Told You So!
So Pat Misch finally got the long-awaited start I’ve been pushing for all season. And he didn’t disappoint. Yes, he and the Mets lost the game, but that was hardly Misch’s fault. The Mets committed three errors (one by Misch himself, although that turned out to be harmless), leading to three of the four runs the Phillies scored off Misch. One earned run in six innings will certainly gain Misch another start. What a shame that stiffs like Oliver Perez and John Maine took up a roster spot that Misch could have handled competently all season long.
Speaking of competence, that’s something the Mets offense strives to be. In 12 games this month, the Mets have scored just 27 runs — that’s a little more than two runs per game. It’s amazing that the Mets have managed to win five of those games. That’s because in four of the wins, Mets pitchers managed to throw shutouts.
The offense has been horrid since the All-Star break. I’m not blaming Carlos Beltran, but it’s interesting that that’s when he returned to the lineup. Beltran’s arrival was supposed to solidify things, not lead to a downfall. Although Jason Bay has not done much all season, his absence takes away a big threat in the lineup.
*****
Luis Castillo has said the words Mets fans have been hoping to hear for years now: “I can’t be here anymore. I know I’m not going to be here next year.”
Castillo has been benched in favor of Ruben Tejada. And even though Tejada has not gotten a hit since he was given the job, he’s been a huge improvement over Castillo. Tejada can actually move around at second base, something Castillo’s limited range prohibited him from doing.
Even though Castillo was hitting a paltry .241 with just six extra base hits, he thought he was doing just fine.
“I came here to be an everyday player and I know it’s been hard with the injuries I’ve had, but I feel good now and thought I was playing well. I know I can play every day. I’m not a bench player. I can still play.”
Let’s hope some other team agrees and takes Castillo off of the Mets hands. The best the Mets can hope for is that a contending team’s second baseman goes down with an injury over the next few weeks and they need a quick replacement. Even then, it’s unlikely any team would want to absorb the $6 million he’s due next year. That’s a bill the Mets will probably be paying themselves, whether Castillo is in a Mets uniform or not.