The Mets have not been playing good baseball lately.\u00a0 This poor play brings up debate and questions about what exactly the problems are.\u00a0 Is it an easy fix? Something that takes time, money, or trade?\u00a0
\nCould it be the managing?
\nMaybe.\u00a0 Jerry Manuel is not a good manager.\u00a0 He’s operating as a lame-duck manager and as Steve Popper\u00a0remarked today,\u00a0A manager that everyone in the clubhouse suspects is not here for the long haul may lose a little authority in the dealing with long term situations such as standing up to Jose Reyes and being the final authority on if he is in the lineup.\u00a0 The flip side of this is the question of whether Manuel’s lack of authority in such situations is what led to his job security being as tenous as it is in the first place.
\nManuel seems inept at managing road games or close games, often burning outs with useless bunts, refusing to use his best pitchers on the road or burning through the bullpen at record pace.\u00a0 Still, the Mets have the talent and ability to win games, and if enough games are going to come down to the point where they are won or lost on a misguided bunt call in the third inning, the Mets probably won’t win enough games for it to matter.
\nIs it the offense?
\nSome fans are thinking so.\u00a0 Some seem to have given up on Beltran and Bay, and point out that the pitching has rarely kept the Mets out of games.\u00a0 Surely if players like Bay continue to underperform, the Mets will not win.\u00a0 However it’s probably safer to say Jason Bay will hit more like the 1000 games before he became a Met, than the 90 or so this year.\u00a0 Beltran has returned, one of the most talented players in the game, and while we’re still not sure what effect the brace and lingering bone bruises are going to have on his overall play it’s safe to say he’s a solid upgrade over Jeff Francoeur.\u00a0 Castillo will return soon and put up a respectable OBP that provides more run scoring opportunities.\u00a0 Reyes will be back in the lineup and allow us to send Tejada back to Buffalo for more seasoning.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s easy to get worked up over slumps and scoring droughts, but the Mets offense overall is pretty good.\u00a0
\nHow about the pitching?
\nBehind Johan, one of the best second half pitchers ever, the Mets currently have Pelfrey, Niese, Dickey and Takahashi.\u00a0 Dickey has been wonderful, and Niese is contributing as well.\u00a0 Mike Pelfrey’s struggling with a little bit of a slump, but he’ll fight out of it and win games for the Mets in the second half.\u00a0 Takahashi has struggled, looking more suited for a long relief type role out of the bullpen.\u00a0 This would be the obvious place to upgrade on the team, and rumors are that Omar is indeed looking for something that won’t cost the farm, but I’m not convinced the pitching is keeping the Mets out of games.\u00a0 In fact they’ve been in most games, rarely getting blown out or finding themselves down six runs in the seventh inning.\u00a0 Takahashi has had some bad starts, but he’s also had some good ones.\u00a0 Johan even had a couple of bad starts in the first half.\u00a0
\nInjuries.
\nThe Mets injuries, coupled with some slumps, are what’s causing the recent struggles.\u00a0 Some of the other categories may be making it worse such as Jason Bay slumping or\u00a0Takahashi having a poor outing, but overall it’s the injury to Luis Castillo forcing us to play lesser or unready players in Cora and Tejada.\u00a0 It’s Reyes slow recovery from the strained oblique.\u00a0 It’s Beltrans bone bruises keeping him out the entire first half.\u00a0 Ike Davis went through a typical rookie slump, but after two home runs last night may be coming out of it.\u00a0 You can’t get much worse than Rod Barajas lately, and he may be forcing Jerry’s hand in using Thole more, who has done nothing but hit while he’s been on the Mets.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s easy to overreact to slumps and scoring droughts, but the Mets have the talent to make the playoffs this year.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a lot of time left, including plenty of games left against the division leading Braves.\u00a0 Destiny is in their own hands.\u00a0 Beltran is getting up to speed, Jose Reyes is supposedly just about recovered, and Luis Castillo is set to return by next weekend.\u00a0 Johan’s a second half pitcher, more help may be on the way, and Ike Davis may rebound from his first major slump a better player.\u00a0 The second half of the season is going to be very exciting, and I can’t wait.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Mets have not been playing good baseball lately.\u00a0 This poor play brings up debate and questions about what exactly the problems are.\u00a0 Is it an easy fix? Something that takes time, money, or trade?\u00a0 Could it be the managing? Maybe.\u00a0 Jerry Manuel is not a good manager.\u00a0 He’s operating as a lame-duck manager and … <\/p>\n