Inconsistency Is Name of the Game for 2008 New York Mets

For all of you who fell into the same trap as me, thinking the Mets had turned their season around after the series against the New York Yankees, there are three words that you must remember.

We’re Mets fans.

And, as Mets fans, we always want to feel that they will somehow get their season turned around in the right direction. Why then are we so shocked by their inconsistent play?

Is it because of their 138-million dollar salary? Is it because they have a manager who seems to show no urgency, when clearly there needs to be some? Or maybe it’s because this team is full of all-stars who are under-performing to the max. 

Whatever the reason, Tuesday’s double-header against the Atlanta Braves was the epitome of just how bad the Mets season has been.

Where was Tom Glavine when the Mets needed him? I remember. He was too busy giving up seven runs in a third of an inning against the Florida Marlins, when the Mets needed him most. 

Glavine, who could never seem to beat the Braves while a member of the Mets, had no problem beating the Mets on Tuesday, in his first start against them since returning to the Braves.

Add that to the fact that 22 straight Mets were retired at one point, and you have the word that Gary Cohen used in the seventh inning of the second game of the double-header to describe the Mets’ offense—“INCONSISTENCY”. 

Scoring just one run in the first game, while totaling a big fat zero against the great Jorge Campillo in the second game (hence the sarcasm), cannot be described as anything but embarrassing. 

But let’s not put all the blame on the offense—how about the inconsistency of the bullpen? 

With the first game of the double-header in reach, trailing 4-1, Aaron Heilman was up to his old tricks, as his already astronomical 5.82 ERA actually went up, after allowing a two-run home run to Brian McCann to put the game out of reach at 6-1. 

That’s not all. How about Matt Wise in the second game? 

With the Mets fighting back with two runs in the eighth, cutting the Atlanta lead to two, Wise gave up a two-run home run to Mark Kotsay that sealed the Mets’ fate.

After totaling 18 runs in the weekend series against the Yankees, the Mets managed a mere three runs in both games of the double-header.

At the end of the day, the four game average looks good, but numbers have a tendency not to tell the whole story. For the Mets it has been the same old story of untimely hitting and pitching, while never seeming to get on a role.

So as Mets fans, I ask you, “What needs to be done?”