Mets (Shell) vs. Braves (Real Deal)

The Mets won a series against the Cubs, who are among the teams trying to win the NL Central (which has more talent than the AL Central while still a weak division) and/or third wild card contender. 

The third wild card contenders are struggling so much of late that the Mets barely moved in the race while going 2-8.  Trying to chase that spot while still being not as good as various teams in front of you was a dubious reason to "stand pat" even without a seven game deficit.  They did the right thing, even though a few (some are just "don't say die") still say "What if."

One person on Twitter -- I am sticking to my policy of taking three days off Fri-Sun tweeting-wise but have fallen back to checking it -- referenced the 14-9 July record.  They had an early winning streak and then went 8-9.  This likely helped show that they were not going on some sort of "run" and even this streak was helped by the Diamondbacks, which went off a cliff. 

The Cubs series gave the team a bit of respect, which they hopefully enjoyed given the competition this month is tough.  The Braves came next and even though flawed (pitching), they are a juggernaut.  Their pitching is good enough against this Mets line-up (Nimmo and Lindor even were hurting some over the weekend) and their hitting is killer against AAA candidates.  Some bad luck didn't help, nor did one or more bad plays.

Friday involved the Mets somehow not scoring when the Braves gave up nearly 10 walks.  Megill (who you want to root for) bent and then broke.  Some AAA guy then held the Braves scoreless for around three innings.  This is the Mets pitching this season: a lot of AAA pitching, sometimes good, sometimes not so good.  Loss but not that embarrassing.

This would be the first game of the Saturday doubleheader. The 21-3 loss.  The Braves AAA pitcher (and a position player in the ninth, who also had a good time at the plate) held the Mets scoreless. Vogelbach, who is there to piss off Mets fans, taking at-bats away from people with a future, hit a meaningless three-run homer in the eight, the team down 13-0.  This apparently bothered the Braves, who knocked around a Mets position player (who did get an out painlessly in the eight), scoring eight more runs.

The Mets are not "tanking" for a draft pick. It isn't that easy to get one even if they manage to be one of the six worst teams (three or so are gimmes, and the Mets are hanging around 2-3 others).  New rules to reduce tanking and a payroll penalty make it harder. And, it doesn't mean much anyway.  Loads of draft picks do not do anything.  It's just something on Twitter.

The trades made sense.  And, the bad line-ups are only to a limited degree about Canha and Pham no longer being around.  Marte is hurt.  Nimmo is hurting, so they kept him out a bit.  Lindor had a scare and was out a bit.  The third baseman (especially with Baty sent back) is a rookie in training.  McNeil plays the OF to fill in and "the beard" is hurt too.  So, this adds no names in the IF like Mendick and people like Locastro playing center to take some pressure off Nimmo's side or whatever is hurting. 

They have two good pitchers.  Carrasco is struggling.  The Mets will get two new ones from the free agent market at least to make a decent rotation.  The pen is filled with AAA pitchers.  Diaz will be back and they will get help there too.  Getting rid of Scherzer/Verlander made sense.  

This line-up isn't going to be here next year.  Baty shows that it makes sense not to rush up prospects.  The team is going to get a free agent or two that will help with the outfield and maybe the infield.  Hopefully, Marte will be okay by then.  What magical line-up are they supposed to put up there?  Again, the only thing that really annoys me is Vogelbach.

I saw something on Twitter that Peter Alonso likes him.  Does this factor in?  Maybe.  Doesn't change things, really, since it would very well "send a message," including after a trading deadline that was basically about admitting Verlander was a mistake, getting rid of short-timers, and moving on from Scherzer, who wasn't happy and was struggling.  

He helped change the culture in 2022 but with the season a lost cause, moving on made sense.  There was a bad vibe all season -- what is this bit about Lindor never buying McNeil the car he promised for winning the batting title about anyway? -- and some personal favorites sticking around even partially for that reason is just part of the problem.  

Mr. Q. had another good outing -- one run in six -- though people had to watch it on FOX.  For some reason in hell, the Mets have the Sunday Night game.  Did they not have the ability to switch for an actual competitive game that means something?  Senga is pitching against someone the Mets can actually (in theory) beat, to be a tad bit fair.   

Anyway, the Mets did not score again, though they actually had a real chance with Alvarez up in the eighth. This after Drew Smith (with a bit of help from "defense") gave up three runs.  And, then the Braves iced it with two more.  Well, the game was semi-respectable.  Not that I watched it, the GKR SNY team is the only way to really watch even a good Mets game.

(There is a documentary about the team's first 18 years.  I'm unsure why they did not wait two more years.)  

The Cubs games show that the Mets won't just be this horrible the rest of the way.  The talent is enough to beat the likes of the Pirates and company.  When Nimmo and Lindor can play, the line-up is not that bad, though underperforming.  Still, there will be a lot of pain, if you don't just laugh it off.

Mets fans (including on Twitter) are a mix of realistic, cranky, and fantastical.  So, the fact some are annoyed is not surprising.  Sometimes, like with Vogelbach or trusting Drew Smith with 1-0 leads, they have a point. Other times, yelling at Buck for "tanking" when he has little to work with, is a tad unreasonable.  Whatever it takes to get through the day.  

BTW, the Jets won a shutout versus another not good team (Panthers) and it's pre-season football.  Doesn't tell me much about Zach Wilson.  

Sunday Night: The ESPN game started with three runs in the first for the Braves versus Senga.  Ah. More of the same?  Not quite.  The Mets managed, after thirty-plus innings, to have a big inning in the fifth.  And, it was a close thing, the starter going 4.2.  

But, they got their six-run inning, many of them from the Irregulars.  Cheers to the "B" team.  

And, Senga -- like a good pitcher -- didn't give anything else in his six innings of work.  So, it turned out to be a "quality start" and some of those runs were off short-time Mets pitcher Colin McHugh.  After six, the score was 7-3, Mets.  But, they had to get those nine outs.  

The Guardians blew two close leads versus the Rays, finally holding on to a big one, in the ninth.  The Yanks today gave up five runs in the ninth.  Oakland somehow managed to give up six runs versus the Nationals.  Or the other way around.  

Okay, it was 7-6 in the eight with two outs after Raley (one of the remaining regulars) helped the nail-biting.  Drew Smith.  I'm sure a lot of Mets fans were happy to see him there with one man on!  He got out of it though.  Be nice if they had more than that big inning, but they did! They had that extra run.  

Well, that was a nice run to have!  Ottavino to save.  Which he got.  Shred of dignity retained.