Mets pick wrong time for latest no-show clunke

[sharonorn]

MILWAUKEE About 36 hours after escaping a natural disaster in the south, the Mets authored a self-made debacle, imploding minutes into a crucial game with ace Sean Manaea on the mound. The Mets still control their own destiny even after losing the series opener here, although that isnt nece sarily much of a ble sing considering how theyre playing on their biggest trip of the season. The current scorecard on the excursion that will decide this season reads like this: Braves one win, Brewers one win, Hurricane Helene two rainouts, Mets two no-show games. This certainly was not the time for one of the worst performances of the season but thats exactly what this was. There was almost zero encouraging happening in the . They certainly outplayed us today, Francisco Lindor said. Sean Manaea and the Mets never recovered after giving up a first-inning grand slam. Jason Szenes / New York Post Manaea looked nothing like himself and the Mets lineup scraped together not nearly enough against Yankees washout Frankie Montas and Co. Whats more, Lindor, playing his first full game in two weeks, clearly isnt close to 100 percent no matter what anyone says. And adding to the pain woes, Francisco Alvarez went out in this one, . Adding insult to injury, noted Mets tormentor Rhys Hoskins played the villain again, smashing a grand slam in the first inning. Not that anyone can choose their conquerors, but Hoskins already was reviled inside the Mets clubhouse. This Hoskins hate started in Philly but ramped up the first week this season when he won a game with his hitting heroics after upsetting Jeff McNeil (remember him?) with a hard slide into second base. On Friday, he took a dagger to them to start this final weekend. His Seth Curry Jersey two out, two-strike homer to left basically decided things 20 minutes in. Rhys Hoskins was a thorn in the side of the Mets again. Jason Szenes / New York Post The Mets still have two games here, and a real October chance. But they need to pick it up. Give the upstart Brewers from arguably MLBs smallest market ample credit. They field, they run the bases (they stole six bases) and they win, which is how they locked up the No. 3 seed and the home field for their wild-card series whether they play the Mets or someone else. The game bordered on inconsequential for Milwaukee, yet they started their A lineup and played close to their A game. Good for them. But bad for the Mets. The Mets rallied late but came up short on Friday night. Jason Szenes / New York Post As for the team from Queens, this effort was a nearly total fail. Playing in a contest they had to win (manager Carlos Mendozas words) following their escape from Atlanta, they never gave themselves a chance. However, I cant say they didnt show fire. on home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus after De Jesus called Francisco Alvarez out on a pitch that appeared below the strike zone with two on and two out in the fourth. That was after Alvarez who left later with back spasms hopped around and slammed down his helmet. He didnt have a good game behind the plate, there were other calls I wasnt happy with, Mendoza said. But I know theyre trying, and weve got to move on. Theres reason to scream. The finishing schedule that looked arduous got much worse with the likelihood of a flight south and finish Monday back in Atlanta to make up the two washed. Even if the Mets survive OK this weekend, their pitching depth is going to be severely tested with the prospect of two games Monday before starting a potential playoff series Tuesday. Brandon Nimmo reacts after striking out in the ninth inning. Jason Szenes / New York Post If its Milwaukee they return to play, that will be tough. Frankly, the Brewers look like the better team. Those little things they do can add up, cant they? As if the Mets didnt have enough to worry about, the former MVP candidate Lindor didnt really resemble himself. He did gather two hits but struck out on an uncharacteristically weak swing and he made a rare throwing error as he played through his back condition. While he and team personnel kept saying he was fine, he didnt look it. The pain would come and go, Lindor said, so Im happy with that. Good enough. Danny Young of the New York Mets reacts after allowing a run to score on a wild pitch during the sixth inning. Jason Szenes / New York Post They whole team doesnt look exactly right, either. But while this trip is nothing short of disastrous to date, remarkably, their circumstances still arent quite dire. They only need to beat out one of the Braves or Diamondbacks, who have similar records all three teams are 16 games over .500 and other serious flaws. The Braves can pitch but they cant hit. The Dbacks are the opposite: good hitters but suspect pitchers. At the moment, the Mets dont look like they can do much of anything. But as we know, things can change. The Mets came back from an 0-5 start and 11 games under .500 to put themselves in position to po sibly play in the playoffs. But if they are back to being the bad version of themselves, they cant expect to get where they want to go. Nassir Little Jersey