SOOOOO MANY PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS!
The Mets never have it easy.
They go to the House of the Braves in Atlanta, leading the Braves by two games and owning the tie breaker.
Series match ups?
Tonight? Luis Severino (11-6) vs. Herr Schellenbach (7-7).
- Schellenbach (rookie with 3.61 ERA) went 13 picks after Calvin Ziegler.
Tomorrow? David Peterson (9-3) vs. Chris Sale (18-3).
Thursday? Sean Manaea (12-5) vs. David Fried (10-10)?
Lindor? I imagine he and his back will be back in the line up.
After this series, the Mets face a clinched but tough division winning Brewers squad, also on the road, while the Braves face a good, but recently struggling KC Royals team for 3 games.
Elsewhere?
Arizona has 2 more against SFG, then 3 vs. SDP.
San Diego has a commanding 3 game wild card lead, but, they have 6 games left, split between LAD and Arizona, coming up.
Arizona was the only team playing amongst the 4 squads, and they lost to SFG yesterday, so the relative standings look like this:
SD +3.5 games in the WC.
Mets +0.5 games in the WC.
Az -0.5 games in the WC.
Atl -1.5 games in the WC.
Hairy last week, to the max. Which of the 3 will miss the Wild Card?
What order will the 3 that do make it in finish in?
How does it all shake out? Only you can reveal it to us. Don't be bashful.
Before it is your turn, I wanted to add one other thought:
What if the Mets were in the AL?
They would lead the division leading Astros by 2.5 games, trail the division leading Guardians by 2.5 games, and lead in the AL Wild Card by 1 game. Easy to get in, if that were the case.
Never, ever easy in Metsville, though, huh?
Lindor plays 2 of 3, and the Mets win 2 of 3. Arizona stumbles and the Braves still sneak in. SD stumbles and the Mets tie them. Not sure how that tie breaker goes.
ReplyDeleteThe White Sox, though...that is the team I am watching. As a fan of the 40-120 Mets of 1962, I am rooting for the 2024, 36-120 White Sox to lose, baby, lose. 62 years owning that record is long enough.
The Mets have the tiebreaker advantage over San Diego
DeletePlease tell me it isn't true that Francisco has decided to name his next son David Wright Lindor.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I misread. The Mets and Braves are tied regarding the tie breaker. Whoever wins two this series will have the tie breaker advantage. Win two in Atlanta means in the playoff. The Mets have the tiebreaker advantage over the other two.
ReplyDeleteSan Diego will will the first wildcard spot a game ahead of the Mets.
Arizona will lose out to Atlanta based on their tiebreaker.
Not sure of the math with SD and ARI. With that last series between them in Arizona, I am not sure the Mets can close to within one game and Arizona still be out. Maybe if SD loses 3 to LA . . not sure. .
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I think it will be SD with the 4 seed, NY with 5 and ATL catching the last wildcard.
There is another interesting race in the AL. Perhaps the Mets would be in a better spot over there, but the finish line is just as wild with the Royals, Tigers, Twins, and Mariners all fighting for the last two spots. The Tigers and M's are both surging upwards and the Royals and Twins have faltered badly over the last couple weeks. Does momentum matter?
I was hoping that the White Sox did not lose that 121st game (no chance they finish with 6 wins in a row). It is not right that a team in this era of relative parity should be that bad. The '62 Mets earned that title of being really terrible, but they had a lot of character doing it. The White Sox don't have that. They are an afterthought to the year.
ReplyDeleteSteve, I had heard the Mets owned the tie breaker. Maybe I heard wrong. I hope I am not wrong.
ReplyDeleteBelow is a great link explaining every team.
DeleteThe first tie breaker is based upon head-to-head record. The Mets and the Braves are tied for the season (5 wins, 5 losses). Win this series, win the tie breaker. Added pressure?
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-playoff-picture-and-bracket-2024?msockid=092bb4b315b16c9f111aa04714756d1c
R 69, anyone who says that the current Wild Card set up is bad for baseball is nuts. After the Mets went one and out in 2016, I advocated for a best of 3, as to me, a one game do-or-die game seemed unfair - if you had a red hot starter for that game, but the other team could not, you had a slanted edge. Just based on increased attendance alone....but it is also greatly increased fan interest. Such as the AL teams are also experiencing. The playoff atmosphere really starts well before the playoffs. And me? I hope the White Sox finish 36-126, and put the worst record forever out of reach.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the playoff structure. I like the additional races and the three wildcards per league. It keeps more teams in it longer and keeps the interest up.
ReplyDeleteThe Mets clinched their first division title 55 years ago today when there were just two divisions in each league and no wildcard teams.
It would have been nice to have Paul Skenes starting for the Mets in this series. He is 11-3, 1.99 in 22 starts. He had a 1.85 ERA in 34 minor league innings that were wasted, as he was already ready for the majors, and likely would have won the Cy Young over Sale this year had he started in the majors on day 1. He still just might win that award. If he stays healthy, G.O.A.T?
ReplyDeleteNew Rule: Playoff teams can now borrow other teams players
DeleteWild card results: forget the Braves, they have the Mets and Royals. They’re out.the Mets will go 5-1 these last six games. The Pads will go 2-4, and the Mets will host next weekend. The DBacks will go to Milwaukee.
ReplyDeleteGotta love the optimism. The Mets are a good road team, but 5-1 seems like a stretch. I think the Padres pitching will carry them better than 2-4 against the Dodgers and Snakes, although both series are on the road for them.
DeleteIn the very interesting American League: orioles will host the Royals and lose! The Tigers will go to the Astros and lose.
ReplyDeleteMets win one against both the Braves and Brewers
ReplyDeleteAll comes down to the results of the D-Back series against the Padres
Had a strange day yesterday
Internet and WIFI down from 8am-9pm
Had to entertain myself only with Mrs. Mack
Some concept, huh?
I am hopeful that this is the "new Mets". We won't go into Atlanta and get crushed by the braves, victimized by former Mets players. It would have been easy to fold to the Phils and say, "Oh well they have the best record in baseball". Instead we took it to them. Same approach with the Braves.
ReplyDeleteMack, you two remain teenagers in love.
ReplyDeleteTheMets are in the playoffs right now. Flop and you go home. Win, and you March on.