Mets

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by Westheim

(looks up Dedniel Nunez)

Mets lost, but at least Pete got hold of a 3-run homer, and thus the first bloody thing since Thursday.

Dedniel Nunez is, for some reason, wearing a Giants cap in his Baseball-Reference picture, despite having spent his entire pro career in the Mets' system.

I feel snubbed.

OTOH, he's already out of here, having been sent down to make room for Tyler Jay. Who is apparently a left-hander. Yay?

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Dedniel Nunez is, for some reason, wearing a Giants cap in his Baseball-Reference picture, despite having spent his entire pro career in the Mets' system.

Dug around some and the Giants took him in the Rule 5 draft at one point, so he was on their 40-man, but he flayed his UCL the next spring and ended up having Tommy John, and the Giants weren't dying to watch that one play out and returned him to the Mets. So while all his minor league appearances were with the Mets' farm teams, his first picture day was as a Giant.

[Westheim]

"The Mets scored 16 runs today!" - "Did they win?"

Yes, they did, by a dozen! Here's to all the upcoming 2-1 losses...!

[Amazin69]

How different would Keith's career have been if the Cardinals had kept Cecil Cooper after Rule V-ing him in 1971?

And if Hawk Harrelson (in his year as ChiSox GM) doesn't give up on Rule V pick Bobby Bonilla and send him back to Pittsburgh halfway through 1986, maybe he never comes on the market for the Mets to "snap up".

Of course, let's not forget that Wayne Garrett was a Rule V pick (as was Amos Otis, but let's not mention that…), so this cuts both ways.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

How different would Keith's career have been if the Cardinals had kept Cecil Cooper after Rule V-ing him in 1971?

And if Hawk Harrelson (in his year as ChiSox GM) doesn't give up on Rule V pick Bobby Bonilla and send him back to Pittsburgh halfway through 1986, maybe he never comes on the market for the Mets to "snap up".

Of course, let's not forget that Wayne Garrett was a Rule V pick (as was Amos Otis, but let's not mention that…), so this cuts both ways.

I was a HUGE Hernandez fan, living in the St. Louis area from 1980 to 1985 or so. After he got traded (I was at that game!!!), lots of NASTY things were said about his drug use, his refusal to take infield, and his smoking in the dugout. Whitey Herzog hated him.

Drug use was rampant in MLB in the early to late 80's. The Cards were pretty clean. Herzog even brought in Darrell Porter to help keep it that way. Porter was a reformed druggie, and alcoholic, and had considerable influence within the clubhouse.

Keith went to the Mets, and the Mets snorted the finest team in the world into oblivion.

[Amazin69]

Mets snapped KC's 7-game win streak last night, stifling the Royals behind the combined awesomeness of Severe No, Creakin' Diekman, Reed Garrett, Prodigal Son Ottavino, and Former All-Star Jorge Lopez. Best pitching staff in the league, yo!

It's a mad, mad, mad, mad, mad world.

[Westheim]

Oof. Manaea couldn't get anybody out, Lindor, besides struggling to hit for a full buck, somehow lost Garrett Hampson when the latter was as dead as disco in a rundown, and Marte klopsed an intermediate-level difficulty F9 into three free bags for Bobby Witt. Two hands!!

Oh well, at least we got to see homer #197 for Pete, and #250 for Sal Perez.

And it's only the fourth inning

[Westheim]

I'll save all my "he pitched like stale arse" lines for the next time Jose Butto pitches, but I can't resist pointing out that the Mets barely eeked out a 2-1 win while leaving a DOZEN on base, and that doesn't include Starling Marte ending the inning by breaking Sal Perez into pieces at home plate in the fourth.

Doc's on the rafters, the Mets scored two pity runs on three walks, a missed bare-handed play by Maikel Garcia (who batted oh-for-Lindor in the series), and ANOTHER walk, and then survived Boom-Boom Diaz giving up only one boom to Vinnie Pasquantino, who with that name should definitely play in New York, but - (makes pointy motion back to the first paragraph) - thanks to Marte's excellent use of knees and elbows, the tying run was only Freddy Fermin, and he popped out to Pete, who had no hits, two walks, scored the go-ahead run, and got an A+ for effort chasing that pop to the mound.

