The Unclutchables

Yesterday's Mets v. Cards game is one the Mets would like to forget.

Bad starting pitching, horrible base-running, erratic fielding, and a continuation of Manuel's managing by the seat of his pants.

To put it mildly, it was a mistake-fest.

• Daniel Murphy gets on first: Daniel Murphy is picked off first by Yadier Molina after taking too big a secondary lead, and the Mets potential big rally is just a mini-rally
  
• Ollie gets staked to a lead: Ollie does his best to give up the lead
• Jerry brings in newly brought up Casey Fossum with the bases loaded: Fossum issues a four pitch walk to tie the game
• Ramon the Rock Castro behind the plate: Ramon called for catcher's interference at the most crucial time of the game
  
• Beltran's about to score a run to give the Mets the lead: Beltran doesn't slide and gets tagged out
• Daniel Murphy falls down: ball goes over his head for a no-out triple

The entire 8th inning was really a comedy of errors that saw the 4 run lead finally erased for good. Murphy's error was seemingly just a slip, but it's his second early major mistake that has had game changing ramifications.

"Actually I feel like I did everything right on the ball," Murphy said. "I slipped, and I went down.

"Things are moving fast out there, but I'm working hard. I'm out there every day. And I feel like I'm slowing the game down. . . . This one is tough to swallow because we lost a ballgame, but I really feel like I put myself in good position to make the play. I slipped."

Oliver Perez couldn't make it through the 5th. After issuing his 5th walk, the Cards had crept back to within one run of the Mets, and the bases were still loaded. With a lefty due up it seemed the perfect place for ace Loogy Pedro Feliciano.

Instead, Jerry Manuel called on lefthander Casey Fossum, who was just called up from Triple-A Buffalo. In his Mets debut, Fossum walked Thurston on four pitches to force in a second straight run and the Cardinals tied the score at 4.

I know Fossum is a professional, but is that really the place for him to make his debut? Why wouldn't Jerry go with Feliciano there? The Mets had just had an off-day, so every reliever was fresh--but he goes with Fossum.

I honestly threw my remote as Fossum walked in from the bullpen.

So this team continues to fine new and exciting ways to lose. Whether it's bad starting pitching, poor hitting with men on base, simple mental mistakes, fielding gaffes, or poor fielding, they seem off.

Let's hope the turnaround begins tonight.