Mets making a mess for club's backers
By Ben Burns.
The Mets are a mess. They can’t catch a break.
Anyone who bet them and/or the under in Friday’s game at San Diego knows the feeling.
Leading 2-1 in the ninth, the underdog Mets handed the ball to All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez.
The Padres, the worst offensive team in baseball, had managed just two hits in 17 at-bats off Rodriguez.
The Mets and under 7.5 looked golden.
But after a lead-off walk to Kyle Blanks, Will Venable doubled. A play at the plate ensued, with Blanks being called safe by umpire Marvin Hudson. Replays showed catcher Brian Schneider tagged Blanks before he touched home. It was a bad call.
Why baseball doesn’t use replay on plays at the plate involving a tying or winning run in the ninth inning is dumbfounding. Because it would be the smart thing to do, don’t expect Commissioner Bud Selig to add it to the rules anytime soon.
With score tied and Venable on third with no outs, Rodriguez had a complete meltdown. He walked Henry Blanco, a .213 hitter.
Mets manager Charlie Manual elected to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Oscar Salazar to load the bases. Manual then moved in center fielder Angel Pagan to be a fifth infielder.
The plan was to induce a ground ball and come home for a force out. A strikeout would be nice, too. But, in reality, the underdog payday Mets backers were anticipating at the beginning of the inning seemed unlikely.
The under, on the other hand, still looked great. Anything but a walk-off grand slam from Padres rookie shortstop Everth Cabrera and under players rejoice.
Cabrera was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts on the day. He struck out the only other time he faced Rodriguez. He fell behind 0-2, but hung in there and worked the count full.
As expected, Cabrera belted the second home run and first grand slam of his career, pushing the total over and giving the Padres a 6-2 victory.
Our condolences go out to the under players, but we don’t have much sympathy for those who bet the Mets these days.
If you haven’t noticed, the Mets are a mess.