Good boy Pete. One day he'll be on a team that deserves him!

[Amazin69]

It should be noted that Jose Butto sailed through 6 innings, allowing 0 runs and 2 hits on 91 pitches, and was promptly pulled from the game. Even Gary Cohen made an allusion to how this would never have happened when Doc was pitching. Gotta love Manfred-ball!

But to be fair, the score was 0-0, so the Mets needed to pinch-hit for Butto to try and get some runs and…

[Amazin69]

So the Official Explanation for Jared Jones being pulled after a mere 59 (dominating) pitches (50 strikes) last night was that it was his "first time going 5 innings", and it was predetermined that he would get the hook.

The thing is, "first time going 5 innings" does NOT mean it was Jones's longest start of the season…it was his SHORTEST. (His three previous starts averaged 6 IP and 85 pitches.) This is the Pirates implementing a plan to cap Jones at 5 innings a start, to stretch him through the season without breaking their predetermined innings limit of 125 IP for the season.

Not only is this stupid beyond stupid on a basic level ("Oh, you can't have the Poor Delicate Baby throwing 85 pitches! What are you, a MONSTER???"), but it fails its own internal logic. The question for possible "overwork" can't be quantified as innings, it is PITCHES that work the arm. There's a difference between a three-pitch inning and the time that Jacob de Grom needed 50 pitches to escape the first against Philadelphia.

If you don't like Jones throwing 85 pitches/game and want to step it down to 75, that's still stupid (why are you pulling him back from a level he has proven capable of handling?), but okay, your choice. However, to then pull him from a game where he could get through the 6th without hitting the magic 75 and turning into a pumpkin, all because of INNINGS, is just rote idiocy.

What this really signifies is that the Pirates front office is not only stupid, but LAZY. They don't want to have to bother counting pitches, the numbers are too big. Just keep Jones to 5 innings per game, period. If he gets 15 outs on 15 pitches, he still sits down. Brain-dead crap. No wonder I hate modern "baseball".

(Ronnie was thoroughly disgusted, and Gary pointed out that the worst thing is that the pitchers themselves are buying into it. "If you want to see me later in the season, this what had to happen", he quoted Jones as saying.)

Whatever, morons. Thanks for the win.

*********************************************

Speaking of wins, the Mets are now 9-8, shocking those of us who were predicting 68-94 and such. I didn't think we'd get over .500 all year.

Apparently, this is the first time the Metsies have been over .500 since June 3, 2023. I had no idea they lasted that long last season.

***********************************

Reed Garrett pitched two innings in relief, getting the win and getting all 6 outs by strikeout. He now leads all ML relievers in Ks.

If you had that on your Bingo card, you're lying.

******************************************

The Best Pitching Staff in the National League (wtf? Seriously, wtf?) continues to dominate, even without Senga. GKR say that the one constant is the presence of Jeremy Hefner, who has been elevating all these rejects (Reed Garrett was waived by Baltimore, recall).

Cynical me recalls how the Asstros suddenly have all the Rafael Montero types "turn it around" and how I figured that was our old friend STER-OIDS! Is that what's happening here?

Or is it merely Spider-Tac 2: Electric Boogaloo?

***********************************

Fat Jack Fisher, who started the first game at Big Beautiful Shea, 60 years ago today, threw out the first pitch. (Gelbs interviewed him in the seats last night.)

He's still a chunkster, but he looks great for age 85. Which cheers me up, considering I've never been svelte, and makes me glad to ignore the "advice" of how I need to switch to a diet of kale and cat urine or whatever, even though I am 25 years younger than Jack. No, thank you. (I keep a "Cupboard of Carbs" where the muffins and cookies and chips reside. It's my happy place.)

In my defense, neither Jack nor I have ever been Vern Lundquist-sized. We're fat, not FAT.

