The Mets continue a three-game series with the Phillies on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. Here’s what I’m looking for tonight…
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for New York:
1) Curtis Granderson – RF
2) Juan Lagares – CF
3) Lucas Duda – 1B
4) Michael Cuddyer – LF
5) Daniel Murphy – 3B
6) Kevin Plawecki – C
7) Dilson Herrera – 2B
8) Ruben Tejada – SS
9) Jon Niese – LHP
Jon Niese (2-2, 2.40 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Key matchups vs. Niese:
Ben Revere: 3-for-13, 2 K
Freddy Galvis: 2-for-10, HR, 5 K
Carlos Ruiz: 10-for-29, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K
Aaron Harang (3-2, 2.35 ERA) will start for the Phillies.
Key matchups vs. Harang:
Michael Cuddyer: 2-for-9, 2B, 3B, RBI
Curtis Granderson: 1-for-14, 2B, 3 BB, 2 K
Ruben Tejada: 6-for-16, 2 2B, 3 BB, 3 K
Daniel Murphy: 8-for-23, 5 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 3 K
Here is the one and only thing I’m looking for tonight:
Just score, baby.
The Mets just aren’t scoring right now. In the 13 games since their 11-game winning streak, they’ve scored 37 totals runs, averaging out to 2.85 runs per game. Last weekend this team lost back-to-back 1-0 games at home to the Nationals, and while the offense did look a little better vs. the Orioles in a two-game series earlier this week, it was inept in last night’s game vs. Cole Hamels and the Phillies bullpen. The Mets lost 3-1 yesterday, with their one run scoring on a two-out, bases loaded wild pitch. Nothing I’m saying here is groundbreaking or revolutionary by any means, but the fact of the matter is you can’t win if you don’t score. The Mets need to score, and it needs to start tonight vs. Aaron Harang, who has stymied them in the past.
Just Mets 