Games #97 & #98: Mets 2-7, Braves 8-4

The Mets split the final games of their four-game series with the Braves, falling 8-2 last night and prevailing 7-4 this afternoon to salvage a series split.

Wednesday
The Bad Stuff:

• Jeremy Hefner didn't fare any better from his last start, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings. His ERA is now back over 4.00 at 4.17.
• New York could barely figure out Tim Hudson, who tossed 7.2 innings of two-run ball in what will turn out to be his final start of the year: while covering the bag in the 8th inning, Hudson's ankle was accidentally stepped on by Eric Young, resulting in a season-ending brake. (A shaken-up Young left the game himself today.)

The Good Stuff:

• Daniel Murphy had two doubles and drove in the team's only two runs in the 8th inning.

Thursday
The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Zack Wheeler picked up a W and another quality start, overcoming a rough 1st to deliver six innings of four-run (three earned), four-hit, two-walk, five-strikeout ball.
• Murphy was just as good at the plate today, going 3-5 with a double, two runs, and an RBI.
• David Wright went 2-5 with a run and a run-scoring triple.
• John Buck had a double and three RBIs.
• David Aardsma, LaTroy Hawkins, and Bobby Parnell proved to be a strong triumvirate of relief pitchers, holding Atlanta scoreless in the final three innings.

The Bad Stuff:

• For all the offense the Mets had, they could have had a lot more if they hadn't stranded 14 men on base and hit just 4-19 with RISP.

Final Analysis:
Jeremy Hefner isn't looking great post-Break. If he regresses to his pre-Yankee form, the Mets will have some trouble.

Daniel Murphy is on another hot streak; let's see if he can keep it up long enough to hit .300 again.

Prayers for Tim Hudson's speedy recovery, and also for Eric Young, who will hopefully not be so hard on himself for what was a freak accident.

Overall, a nice 4-3 homestand. The Mets can now take that momentum on the road as they face the underachieving Nationals and nonexistentMarlins.

MM

Game #40: Cubs 8, Mets 2

In matches up hapless vs. hapless, it often becomes a sort of contest of generosity: each team is insistent on the other taking their win. I'm a Purdue Boilermaker football fan, so I speak from experience: the Mets and Cubs are playing a game of "you win," "no you win," "no I insist, you win." Today, the Cubs insisted harder. Boy did they ever.

Jeremy Hefner didn't get to the 5th and the Mets couldn't figure out Scott Feldman, falling to the Cubs 8-2.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• After a string of good starts, Jeremy Hefner ran into big trouble in the 4th inning, giving up four runs in what would turn out to be his last trip to the mound on the day.
• The bullpen didn't fare much better, as Robert Carson gave up a solo home run to Anthony Rizzo and Collin McHugh, fresh up from Las Vegas, surrendered three runs in his two innings of relief.
• Ike Davis went 0-4 in the cleanup slot, the only starter aside from Ruben Tejada not to get a hit.
• The rest of the team didn't fare better in clutch situations, going 0-5 with RISP and stranding seven, including runners on second and third in each of the first two innings.

The Good Stuff:

• Rick Ankiel saved New York from being shut out, blasting a two-run homer in the top of the 9th off Hector Rendon.
• Daniel Murphy had two more hits to poke his average back over .300.

Final Analysis:
Easily believable as that the Mets haven't won any of Jeremy Hefner's starts this season. Harder to stomach is that, even at 0-5 with an ERA set at an even 5.00, Hefner is nevertheless one of New York's better starting pitchers in 2013. So for those of you calling for his head, who do you suggest will replace him in the rotation? Collin McHugh is just as ineffective as he was last year. Jeurys Familia won't do. Zack Wheeler is just one man. Suffice it to say, Jeremy Hefner is here to stay.

Ike Davis, on the other hand, is closer to losing his job than ever before. Hard as it is to believe, he's actually on a worse pace than he was last year. Through 40 games in 2012, he hit .160 with five home runs; through 40 games this season, he's hitting .156 with four home runs. Considering the team is already out looking for his replacement (I'd me more apt to move Lucas Duda back to his natural position), it's fair to expect that Ike Davis will take a Memorial Day trip to Las Vegas...and never return.

MM