Strolling around Denver might have made for a lovely off day Monday, but I’d guess the Mets were happy to be called into the St. Louis satellite office to catch up on some work when all was said and done. What’s an extra time zone’s travel when you can pick up a win?
Sean Manaea looked unbothered at having to take to the Busch Stadium mound on what was originally an immaculate space within August’s scheduling grid. He also looked like somebody you’d think about penciling in as your Game One starter down the road if all works out. Ah, getting ahead of ourselves as we try to get ahead of a few other teams. Details, details, including the detail of making up a rainout. Downpours back in May and tight squeezes amid a 162-box checkerboard ensured the Mets would have to be interrupted on their already arduous road trip and add a date to their crowded summer itinerary.
But what a swell date it turned out to be.
Manaea scattered six hits over seven innings, walked nobody, and struck out ten. This is what we’re coming to know as a typical Sean Manaea outing. Great control, total command — just get him a couple of runs and we’ll be fine. The Mets got him six. Tyrone Taylor, your new two-hole hitter, drove in three. Jeff McNeil, the second-half slugger, homered for another. Most of the lineup looked alive in support of what Steve Gelbs referred to as The Sean Manaea Show, which made me think of Gilda Radner bouncing up and down on her bed as the star of The Judy Miller Show, and what Mets fan wasn’t at least figuratively jumping for joy from what had just transpired this early evening? Manaea’s showcase started at 5:15 and the game was over before eight o’clock in the East, yet I’d say this lefty is ready for prime time.
“Manaea scattered six hits over seven innings, walked nobody, and struck out ten. This is what we’re coming to know as a typical Sean Manaea outing. Great control, total command — just get him a couple of runs and we’ll be fine.”
Looks like Manaea’s put in his application to fill the now-vacant position of staff ace. Not quite as dominant as vs Minnesota but maybe even better the way he kept pitching out of trouble.
Now we’ll see if we can beat up on a weaker team. Didn’t work vs LA but the Rockies are much worse.
“Now we’ll see if we can beat up on a weaker team. Didn’t work vs LA but the Rockies are much worse.”
I wonder if facing a notably weaker team with notably weak pitching was the problem. Mendoza commented after the 3rd Angels game to the effect that Mets hitters weren’t patient and seemed eager to jump on the Angels pitching, and basically helped get themselves out especially with RISP.
A (reasonably) UK friendly time game, I watched live and….we WON! A fantastic outing from Manaea and the ‘pen held up. I was happy at 0045
Manaea’s the Ace.
For 2025 and beyond: make him an offer he can’t refuse.
I’ll celebrate as well, but: the top 4 in the order were 1 for 16. Danger, Will Robinson. Got to do better…
Agreed. The bottom of the order, plus Taylor who’s normally a bottom-of-the-order hitter, deserve extra credit for covering for the stars and preventing Manaea from being deGromed. It’s good that the Mets line-up is deep enough for that. But like you said, we can’t count on that. We’ve also seen how poor the Mets offense can look against even bad pitchers with bloated ERAs when the stars are cold.
Maybe the old baseball chestnut that lefties mature later actually applies to Mr. Manaea. When he attacks the zone and avoids the Jose Quintana patented nibble-fest, his stuff really plays. Waiting for a “Sproat” of new growth next month with a hopeful call-up of our next real ace. In the interim, I am concerned tonight that Severino’s velocity decline in his last start may be an ongoing problem. I suspect that we will be riding a rollercoaster for the next two months.
Pitching in Denver is always a test. I agree Severino is a concern. The shelved 6-man rotation wasn’t just for Senga and Scott. The Mets starters have done their part practically all season without Senga, but Senga’s return coincided with the point of the season we expected one or more of the starters who’ve held their own to begin wearing out. Other Mets starters are bumping up their innings from 2023, too. Severino’s jump is the biggest. He hasn’t pitched close to this many innings since 2018, and he’s at the top of the watch list.
I hope Sproat provides a jolt in September, too. Maybe even this month if he does well at AAA. For now we’re rolling with Manaea, Quintana, Peterson, Severino, and Blackburn with Megill as depth.
Butto last pitched on August 2nd, and he’s been given 3 days off when he’s pitched 2-plus innings. He’ll be on call to go long tonight.