Walk, Don’t Run

This was an extremely unique and disgusting loss on Wednesday. The Mets drew 13 walks in 13 innings, and yet scored just one run. They somehow lost a series to a team that were 0-7 going into Tuesday and down 4-0 in the fifth. It certainly lends credence to the theory that if they don’t hit home runs, they don’t score. But with a primary source of home runs as well as hits out of the starting lineup, and two guys who are batting .188 and .118 starting as well as a guy who just got here, this outcome shouldn’t be all that surprising.

That said, Curtis Granderson went 0-for-5 including one of five double plays hit into by the Mets. (Ty Kelly, he of the .118 average, grounded into two.) Michael Conforto went 0-for-6 with 4 K’s, and also hit into a double play though he scalded it right to the one infielder on the left side of the field. If those two guys are right, we’re not having this discussion, and that’s why this isn’t a case of just having a bad lineup. There are still some weapons playing that just aren’t getting the job done right now. Neil Walker hit into the other double play, and that first inning DP put a sinking feeling in my stomach right from the start. With this team getting little to no production from 3B, C, and 1B until James Loney hopefully heats up, the fact that the Mets are this high in the standings is a blessing and a nod to the pitching and yes, to the home runs.

But with this offense not getting production from three positions that they thought they would be getting something from, we’re going to see games like this. A simple answer would be to start the runners more often, but I don’t want to start getting crazy with guys running the bases that shouldn’t be trying to steal or shouldn’t be hit and run with. Maybe once in a while to get hitters going, but turning these guys into the ’85 Cardinals would be insane. The other answer would be to acquire somebody to help the offense if you feel that David Wright is going to be out long term (or even short term if you can convince him to take a lesser role this season). Easier said than done. Looking at the guys who are in the final year of their contracts at third base: You’re not getting a division rival to trade you guys like Martin Prado. You’re not getting a pennant contender to trade you Justin Turner or David Freese. Do you really want Chris Johnson, Luis Valbuena or Casey McGehee? Stephen Drew falls into multiple categories. That leaves Kelly Johnson and Daniel Descalso. Not exactly game changers like Yoenis Cespedes was. So the Mets might be stuck with what they have unless they want to give up what’s left of the farm for Jonathan Lucroy (who is having a fine season so far so that cost will go up, up, up.)

That doesn’t make a game like Wednesday’s any less infuriating. Reliever Matt Albers doesn’t become a cult hero with his 13th inning double which led to the winning run if one of those double plays was a hit instead. And off of pitchers not named Chris Sale, to boot. This was a winnable game, and the Mets kicked it away.

Today’s Hate List

1. Matt Albers
2. Miguel Gonzalez
3. Zach Putnam
4. Zach Duke
5. Nate Jones