Opening Day Optimism Vanished: Concerns With The Mets From Game 2

As a Met fan since I was young, I have been constantly let down year after year.  I continually question why I gain that Opening Day optimism like many other people.  I get caught up in the hype after one game.  This year, I am opening my eyes a lot earlier. 

There are many things to take out of last nights game, none of them were pleasant. 

John Maine pitched five innings and gave up four runs.  Why would we be pleased with a performance like this?  He continually followed the same pattern this spring and we were told not to worry since Spring Training doesn't count.  When you are injured year after year after year,  Spring Training is a good tell as to what you're going to get.  He was not out there to perfect his pitches.  He was out there to get some live action and come back.  He failed terribly and brought it over into the season.

Secondly, everyone talks about how great it was to see this team fight back last night after being down 6-1.  THEY DIDN'T DO IT WITH A HIT!!!  They scored their runs two sac fly's, two walks, a fielder's choice and even a balk.  The way the Marlins bullpen pitched last night, it was impossible not to come back.  They gave us the win and we couldn't take advantage of it. 

As angry as I was last night about Tatis' run home from the wild pitch, I realized that Baker the catcher made a beautiful play.  The problem I had was not with the baserunning.  The problem I had is why is Tatis playing?  Chris Carter is in the minors and gets no respect after producing better than any of the first baseman we have.  I'm tired of the Mets filling their roster with bench players that are not scary and come back year after year.  When Beltran comes back, Pagan and Matthews are incredible bench players.  That was the best thing they could do this year.  Unfortunately, they are outfield players and can't play the infield.  Cora and Tatis are mediocre players and that's all there is to it.

Finally, the bullpen is the biggest question mark on the team (since we should already know what we're getting out of the rotation).  Nieve looks great and Feliciano and K-Rod are consistent.  The four remaining pitchers are scary.  Before last night, three of them never pitched in the major leagues (Takahashi, Igarashi, and Mejia) and the other was a miracle for making the team (Green).  Unfortunately, they try to make Feliciano to pitch every game to compensate for the lack of a bullpen and it ends up ruining him as well.  I could understand a weak bullpen when your pitchers last 7 innings every outing but when you have Maine and Perez who are bullpen killers, you need more certainty back there.  Mejia gave up a run in his outing.  Takahashi looked terrible and lost "hard fought" game. 

So out of a game where everyone is blinded by how the Mets came back, and usually I would be blinded as well, I am going to take the hard road out.  I want the Mets to prove to me why I should be excited.  Until then, I'll take the wait and see approach.