"Dud" The Sequel (This Better Not Become "Police Academy")

Whenever you get bad pitching and the number of runners you leave on base is in the double digits, you're probably going to lose the game. That's exactly what happened early this afternoon when the Braves beat the Mets 6-14.

Did I jinx RA Dickey when I called him "Mr. Dependable" and exclaimed that I was pretty sure we'd win this game? If you believe in jinxes, then yes. Yes I did.

I was excited to hear the Braves go down 1-2-3 in the first inning, sure that Robert Allen had solid stuff even if it was a little moist in Atlanta. Alas, that was not to be the case, as Dickey's knuckleball failed to knuckle, leading to a pitching line reading 8 runs, 8 hits, including 5 extra-base knocks in 4 1/3 innings. His 14 consecutive quality starts streak is out the window, and it's time to regroup and begin another one.

When you get 14 hits and 5 walks, you should probably win the game. When you leave 11 of those runners on, however, and you're getting horrid pitching, you probably won't. It was so frustrating to hear the Mets start a rally but then leave 2 on, or the bases loaded, or what have you. It always is, but it was especially frustrating to me today knowing this game could have been a lot tighter than than final score indicates. 3-2 Mets? Come on! Tack some more on...or run yourself into an out at the plate...Awesome! We got within 6-4! No reason we should let the Braves off the hook--GAH!!!! Stop only scoring 1 run!!...It's 8-5 now? Don't do it again--GAH!!!!! YOU DID IT AGAIN!!! And, naturally, every time we would squander an opportunity, the pitching would just give back what we made up. These are the kinds of things that make you feel early on in the game this won't be the Mets' day. (Also, I watched the 7th inning where we loaded the bases with 2 outs and Scott Hairston up at the plate, the score 10-5. He did a great job laying off some good curveballs to run the count full, but he struck out on a low-outside corner fastball that he thought was a ball. No reason, though, Scotty, you shouldn't swing at that pitch. Too close to take. [And it wasn't a ball.])

There were some positives from this game, though:

• Captain Kirk Nieuwenhuis was 3 for 4 with a walk, an RBI and 3 runs scored in his first time leading off. There was talk that he will be sent down when Andres Torres was ready to come off the DL. Clearly, however, if he continues to play like this, Torres will be situated to 4th outfielder duties, which is what he is probably more suited for anyway. It'll be nice to have that energy off the bench, if he can stay healthy.
• David Wright had 2 more hits and 3 RBI, tying Darryl Strawberry for most RBI in franchise history. Another reason we need to lock David up.
• Hey, uh, Josh Thole has gotten on base half the time he's been up to the plate. 
• I hate to give the Braves credit for anything ever, but those are some nice day-game throwback jerseys.

They say if you have a winning record at home and go .500 on the road, you'll be in good shape come the end of the year. We've had one homestand, where we went 4-2, and one road trip, where we went 3-3. While I wish we were arriving back at the Citi with only 3 losses on our record, 7-5 isn't terrible and hopefully what we've seen the last two games is only an aberration. They know they can play sound baseball. So keep playing sound, Orange and Blue baseball, Metropolitans.

These days off have come at the right times, so far.

Looking forward to Friday in Flushing. Giants up next.

LET'S. GO. METS.

Rest In Peace, Dick Clark.

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