The Mets lost by the typographically correct if competitively averse score of 21-3 in Saturday afternoon’s makeup game versus the Braves, the day portion of a split-admission doubleheader necessitated by an April rainout and cruelty. The Mets were losing only 13-3 when they were using pitchers; utilityman Danny Mendick allowed eight runs in the ninth, indicating his utility has its limits. I couldn’t say what the score was when the Mets were using actual major league pitchers, because callup starter Denyi Reyes, 27th Man Reed Garrett and balkmeister general Josh Walker do not much answer to that description. The Braves used a starter who had little experience, but Allan Winans, a former Mets farmhand, didn’t seem to have a problem with his assignment. Winans threw seven shutout innings. Then again, he was throwing to the Mets of August of 2023.
The Met lineup, compromised by dings to Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor, included Rafael Ortega, Abraham Almonte, DJ Stewart and Jonathan Araúz. I mention this because, along with the pitchers, that’s a whole lot of “I don’t remember that guy” you’re likely to respond with should their names come up in Metsian conversation a little down the road. Thus, if you’re so inclined, you can clip and save these two paragraphs to remind yourself that these were indeed the Mets of August of 2023, and therefore move the conversation along with something like “right, those guys, yikes — thank goodness that’s over with.” This is assuming that “that” is over with at some point. This is also assuming you’re still a Mets fan a little down the road. With 21-3 losses on Saturday afternoons not seeming completely shocking, I can’t blame you if you choose to pursue other interests.
Enjoy the nightcap!
If Guillorme wasn’t on the IL, he wouldn’t have given up 8 runs in the top of the 9th, so the Braves caught a break there.
We must have 20 pitchers lying around in the bullpen, and we have to embarrass ourselves for a second time in a week by putting in a position player to pitch?
I always took historic pride in this organization, as we were always told we were the only ones to never do that, no matter the score. That is, until Bill Pecota.
I don’t blame Buck because, as he famously said a few weeks ago:
“You do what they tell you.”
MLB needs to implement a mercy rule for all remaining Mets games …. or relegate the Mets to the LL World Series, where they’d probably be the #3 or #4 seed
Buck loves using position players to pitch and said recently he doesn’t like the new rule limiting use of position players. Buck’s position disrespects the game and the fans.
Jon, totally agree with you regarding Buck’s point of view.
Even though he does what he is told:
In one of his postgame pressers last week, he seemed to lament the fact that the opposition only had a 7 run lead, because apparently it has to be 8 in order to do that.
It disrespects the game and turns it into a farce. Funny and ok if you do it once every few years, but not once a week.
This is a last-place ball club, and it’s likely the standings will soon reflect that.
Agreed with everyone on everything above.
Since it’s not just the Mets who do this, it’s an embarrassment to MLB that so many teams routinely roll out the position player on the mound. Most clubs like the Mets carry 13 pitchers (14 for a doubleheader). Subtracting 5 starters, there are about 8 bullpen guys available every game. And yet somehow, incredibly, this is not enough, the game must still spiral into a farce.
I grew up watching in the 70’s with the standard 10-man staff, and yet these travesties would never happen. Always had a long man or two. But today, with all the tedious organizational preparation that goes on behind the scenes with analytics, scouting, matchups, pitching labs, 143 iPads in the dugout, etc., we still end up with Danny f#@king Mendick chucking an inning and a third against our rivals? It’s ok, we might have egg on our face, but we’ve got 6 guys fresh for the nightcap!
There’s no polite way to say it. The 2023 Mets are a complete disgrace, an embarrassment to an already-spotty legacy and to the game of baseball itself. The Mets traded two starting pitchers, two relief pitchers, and a fourth outfielder. While obviously significant, they didn’t completely gut the entire roster, but you wouldn’t know it based on these outrageously terrible lineups they’re trotting out, or on their truly abysmal play. The veteran star players on this team…and there’s no need to list them as you all know who they are…should be hanging their heads in shame after these sad, pitiful, listless defeats. They are all losers, and there’s only one way to rectify that. And until they do, I’m going to find it very difficult to take them seriously, or even like them at all. There are quite a few current Mets I’d really like to be fond of, but they’re not giving me any reason whatsoever to feel that way.
