Hapless Mets end 1-5 road trip with a shutout
This lineup is missing a bat. And an arm, or three.
Never was this more evident than today, when the Mets were shut-out and swept by the sub-.500 Houston Astros. New York was 1-10 with runners in scoring position, and left 11 runners on base. They just can't get it done in the clutch.
Perhaps I'm wrong. The Mets survived a sweep against the lowly Padres earlier in the season. Maybe this is just another hiccup.
The problem is, other than their 10-game winning streak, and a subsequent series or two, the Mets have been inconsistent all around. The bats haven't always delivered, the starters have been hot and cold (when healthy), and Billy Wagner and his struggles are symbolic of the way the rest of the bullpen has performed.
This mess is on Omar Minaya. Despite injuries and a new coach, the team started to click, but it was obvious to even the most casual of observer that this team was still in need of some help. And unless Eddie Kunz and a series of other minor leaguers come through in a big way, the Mets will flounder in the middle of the NL East while the Phillies, who were active at the deadline, run away with the division. A lesson learned perhaps.
-- Tim Fiorvanti
