We all know who Warren Buffet is, the Oracle of Omaha. Doesn't mince words, all about winning.
In his case, winnng in the stock market.
My brother Steve? Well, he is the Oracle of the Mets, at least that's how's I see it.
He doesn't mince words, he is all about getting to the point about the Mets not winning.
He texted me this AM:
"The Mets are a joke...a really bad joke."
Then, I knew.
I got in late yesterday, missed the first game, just knew they trailed 4-0 when the rain delay hit. When I got in, game 2 was on, the bags were full, and Ali Sanchez swung through a belt-high, 94 MPH meatball heater. The kind, you know, that Marlins minor league call ups hit without a problem.
I put the Convention on. I figured I'd check in on the Mets' autopsy in the AM.
Of course, the sad results were understandable - you come back from missing 5 straight days of COVID vacation and, of course, have to face Koufax and Drysdale in a doubleheader.
Oh, wait, they weren't pitching? Then how on earth did the Mets get SHUT OUT TWICE BY A NO-NAME AAA STAFF?
Only one answer seems to fit:
"The Mets are a joke...a really bad joke."
When you build a team on hitting instead of pitching speed and defense. This is what happens. We have seen it before with these Mets. We will see it again. I think a certain writer on this site has preached this for a while.
ReplyDeleteTrue, John, pitching, speed, and D are vital, but talent decisions also come into play. By cheaping out with d'Arnaud, we got Ali Sanchez failing in that key spot, not TDA hitting a grand slam.
ReplyDeleteWe trade a Blake Taylor (14 relief outings for Houston, 1.29 ERA) for a Marisnick, etc., etc.
I also am starting to get a bit nervous that Pete Alonso is turning into Ike Davis. What a nothing burger year Pete is having.
1 plus 1 = 2. Certain truths are undeniable. Hitters slump and get hot. It is hard to come back and hit after 5 days of inactivity. Speed and defense is way more consistent and can win games (like it did last night for the Marlins) and lose games (like it did last night - and has done for a long stretch for the Mets).
DeleteDefy the laws of physics, you crash. Defy the laws of baseball - you lose.
On a bigger picture, you also lose fans (like baseball has been doing) and games get longer and boring and you go to gimmicks like 7 inning double headers, runners on 2nd base in extra innings, the DH, etc., etc,, etc.
If you are building a team, you start with up the middle defense (the Mets regulars are poor defensively up the middle), then add speed (usually goes hand in hand with defense), then lots of pitching prospects as some pan out - some get hurt - some just don't pan out. Hitter need to make contact and not try to hit HRs all the time or else you wind up with lots of runners left in scoring position (this also applies to the Mets).
Tom
ReplyDeleteI stopped following it on the internet feed during the rain delay and never came back.
I am cured this season.
Mets need a team more full of Gimenez, Guillorme and Dom, less everyone else out there not playing defense and striking out all the time.
ReplyDeleteJohn: Part of getting on base...Jeff McNeil...failing in 2020. He turned into Dave Magadan. Mini-article tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI think the Mets should be renamed the Cabdrivers or Cabbies.
ReplyDeleteEvery night they drive me to drink.
Bob W
Bob W, you need a designated driver, not a designated hitter LOL.
ReplyDeleteErnest, good case can be made for that.
ReplyDelete