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During yesterday’s game, with the Mets down by two runs, with runners on first and third and no outs in the eighth, Brady Clark was thrown out at 
home to complete a first-to-home double play.
…in that situation, clark must have been thinking the infielders would go for the first-to-second double play, allowing him time to score…however, he should break towards home, in case the ball gets by the first baseman, but once it is picked up he must return to third and give the heart of the order a chance to drive him in…this is not the time to gamble…
Following the game, Clark told reporters, “I screwed up,” adding, “By the time I thought better of it, it was too late.”
Willie Randolph, speaking about the situation, which was indicative of the entire day, talking to reporters after the game:
“It just was not a good read in that situation by Brady. He’s aggressive, we’re aggressive, but you have to be thinking ahead and know that in that spot right there there’s no way he’s gonna throw the ball to second and back to first…
“So, just a mental mistake on his part, and that’s what I’m talking about.”
…once he commits to home, though, knowing he is going to be out by a mile, he should have knocked over the catcher…instead, he tried a swipe tag and never stood a chance…it’s dangerous, but it’s the only option at that point…
here’s what bothers me. In his last 3 seasons, Clark has been caught stealing more times then he has been able to steal. Granted, due to the fact that he is not an every day player, we are dealing with small sample sizes. However, this has to be a red flag for Willie. Although he has speed, he obviously does not know how to harness it and I hope Willie (although I truly doubt he will) will use more caution in using Clark as a pinch hitter in the future. That mistake was just inexcusable and the MM’s (mental mistakes as Tom Seaver would say) do add up and they do cost us games.
He honestly had no business trying to steal 2nd with the tying run up, and he would have been erased by a good throw.
I actually liked that play, mainly because the previous 4 lead off walks/hits had been erased by double plays. It seemed inevitable that he would be out, so why not give it a shot in stealing against a week arm catcher and Mota who likes to forget about the runners.
I mean, had the ball not been hit right to fielder right at first base, it probably would’ve turned out better.
This team still feels like it’s trying to find that right balance between aggressive and sloppy. The problem seems to be, and this was probably the case last year too, is that when they’re unsure, they’re leaning towards aggressive, which leads to sloppy mistakes like this. It translates into hitting too. This is why I don’t believe, and never did, that the team was ever ‘flat’ or ‘uninterested’.
They played hard last september, and they are playing hard now. Maybe too hard. Think about how often Reyes was thrown out last September. He wasn’t doing it just for stats, or selfishness, he was playing aggressively, trying to make things happen, just like _everyone_ says he should do/does. So what happened this year? He seems to be trying to tone down the aggressiveness a little bit, be more smart, but so far it’s not working. Just like it didn’t work when they tried to change how he ran. Reyes, like the rest of the team, needs to find that balance or aggressiveness and smart baseball, and when they do the difference is going to be remarkable.
The difference this year is that last year they succeeded with the aggressiveness early, and maybe they stubbornly stuck to it when it turned bad. This year it’s failing for them early, and they’ll be able to adjust to it and turn it around.
am sorry what is clark doing on this team anyway? I hate to say it but I am not even upset anymore. I pretty much had enough after what happend last season and seeing this sloppy play its getting really hard to watch this group play. I think Omar made a mistake in not doing more to shake this team up.
I remember at the end of 06 waiting for them to announce that Delgato will be back and didnt want to be traded. Now I just cant wait until is contract is over. He is almost an automatic out in 2 out RBI chance. In the late innings you put a lefty pitcher in he is an automatic out, and I dont think Beltran is much better. Its hard and sad to watch.
And if sosa keeps pitching every game its going to be a long long season. I feel like its 04 all over again.
So where’s the guy from yesterday ripping me for suggesting it was just an aggressive mistake from Clark. Again some posters wanted to blame the coaching staff. Clark did that on his own. He let his emotions get the best of him and wanted to do too much to get the Mets the win.
That is what is happening to our 08 Mets. They are trying to hard, pressing. Thus in big situations they are to nervous to perform. They already know that they will get booed 7/10 times when they hit and every time when its a big situation.
I agree that there’s some pressing, partic DWright. Early season, small sample, etc, but it’s the pounding of bats afterwards that suggests it to me. But who knows, maybe he’s just missing.
I agree the problem is not that they’re not trying, it’s that they’re trying too hard.
I guess “The Collapse” is having an effect, and not necessarily a good one.