There’s no shame in losing to the Braves, as they’re a very good baseball team. There is, however, great shame in only managing a field goal in a 21-3 loss, then following it up by being shut out. The Danny Mendick tomfoolery is just humiliating, and that needs to stop right now. What, exactly, does Buck need to “save” his bullpen for anyhow? Another taut, valiant, close game? When will they be involved in one of those?
“There is, however, great shame in only managing a field goal in a 21-3 loss”
And Vogelbach’s home run happened with the Mets down 13-0 in the 8th when presumably the Braves preferred to throw a cookie, pitch to contact, and risk a HR than allow a walk. Of course the Braves made up for the 3-run HR by promptly scoring 8 off Mendick the next half inning.
The Mets are this close to being shut out 34-0 so far this series.
Thank you for watching so we don’t have to.
And he brought in Mendick in the 8TH!
Maybe today he can use *multiple* position players beginning in the 6TH and we can lose 30-0.
Soon Buck will need to petition the league to preserve a roster spot for one of these guys.
Or perhaps he could just start Mendick every day, and save everyone some time. I mean, they’re not even trying anymore anyhow, so what’s the difference?
I’m so glad these split-squad games don’t count in the standings.
Wow, Flynn23, super line.
This is from The NY Post, on the analytics against retaliation:
“Lindor has his own theory why the Mets’ clubhouse chemistry might have seemed better last year. He cited the benches-clearing tension in games against the Nationals and Cardinals in April 2022 as team-bonding exercises. In the latter case, the Mets were incensed after Cardinals first-base coach Stubby Clapp tackled Alonso from behind.
“It made us closer, but we really haven’t had anything like that this season,” Lindor said. “I’m not saying we should have some, but that is part of it.”
Eppler’s folly.
Watchin’ the Savannah Bananas right now, and some of them look like they could start for us at the bottom of the lineup…. Or maybe even at the top or in the middle.
OK, we know in a torn-down sell-off season, bad showings are gonna happen.
But Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader was a game the Mets actually intended to lose, 21-3. The lineup they put out on the field, the pitchers they used. This was a forfeiture before the first pitch was thrown.
And that, regardless of the “big picture” and the “long game” that Steve Cohen is playing, is disgraceful.
Fans who may only be able to afford to spend on one or two games a season came out to see that game with their families, and they paid the same confiscatory prices to park, get into the ballpark and spend at the concession stands that the Mets’ marketing department has promoted to the hilt this season (“Tanking hits different here”).
Everybody who paid their way in to that fraudulent excuse for Major League competition should get a voucher for a free ticket to any 2024 game (please, not to any remaining 2023 game).
You want to show that you care about the fans? Pay them back for paying their way into yesterday’s Game 1 travesty.
If Buck Showalter is replaced, what do you think of Ron Washington for Mets manager? He’s had success managing. More than that he has a top reputation as a teacher of baseball, and the Mets need that. Bonus is taking him away from the Braves.
The other part of Mendick being bombed for 8 in the 9th is that the Braves countered with Nick Lopez in the bottom of the 9th yet the Mets didn’t score on the position player.
The Mets aren’t just losing to the Braves this season. They were embarrassed by the failure to hold 3-run leads in the prior Braves series. This series, the Mets are being outright humiliated. The Braves are gifting the Mets an eye-opener and wake-up call.
Think it’s only fair to point out that the Braves also used a position player to pitch an inning.
But in their case he shut us out. And said player went 4-for-6 with a homer, double and 5 RBIs.
This season is becoming farcical. Or maybe it’s “has become.” Only reason to watch is the equivalent of it’s so bad it’s good except with a movie you only have to get through about 90 minutes. We have 6 weeks.
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[…] than anything Verlander might have said about our analytics department. That Saturday game, the 21-3 debacle, was as close to flat-out embarrassed as I’ve ever felt as a Mets fan. I didn’t realize until […]