Phillies 7, Mets 4 (23-23, 3 GB)

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Perhaps I'm too optimistic. Perhaps the negativity by so many Mets fans is the appropriate sentiment towards the New York Mets. Perhaps, even though the Mets are no worse off today than they were Tuesday morning, before they split the 2-game series with Philadelphia, then perhaps the Mets' season is over. But I don't think it is.

As one of the few Mets optimists left in this world, I'm going to focus on the positives that came out of last night's loss instead of dwelling on the negatives (errors by Matsui and Piazza, runners left on base, etc.), as all the late-night WFAN callers seem to do. First of all, Matt Ginter pitched a great game. He had a great start in Houston (vs. Clemens), then pitched crappily (is that a word?) but got a win vs. Colorado, and pitched very, very well last night. I sense someone who gets up for big games, which bodes well if the Mets' pitching remains in upheaval.

I read where the Mets had a team hitting meeting the other day to try to solve their problems hitting with 2 outs and runners on. The solution was to be more patient and put the pressure on the pitcher by waiting for a good pitch to hit. I noticed the hitters really putting that into practice last night, and the results were two 2-out bases loaded walks in the 6th inning by Danny Garcia and Cliff Floyd. Mike Piazza then struck out to end that inning, a sign of the bad things to come in the top of the seventh.

Another quick positive - Ty Wigginton made a great stab diving to his right to field a hard grounder in the 6th inning. Consider him even for the mis-play on Tuesday night.

A discouraging note - I think the headcase in Jason Phillips might be surfacing a bit. He threw a little hissy-fit in the batter's box in the 8th inning after the umpire called a pitch out of the strike zone strike one. The ump let him get away with the pouting, but then Phillips struck out swinging at two more very bad pitches. He better not let these types of games affect his head - he also had a homer robbed by Pat Burrell in the second inning, which could have built up in that distorted head of his and resulted in the late-inning blow-up. (I actually like Phillips - but he better not turn into bad Derek Lowe.)

Finally, the last point I'll make about last night's game - it was an ugly loss in a game the Mets should have won. Very similar to last Thursday's loss to the Cardinals, which became the sloppiest game of the year, in a game the Mets could have won. After that loss, the Mets responded with a spirited sweep of Colorado. If they respond the same way this weekend, they'll be tied with Florida in the standings. If the Mets are going to lose ugly once every five games, winning the rest, I think that's a ratio I can deal with.