Baseball, I’ve long insisted, is humanity’s acme of artistic expression. But that’s not to say every game is a work of art.
Whatever that was that the Mets and Blue Jays foisted on us tonight would definitely not qualify. It was a mess, with Tylor Megill mowing down anonymous Blue Jay recruits (and a morose-looking Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) like a combine but then inexplicably leaving with 88 pitches on his odometer and a 1-0 lead. I dislike second guesses, but that counts as a first guess — Gary and Keith were wondering why Megill was taken out, as was I, as was you, as was everybody.
The decision immediately imploded as the Mets got a run of bad relief pitching: After recording an out Danny Young hit a guy and gave up a single, which led Carlos Mendoza to signal for Jose Butto. Recently Butto’s looked like he’s auditioning to return to starting, needing time to fine-tune his control regardless of whether or not time is available for him to do that. Butto fell behind and gave up a hit, leading to a mound visit in which Francisco Alvarez gave him the Full Lasorda, a mix of exhortation and can-do and stern warnings. It was an impressive Come to Jesus moment from a young catcher, but it also didn’t work: Butto hit the next guy to tie the game, then yielded a sacrifice fly to put the Mets behind.
(So of course he got the win. For the 845,093rd time, it’s an unfair game.)
(Edit: The above was based on SNY’s postgame screen, which was a placeholder; in fact the below-mentioned Ryne Stanek got the win, and properly so. Reset the Unfair Game counter to 845,092.)
The Blue Jays gagged up a game on Sunday against the Braves; tonight, wearing City Connects best described as Marlins North, they demonstrated admirable even-handedness in gagging up a game against us. I’ll leave the details smudgy to avoid further embarrassment for all involved, noting simply that the Mets got two runs on one hit, and the one hit was an oopsie cue-shot infield single. The rest was a slapstick farce of walks and errors and wild pitches and passed balls, best witnessed through the holes of a bag over one’s head regardless of your rooting interests. The winning run was scored by pinch-runner and former speed-skating medalist Eddy Alvarez, who replaced Pedro Reyes, whose own lone appearance also came as a pinch-runner. Should some waiver-wire guy named Delgado or Beltran wind up as a Met in the next few days, I’d advise them to rent and not buy.
Anyway, Ryne Stanek worked a blessedly blame-free eighth and Edwin Diaz came in for the ninth. Diaz’s final pitch was a fastball that Leo Jimenez whacked to right for what looked like a crushing walkoff homer, or at least it looked like that for 90% of its flight, until the ball’s momentum sagged and it came down in Starling Marte‘s glove in front of the fence. The Mets celebrated with the dazed smiles of a tour group that just exited a van that’s screeched to a stop inches from a ravine: Well, that’s a story to tell the grandkids!
Still, the ugly ones count just as much as the pretty ones, and right now each and every win is to be cherished and fussed over and smooched like a beauty-pageant winner arrived to take you for a spa weekend. Hello, aren’t you lovely and wasn’t that a delight? Smooch smooch smooch.
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We’ve lost our fourth ’69 Met of the year with the death of Forever Met Ed Kranepool. Read Greg’s tribute — from our 2020 A Met for All Seasons series — here.
Yep, it was ugly, but I’ll take an ugly win over an elegant loss any day of the week.
For me, the takeaway today was the return of Tylor Megill. You know, the guy who had the best first three starts of a major league career of any Met pitcher not named Doc Gooden or Jacob deGrom. The guy who pitched Opening Day not too long ago. The guy who pitched the first five innings of the only Met no-hitter not pitched by Johan Santana. That guy. He’s back.
If nothing else, he’s probably pitched his way back on to the major league roster for the rest of the season, even after Blackburn’s return. Maybe he’s even in the discussion for the postseason roster, should such a thing happen. With all the great stories of this year – Lindor, Manaea, Peterson, Vientos, and all the rest – should Megill resurrect himself, his story would be right up there as well.
