Mets Are Too Lenient With Late Inning Walks

From now on when the Mets come back from being 5 runs down, just turn off the game. It's guaranteed to be a disappointment. In the second time in a month, the Mets came back from being way down to take the lead only to blow it in the 9th.

This time it was Parnell on the mound. He's done this before and I'm sure he'll do it again. He gave up a leadoff hit and then committed the ultimate faux paux for any closer: he walked the next batter. It's the ultimate sin, yet Collins and the Mets don't seem to see what it leads to. I guarantee every Mets fan who follows this team knew it was going to end in a loss as soon as Parnell walked the second batter. It's the same thing that Isringhausen did against the Brewers in August. It's what doomed John Franco for all those year. And Benitez. And Looper. And Wagner. Walks by a closer destroy one run games.

There has to be a point when you send a message that you will not stand for walks from your closer. I realize the Mets are not in a pennant race. I get you are trying to mold a closer in the young Parnell, but letting him bury himself out there is worse than teaching what is and isn't acceptable from a closer.

As soon as Parnell gave up that walk he needed to be pulled. I said the same thing of Izzy when he blew it against the Brewers. Izzy gave up 2 walks and was still allowed to continue. In the 9th inning of a one run game there's no acceptance of allowing free base runners. They beat you on a home run so be it. But allowing walks to put the winning run on base is just unacceptable.

If Parnell is to become a closer he learns nothing by blowing a save. Ok, he learns disappointment. If Collins pulls him every time he walks a guy in a one run game with no outs, Parnell will learn pretty quickly that he can't walk anyone or else he'll find himself back in the minors. The same should go for Beato.

With the Mets firmly out of the picture, now is the time to teach these lessons. You obviously wouldn't do this with K-Rod or an established closer (Izzy doesn't count. He's a washed up closer), but you can do this with young guys who need to learn the ropes.

I'm sick of 9th inning walks. It's time Mets relievers learned a lesson.