There’s a lot of disinformation circulating out there regarding current events. We would like to use this platform to help you sort out reality from fiction in one area of interest.
MYTH: The Mets always lose to the Marlins.
FACT: The Mets occasionally lose to the Marlins. They also occasionally beat the Marlins.
MYTH: The Mets never win at the Marlins’ soulless ballpark, whatever it’s called.
FACT: The Mets occasionally win at the Marlins’ soulless ballpark, an edifice officially known as the Marlsoleum.
MYTH: The Mets left a small village on base in Saturday’s game at the Marlsoleum.
FACT: Small villages usually have a population greater than 10, which is how many runners the Mets left on base Saturday.
MYTH: The Mets can’t win if they’re going to leave 10 runners on base.
FACT: Although it is quite challenging to win a baseball game in which 10 runners are left on base, the Mets did win Saturday’s game.
MYTH: The Mets can’t win if they’re going to score only run.
FACT: The Mets scored one run on Saturday and won.
MYTH: No team can win if it scores only one run.
FACT A team can win by a score of 1-0.
MYTH: Scoring one run allows no room for error.
FACT: The Mets committed one error, yet won, 1-0.
MYTH: The Mets never take advantage of scoring opportunities.
FACT: In the fourth inning on Saturday, the Mets loaded the bases and proceeded to score one run on Francisco Alvarez’s well-placed fielder’s choice ground ball.
MYTH: Met starting pitching always exits early.
FACT: Saturday’s Met starter, Luis Severino, lasted six innings.
MYTH: Luis Severino will look good for a while but eventually crack.
FACT: Severino gave up no runs while stranding six runners.
MYTH: The Mets’ bullpen will inevitably find a way to blow it.
FACT: Jose Butto, Dedniel Nuñez and Edwin Diaz each threw a scoreless inning. Among them, they stranded four runners.
MYTH: Nobody leaves as many runners on base as the Mets.
FACT: Both the Mets and the Marlins left 10 runners on base Saturday.
MYTH: Everything is home runs today.
FACT: No home runs were hit in this game.
MYTH: You just don’t see low-scoring games anymore.
FACT: The Mets won on Saturday, defeating the Marlins, 1-0. It was their first 1-0 victory over anybody in 2024, but it does happen now and then. It just did.
MYTH: Mets fans can’t believe when good things happen to and/or for the Mets.
FACT: For the most part, this is factual.
That was great!
Best version of Diaz that I’ve seen this year. That’s also great.
nice 7-8-9 at that!
That it was. Gotta wonder if they think Butto can go back-to-back. Was surprised not to see him for the 8th. If he can the bullpen just got a lot stronger. Let Houser eat innings when we’re getting blown out.
I guess we’ll find out about Butto going back to back today. Scott has been Megill-like running out of gas early and all of a sudden, and when Scott runs out of gas, he gets hit hard. Nunez likely won’t pitch today after going 2 days in a row. The ‘B’ relievers will be called on. If Maton has another solid outing, he can be (tentatively) let in the circle of trust. Diekman will probably be used today; hopefully he figured it out over the all-star break.
Nice. Leave it to the Mets to do the absolute minimum. If we’re watching the wild cards, it’s getting pretty tight, so they needed this one.
“Nice. Leave it to the Mets to do the absolute minimum.”
That’s what made it a statement win. “MYTH: The Mets can’t win if they’re going to score only [one] run” applies to me. Yes, the Mets used all their best relievers, and it was the Marlins, not the Braves or Phillies, or even Nationals for that matter, but I didn’t think these Mets would make a 1-run lead hold up, let alone win 1-0, using anyone against anyone. Besides, the Mets have been blown out by bad teams. I prefer a blow-out win, of course, but this once I feel better about the Mets showing me they can win 1-0 than if they had pushed across insurance runs.
“If we’re watching the wild cards, it’s getting pretty tight, so they needed this one.”
.500 triggered scoreboard-watching for me. It’s a scrum. Lose yesterday and the Mets are tied for 5th/6th with the Padres instead of tied for the 3rd wildcard with the Diamondbacks. The wildcard contenders, the Mets included, are all streaky. The Pirates, all of .5 game behind, are as hot as the Mets were. The Braves are above the scrum right now but only just; a stumble and the 1st wildcard will be up for grabs too.
The worst myth here is that Mets starting pitchers always exit early. They haven’t been bad at that, at least relative to other teams. And Mendoza has been good about leaving starters in (except for that Christian Scott gane(.
It’s not a myth that Mets starters exit early, but you’re right that it’s not just them. https://www.mlb.com/stats/team/pitching/innings-pitched?split=sp The Mets are actually about average. The Mets bullpen is bad by the numbers, but surprisingly given their big blow ups, they’re not one of the bottom worst bullpens.
So creative, Greg, and enjoyable
Myth: Batting Average means nothing.
Fact:Let’s definitively put to bed any notion that Batting Average means nothing.
A simple scan of yesterday’s boxscore shows how the guys’ seasons are mirroring their batting averages.
Lindor and Nimmo hovering around 250. They were horrific in APR-MAY and sprung to life in JUN. 250 just about says it all. JD at 260 shows he had a tough start, hot middle, and tough lately. Pete at 240 shows he is having a consistently tough season, from Day One until now.
Bader at 270 has had a very consistent season, around 270 from beginning until now.
And Vientos, Iglesias, and Alvarez’ high averages mirror how really good they have been this season.
So no more about how Batting Average means nothing, Ok?
OK!