The New York Mets lost to the Miami Marlins in devastating fashion Saturday Night 5-4. After falling behind 2-1, Degrom righted the ship and the Mets took a commanding 4-2 lead in the eighth. Normally that an automatic win for the Mets being our 8-9 is Reed and Familia. But ya know Familia is suspended for laying his hands on a woman. Jackass. So you figure we would want our starters to go deeper with middle relief in question right? Nope, not for Terry Collins. I have come to a realization that the Mets don’t really have any weaknesses other than health. Oh yeah, and TERRY FUCKING COLLINS. This old geezer needs to go, let me explain.
Let me preface this by saying I have never been a TC fan and I have given him ample opportunities to gain my trust. He just always manages to fuck it up somehow. The Mets are hitting, pitching, and defending this year yet were fucking 7-5. We should be 9-3, but TC has cost us the last two games (and more). It’s really pathetic at this point.
Friday night we lost 3-2 because we had one of our worst relievers attempt to go 2 innings. Now although the Mets just came off a 16 inning game where we used everyone the game prior, you don’t leave JOSH EDGIN in for 2 innings! He was just our third relief pitcher used, we could have put in the newly brought up Sean Gilmartin in. Gilmartin wasn’t even on the roster the day before! He was fresh to go and is specifically a long man. Fucking perfect! But nope TC you leave in Josh Edgin to ruin the game as he gives up a rope in the gap with two outs to go and J.T Realmuto easily scores from first and we lose.
But tonight, ohhhhh tonight was way worse. Tonight was the last fucking straw, Terry! I’ve been pulling them for years. And guess what they’re fucking gone! And I hope you too soon are gone. So with a 3-2 lead, after Degrom struck out the side in the bottom of the 7th, it looked like he was still in. No handshake by the manager, so we figure Degrom has another inning left. Thank God TC. Through 7 innings he struck out 13, 9 0f his last 13, and 4 in a row. Guy was on fucking fire.
Plot twist, Cabrera hits a solo home run we go up 4-2 and guess what?? Yup, done for the night! Then veteran reliever Fernando Salas puts away first two, (in a shaky manner) walks the third and give up a 2-run shot by Steven Yelich and then a solo job to Giancarlo Stanton. Beyond infuriating. Degrom was 97 pitches deep and was clicking on all cylinders. One of my huge pet peeves when a manager takes out a pitcher that just got it together. They couldn’t touch him, and of course, he pulls him for “100 pitch” rule, which is so fucking dumb. The pitcher feels good, he feels good. And DeGrom felt fucking fantastic. My favorite part of it was we “needed’ him up just 3-2 and he was gonna go back out. But 4-2? We’re as cool as the other side of the fucking pillow. No need to fret we got this let’s just take our second best pitcher out.
Logistically this even gets FAR worse. So I don’t believe in the 100 pitch nonsense even though most do. But still, most managers will let them go 110-115 every so often, even TC. So why don’t you throw him back out there see if he can continue his dominating success and have someone ready in the bullpen as insurance? BELIEVE in what got you there Terry! If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. All corny analogies but all true. Ok so he’s’ out of the game, he gets the first two out and then walks Rojas to get to the LEFT HAND hitting Steven Yelich up. PAUSE. Yelich feasts off right-handed pitching should we a) leave him in or b) bring in lefty Jerry Blevins (Blevins got Yelich out the night prior).
Well the answer we were looking for folks was B and of course, TC leaves him in and he gives up a two-run shot to tie. Newsflash Jerry Blevins wasn’t even ready in the bullpen so there was no real option B. Fucking Brilliant, you have a deadly lefty up fourth against a RHP and you don’t account for the possibility of it being anything but 1-2-3. Jesus Christ Terry, you’re either delusional, stubborn or just a dumbass. I would say all three personally. Mind you the guys in the booth Gary and Keith have been saying things like “clearly Salas doesn’t have the best stuff tonight”. Instead of immediately calling the pen and visiting the mound he lives him in against STANTON. Of course, he nails one 430 dead to center to take the lead. AND THEN he takes him out! You have some fucking nerve, Terry!
The right decision once he gives up the homer to Yelich is to take him out, clearly. Stanton is no joke. But you are Terry. Another thing to consider is this was Salas’ 8th appearance in 12 games, clearly overworked. Bet ya didn’t think of that did you, you just got scared at 97 pitches with DeGrom. You really can’t make this up, three fuck ups in one inning alone. If he just fucked up twice and not three times we probably would have won or at least would still be playing.
The problem I am alluding to is TC has no FEEL of his players. He’s safe conservative and old-school. The complete opposite of this team, we are loud in your face power squad with young electric arms. He does not have the relationship with his players that he should and therefore does not TRUST his horses. So often has he not rewarded young players like Michael Conforto and Travis D’Arnaud with playing time after they do well. Rather than instill confidence in the young guys he takes it away from them. He does not have the personality or the managing ability for these guys. The team deserves better and so do we as fans.
Who should replace him then? Easy, Wally Backman. The only problem is Sandy Alderson is a snake and they have a shitty non-existent relationship at this point. After having success in the organization for four years Backman was forced to resign as he was told he would’ve been fired amid his success. Wally says he was “blackballed”. So now Wally is in Mexico and I’m just praying Trump doesn’t build that Wall.
Wally is perfect as he has had success with the organization both as a manager and player. He platooned at second base for the 1986 World Champion New York Mets. He also doesn’t give a fuck. Backman embodied the 86′ Mets, tough, hard-nosed gritty player. Not afraid to get dirty and played with zeal. He’d take a pitch on his chin if he could and played with a fire. tHe was straight-up with the media and told it like it was. I think he would encourage this team to be brash and confident like the 86′ Mets. We would have a little pep in our step. Wally Backman is a legend and deserving of managing this team.
