Perhaps someday, Jim Abbott will win a game in the National League. That day did not come yesterday and, considering how poorly his latest comeback attempt is going, it’s questionable how many more opportunities he will get.
In 41/3 difficult innings for the Brewers, Abbott allowed seven hits and six earned runs, looking like he has very little left on his fastball, looking nothing like the heroic pitcher who once fired a no-hitter for the Yankees in 1993. Abbott dropped to 0-5 and his earned run average ballooned to 9.11, and he allowed a first-inning grand slam to Robin Ventura to quickly point Milwaukee in the wrong direction in an eventual 11-10 loss to the previously struggling Mets.
Already this season, Abbott was so dismal that he was temporarily demoted to the bullpen after three games that produced an 0-3 record. Another start resulted in another loss and he lugged ugly numbers (0-4, 8.49) into his outing against the Mets, an outing which only made his numbers more unsightly.
Anyone wondering why Abbott has been so rotten did not have to wait long for a clue. In the first inning, Abbott got two quick outs and then began nibbling, and his hesitance to challenge the hitters – maybe because his no-zip fastball was clocked in the mid-80s – led to immediate trouble. He walked John Olerud, gave up a line single to Mike Piazza and then walked Edgardo Alfonzo. The extra baserunners, the result of pitching around the plate, all came back to haunt Abbott, who on a full count did not get the ball inside far enough to prevent Ventura from lofting what at first looked to be a harmless fly ball and instead became his 11th career grand slam for a sudden 4-0 Brewers deficit.
Abbott had previously been masterful against Ventura, who came in hitting .182 (4-for-22) against Abbott.
After his teammates roughed up a laboring Al Leiter to pull even, Abbott in the fourth inning was an active participant in his own demise. With two runners on, Leiter attempted to sacrifice and his bunt bounced directly back to Abbott, who turned and fired the ball so high and wide of the intended target that all third baseman Jeff Cirillo could do was stand and watch. A run scored on the throwing error and Abbott was down 5-4.
Again, the Brewers bailed Abbott out, giving him a 6-5 lead, and again, he fouled up. He allowed consecutive singles to Piazza and Alfonzo to start the fifth, and after getting Ventura on a fly to center, Abbott was finally lifted for reliever Steven Falteisek. As he headed for the dugout, Abbott received a warm ovation, showing that he remains a popular player despite his pitching woes.
If that brought a smile to Abbott’s face, what followed wiped it away. Benny Agbayani slammed a three-run homer, ruining any chance for Abbott’s first NL victory.
