Game #139: Indians 8, Mets 1

It was supposed to be the game in which New York would appreciate what was now instead of what might have been. "Might have" won.

Scott Kazmir dominated his old organization for six innings as the Indians walloped the Mets 8-1.

The Bad Stuff:

• Pitching his first game against the big club that ten years ago had penned him as their savior, Scott Kazmir made Mets fans once again look back in anger, striking out 12 New Yorkers in six four-hit, no-walk innings of work.
• It was another former Met, Joe Smith, who kept the visitors down in the 8th inning with a scoreless frame.
• Conversely, Zack Wheeler was off his control in Cleveland, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and five walks in five innings, striking out three on 92 pitches.
• The bullpen didn't do much better as the Tribe doubled their output in the 8th on Nick Swisher's grand slam off Tim Byrdak.
• Eric Young had a rough night on the bases, getting caught stealing one time and picked off another.
• The rest of the Met offense didn't fare any better, going 0-5 with RISP and stranding five.

The Good Stuff:

• Justin Turner hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the 7th to break up the shutout.
• Juan Lagares went 2-3 with his 20th double of the year.

Final Analysis:
In a perfect world, Scott Kazmir would have been the anchor of the 2000s New York Mets pitching staff, presumably the piece that would have put the team over the top in 2006. While Kaz flamed out shortly after his 2004 trade to the Tampa Bay organization, tonight's loss embodied what Met fans have come to expect of the team in the last decade or so: players get better once they get out of Flushing. On this night at least, that was most certainly the case.

MM