Thursday, April 07, 2005
Reds 6, Mets 1
Aside from the fact that he was charged with six runs allowed, Kazuhisa Ishii's Mets debut wasn't quite a disaster. He did strike out seven and allow just two hits through six and two-thirds innings. And there was a point in the game where he looked dominant, though not quite to the same degree as Pedro Martinez three days earlier. Unfortunately, there were other times when he pitched just like you'd expect him to, walking four batters and hitting another. At least he pitched long enough that the Mets only needed to use two relievers, though I suppose pitching badly enough that the other team doesn't have to bat in the ninth isn't anything to really be proud of.
More disturbing was the way in which the Mets' offense was entirely shut down by Aaron Harang and the Reds bullpen. Harang lasted six and one-third innings and allowed just one hit, although he did walk three. The Met bats came alive a little bit once he was out of the game, but not enough to put any serious offense together. They wound up with just four singles and five walks on the day. David Wright was the star of the show, accounting for one of the former and three of the latter and scoring the team's only run on a passed ball in the eighth.
This opening series was pretty disastrous for the Mets, with the starting pitching being the most disturing part. Getting one adequate starting performance out of three isn't going to cut it, no matter how this questionable bullpen turns out. The team's offense has looked looked solid so far, hitting .291/.351/.495, even if they only scored twelve runs. That's basically just me digging deep for any positive I can find aside from the individual performances of a handful of players, but that's where we are at this point. And things aren't about to get any easier.
The Mets head to Atlanta to take on the Braves this weekend, with Victor Zambrano (11-7, 4.37 last year) taking on former Met John Thomson (14-8, 3.72) in the opener. Hopefully the Mets' offense keeps hitting, because I wouldn't bank on Zambano holding the Braves to, oh, let's say one run through five innings or anything. ¶ joe | 11:18 PM |
Aside from the fact that he was charged with six runs allowed, Kazuhisa Ishii's Mets debut wasn't quite a disaster. He did strike out seven and allow just two hits through six and two-thirds innings. And there was a point in the game where he looked dominant, though not quite to the same degree as Pedro Martinez three days earlier. Unfortunately, there were other times when he pitched just like you'd expect him to, walking four batters and hitting another. At least he pitched long enough that the Mets only needed to use two relievers, though I suppose pitching badly enough that the other team doesn't have to bat in the ninth isn't anything to really be proud of.
More disturbing was the way in which the Mets' offense was entirely shut down by Aaron Harang and the Reds bullpen. Harang lasted six and one-third innings and allowed just one hit, although he did walk three. The Met bats came alive a little bit once he was out of the game, but not enough to put any serious offense together. They wound up with just four singles and five walks on the day. David Wright was the star of the show, accounting for one of the former and three of the latter and scoring the team's only run on a passed ball in the eighth.
This opening series was pretty disastrous for the Mets, with the starting pitching being the most disturing part. Getting one adequate starting performance out of three isn't going to cut it, no matter how this questionable bullpen turns out. The team's offense has looked looked solid so far, hitting .291/.351/.495, even if they only scored twelve runs. That's basically just me digging deep for any positive I can find aside from the individual performances of a handful of players, but that's where we are at this point. And things aren't about to get any easier.
The Mets head to Atlanta to take on the Braves this weekend, with Victor Zambrano (11-7, 4.37 last year) taking on former Met John Thomson (14-8, 3.72) in the opener. Hopefully the Mets' offense keeps hitting, because I wouldn't bank on Zambano holding the Braves to, oh, let's say one run through five innings or anything. ¶ joe | 11:18 PM |
