I was asked to provide some words to Mack's for Tuesday morning this week and was torn between whether to write an original piece or to just go with the topics of the moment. With the delay of the final two games until Monday, I decided Tuesday morning would be a good time to get the first comments of the weekend/season and now, the upcoming post-season.
So, quite a game 1, huh? From the ledge, to being pulled back, to crawling back out there, to finally get pulled back to safety. How nerve-wracking. But the good guys ended up winning!
I'll start the comments here, but this post is for your comments about Monday and your predictions about the next few days.
My comments about Monday:
Why did they bother playing the first 7 innings?
I did not like the move to see Diaz come into the game in the 8th with one out and two runners on. I would love to see the stats on this situation, but my gut tells me that he does not pitch well in that type of scenario. I would much rather have seen Mendoza stick with Maton for at least one more out, or gone with Butto (was he even available today?) or Garrett to clear the 8th and get to the ninth so Diaz could get a clean inning to work. (yeah, 20/20 hindsight, but that was my real feel at the time)
Diaz needs to get better at playing defense. Alonso made a great snag and had a decent shot at retiring Kelenic had Diaz covered first in the timely manner that is taught from little league forward.
I was rooting for Lindor to steal a base today to make the 30-30 club for the second straight year, joining Bobby Witt, Jr. as the only shortstops to do that. Unfortunately, he ended with 33 homers and 29 stolen bases. Oh well. That 33rd homer made it worthwhile!
Why did they bother playing Game 2? Oh yeah, some other team needed to.
On to Milwaukee
To be honest, although I don't make a practice of rooting for the Braves and rooting against the Mets, I am not too disappointed in not going to San Diego. I would rather the Mets be playing Milwaukee than SD, and if they can somehow squeak out that series, they would then play Philly rather than the Dodgers. Just me, but that is my preference as I say, "Great, let the Braves take the west coast".
I am not going to predict the Wildcard series, although I think the Mets CAN win. They need the bats to wake up.
What do you all think about the way things went down and how things are about to go? Please comment prolifically below!
R69 . out for now.
ReplyDelete1. Game 1 might have been the most exciting regular season I have ever seen. First comes the total seven inning dominance by that AA shortstop turned starter with the name that sounds more like someone handing you a beer during Oktoberfest… then the insane 8th inning which you only wished could have been played to the home crowd at Citi… then “here comes the Bravos”, which you know would come, and then… and then… the blast by Lindor. Martin Scorsese couldn’t produce this epic.
2. The total scratch of the head when Carlos Medoza created his version of Terry Collins not pulling Matt Harvey. You know it was wrong to pitch Edwin Diaz yesterday… then… and then… you let him come back out in the 9th… and even leave him in when he refused to leave the mound. Somehow, he toughed it out with a slower fastball and a slide-less slider.
3. As for Game 2, I’m happy the Braves won. I still consider them the top team in the NL East. Their IL list would fill a hospital ward, yet they got to this day anyway. I hate when the Mets lose to them, but they remain my in division homeboyz.
1. I would have frankly hated Edwin if we lost both games. Had he broke immediately for first, they definitely get Kelenic. BUT...it led to Lindor's heroics. Lindor is starting to forge his way towards contention for best Met ever, understanding he has a ways to go to catch up to David Wright. His whole career to Wright's whole career at the same age? Toss up.
ReplyDelete2. Iglesias got dropped to us from heaven. How he didn't make the team out of spring training remains a complete mystery.
3. Nimmo had another huge moment. Huge.
4. Tyrone Taylor's at bat to start the 8th? WIthout that, they lose. 11 pitch AB and lead off double?
5. My Pal Joey stymied the desperate Braves squad. If they get past the first round, they ought to add him to the roster. 111 pitches? 1 run in 6 innings? And he seemed to get squeezed on several pitches, or maybe he goes 7. Hard to say it, but his 90 MPH fastball was popping.
6. They should arrive in Milwaukee well rested.
7 Edwin 65 pitches in two days? I hope Stanek is ready tonight.
Somewhere Senga is rehabbing. Hopefully not in southern Lebanon.
ReplyDeleteI was talking with Gary after Game 2 and he started asking me what I thought would happen next.
ReplyDeleteI told him that, frankly, I don't care.
The Mets made the playoffs. THAT alone made my year, in a year I started out posting daily updates how close the Mets were for a lottery pick
They can lose 0-20 the next two games and I finish the season content
The issue with Diaz is much deeper than just not covering first base. He also did not back up home on the 3-run double and he has no interest in holding runners on base. This is unacceptable to me. He needs to do some work on his game, starting with understanding situations and reacting immediately when a ball is hit rather than pouting that the batter actually hit it.
ReplyDeletePaul, I am with you with Diaz. There is no excuse for his lack of fundamentals. You don't assume anything, you just cover the base and if it is foul, its foul but you cover the base. Same as you pointed out to backing home plate. Other than that, I have little confidence in Diaz with the game on the line. As I said before, he has no gravitas and once he makes a mistake, he falls apart quickly.
ReplyDeleteIt’s incredible how all the points y’all are making above were things I was thinking yesterday, along with one more: Winker was celebrating during both games. Why didn’t he play? Not even Game 2?
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, they say that it’s better to be lucky than good. I hope Mendoza’s rabbit’s foot doesn’t run out of magic because he is managing hubrisly. He had no reason to not use Stanek and Butto in the eighth inning after Maton pitched two previous days. And as for Diaz, it’s obvious that they have a head case on their hands. He won’t hold runners! He won’t play his position! And he won’t jump up and down any more! He learned one lesson, he better learn two more.
part of me want this guy to be sent to the Latin Leagues to room with Jenrry Mejia while the rest of me says to accept the head case in question.
DeleteAnd this comes from the biggest head case on this site
Unless Winker is hurting, how 10 for 85 (.116) Bader plays ahead of him is a true mystery. And, I was so mad with Edwin, had the Mets not bounced back and missed the playoffs, I may have just have given up on the Mets forever. I already no longer watch the Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Islanders, Giants or Jets, so I was thatclose. It would have been monumentally inexcusable if they missed the playoffs, especially since that has been a Mets specialty since 1984...how to wrench your fans' hearts out. Dodged one yesterday, thanks to the great Lindor.
DeleteCan we get his Brother from Cincy?
ReplyDelete