Mack - "Small Ball" Works If Three Critical Points Are Made

 

I love 'small ball'. I always have. I remember those days when the Dodgers won a slew of games when guys like Ron Cey, Bill Russell, and Davey Lopes filled out the lineup card.

This year's Mets team have two critical 'bat' situations going out right now. One, they really have no one to fill the position of Yoenis Cespedes with a bat in his hand, and their top slugger, Pete Alonso, just can't seem to get his act together yet.

 

Luis Rojas, and those around him, realize this and have decided to add a more defensive minded lineup to the many they use. I love it, but let's not forget this kind of lineup demands three things working hand in hand:

1. team defense

2. good pitching

3. timely hitting

Last night, they got two. The defensive minded lineup kept the balls in front of them and the plays were made, Rick Porcello gave up only two runs in his starting outing, and the pen delivered scoreless innings.

But there were no bats.

The only run that scored was typical small ball... an Andres Gimenez triple followed by a sacrifice fly. But that was it for the evening and the wasted team effort  went down the tube with all those RISP left out there.

We should have won this one.

We should have.