In What Could Have Been Pete’s Last Mets At Bat Ever, He Made Sure
It Was NOT His Last Mets At Bat Ever
For all the Wild Card marbles:
Jose Quintana and Austin Powers Myers aced it, had the score at 0-0 after 6.
Quintana was at 96 pitches. Leave him in? No.
Then…Mendoza wished that he had. Why?
Butto Bombed Badly
So, you see, I write nice things about Butto on Tuesday, and what does he do? Well, he gets bombed in relief Thursday night. I knew I should have kept my trap shut.
He gives up a HR to .199 pinch hitter Bauers. Then Sal Maglie Frelick bashed one right behind him. Both were crushed. 2-0.
Then Edwin comes in to close the 7th, and throws 20 pitches (7 strikes) to keep it at 2-0.
Edwin regroups and throws 19 more in the 8th. Still 2-0. He’s cooked.
Offense was an absolute zero for the Mets through 8.
But the Good Lord created all things, including the 9th inning.
The Lord is great indeed.
Lindor walked on a checked swing, Vientos fanned on truly nasty pitches, the clutch Nimmo drilled a single up the middle, then ice cold Pete Alonso came up and took a fat pitch for strike one.
But their elite closer Devin Williams (who has had an astonishingly good career, 27-10, 1.83, 375 Ks in 238 career innings) threw 3 straight balls, and then Pete poked a 3 run shot just over the fence in right. Off a guy who NEVER gives up HRs.
Thousands of fans watching at Citi Field on the big screens (great idea) absolutely erupted. So loud, in fact, that Pete probably heard them roar from 1300 miles away.
Then, Wild Man Jesse James Winker got hit by a pitch, stole second, and Marte drove him in with a hit to right. Winker slammed his helmet to the ground with great gusto and hair exploding, and stalked back to the dugout completely and totally stoked. Love the guy. Sign him for 2025. One mandatory clause, though…he must keep his hair long and slam many helmets.
2-0 Brewers after 8 was suddenly 4-2 Mets, bottom 9, and the Brewer fans were stunned. Skewered Brewers.
The Mets brought in their own elite closer, who else, my ace David Peterson. A lead off hit, but then a strike out, and a double play, and THE MIGHTY MIRACULOUS METS SHOW GOES ON.
(CAREER SAVE # 1)
Next up? The Phillies, in Philadelphia, on Saturday.
Road Warriors.
I am wanting that ring, but I am thrilled they got past the Wild Card.
So, I read this, following game 2:
Brewers star SS Willy Adames confirmed he did offer to meet Mets DH/ex-Brewer Jesse Winker in the parking lot to settle differences after an on-field “chirping” match following Winker’s two-run, Game 1 triple.
“I told him that when we were chirping at each other,” Adames told The Post, confirming expert lip reader Jomboy’s fine report.
“I was there [in the lot],” Adames added, saying Winker didn’t show.
All Adames proved, by going to the lot in hopes of “being a man” perhaps, is that he is a thug.
Chirping is part of baseball. Live with it. Altercations off the field? Unacceptable.
Well, after this blown, season-ending game, Adames hopefully Met himself in the parking lot and beat himself up.
I simply will never understand how basement dwelling turds that never hit past whiffle ball games now are given the power to pull a starter that hasn't given up a run and has plenty of pitches left.
ReplyDeleteThird time around?
Bob Gibson can be heard laughing at that.
Hey Adames!
DeleteI'll meet you out back...
Beat your ass with my cane, will I
Yep, Mack, there is always a danger that the next guy you bring in 1) may not be as good and 2) might have an off night. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
ReplyDeleteTo steal a line from the movie ,Trains, Planes and Automobiles, "helliva game". I had the remote in my hand when Pete came up, ready to turn the TV off and to not ever see the Brewers fans and their yellow towels again. The Mets "won the damn game".
ReplyDeleteAs I said before the season...
ReplyDeleteLet's beat the Phillies.
Fellas, whadda we got? We’ve got heart, miles and miles of heart.
ReplyDeleteMack you phonetically pronounce Adames as “A Dumb Ass”. The first Adam bit the Big Apple, it didn’t end up too good.
ReplyDeleteLet’s not be hypocrites, who complained about Butto coming in? I originally didn’t want Chourio and Sanchez getting another shot at Quintana because they smoked him twice, but after he got through them, at 96 pitches, I wouldn’t play games either. My biggest problem was on a 3-2 pitch, you throw a change up? A change up? And it appeared to me that he dropped down from the side, and it was flat as a batting practice cookie. Then he got ambushed by throwing a meatball…. That change up selection was the problem.
ReplyDeleteButto suppressed his HR-prone minors ways this season, which in 2022 and 2023 was my concern with him, but his mistakes travel a mighty long way. He has another round to redeem himself. But Joey Lucchesi threw 111 pitches the other day. Quintana had another 15 pitches left in him to get to 111.
