When All The Components Crumble

So first, the good news:

• It’s only May. 16-16 isn’t the best start in the world, but where have great starts gotten the Mets lately?
• 16-16 during a period where they were down to their 6th through 9th starters, and through multiple rainouts leading to doubleheaders and a tough (and unnecessary) travel schedule, isn’t that bad.
• Justin Verlander looked pretty good today once you get past the two solo HR’s to Riley Green and Javy Baez. He had good velocity and command, and the Baez home run was the one overly obese pitch that he threw (the pitch to Greene was one you tip your hat to Greene on.) He only went five innings, but at least that was the threshold set for him, which Max couldn’t even reach yesterday.

The bad news is that they are in such a damn funk right now as a team (and that’s not Uptown Funk). That could certainly be because of the aformentioned travel schedule (Nothern California to Southern California to New York to Detroit and back to New York. But the collective malaise of this team, whether it be the starting pitching collapsing (which has been an issue all season), the bats falling silent intermittently (sixth shutouts so far this season after being shut out six times all of last season), or the mental fatique that has befallen this team makes the state of this team look worse than it actually is, and it’s not great.

All three aspects of the breakdown were evident this series. The shine is off Joey Meatballs while Max Scherzer was pummeled. The offense has scored one run in 22 innings after Eduardo Rodriguez shut them down today. As for the mental fatigue? Look no further than Brandon Nimmo who, after a stretch as hot as any hot stretch ever, has been on the Interstate with his batting average in the last ten games. It wasn’t a big deal when he threw the ball in hard after the third out as if it was two, and it wasn’t a big deal when he signaled one out when it was two outs. But they were small mental mistakes that showed someone who hadn’t had their Snickers bar.

Brandon Nimmo is thrown out trying to steal in the 9th inning. pic.twitter.com/vFCi4TFxi1

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 4, 2023

But what Nimmo pulled in the 9th? Attempting to steal second with the tying run at the plate? If that isn’t a symptom of mental fatigue then I’m buying up all the ayahuasca I can get and I’m going off on my darkness retreat so I can re-watch the 1993 season with bonus DVD commentary from Jeff Kent and Ced Landrum.

The Mets stand at 16-16 after starting out at 14-7 after getting swept by the Tigers. It’s not time for panic yet. All of the components of this team have crumbled to dust, and yet they’re still 16-16. The 2009 Phillies were 16-16.  The 2022 Braves were 15-17. So were the 2003 Marlins. The 2019 Nationals were 14-18. All of these teams went on to win divisions, pennants, and World Series championships. And all of these teams were in … our … … division.

Maybe this wasn’t the least painful analogy. But hey, there’s a lot of season left. So do what the Tigers did this week: relax and enjoy some meatballs.

Today’s Hate List

1. Eduardo Rodriguez
2. Shane Victorino
3. Spencer Strider
4. Miguel Cabrera
5. Gerardo Parra