Kneel Before Isaac

It was the top of the 8th inning. The Mets had just given up a run to make it 8-3 in favor of Tampa Bay. Gare noted how the dugout was in stark silence. Then in the middle of the inning as Drew Smith, who had given up the run, was making his way back to the dugout, he showed a little frustration in the dugout. It was the first time the Mets have shown themselves to be shellshocked and frustrated all season.

I’m sure the Mets take the field every game with the thought that they have a chance to win. I’m sure they felt like they had a great shot to win with Justin Verlander on the mound tonight, making his Citi Field debut. But when Verlander got touched up for six innings in five runs, including two home runs by Isaac Paredes which brought home five of those runs, I think in the back of every player’s mind they thought “man, the Rays just beat our best pitcher, now we’ve gotta face this powerhouse two more times without our best pitcher.”

It really reminded me of the scene in Superman II where Superman is battling General Zod and Non and Ursa in the street, and he realized that he had no shot against the three of them so he flew away, and the people on the street were wondering how Superman could betray them. So they tried to attack Zod, Non and Ursa with pipes and bats. And the three of them just blew them away (literally), just like the Rays blew away the Mets (figurativesly.)

Maybe that’s what the Mets need to do. grab some pipes and take their chances since the bats have been hit or miss lately.)

The Mets are now 6-16 in their last 22 games, most of them against the frozen food aisle of Major League Baseball. These three games against the Rays represent the filet mignon portion of the schedule, with two more losses staring them in the face. But even as they go back to lesser teams, it’s not something they can depend on anymore, as that 6-16 came against such luminaries as the Natoinals, Reds, Tigers and Rockies (with the Braves sprinkled in for three.) The few things that the Mets have been leaning on for hope are starting to desert them, as Verlander was treated like a rag doll tonight. If Superman can’t save them, what can the rest of them do besides pick up pipes and go for broke?

And make no mistake, that’s what has to happen over the next few weeks. Billy Eppler isn’t making any trades in May from a position of weakness when other GM’s will surely ask for the prospects that everyone wants to come up. And the Mets aren’t going to risk the development of those prospects to save what is going to be a lost season anyway if the stars of the team can’t pitch or hit. Trusth be told, I wouldn’t risk 5-10 years of production to “see what the kids can do” for the next two weeks. If there’s going to be improvement, it has to happen from within, at least until it makes sense to bring up prospects or it makes sense to make trades.

We all might be frustrated, just like the Mets might be frustrated. But this organization no longer acts on impulse. We have been waiting for a regime to not act on impulse and in response to an angry mob. It’s what we’ve always wanted, and I’m not about to wish it away. Not yet, anyway.

Today’s Hate List

1. Isaac Paredes
2. Jalen Beeks
3. Clarence Beeks
4. Clarence Thomas
5. Lane Thomas