So that’s a wrap for these 2012 Mets? Roll the credits, pick up your trash and head for the exits?
It sure felt that way, as their 8-3, 12-inning loss to the Dodgers wrapped up in front of die-hards only at Citi Field. The masochists hung around to watch their once inspirational team fall to 1-8 since the All-Star break and, most significantly, drop to 47-48 on the season, the first time this year the Mets have fallen under .500.
Of course, nothing is ever that simple for the Mets and their ever-suffering fan base. The National League East-leading Nationals arrive in town today for a three-game set, which gives Mets manager Terry Collins incentive to rally his men with a “Sweep them and we’re right back in this thing” discussion.
As Collins said yesterday, following the marathon defeat: “Tough three games coming up. We’ve got to pick ourselves up and get ready for them.”
Don’t look at yesterday as the last straw, therefore. It’s more like the point in the movie when the audience knows it’s over, but the people on screen haven’t caught up yet.
“Concern sounds negative,” said Daniel Murphy, who delivered four of the Mets’ 16 hits. “There’s no concern in this clubhouse.”
“We knew going into the season it was going to be difficult, a challenge,” said David Wright, who contributed three hits. “We knew there were going to be some times like this when things weren’t going our way. All teams go through this. Now it’s just a matter of how quickly we can bounce back.”
Another team’s scout, in attendance at yesterday’s game, had a better feel for the situation when he said: “Terry’s done a great job with these guys. This team isn’t very good.”
Agreed that Collins has run this team admirably, but I’ll concur even more with the scout’s second thought. These Mets played over their heads in the first half, riding the backs of three elite performances — those of R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana and Wright.
Santana is on the disabled list now, with no return date. Dickey has slowed down after his brilliant beginning. Wright? He remains outstanding, which is great news for the Mets regardless of the overall team record.
There just aren’t enough pieces surrounding Wright, however — Jason Bay fittingly made the final out yesterday, as a pinch-hitter — and the team’s run of good luck has run out. Remember when the Mets were putting on a clinic in hitting with runners in scoring position? Yesterday, they managed four hits in 19 of those at-bats.
It happens. When Wright said, “I think some of it’s bad luck,” he wasn’t wrong. He just left out the part that much of what went down in April, May and June could be attributed to good luck.
“We’re not playing terrible,” Wright said. “Just a bad inning here or there.”
The Mets simply lack the talent to climb back to the heights where they once stood. Not with Santana, Dillon Gee and Mike Pelfrey on the disabled list. Even with Matt Harvey slated for his major league debut Thursday night in Arizona.
To be sure, with 67 games left, the Mets aren’t about to roll into the fetal position, suck their thumbs and cry themselves to sleep. They’ve continued to fight throughout this funk; yesterday’s game could have been over much quicker if the Mets hadn’t tied the game in the ninth off Dodgers backup closer Javy Guerra.
Props to them for keeping at it; these guys won’t quit like other Mets teams of recent vintage have. Yet if they won’t acknowledge what’s going on, then the rest of us should.
The idea of trading assets for a relief pitcher is looking increasingly foolish. The fantasy of meaningful games in September feels like a significant stretch now.
Don’t head for the exits quite yet. But start getting your stuff together. It’s hard to envision a second act here, no matter how badly the participants want one.