Leaving runners on base is a huge problem -- the Mets are not getting the big hits when they need them. The Mets started this homestand with John Olerud and Rickey Henderson as #1 and #2 in the National League for on-base percentage, but their runs scored would never indicate that. Similarly, Robin Ventura has been on base consistently, but never seems to make it home. The Mets simply do not capitalize on their scoring opportunities.
Some of this is due to the absence of Mike Piazza from the lineup due to injury, but most of the blame must go to the non-existent offense of Rey Ordonez, Bobby Bonilla, and Brian McRae, hitting .222, .157 and .182 respectively. If these guys don't wake up in May, then Bobby Valentine better start thinking about using Luis Lopez (.389) at short and Roger Cedeno (.294) in right on a more regular basis. These moves would help the offense and the outfield defense. Rey Ordonez may be a wizard with the glove, but Luis Lopez is still an excellent shortstop and a much better hitter.
The starting pitching is also suspect. Yoshii has been awful, and Hershiser hasn't been much better. Bobby Jones is, by far, their best starter in 1999. Al Leiter is now coming around and Rick Reed is trying to come back from the DL. Allen Watson has filled in for Reed with some OK performances, but is clearly not the answer.
Assuming Reed is OK, the Mets have a good top three with Leiter, Reedb and Jones. If Hershiser can't get his act together, the Mets will have to make a deal or bring up Isringhausen and/or Dotel from Triple-A. At Norfolk this season, Isringhausen is 1-0 with a 3.80 ERA, striking out 25 batters in 21 innings and giving up 15 hits, and Dotel is 1-0 with a 3.06 ERA and 18 K's in 17-2/3 innings.
The Mets pitching is led by its bullpen, arguably the best in all of baseball this April. Benitez has been blowing away batters, Franco has been flawless, Wendell has been wonderful, and Cook has been competitive. But the long men in the bullpen, Manzanillo and Beltran, the guys that come in when the starters get knocked out early, have been just as dreadful as the starters they replace. We never though we'd miss Greg McMichael (on the DL), but we now wait for his return.
It's only been a month, and they're only 1-1/2 games out of first place right now, but the Mets will need to make some adjustments, stay healthy, and start stringing together some wins soon if they are going to make a run at the Braves or even win the wildcard this year.
Mike Piazza stepped up to the plate. This was Mike's third game since returning from the DL. He'd had a frustrating game the night before, leaving a lot of runners stranded in scoring position and watching the team lose. In this game, the Mets had also left 12 runners on base, and it had now come down to a desperate last three outs.
Fate may have played a role in this turning point of a game last night at Shea. After all, the 3-4-5 part of the order was coming up, like in a Hollywood script. Not to mention that guest star, Trevor Hoffman (only the best reliever in baseball last season, taking his team to the World Series), was coming in to face the mighty Piazza in a climactic showdown.
Add to the drama the fact that the San Diego Padres had won 181 straight games in which they were leading after 8 innings, dating back to July 4, 1996.
The stage was set, and Mike Piazza did not disappoint the loyal Shea Stadium patrons that cheered him on during this chilly April night. He hit the first pitch from Hoffman over the right field wall, scoring Olerud before him, and winning this game for the Mets on their most important night of the season.
Flushing went to sleep last night happy, knowing that Big Mike was back for real, and that better days lay ahead for this team that had struggled along, keeping its head above water, without him.
Bobby Jones has been consistent, Al Leiter has returned to form, and Rick Reed looked good in his first start since coming off the DL. Hershiser has been unconvincing, but lucky, in his starts thus far. The biggest question marks are Allen Watson and Masato Yoshii, but both put in good starting performances this weekend against the Giants in their respective bids for the fifth starter job in the Mets rotation. Wouldn't it be great if the Mets pick up Curt Schilling this summer?
The Mets bullpen has been overpowering. Dennis Cook leads the league with five wins out of the bullpen. John Franco is 10-for-10 in saves. Turk Wendell and Armando Benitez are blowing away batters and piling up the strikeouts.
John Olerud is the team's most valuable player. He leads the league in on-base percentage and is in contention for the batting crown. He's made two unassisted doubleplays at first base in the last three games. He has been as close to perfect as a baseball player can be.
Rey Ordonez has earned his way back into the Mets lineup with some improved hitting over the last 5 games, right after Bobby Valentine benched him in favor of Luis Lopez at short for two consecutive games (and prompting Ordonez to complain to the press). Roger Cedeno leads the team in stolen bases despite his part-time role, and is making the best bid to take the rightfield job away from Bonilla, as Bobby Bo nurses his knee on the bench.
The Mets are winning games on the strength of their good hitting, patience at the plate, overpowering bullpen, outstanding infield defense, and effective bench. And Mike Piazza, the Mets sleeping giant, has not yet begun to hit...
