New Manager, Same Result

Mets Management thought that a Managerial change and changes to the Coaching Staff were what the Mets needed to right the ship. Instead, the Mets looked like the same team last night that they have looked like as of late, as they lost to the Angels by a score of 6-1, denying Jerry Manuel his first win as new Mets Manager.

The Mets managed to hit just 6 singles and score one run off of Angels Starter John Lackey, who went 7 and 2/3 innings giving up six hits, and one run while striking out 7 and walking one.

The Mets scored their only run in the top of the 1st, when Shortstop Damion Easley, who ran for Jose Reyes when he injured his hamstring, scored on a David Wright double play. (When Reyes was taken out, he threw a temper tantrum at Manuel because he didn't want to be taken out of the game. However, Manuel went into the clubhouse after the episode, and diffused the situation quickly, we think)

The Angels not only got even, but took the lead in their half of the 1st, when Center Fielder Torii Hunter doubled to left scoring Left Fielder Garrett Anderson, who reached safely at first after grounding out into a fielder's choice, and Right Fielder Vladimir Guerrero, who doubled to deep left center. Hunter then scored when Carlos Delgado botched a grounder to give the Angels a 3-1 lead.

The Angels added to their lead in the bottom of the 3rd when First Baseman Casey Kotchman singled to center scoring Guerrero, who singled to left earlier in the inning. The Angels then made it 5-1, when Catcher Jeff Mathis homered to center in the bottom of the 6th. Finally, in the bottom of the eighth, DH Gary Matthews Jr. reached on an infield single to third that scored Casey Kotchman, who singled to center earlier in the inning.

Johan Santana, who started for the Mets, pitched 6 innings, and give up 5 runs while striking out 5 and walking 2.

After the defeat, Manuel said: "We looked very tired. I know I was tired. Maybe they were going through what I was going through." Hopefully now that the cloud has lifted, we can get back to playing baseball. "We've got a good team. It's just a matter of all of us getting on the same page and doing the things we need to do to win. I don't think we had the opportunity to dot all our I's and cross all our T's. I think that's a process that's going to be ongoing for a period of time. But once we get beyond that, we'll be OK."

"Everything was very positive during the pregame meeting so I think we're going to feel more confidence about ourselves and there's going to be a better atmosphere in this clubhouse." "There was a lot of talk about what was going on here, but now that it's over with, we're just going to try to have some fun and try to play the game the right way."