THIS is exactly the kind of start manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya did not want and did not need.
All the Mets’ weaknesses have been on display the last two games. The starting pitching was terrible Wednesday night and last night the Mets’ lack of offense wasted a competitive start from young Jon Niese in a desultory 3-1 loss to the Marlins at a deathly quiet Citi Field in front of 25,982 fans, the smallest crowd ever at the new park.
Some of the nasty problems of last season have risen from the 2009 grave. David Wright homered in the first inning of this 2010 season. The Mets, who hit only 95 home runs last season, have not hit another home run over the last 27 innings.
The production from the starting first basemen has been brutal the first three games with Mike Jacobs going one-for-nine, and Fernando Tatis putting up an 0-for-4 last night. Daniel Murphy is missed. Hello Ike Davis?
Marlins pitchers Nate Robertson, Burke Badenhop and Leo Nunez shut down the Mets, who were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
Maybe now you know why Manuel wanted Jose Reyes to bat third before Reyes’ thyroid problems developed. Without Carlos Beltran around this is not a deep lineup at all, plus Citi Field exposes every offensive weakness to the max. That is what is happening to the Mets already in this young season.
Citi Field breaks a hitter’s heart. Tatis hit a booming shot to left-center in the ninth that was caught at the wall by center fielder Cameron Maybin.
Throw in some bad base running to this mess and you have a 1-2 beginning to the year. Manuel and Minaya are under the gun from the start and with so many home games in April, every home loss is critical. The Mets play 16 of their first 22 at home.
Manuel talked throughout spring training about the importance of getting off to a quick start. Three games is much too small a window, but the Mets need to get going quickly.
“Let’s see where we are over the first 20 games, that will give us a better indicator if we are off and running or whatever,” Manuel said.
Right now, it’s whatever.
The Mets scored six runs the previous night in a loss, but none of those runs were driven in by base hits. Over the last two games the Mets are 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
“We need a couple [of] guys to be hot at the same time,” Manuel said of the offensive woes, echoes of last season. “It’s difficult to try to scratch runs.”
Manuel put together his right-handed lineup to face the lefty Robertson. That meant Jason Bay (.364) moved up to fourth while Jeff Francoeur (.400) batted fifth. Bay led off the fourth with a single and Francoeur followed with a run-scoring double. That was the extent of the offense.
At least the Mets get a break tonight when the Nationals come to town for a three-game series. Tomorrow will be Jose Reyes’ Opening Day, which should add some life to the already desperate situation. Reyes will add life to the offense too.
Manuel said he will stick with Jacobs as his No. 4 hitter vs. right-handers.
Another problem that has developed is Luis Castillo’s lack of production batting second. Castillo managed an infield hit in four at-bats last night. That was his first hit of the season. You cannot win with both the first baseman and second baseman not producing, plus Castillo is troubled by sore legs.
Just look at what the Mets throw out there at those two positions compared with the Yankees in Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano. That shows you the difference between the two teams right there.
The worst part of the night was that the Mets wasted a good effort from Niese, who is one of the more competitive Mets pitchers. When pinch-hitter Gary Matthews Jr. struck out to end the game the crowd let out a collective groan.
That’s what it means to be a Mets fan these days.