Tom Brennan - Wacky Monday is Upon Us

MY ACE

So...the floundering Mets won, the unbeatable Braves lost, and the dithering D Backs won. Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Welcome to Baseball Monday. Only the Mets and Atlanta playing, and they play two today.

MLB's article on the Mets site summarizes the opportunities thusly (with my comments):

If the Mets sweep Monday’s doubleheader, they will earn the National League’s No. 5 seed and travel to San Diego for a Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday. (LONG TRIP AFTER A DOUBLEHEADER, HUH?)

If the Mets take one of two from the Braves, they will earn the No. 6 seed and return to Milwaukee for a Wild Card Series beginning on the same day. (SOUNDS 2 TIME ZONES BETTER TO ME THAN SAN DIEGO)

If the Mets lose both games to the Braves, their season will end without a playoff berth. (TEARS WILL FLOW)

Puzzling as heck to me on Sunday was pitching Sugar Diaz, with a 5 run lead and the potential of 3 hyper-critical games over the next 2 days to follow.  So if they need a closer, or at least need EDWIN DIAZ in close non-closing situations, will he pitch 4 times in 3 days?  Manager Mendoza, I hope you don't regret using Diaz with a 5 run lead Sunday.  

Moving on:

Lindor is a warrior, an MVP without the award; 

Alvarez returned amazingly quickly from the back spasms, had 2 hits and 2 RBIs and left with a hammy cramp, but says he is playing today; and 

The JD Martinez coma ended yesterday, with hopes he has a Ted Williams 1941 final season day (6 for 8).  JD, I read, was telling everyone in the clubhouse to stay loose and enjoy yesterday, because they weren't even supposed to be here. Great advice from a veteran.

That Brewers starter yesterday, Rea, had a 7.43 ERA over his last 7 outings, so the Mets had to flog their Adrian Houser - thankfully, the Mets hitters spanked him and did not turn him into Milwaukee's Chris Sale.

And...those who pay attention to my articles know I have referred to David Peterson several times recently as MY ACE.  Well, he was Koufax-brilliant yesterday.  Pitching only 2/3 of the season due to missing the first third, while recovering from hip surgery that I hoped would upgrade him to a Cole Hamels level, Peterson ended up here:

10-3, 2.90.  15-6 in the 21 games he pitched in.

My Ace.  Cole Hamels II.

HERE WE GO, BOYS AND GIRLS. BUCKLE UP.

This appears to be the Mets' likely starter strategy for today per Mets site:

How do the rotations line up for this doubleheader?

"The Mets will start (Reese's "favorite") Tylor Megill for Game 1, according to a source. That strategy allows them to strategically deploy one of their best pitchers, Luis Severino. If the Mets lose Game 1 and need to win Game 2 to advance to the postseason, they’ll start Severino in that one. If they win Game 1, they’ll save Severino for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series."

 - Megill has allowed 6 earned runs in his last 6 outings spanning 27.1 IP.

The Braves will start "not-so" Schwellenbach in game 1, and the very rested Chris Sale, if necessary in game 2.  

Obviously, the Braves would prefer to have Sale ready to pitch playoffs game #1 Tuesday night and not use him today.  So if the Mets can win game 1, it could royally screw the Braves' chances of playoff success.