Just Mets

The Mets face-off against the Brewers in the first of a three-game series at Miller Park in Milwaukee at 8:10 PM EST.

Here is tonight’s starting lineup for New York:

Curtis Granderson – RF
Ruben Tejada – 2B
Lucas Duda – 1B
Michael Cuddyer – LF
Wilmer Flores – SS
Juan Lagares – CF
Kevin Plawecki – C
Dilson Herrera – 2B
Jon Niese – LHP

Here is tonight’s pitching matchup:

Jon Niese (3-7, 4.21 ERA) will start for the Mets.

Key matchups vs Niese:

Ryan Braun: 4-for-14, RBI, 3 BB, 3 K
Jonathan Lucroy: 6-for-18, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
Aramis Ramirez: 6-for-19, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 K

Mike Fiers (3-7, 4.50 ERA) will start for the Brewers.

Key matchups vs Fiers:

Lucas Duda: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
Curtis Granderson: 0-for-1
Ruben Tejada: 1-for-4, 2B

Here’s what I am looking for from the Mets:

Just play better.

Quite honestly, I’m running out of words these days. Night in and night out lately, this team continues to make mental lapses and errors in the field–which seemingly every time costs them runs–can’t hit at all and has a bullpen that is struggling more and more. The worst part? The reinforcements don’t seem to be very close.

Travis d’Arnaud, one of the team’s few offensive threats, was placed back on the disabled list today, with Daniel Murphy still working his way back and returns for David Wright and Jerry Blevins, among others, in sight.

Could this team acquire a player or two? Perhaps, but right now they have to play with what they have. It might not be much, but it needs to be better than what it’s been, otherwise this downward spiral may very well get worse before it gets better.