Another beating by the woodshed.Look, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that there's no reason to be concerned. The Mets have been outscored 24-4 in their last three games. The lineup, consisting of pretty much the "A" squad minus Shawn Green, did nothing tonight. Far be it from me to play Jimmy "Half-Full" (you know how I hate that). But let me remind you guys and girls of a few things:
- The zero runs scored by the Mets tonight were off of one John Smoltz. John Smoltz is many things...a stinkin' Brave is high on that list. But one thing John Smoltz is not is chopped liver.
- The twelve runs scored tonight by the Braves were off pitchers who will be nowhere near Shea come October.
We all know about what the Yankees did in 2000, going 3-15 down the stretch after having a nine game lead over the Red Sox, yet still going on to win a forgettable World Series. But the Yanks didn't actually clinch until close to the last weekend of the season. So when it comes to teams and their post clinch records, the crack staff (along with the fine folks at Baseball Race and Retrosheet) has dug up a few examples:
- The 1980 KC Royals went 2-8 immediately after clinching their division, then went 5-1 to finish off the season and then go on to play in the World Series (but lose to Philadelphia.
- The 1996 Cleveland Indians went the opposite way, going 8-1 immediately after clinching their division for a total post-clinch record of 9-3. The Indians were bounced by the Orioles in the first round.
- The 2001 Mariners went 0-4 immediately following their clinch, but then went on a 10-2 tear to finish the regular season. The Mariners were eliminated in the ALCS.
- Meanwhile, the 1975 Reds went 3-6 immediately after clinching the N.L. West. They then went on a 10-1 run to end the season and then win the World Series.
- The 1998 Yankees went 2-5 after a very early clinch of the A.L. East, and then went 10-2 to end the season.
- The 1983 White Sox had no post-clinch hangover...going 7-1 after clinching en route to an 11-3 post-clinch record. Yet, they were bounced in the ALCS by Baltimore.
So 2-6 since the clinch doesn't worry me. If the Mets go to the World Series, then everyone will forget their problems after clinching. By the same token, if the Mets are bounced in the first round, it will have had nothing to do with their 2-6 record, and everything to do with Pedro Martinez not being Pedro Martinez.
You say you want more perspective?
The Cardinals are 1-7 in their last eight games.
Let them do the worrying.
9 comments:
Brilliant research, Metstra. Very interesting from an historical perspective but I'd still be happier if they at least pounded the Braves a little more this season...
Consider, too, though, that the Mets playing like shite goes back to *before* their clinching (e.g. gettinh swept by the Pirates).
Something appears to be genuinely out of whack.
It's nice, though, to have the tables turned. With the Mets playing the Braves in a completely meaningless game in the last week of the season, it's nice to have the Braves as the team trying to extract some revenge as a small positive in an awful losing season against the Mets , who have whooped up on them all season and won the division.
I would have loved to see KC beat the Philthies in the WSC but they made up for it by beating the Cardinals in 1985...
Tonight is a big night for the Mets...I want to see the whole team out there for Pedro.
Tonight Tonight Tonight
There I go revising history again!!!
Metstradamus = Moron
Dear Dr. Metstra,
I can't keep food down. I'm often dizzy and can't concentrate. I wonder if these simptoms have anything to do with the Mets not scoring any runs?
Can you Help?
Sincerely,
Freaking out in UpState.
"Has Steve Trachsel done enough in your mind..."
Steve Trachsel is not a psychotropic substance!
2-6, 1-7, does it really make a difference? I know what I see, and what I see is a team that's lost it's confidence. Mine's pretty well shot, too, at this point. I'll get it back when I see one of our 3, 4, 5 hitters have a 3-hit game again.
Munoz: rest assured, those are simply symptoms of spelling errors.
Kyle: the Trachsel support coaster is such a laugh. I say 99% don't know where he came from or why he was suddenly considered a viable #3. Most point to the Cub playoff game, but that was just nationally hyped & televised so every yahoo saw it. He did a few specific things before being a Cub that noone anywhere seems to know, whether Met fans or not. Now he leads the team in wins with 14 & everyone jumps off his wagon, I'd ridicule those that do, but then you'd all be harder to distinguish from the informed observers & fans (this includes all the call-ins on radio etc not just this site). If you really cornered most Met fans, they don't even know why they like him or don't, they're just media sponges which puke up what they've been fed. Most also could not tell you his record, ERA, or anything else, other than he used to take 10yrs to pitch the ball. That's not about "Met" fans, but just the general incompetence of fans period. Most Yankee fans couldn't tell you where their roster came from before they wore pinstripes, it's deplorably pathetic.Yet they presuppose to declare that us Met fans are "allowed" to feel good, or to "not get too crazy" about whatever.
Metstradamus: It's the price WE pay for being fans of scumbag owners. Yeah they finally ponied up, but where'd the last 10yrs go? Oh it's over so let's move on? Let's not dwell on how much of our baseball lives they pissed away while we watched & cheered for garbage that dressed in the most gorgeous colors in all of baseball. Pedro should've never left LA; when he did WE should have taken him not the damn Expos! Montreal let him go & Boston not the Mets, pulled their heads out of their butt. Look what happened, he somehow peaked as a Legend when the Mets were trying to with Piazza. Even if Pedro never pitches again I'm glad what the Mets will pay him, it's what they get for their own scumbag sensibilities. Pedro should've been a Met 10yrs ago, that he's falling apart is the only reason he's here now. It's the Ars Morendi of the Mets since '87. If the Mets are smart, & Pedro is done, they'd turn him into a 1 inning closer. Wagner can't pitch everyday, & the Reds didn't sweep the dynasty Oak A's in '90 cuz they settled on this mono-closer crap. They wrapped Dibble & Charlton around Myers which proved deadly. Dibble would have been a 40+ closer on most teams through that nasty boyz stretch. I'm so pissed that since Myers,McDowell,Aguilera trio, the Mets've been a one trick pony in the pen. You'd swear a guy like Pedro would NEVER accept being our #4-5, or pushed into the pen; but if the Mets do this right & he can't win 20 again for us, he could be as deadly as Eckersley or Rivera as a 3 out or 1 out guy.
Plus it'll make Omar sweat to go get 2 guys to replace him in the rotation...Zito,Willis??
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