The Mets dropped another key series to Atlanta this week and things are starting to look bleak. It leaves the Mets under three games up with a four and eight record against their rivals. Will it give the Braves the confidence to beat the Mets in the playoffs? That is if they don't knock them out of the playoff picture first.
So why can't we beat the Braves? The Braves have been the Mets nemesis for years because they field a good team with an excellent manager. This year the Braves owners went out at the trading deadline and added Mark Teixeira, a power hitting RBI first baseman, plus bullpen arms. The Mets were able to add Louis Castillo, but failed to address their starting and relieving pitching needs. Omar Minaya better rattle the waiver wires and extract a quality starter and reliever ASAP.
But I truly believe the biggest reason the Mets lose to teams like the Braves (and, gulp, the last-place Marlins) is that number 42 doesn’t manager his pitchers well. I've taken to calling our manager "half a dozen Willie" because he doesn’t get his bullpen up until the starter gives up six runs.
In the rubber match of the Braves series, John Maine, for his second second consecutive start, was kept until he surrendered six runs. You cannot spot a good team a six runs and expect to win. Willie did the same thing in the first Atlanta game allowing Oliver Perez to give up six.
Does Willie give up when his starters fail? In the Maine game with runners on first and third and no outs, Willie chose NOT to play the infield in to stop another run. He played for and got a double play allowing, what proved to be, the winning run to score. So much for the Mets comeback.
Last year we called this mismanagement part of the Willie’s learning curve, but this year I’m tired of sitting and watching games get out of hand early.
So Omar, please sit your manager down and tell him to use a shorter hook on his starters. Or else, we can kiss this season goodbye.
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