Perspective is a funny thing. Depending on your vantage point, Sunday afternoon either provided a ridiculously impressive performance or sheer embarrassment. I’m betting Mets’ fans experienced the latter. Sunday’s New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals game was the 3rd and final game of their weekend series. The Mets, desperately in need of victories, won the first two games of the series. Sunday’s game, however, took a hard left turn.
Noah Syndergaard, aka ‘Thor’, took the mound to start the afternoon. Syndergaard hadn’t started a game since April 20th, as he was scratched from his start on Thursday due to right-bicep discomfort (his throwing arm). Syndergaard’s afternoon didn’t last long. After his first pitch to Bryce Harper in the 2nd inning, Syndergaard immediately reached underneath his right arm. He was pulled from the game through just 1 and 1/3 innings. Syndergaard has an MRI scheduled to diagnose a possible lat strain. Although it isn’t official, he will likely join fellow Mets’ starter Steven Matz on the disabled list.
If only Syndergaard and the Mets had seen this coming and performed this MRI last week. Wait a second! They tried that already and Syndergaard refused to take the MRI?! Oh, okay, this all makes sense now. No, it doesn’t? Here’s the bottom line: Terry Collins is not a good manager. And clearly, the training staff ain’t cuttin’ it either. If I were running things in Flushing, I’d send them all packing. No, this isn’t an overreaction to a less than desirable start to the season (10-14), it is a long-running opinion of Terry Collins’ mismanagement style. He reminds me more of a senile grandfather who’s upset someone changed his TV program than a Major League Manager. From the sheer embarrassment to the impressive performance we go….
The Nationals know how to hit a baseball. I’m certain Bryce Harper is a Demi-God. Ryan Zimmerman is off to an incredible start to the season (he has 11 home runs already), and Daniel Murphy (yes, former Met Daniel Murphy), is seemingly hitting .875 on the young season. But, one Anthony Rendon stole the show on Sunday. Rendon dove head first into the record books becoming the first player since 1913 to go 6 for 6 with 3 home runs and 10 r.b.i.’s in a single game. Please reread that sentence to allow it to sink in. Thank you. This helped the Nationals post an astonishing 23 runs on 23 hits, demolishing the Mets 23-5. The Nationals now stand at 17-8 on the season, and hold a 5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. I know it’s only May, but barring a disaster of epic proportions, Id’ say the Nationals have the NL East Division all but wrapped up.
The only question is can the Mets turn this ship around before Terry Collins injures the entire starting rotation??
Can the Mets still make the playoffs? Let me know in the comment section below.
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Dave Talks Sports 