The Mets live. You didn’t necessarily see that coming, did ya?
Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. Hope for the best, expect the Mets is my credo. I expected the Mets to do their best on Sunday in Milwaukee. Whether that and concurrent events in Atlanta and Arizona would be enough to survive and then some for one more day was what I didn’t know.
It was. We won, beating the beastly Brewers, 5-0. David Peterson pitched the game of his and most people’s lives, going seven scoreless, striking out nine and allowing only an infield hit and three walks that proved harmless. Francisco Lindor played like a healthy version of himself. He was real and he was spectacular, homering, stealing twice, driving in two runs and moving like a frontline shortstop in the field. Neither his back nor that of Francisco Alvarez (2 RBIs) appeared to be an issue in the short term. And J.D. Martinez rose from the dead as well, notching two base hits and avoiding the ignominy of tying or passing Rey Ordoñez for longest ohfer in franchise history. Ordoñez was in there for his glove. Martinez has “hitter” inscribed in his job description, so him actually hitting is indeed a welcome sight.
The Mets flying to Atlanta to complete their series from last week with, oh, everything on the line is also something we should embrace. There’s no time to fear the Braves, their starting pitchers or the demonesque qualities of where they play. We’re 88-72. They’re 88-72. The Diamondbacks are 89-73. Tiebreakers being what they are, whoever wins Game One of Monday afternoon’s doubleheader is in the postseason. If that same team wins Game Two, Arizona is also in. A twinbill split sends the Snakes slithering off into the desert. A twinbill sweep buries the swept. All that really matters is the Mets post one W in this matinee. Two would be ideal for the fun of knocking out the Braves, but I’m trying to stay focused on the Mets punching their own ticket. I’m trying to forget issues like who might be rested enough to pitch any game beyond Monday and what kind of toll a surfeit of flying might entail on a team possibly pinging about the continent on no rest.
The Mets have to win a baseball game to keep playing baseball. Baseball like it oughta be, I’m tempted to say. We’ll see. We sure as hell will, won’t we?
Although Lindor did get up slowly after his headfirst side into home, which was a little concerning.
Should be the most interesting Monday in a while! The Mets have risen from the dead so many times it almost feels like we’re playing with house money.
We couldn’t get eliminated today. At worst, if we lost and everyone else won then a sweep vs Atlanta would’ve tied their record and given us the tiebreaker over both teams.
We definitely have a good relationship with the 3rd base bag.
When Lindor was crawling after sliding home I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if he had to dive for a ball in the field.
On to Atlanta.
Hence the phrase “survive and then some” — I couldn’t see going into Atlanta on a four-game losing streak and believing all would turn around.
I feel like I’ve seen about 5 different Mets teams this year. There was the 12-8 team turning into 22-33 that couldn’t do anything right. Then there was June to the ASB that hit lights-out but didn’t pitch very well. Then there’s ASB into September where hitting was spotty but pitching, particularly starters, was fantastic. And then there’s whatever the heck’s going on now.
I can’t predict what this team does one game to the next. They can be completely lifeless one game and have 11 runs the next. It’s a reason why, if we make the playoffs, we could be dangerous. 25 games of the best ball we’ve had for a stretch this season and they’re fitting the team for rings. And they could lose both games today.
Unpredictability is a great thing about sports but this team seems to have taken that to a new level. Not just the team but individual players. A batter going 3-for-20 over a week is normal. These guys like to have 9-for-81 stretches over a month or a pitcher like Quintana looking washed up in August and like Cy Young in September.
After today let me change that to, “I can’t predict what this team does one inning to the next.”
Yes as hell we will!
Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m hoping for redemption after what happened on my birthday 17 years ago.
Saw a report that Megill will start game 1 tomorrow. I understand the logic. Hope it works out.
I haven’t heard that the NL wildcard round will be pushed back to Wednesday, which would allow Manaea to start game 1 on regular rest. As is, starting Severino on 6 days rest in a 100% must win game 2 on Monday or 7 days rest in game 1 on Tuesday does make sense. I wonder if Manaea will be available in the bullpen tomorrow for his throw day. I wish Senga was available.
If I were the Mets ( or the Braves for that matter) if I win the first game I’m immediately on the plane going wherever and forfeiting Game 2. They can celebrate on the plane ( although hopefully not like the ‘86 Mets). Arizona has completed its schedule and their record is set; they have played 162 games. Why should either the Mets or the Braves put themselves at a major disadvantage for Tuesday so Arizona has a chance at backing into the playoffs? Of course, the right thing is for MLB to move the starts of the wild card series ( especially the one in San Diego) but they have already said they will not, for reasons for which I haven’t seen an explanation. MLB didn’t create this absolute mess (Helene did that) but they have consistently made the wrong choices since, and they should do right by these two teams.
If a team pulled a stunt like that MLB would drop the hammer on them.
Figure on huge fines, being DQ’d from this year’s playoffs and not having a draft pick until about 2028.
If they’re a MLB franchise they play by MLB rules, including the schedule the league sets.
