Howard Simmons/New York Daily News
Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is escorted to first base by Mets catcher Mike Nickeas after being hit by a pitch.
This was Terry Collins at about 4:10pm on Tuesday: “When (Dillon Gee) comes out in the middle of the strike zone, he’s going to get hit a little bit."
At about 8:40pm, the manager did not appear to draw any pleasure from the accuracy of his analysis, as he trudged from the dugout to the mound to retrieve Gee with one out in the sixth inning of the Mets’ 8-0 loss to Milwaukee.
Later, the night grew to include additional intrigue, when D.J. Carrasco was ejected after plunking Ryan Braun in the seventh. When Collins pinch-hit for David Wright to lead off the bottom of the inning -- a move to protect him from retaliation†-- the manager and third baseman engaged in an animated dugout discussion.
It was that kind of night for the Mets. Since 7:11, the manager had watched Gee trade effective innings with ugly ones, and leave with a line that emphasized the negative: 5.1 innings, eight hits, seven runs. An earned run average at 5.65, and questions about his effectiveness as the Mets’ fifth starter.
Collins usually defers to Dan Warthen, who as pitching coach is paid for his expertise in that field. But Gee is an exception for the manager, because his formula for success or failure is simple.
“Dillon Gee is pretty easy,†Collins said. “The days that your command is not there, you’re really going to work hard. When it’s there, you’re going to pitch a good baseball game."
Basically, Gee is a precise and intelligent pitcher who lacks a dominant repertoire. When his command is strong, he can dominate anyway, but he has little margin for error.
“He throws strikes, he changes speeds, he works fast,†Collins said. “Now, when he’s not throwing strikes, when he’s behind in the count, he’s gonna get hit.â€
That has happened in each of Gee’s previous two outings. The righty allowed four runs on 10 hits in 5.2 innings last in Philadelphia last Wednesday, and called that game the worst of his season.
Much more effective in early innings Monday night, Gee still trailed after the second, when he allowed a RBI double to Travis Ishikawa, a RBI single to Cesar Izturis. That game opposing ace Zack Greinke a 2-0 lead; Greinke responded by striking out five batters in the first three innings, and allowing only a David Wright double.
Wright again tried to begin a threat when he singled with one out in the fourth -- but was thrown out attempting to steal second while Lucas Duda struck out.
Gee matched Greinke through four, needing just 10 pitches in the third inning, and nine in the fourth, but fell further behind in the fifth. He began that inning by throwing a fastball to Ishikawa, exactly the sort of pitch that Collins cautioned against: 89 miles per hour and in the middle of the strike zone.
Ishikawa was the no.7 hitter, and began this game batting .217, but had no trouble sending that pitch off the base of the bridge in deep right field. The Brewers, leading 3-0, began to pull away -- and in the fifth, they sprinted to an irreversible lead.
Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez began Gee’s final frame with singles, and Jonathan Lucroy singled in Braun to make it 4-0. With Collins scowling in the dugout, Gee tried a different strategy with Ishikawa, beginning this at-bat with a curveball.
Didn’t work. Ishikawa bashed it to centerfield for his second homer, and career-high fifth RBI of the game. It was 7-0, Collins summoned Manny Acosta, and Gee’s night was over.
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