I agree it makes no sense for Butto to get the win. As long as Rob can just change the rules willy nilly, why not do something that makes sense? Blowing the save like that should disqualify him from the win, and it should go to Megill.
“So of course he got the win. For the 845,093rd time, it’s an unfair game.”
Stanek was given the win based on the box score I saw. One of the good things about baseball is the official scorer can decide not to give a pitcher a win if he sucked, even if the team takes the lead while he’s pitching.
Ditto on Megill. He was in complete command, should have stayed in. Pete Alonso gave a perfect demonstration of why he isn’t hitting this year. With nobody on he’s patient, makes the pitcher come to him, one time gets a walk and scores. When Lindor’s on second he swings at three balls. He’s batting like a rookie, not a vet who should know that having men on base puts pressure on the pitcher to make good pitches. Though not when you’re pitching to Pete Alonso.
Canadians have a rep for hospitality. Last night they gave us a game. And it sure beats a backgammon set.
Fixed above. Thanks all!
Thank goodness; Stanek deserves the win.
Stanek got the win.
Butto was appropriately given a blown save.
Off the bat, I thought the Jimenez fly-out was a walk-off. The way Diaz reacted on the mound, it looked like he thought so too.
Taking out a starter who’s cruising with a pitch count that says he can go 1, maybe 2 more innings invites punishment from the baseball gods.
Blackburn was scratched late, so Megill didn’t have a normal starter’s prep. Stressful 30 pitch 1st inning. Then a dominant 16 straight retired. The Mets needed every bit of it. The bats, now including Lindor’s, have gone as sleepy as they’ve been all season. Vientos hasn’t had a hit since his walk-off HR.
Mendoza has allowed other starters to go a pitch too far rather than pull them a pitch too early, with mixed results. Megill hadn’t earned the same leeway, which is understandable. Mendoza had a short leash in Megill’s last start, too. Maybe Mendoza didn’t like the Guerrero at-bat. 1 run lead, Megill close enough to 90 pitches, and lefty hitter Horwitz who had the Blue Jays’ only hit leading off the 7th–in came the lefty.
Maybe Mendoza will give Megill that 1 more inning in his next start. It looks like Blackburn will miss at least 1 more turn in the rotation. There’s not much season left. I wouldn’t be surprised if Blackburn is done for the year and Megill finishes the season as the 5th starter.
Danny Young needs to aim his backfoot slider/sweeper to righty hitters better. That was Butto’s 1st HBP as a reliever this year. His outings with shaky control are adding up. I wouldn’t use him as a fireman for inherited runners right now.
In the last 2 games, the bullpen failed to protect a tie and a 1-run lead, which is concerning. On the other hand, holding an opponent to 3 runs and 2 runs should be enough. But on the 1st hand, a team in the stretch run of a tight race needs to be able to win tight games.
The Blue Jays coughed up a game to the Braves, then coughed one up to the Mets. Reds pitching held down the Mets, then held down the Braves. That’s fair.
“In the last 2 games, the bullpen failed to protect a tie and a 1-run lead”
That’s because two days ago you said “when was the last time the bullpen lost a game?” so you angered the baseball gods. They generally don’t like that.
The response, “Today”, came back quick.
As far as Alvarez vs Reyes, I’m guessing the main difference is Alvarez hits lefty and Reyes hits righty, and with the loss of McNeil, the Mets prefer a lefty hitter in the pinch runner, utility IF/OF role. Alvarez is faster, according to on-line scouting reports. Alvarez showed power for the 1st time this year in AAA, 18 home runs, and when he does hit, the Mets may prefer a player who’s more likely to run into one.
Unlike Reyes, Alvarez isn’t eligible for the post-season roster. That doesn’t make a difference if Stewart is locked in as the 26th man. But I wonder if it’s a hint that McNeil may return by the wildcard round. Maybe the last week of the season.