made a number of boneheaded moves in their history. The bottom line is the players didn’t perform up to standards and that is why Randolph is unemployed right now. You know where a head coach or manager really matters? On the high school, college and minor league level. When you’re a professional and getting paid big bucks to play a kid’s game, you need to perform and do your job. If Billy Wagner makes those saves, the Mets are in a totally different place today. If David Wright makes some more clutch hits, the Mets are in a different place. If Randolph didn’t have to rely on the likes of Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo, the Mets are in different place. How did Randolph know Pedro was going to get hurt in his first start of the season or Church was going to get knocked silly in Atlanta? And the way the club handled Church to begin with? Yet another black eye on this organization.

I find it sad and funny that most Mets fans wanted this. I’ve learned this season most Mets fans really don’t know much about baseball based on their comments. Mets fans have become the most negative in baseball and indeed the organization has become a laughingstock. The Mets are a long ways away from being a respected organization and I find that to be very sad.

The Jerry Manuel era did not get off to a flying start in the first inning of this game. After Jose Reyes reached first on a leadoff single, trainer Ray Ramirez and Manuel came out to check on the young shortstop after a pitch to Luis Castillo. It appeared Ramirez and Manuel was trying to talk Reyes into coming out of the game. Reyes wanted to stay, but Manuel urged him to leave. And then Reyes threw a tantrum, tossing his helmet, pulling his shirt out of his pants and then stormed into the clubhouse. Damian Easley replaced Reyes.

Well, that little episode was surprising to see. If the Mets are going to go anywhere, Reyes needs to be healthy. If there is any doubt of his health, he needs to come out of the game and listen to Manuel and the trainer. To act like a child in the process is inexcusable and it was good to see Manuel stand his ground and go after Reyes in the clubhouse.

Johan Santana (7-5) was not sharp as he allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits in six innings with two walks and five strikeouts. After the Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a double play groundout by David Wright, Santana immediately gave the lead back and then some in the bottom of the inning. Santana’s old teammate, Torii Hunter, hit a two-run double to give the Angels a 2-1 lead. Carlos Delgado then botched a hard, but playable grounder off the bat of Casey Kotchman that allowed Hunter to score from second to make it 3-1.

Don’t know what was going on with Santana in this game. It was a complete 180 from his start against the Diamondbacks last week. If the Mets ever needed a stellar start from Santana it was Tuesday night, but the Mets bats were silent after the first inning.

The Mets were just sloppy tonight. Not a good sign in the wake of the firing of Randolph, is was supposed to be the team’s problem. Easley fell asleep a couple of time at shortstop, Delgado made and error, Marlon Anderson booted a ball if leftfield that allowed a runner to advance a base and Fernando Tatis failed to tag a runner coming towards him on third base and almost got Luis Castillo killed in the process. Very sloppy.

John Lackey was solid through 7 2/3 innings and retired eight Mets in a row at one point. The Mets didn’t get a runner past second base after Easley scored in the first inning. It was just more of the same of what’s plagued this team all season.

Well, Tuesday just proved to me that Randolph wasn’t the problem. Again, the bottom line is the Mets are not performing. They are still playing uninspired baseball and looking bad doing it. This team is not built to make the playoffs. They failed to even their record and pick up a game in the standings. Same old, same old. And I’m sure Mets fans are tired of it.

Comments

[Pete S]

I believe this Mets team is NOT a championship team.
This team will go thru a huge shakeup after the season.
Manuel won't be around, neither will Delgado, Alou and alot of other veterans...I hope they can trade Castillo too...he's a waste.
I really don't even like this team..I don't like it's personel, I don't like Omar, I don't like Tony Bernazard, I don't like Delgado, I don't like Castillo, I don't like Manuel...this team is very, very unlikeable.
How did this team ever win in 2006?