Your comment may have been tongue-in-cheek but no emojis.
It definitely was not tongue-in-cheek -maybe more along the lines of wishful thinking
Seriously MLB should move tomorrow’s games until Wednesday. What if someone is badly injured in Game 2?
As for emojis, I put one in -the winking one – but it disappeared.
Sounds like the Stone-Seaver debate from another era, though of course Stone had a much better season than Megill.
I only recently decided that Berra was right, and you have to go with your better guy.
So let’s go with Severino in Game One.
Thank you, Chisox, for winning the last 2 and finishing with a .254 winning percentage.
Technically a better record than our beloved 1962 Mets, at .250.
Split Decision, yes, but I’ll take it.
Yes I was astonished how happy that made me. It was t just the 120 losses. It was the mathematical perfection of 40 and 120 that can’t be duplicated – and now, remains the worst in post-1901 baseball. I’ll take it. — and yes, give the ball to Severino. No time to get cute.
Not the worst… 1916 A’s were 36-117 (.235) and 1935 Braves were 38-115 (.248).
This is what I wanted for the redemption opportunity: games in Atlanta with playoff berths on the line. I wanted that test for the 2024 Mets, and we’re still going to get it. I would have gladly accepted a wildcard via a Diamondbacks loss of course, it still would have been earned, but it would also have felt like an opportunity lost.
From what I understand, due to the tiebreakers, a split or sweep does make a difference for seeding and therefore 1st round opponent. Split and the Mets go back to Milwaukee. Sweep and the Mets go to San Diego.
San Diego threw Sunday’s game to the Dbacks to insure that the Monday DH has to be played. Whoever wins game one should use a position player to pitch in game two. Save their next starter for the WC round. No integrity all around. Thanks MLB.
One of the pods pointed out that, if they really wanted to, the Mets and Braves could have each forfeited a game to each other, thus canceling out the need for the doubleheader, guaranteeing they both make the playoffs, and freezing out the D-backs. They didn’t do it, which means that the Mets (ok, and the Braves) do have some integrity. (Probably the league would have nixed it anyway, but an interesting idea.)
All the Mets need is OMG.
One more game.
Tylor Megill already has some historic wins on his resume. This would top them all.
LGM.
Thank Goodness “Ya Gotta Believe” was created in an era where we were not too cool to say all the words, otherwise we all would have been saying “YGB” instead.
OMG, indeed.
Severino in game two only if needed. With megill in game one, you can save Severino if Mets win. Use Severino if they lose. Smart move.
Mendoza of course (as all year) uses Diaz in a 5-0 game with DH today and wild card game tomorrow, if we make it. And not one of those little 9 pitch innings but 25 of them. The usual cliche: “can’t look ahead to next day and make sure you win this one.” Or: “can’t bring in closer with men on base.” Baloney. Atlanta held off using Sale all weekend, and could have pitched Schwellenbach on Sunday. Took a little gamble and paid off big. Yes, Diaz says he’s willing to pitch in both games but how well is he likely to do?
Rob Manfred could have moved the games last week to a neutral site when the hurricane was a certainty. Rob Manfred could still move the first game of the NL wild card series to Wednesday. Rob Manfred is bad at his job.
Rob Manfred is a terrible commissioner!!
mcgill now has a chance to join peterson as home-grown stoppers of the slide.
as with ’99, a must-win after the season’s end.
more stress and tension today…and then hopefully a lot more of that to come!
A public service announcement for Mets Faithful in connection with today’s Double Dip can be derived from the theme song to Mel Brooks’ underrated second movie, “The Twelve Chairs”: “Hope for the best, expect the worst.”
This doubleheader offers a lot of opportunities for roster creativity. A lot of “ifs” but if, for example, we manage to win game 1 then I’m wondering if we option Megill to AAA to use a minor leaguer as an extra arm in game 2 – or if Blackburn is healthy enough to give us 3-4 innings.
Gonna see some things I haven’t before. One game at the end of the year to settle ties? Sure. A double header?
MLB sure screwed the pooch not trying to work the schedule around the hurricane but the way we looked in Atlanta Game 1 that may end up being a good thing for us.
Ozuna will win the batting title today if he goes 9-9.
Mets-Braves in Atlanta?
Odds are 2-1 *in favor.*
LGM
time to rock
schwellenbach!
LGM!!
Game two has a real potential to become one of those end-of-season farce games like they used to play in the 1910’s & 20’s. Pitchers lobbing the baseball, guys playing out of position, runners deliberately being thrown out. Then it was for fun. This will be to stick it to Manfred so he can stew in his own inflexibility.
And when has this ever happened? Two opposing teams celebrating clinching a playoff berth in the same stadium a few hours apart.
This all could have been so easily avoided.
Schwellenbach is bringing it today.
Half way through, 2-0 Braves
tomohawk: chopped in the 8th. mets must not let up!!!
NIMMO!!
I don’t know how THAT happened.
SERIOUSLY!
most stressful listen in eons!!
UNBELIEVABLE!
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