Final Score: Braves 4, Mets 3

I could not be happier that there are 10 games left. The pain stemming from this torturous 2016 campaign has finally done so much damage to my mind and body that I’m nearly ready to shut it all down. I’m approaching my innings limit with this team folks. The Mets haven’t tortured me like this in years. This may be the toughest season in recent memory.

If you didn’t feel like last night’s game summed up the entire year then you must have missed the season. The Mets were only in the game because of the long ball. Check. Big Sexy reminded everyone that’s he’s the most reliable starting pitcher on our team. Check. A former Mets player from last year’s NL Championship club embarrassed us. Check. Terry Collins made awful bullpen and bench choices that cost us the game. Check. And then finally, Yoenis Cespedes nearly hit a homer to launch the team to a stunning victory over a bad team, but instead he was robbed at the wall by an amazing catch and we lost. So we failed to beat a bad team (three times in a row). Check.

Homers, Our Favorite: Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two run homer in the first inning to make it 2-0 Mets. Rene Rivera added a solo shot in the 5th inning to make it 3-0.

Big Sexy Dominance/Recked: Bartolo Colon was dominant for 6 scoreless innings. In the 7th inning with one out and a man on, he gave up a two run opposite field homer to Anthony Recker. What an embarrassing blunder. I felt a disturbance in the Mets Force at that moment. At that moment my dream of a Big Sexy complete game and a Mets victory was fading. I knew we were in big trouble.

The Pen Snafu: Terry asked Addison Reed to get more than 3 outs in this game when he brought him into the game in the 7th. It was a totally reasonable request. Reed has been arguably the game’s best reliever this year. He’s been even more dominant than Jeurys Familia. So Reed retired a batter to end the 7th inning. Then in the 8th inning, James Loney made a pathetic fielding error that allowed Ender Inciarte to reach first base to start the inning. James Loney is terrible. I never want to watch him play baseball again. Reed recovered to retire the next batter. But then Terry Collins removed the best reliever in the game in favor of rookie Josh Smoker to face the lefty Freddie Freeman. Let’s be clear here. You don’t take out your best reliever in the name of splits. You wouldn’t take Familia out in that situation, and you don’t take Reed out. Especially considering Smoker walked in a run on Tuesday. Nope. If you’re removing Reed in the 8th, the only acceptable move is go to Familia. Smoker served up a single immediately, and then Terry went to Familia. Total bullpen mismanagement. He put Familia into a terrible situation. Ender Inciarte and Freedie Freeman executed a double steal and then Matt Kemp hit a sac fly to tie the game at 3.

Terry The Unimaginable Fool: Terry gave up the lead, but the Mets had a chance to score in the bottom of the 8th. And Terry blew that too. Yo hit a one out double and Curtis Granderson was intentionally walked. Then with T.J. Rivera up, the Mets executed a double steal. The Mets actually had the opportunity for a sac fly, but Rivera struck out. Then Terry played a ridiculous little game of mix and match with the Braves. Terry pinch hit Kelly Johnson for Matt Reynolds and the Braves responded by bringing in a lefty reliever. So what does Terry do? Well he couldn’t bring in Wilmer Flores because he killed him in that home plate collision. We really miss Wilmer. Instead of letting the established veteran hitter Johnson face a lefty reliever, he brings in Soup. Eric Campbell was intentionally walked so the Braves could get to the next lefty Loney. Instead of letting Loney hit Terry brought in the worst hitter on the team Kevin Plawecki, and he struck out in obvious fashion. The reporters said nothing about this horrible stretch of bench burning decision-making after the game.

Soup Note: If you don’t remember Eric Campbell, he was formerly public enemy number one for the fan base before he was used as a pinch hitter for Jay Bruce two nights ago. Talk about a symbolic passing of the baton of hate.

Make It Stop: In the top of the 9th inning Familia coughed up a run to make it 4-3 Braves. In the bottom of the 9th, Yo came up with two men on and two outs. He had a chance to come through with yet another signature moment at the plate. He launched a ball with home run distance and Ender Inciarte robbed the homer with a game saving catch.

Awful, All Awful: The Mets, Giants, and Cardinals all lost. I honestly hope these teams finish in a three way tie for both Wild Card spots and fans across the country are forced to watch them play one awful tiebreaker game after another. None of these abysmal squads deserve a playoff berth. The Giants are in the midst of the worst second half collapse in the history of baseball, and the Mets still can’t claim a playoff spot. Pull the plug. End this season.

Today: Philly comes to Citi Field tonight. I’m watching the game on mute. I can’t handle the crowd noises and commentary anymore. Just get me to the 2016 finish line.