The Brightest Spot

The Mets are sending but one player to the All Star Game in 2015, at least at the moment, and said All Star celebrated his selection by delivering perhaps his best outing of the season, pimp-slapping the Giants over 8 innings to the tune of no runs, 2 hits, 1 walk and 10 Strikeouts.

Yes, Jacob deGrom certainly proved himself worthy of the selection.

deGrom has, at least since early May, been the most consistent pitcher in a very good Mets rotation. Any thoughts that he might regress following his out-of-nowhere Rookie of the Year campaign in 2014, or that he might suffer from the fabled Sophomore Jinx can, I believe, be thrown out the window. Yes, deGrom's record sits at a mere 9-6—the same record he posted last season—but considering how often the Mets offense has backed him with no runs or 1 run, 9 wins is pretty good by itself. Imagine if this team actually could hit? He could be 12-3, 13-3?

But I digress. The offensive woes of this team are nothing new. Eric Campbell started in Left Field for the Mets on Wednesday afternoon and at this point we're so used to the mediocrity that we barely bat an eyelash. Michael Cuddyer's knee is still bothering him, so given that Terry Collins was assumedly advised by Cortisone Shot Ramirez that he just needs a few days, I think we can assume Cuddyer's season is done. You would think, then, that a move should be made but it's becoming more and more obvious that one or two bats, with what the Mets are likely to give on their end, isn't going to fix the problem. We're just going to have to suck up the rest of this season and hope for the best with what we've got. It's been pretty bad. But then again, sometimes it's been OK. But just OK. Like today, when Eric Campbell started in Left Field. He hit a Home Run. It was the first time a Mets player hit a Home Run since May 19th June 27th. Campbell's Home Run helped to extend a 2-0 Mets lead into a 4-0 Mets lead (Giants errors conspired to plate the first two Met runs) and spared everyone from a Bobby Parnell-induced Heart Attack in the last of the 9th. Parnell, who very quietly hadn't allowed a run since returning to the bullpen, finally got a taste of life without teeth on his fastball and the Giants reached him for a run on 3 hits, before Jeurys Familia rescued him.

Familia, like deGrom, has been one of the main reasons the Mets have made it to this point still afloat. He deserves to be an All-Star, like deGrom. Unfortunately, he wasn't elected, in spite of 24 Saves in 26 opportunities and a 1.12 ERA, and was instead relegated to the "Final Five" ballot, where he's currently going down in flames, in spite of the Mets and Twins forming an alliance to get both he and Brian Dozier elected. Familia's problem here is simply the poor fortune of being on a ballot with players named Kershaw, Cueto and Tulowitzki...and what's the use. Maybe one of the relievers on the squad will sprain a giblet this weekend and he'll make it anyway. Or maybe he'll get 4 much-needed days off.

So, yeah. Not much to report about the game; as an oddly-placed 3:45pm start prevented me from seeing anything. But for all their foibles, the Mets actually won both series on this road trip and return home 4-2. A week ago, we might have been happy with 1-5. At this point, you take what you can get.