Clark highlighted a general problem in modern baseball. In that situation, you just have to flatten the catcher. That was my first reaction on that play, even before realizing he shouldn’t have been running anyway. But noone seems to think of running over the catcher any more.
particularly when you’re the 25th man trying to keep a place on the team
I think this base running error was a rotten combination of amateur base running and miscommunication with the third base coach. What was Sandy Alomar telling Clark before this play? Isn’t it the third base coach’s job to direct and help the runners on base? And why is this sissy swipe slide the “IN” thing now a days? if clark had any chance of taking home on that play he should of plowed through the catcher, but instead it was the “let me avoid any contact” slide. To me, aside from Pagan and Church, everyone, even the bench players are playing soft. Mr. Brady Clark was a clear representation of how to play soft.
I agree 100%. Especially as a bench player. Make a name for yourself and get some respect. I think even Santana slid into home the other day much harder.
Speaking of mental mistakes, I hated hitting Endy for sosa in that situation. Love endy’s D…but that was a gidp wating to happen (and it didn’t have to wait long).
The accountability by Clark and Santana the last two days is a refreshing change from the normal attitude the Mets players have…
My biggest issue with yesterdays game was while Mota was trying his best to blow the game Beltran and Delgado were both taking all the way when Mota was throwing 1-0 ‘get me over’ fastballs. The pitcher is wilting with the tying runs on base, attack him! But no, mr & mrs passive would rather work out a walk. Mota had a nice advantage there knowing those two former teammates dont have the killer instinct and took advantage of it to get back into the count and get them out to kill the rally.
I would agree…I think it’s a trend with Beltran in taking too many pitches in the latter part of games, hence, he gets caught gazing at called 3rd strikes and not swinging earlier in the count. Bobby Abreu (while with Phils) would get ripped by the fans for doing this repeatedly. Finished year with great stats, but at end of games, he took way too many pitches.
Would like to see some late-inning stats on our guys.
i definitely agree i saw a couple of get me over pitches yesterday just being passed on and my jaw was dropping. To me this is an issue with some guys just thinking too much up there.
the swipe slide has become “in” just like throwing at hitters has become taboo. the game on a whole is simply alot softer. why? im not sure im not there in the dugout/clubhouse, but its definitely alot softer.
Everyone needs to relax. Although I agree that Willie Randolph is a terrible a manager and somewhat worthless i dont think a manager makes all that much of a difference in baseball. if the players hit and pitch like they are supposed to this team will be fine. Baseball can not be microanalyzed the season is too long to live and die with each each game. The mets have the talent to win and over the long season strong pitching and defense will translate into wins. Look at the Phillies or Yankees last year both teams started poorly and made the playoffs while the mets started hot and missed the playoffs. The team is fine, relax and stop overreacting.
Say what you will about that play and about Clark’s place on the team, I’m personally more or less indifferent toward the 25th man since it really doesn’t matter, Gotay or not. On Pagan’s ball a batter before Castillo, Clark probably should have been able to get a better read that it was going through, but I can understand the conservative play – there is a decent chance he would have been held up at 3rd anyway. But I actually think Clark breaking on contact on Castillo’s ball, while the wrong play, was not harmful at all. The ball was hit hard enough right at Fielder that he would have been able to make a play on Pagan at 2nd after checking Clark, but Brady just made the play easier. Of course, if the si tuation was totally reversed (them down 6-4, same scenario, Delgaydo playing 1B) then it would have been a great move to have the runner on 3rd go because the throw would have probably been so far off target that Pagan could have gotten all the way to 3rd himself. Or, in the rare case that Carlos’ throw was relatively close to Schneider, but not perfect (an impossibility anyway), Scheider probably would have missed it because “you expect Major League [1B] to be able to make that throw.” MrDarling has had to utter that phrase way too often already, even if it’s mostly been Sosa’s fault.
i really think clark’s trip around the bases summed up everything i think is wrong with this team. he was overaggressive in stealing 2nd, and after he was (correctly i think) held up on pagan’s single, he was overaggressive AGAIN going home.
but my main problem is: if i’m 25th man brady clark, and i literally spend 95% of game time sitting on the same bench with willie randolph, and halfway home i realize that i screwed up and i’m dead to rights at the plate, i need to be saying to myself “i better make jason kendall pay for my mistake or i can’t go to the bench and look my manager in the face.” i don’t think anyone on this team has that kind of attitude, if the guy who barely has a job her doesn’t. and it strikes me as silly to blame that on 25 guys instead of 1 guy.