**************************************

As I noted in the Tigers thread, Javier Whiffez has competition from Oneil Cruz of the Pirates, who finished last night's game with a MLB-high 31 K's in only 74 plate appearances. This projects to a mere 279 whiffs on the season.

Naturally, the Buccos have him leading off today. I'm not only shocked they were 11-4 coming into this series, I'll be shocked if they win 60 games this way. Seriously.

[Westheim]

Best pitching staff in the NL is probably by ERA, which betrays how ****** the D has been at times. Half of Severino's eight runs allowed in his first two starts were unearned. Most runs Tonkin was incinerated for were unearned. Going into today, just over 20% of the runs allowed by the New York Bridegrooms have been unearned.

59 pitches, yes, the poor baby! Still has to write autographs (two or three) on the way out. That baseball teams are beyond stupid is nothing new, though.

[Amazin69]

Yeah, it doesn't do much good for McNeil to start a miracle DP (aided by Oneil Cruz thinking his hard shot would be caught and not breaking out of the box), if after that Lindor is too far up the middle and can't get to Ryan Reynolds's roller in time. The subsequent bad pick-off throw and walk mean Severe No won't be seeing the 6th, either. Albeit he will throw more than 59 pitches.

The Bucs' run was unearned, as Henry Davis had reached on Catcher's Interference. GKR blamed Alvarez for having his hand too far out, but Davis is from Fox Lane High School in Mt. Kisco, and we all know that Fox Lane kids are d-bags, right?

(Proud Horace Greeley H.S. [Chappaqua] grad here. Seriously, Fox Lane is for losers. Even if Henry Davis was the #1 overall pick in the 2021 draft.)

[Westheim]

Anyone got an after-school rivalry with Massapequa? That's where Raccoons Hall of Famer Neil Reece was from.

Luis Severino just became the fourth Met pitcher to log even six innings in 18 games this year. Sean Manaea did it once, and Jose Butto twice! What an ace!

[Amazin69]

Severed Arm needed 96 pitches to go 6 IP, though. Mendoza must be a sadist!

******************
It took 4 ABs for Oneil Cruz to strike out, but Creakin' Diekman got him in the 8th. So his Projected Whiffs are down to only 273 for the season.

Progress?

*****************
Good news? With Michael "Ka-BOOM!" Tonkin having been DFA'd by the Twins, the Mets have re-claimed him.

Surely this is the dictionary definition of "good money after bad", no? I think there's even a picture.

*******************

So Tyrone Taylor got some key hits and so did Nimmo and Marte homered and so did The Kid From Bronxville…and for a minute, I was wondering how we had four OF in there.

And then I remembered…we play DH-ball nowadays! Oh, joy. (Or, more accurately, vomit.)

*********************

GKR are really such a delight. From tales of Keith "negotiating" a Jr. Suite on the road (Keith, if you pay for it, it's not a perk) to the details of the Mex Burger to the "why are the Pirates playing McNeil to bunt?" (McNeil bunts) fandango, there's never a bad game.

I honestly feel sad for the fans who hate their team's announcers.

[JackOnAMacYT]

I remember when I first heard of Tyrone Taylor while watching the highlights from yesterday I thought that NFL QB Tyrod Taylor had a career change

[Westheim]

The Mets' ****** Connect uniforms are bad, but could be worse

Kill it with fire.

[Westheim]

Jose Butto: "I feel like I belong here now."

No, you don't. Five walks for five outs.

[Westheim]

Ron Darling: "Good call by Angel Hernandez!"

No, Ron. Angel just wanted to go the **** home, because even he had enough of the New York Mess and the L.A. Fudgers.

Mets tossers walked TEN and dinked two, and the Dodgers left the bases loaded four times in a game that would work perfectly well to detox somebody with a baseball addiction. Woof!

[Amazin69]

Sic Transit Gloria Metsies.

(I don't know if The Best Pitching Staff in the National League has actually been dethroned by today's barrage, but they deserve to be. And then the Dodgers can pick up the thrones and throw them at the Mets, too.)