Nationals Sweep Away Mets to 0-3 Start

NATIONALS 8/METS 2 

If the first two days of the season weren't enough of a sign that things are amiss with the Mets, than final game of the clubs' opening series was the straw that broke the camels back.

With their best pitcher on the mound, Zach Wheeler, and with full knowledge they would not face Nationals flamethrower Jordan Zimmerman, the Mets put together another stink fest en route to their first 0-3 start since 2005.

In 2005, when the Mets opened 0-3, they would go onto finish with a record of 83-79. However that was a team that was expected to win. They had a veteran team with Mike Piazza, Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran, as well as two young stars in David Wright and Jose Reyes. It was the first year of what turned out to be the Mets mini-run.

This year's club is not expected to do anything, and through three games they haven't.

They look lost at the plate, having struck out a combined 31 times over the first two days, the bullpen is a nightmare, and the kids are not exactly alright, struggling through the learning process. Terry Collins must be wondering how much longer he'll have left as manager if this losing continues.

Here were the Mets with Wheeler on the hill, a 2-1 lead in his pocket, and the Mets fumbled it away.

Wheeler walked Sandy Leon to lead-off the fifth inning, then surrendered an RBI single to Denard Span to tie the game at two. Finally, Jayson Werth drove home Span with a single to right. The Mets did everything wrong when it mattered, while the Nationals did everything right. Washington looks like a playoff team in early April.

Long after Wheeler left, the Nationals blew the game open in the seventh inning with a four run frame. Adam LaRoche punched a two-run single to first that bounced off the glove of Lucas Duda. Ryan Zimmerman, who homered earlier in the game, drove in another run on a single to center, and LaRoche scored on a throwing error by Daniel Murphy to make it 7-2.

Is there hope for this team? Will they ever be able to muster enough offense to help their starters? One has to wonder. This team looks very raw in a lot of places, and the fact that this is a team with so many fringe major leagures' on the squad, the front office's decision making is finally coming back to bite them.

The Mets wrap up this opening home stand with three games against the Reds, before embarking on a nine game road trip to Atlanta, Anaheim and Arizona. It could be the trip from Hell if things don't change soon for the Metropolitans.