CONSIDER MY NERVES FULLY WRACKED!
Sometimes, baseball is trench warfare. Bullets whiz by, you hope to live to tell about it.
One bullet didn't whiz by, the one that 0 for 5 (.391) 3B Jeff McNeil reacted to like a cougar and speared with a leap.
Otherwise, Edwin Diaz doesn't keep his consecutive save streak intact. And Edwin's saves are saving this Mets season so far.
Considering the Mets had lost 4 of 5, it was quite a relief to win 5-4. A very tense relief for Mets fans.
Jason Vargas gave the Mets 4 innings of 1 run ball, quite a relief after his prior meltdowns. Of course 6 innings from Vargie would have been nice, but quit while you're ahead, right?
A two run shot allowed by Seth Lugo brought the score uncomfortably close, and in the 8th, Rob Gsellman was valiant in getting two tough batters with RISP without allowing the tying run. PHEW!
Offsetting the nerve-racking stuff:
Want Exciting? Watch Pete Alonso's 430+ foot bullet to center on a low pitch that was off the plate! BEAST AT ANY MOMENT.
Encouraging? Robbie Cano rip-rip-ripping 3 line drive hits, including 2 doubles.
Moving on:
Unnerving? Jake's need for an MRI on his previously battle-scarred elbow. If TJS # 2 is the outcome, the success of the 2019 season is in extreme jeopardy.
Instead of the Jakester, Chris Flexen pitches today. New and improved, or same old, same old? We'll find out. But his 2 AAA outings in 2019, in which he fanned 18 in 12 innings, gives reason for hope.
Just as important as Flexen's strikeout totals is the good control he's exhibiting. It's kind of weird to generate that many Ks yet still be hittable. It will be interesting.
ReplyDeleteTwo things:
ReplyDelete1) I think Vargas should have gone out there in the 5th -- albeit with a short leash. I sincerely hope the plan is to push him past this dumb idea of "only two times through the lineup." It's a long season and it will kill the bullpen. Already today probably without Lugo and Familia. I personally am hopeful that Vargas can give the Mets a league-average performance for a #5 starter. He doesn't have to be very good, just, you know, not consistently bad. He needs to be view under that lens, as a #5, not compared to every pitcher in the league. My fingers are crossed. Last night he looked good, the change-up looked great. Just get the Mets through 5 innings, and into the 6th, giving up no more than 3 runs. That's the job. The wild hope is he can do that more times than not.
2) I think Calloway really bungled the description of it -- and he's getting killed on social media for it -- but I fully support the idea of not burning out Edwin Diaz. I like the idea of keeping him as a 9th-inning only pitcher. Except for, you know, extreme moments. The reality is every 8th inning is going to be hairy and if we're not careful -- and Calloway is not a good in-game guy -- we're going to overuse Diaz and burn our finest late-game asset. For Mets to win, going to need guys like Lugo, Gsellman, Familia, Wilson to get some big outs along the way. That's all there is to it.
Part of problem, I think, is that Calloway can't be trusted. He needs RULES. So this probably game from on high. Don't use Edwin in the 8th. And again, this is April. Long, long, long season and we need this guy all the way through. Hopefully, with some luck, he can get some 4-out, 5-out saves in September.
Jimmy P
Jimmy, I think the Mets have only seen Vargas (this spring) be good (if at all) for 4 innings, then fall apart. We need 5 or 6 from him.
ReplyDeleteReally, we need Gio.
The pen has been reeling, but the opponent teams can really hit, so we can't face Cincy soon enough. Our relievers should fare well against them.
Reese, we desperately need an upgraded Flexen 2.0. Models 1.0 and 1.1 are sitting in a junk yard somewhere. Not even good for parts.
And for Pete sake, can that guy McNeil get some hits? .391 is not enough for this team.
WE NEED NIMMO PRONTO.
Another option would be to play J.D. Davis in the OF if Frazier makes it back here before Nimmo is ready but then again Davis is likely the sacrificial lamb due to Frazier's hefty paycheck.
ReplyDelete.300/.417/.540 for Davis, Reese. David Wright #s - JD is staying and playing
ReplyDeleteSpoken with logic, my friend, but not thinking like a Wilpon.
ReplyDelete