The Mets Are So Bad, Even Mariano Rivera Drives In Runs Against Them

Tonight in New York, in front of a split crowd of their fans and Yankee Fans, the Mets did something no team has ever done before. They gave up an RBI to Mariano Rivera.

In the ninth inning, K-Rod came in to keep it close in a 3-2 game. The inning led off with a miscommunication pop up to let Jorge Posada be the leadoff runner. The second hitter, Melky Cabrera, grounded out and took first, then stole second. Brett Gardner worked a walk, but Johnny Damon lined out to right for the second out of the inning. With the Yankees playing games of pretending to pinch-hit for Rivera, the Mets actually pitched to Derek Jeter for a strike, then eventually gave up the intentional walk to load the bases. The bluff called, Joe Girardi sent Rivera out for his second career at-bat.... and got the glimmer of hope when K-Rod started him off with two straight balls. The Mets closer than poured in two straight strikes before Rivera took a big hack and fouled off a 2-2 pitch, then wound up overthrowing two more pitches to actually walk in a run. It was yet another laugh out loud moment in a Mets season that's been filled with them. The inning ended on a borderline checked swing call to Mark Teixeira, and K-Rod's evening ended with a 39-pitch inning that more or less ruins him for work tomorrow, when the Mets play the Brewers.

It's rare that you see a Confetti Bucket Moment in MLB, but really, watching Rivera intimidate K-Rod into overthrowing ball 3 and ball 4 after fouling off a pitch was just beyond the fail. The Mets could easily turn this season around if and when they get back Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado, but when you see their previously untouched closer (K-Rod's ERA is now just 1.23 despite the ugliness) walk in a run against the other team's closer... well, um, let's just say I don't see a post-season in their future.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rivera does what he does when he's not opposing Boston, earning Career Save #500, and the Yankees swept a terrible Mets team at home, in what seemed like yet another home game for the most MLB+ team pf them all. But honestly, if you wanted a signature loss for the Mutts, this was it. Start with relatively no offense against a guy (Chien Ming Wang, whose ERA is still over 10) who had redefined flammable before tonight. Add in an early deficit, as Livan Hernandez gave up three runs in the first inning. Toss in 11 (!) walks from their own pitchers, adding to their own defensive woes (David Murphy botched a play in the rally), and you just have a team that has to be ungodly to watch on a day-in, day-out basis. Oh, and their brand new park also kills home run hitting almost as much as the new Yankee Stadium helps it, which means it's going to be one more spike in the head for a team that doesn't attract as many free agents as you think they might. Good night, Mutts.