ReplyDeleteMy bullpen complaints started Sunday, when they used Edwin with a 5 run lead and had potentially 3 more Edwin-critical games in the next 48 hours. Mendoza does not get an A on bullpen from Sunday on. Putting my ace Peterson in to close out the 9th was definitely a Mendoza bullpen-grade-booster, though.
ReplyDeleteI agree Tom on Peterson’s use yesterday. In a very petty way, I enjoyed seeing ESPN’s crappy production come to an end. They never mentioned the defensive replacements last night for the bottom of the ninth, and it might have been the reason why Lindor had to run hard to second, because the second baseman Acuna didn’t get to the bag. Also, them showing their prized .843 winning percentage for the team that hits the most homeruns twice and mentioning it again and again…. they certainly shut up about afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI think the new rallying cry is "Why Not Us"
ReplyDeleteWow… from SNY’s Andy Martino today:
ReplyDelete“ MILWAUKEE — “I haven’t told anyone this yet,” Brandon Nimmo said, “but I lost my grandmother about an hour before the game.”
We knew it was a possibility,” he said of his grandmother’s passing. “She had gotten COVID, and her lungs weren’t doing well. She had pulled through, and then she was back to the ER yesterday, and she wasn’t doing well. About an hour or so before the game, I got the text.”
Nimmo’s parents had to rush out of the ballpark. He was left to refocus on the biggest game of his career to date.
“I just said, you know what? She and my grandpa watched every game,” Nimmo said. “I got to see them [recently]. I have pictures of us together and holding hands. I know she’s in a better place now. But it really just put things in perspective before the game, to be able to say that this stuff.…”
A loud roar arose a few feet away: Nimmo’s teammates were hollering even louder now. He gestured toward them.
“Right here, this stuff matters, the experiences, the moments like this, celebrating, this is what it’s all about,” he said. “The money, the accolades, no -- this is what it’s all about. Moments with our [Mets] family.”
———————————————-
It just hit me, Nimmo is from Wisconsin. He was close to home but couldn’t leave and had a job to do. Wow…. Leaves a lump in your throat.
I believe Nimmo is from Wyoming (I think that Kelenic dude is from Wisconsin). It was interesting earlier this summer on our cross country trip we were driving north on Route 25 out of Cheyenne, WY and the first or second exit past the city dumped you on "Nimmo Road".
DeleteThank you for that. I didn’t remember accurately. Nimmo Road is pretty cool though. It would be bad-ass if he had a house on it.
DeleteI must admit that when Pete hit the home run my immediate thought went to "who is going to close this game?" It surprised me when it was not Stanek. Now that Peterson is our #1 closer I wonder who will take that slot in next year's rotation :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Hoskins
ReplyDeleteHere's a Winker Finker for ya
Sorry to hear about Nimmo's grand ma. I know he is confident she is in heaven. That brings peace to offset the pain.
ReplyDeleteBrandon is so special. How many times has he risen to the occasion? Too many to count. And clearly a great teammate. I just wish he didn't have 6 years left.
But it goes back to the nature of long term contracts. His 8 years at $20 million per year if broken into age related value is $35, $30, $25, $20, $18, $13, $11, $8.
I wonder if Stanek is viewed as unreliable. He seems to have been good to me.
Hey... Nailed it with the comments... Based on you're daily comments, you can write a book on the New York Mets 2024 Season... lol
ReplyDeleteHmmm, now that's an idea. :)
DeleteThis just in: Peterson will close next year, Diaz is being stretched out to start.
ReplyDeletemy guess is he will start Game 3
DeleteWill we see Senga in the bullpen in this round?
ReplyDeletemy guess is he will be eating a poke bowl with his home boys
DeleteThe question I’m asking, and to which I can’t get an answer, did Jesse winker steal on his own, or was he given the sign to?
ReplyDeleteMy guess is we may never know the answer to your question
DeleteFan since ‘69 & was at game last night with my son. Absolutely unbelievable. Stadium was rocking until… Pete completely shut them down. Perfect way to keep the season going. OMG!!, LGM!! Love this site & all of your fandom. Thank you & let’s go get Philly.
ReplyDeleteRVH, it was awesome! Thanks for your comment, and keep on commenting!
ReplyDeleteWin 3 more rounds and we are World Champs - sounds simple to me. We need more "Jesse Winker Helmet Days" in October. Edwin slamming his glove down when they clinched was great, but Winker's fiery demonstrations are simply epic. Makes you feel young again!
ReplyDeleteIn The Athletic today in Will Sammon’s article:
ReplyDelete“ In the embrace, Iglesias told Alonso, “Thank you for listening.”
The second baseman was referring to the message he delivered just before the bottom of the eighth inning. That’s when Iglesias, from his position at second base, told Alonso, “Next inning, you’re going to hit a home run.””
Sweet
ReplyDelete