Meet the Mets (For Mets Fans Only!)

Mets fan first, rooting for the Nats and the N.L. Easy to admire Scherzer.

Runner interference *was* was a bad judgment call, but the rule is vague. Go to the double-bag.

sbenois said:

Hmmm.  Do we believe him?

 no

DaveSchmidt said:

No, I’d rather rely on my ability to read his mind than take him at his word. I mean, “I made the best decision for my family, and I am so happy to be in Philly.” Seriously? The guy’s obviously a nutcase who’s desperately trying to disguise his inner torment.

He's probably perceptive enough to realize that the Nats wouldn't be in the WS if he was still playing for them.  

jimmurphy said:

Mets fan first, rooting for the Nats and the N.L. Easy to admire Scherzer.

Runner interference *was* was a bad judgment call, but the rule is vague. Go to the double-bag.

 I admire Scherzer's skill but he's not a fun guy to watch. Can you imagine Scherzer smiling on the field?

Great players with game faces are as fun for me to watch as the smilers. Depending on the situation, sometimes more so.

Biggest takeaway so far: you can brush and floss an ear of corn in one shot.

DaveSchmidt said:

Great players with game faces are as fun for me to watch as the smilers. Depending on the situation, sometimes more so.

 I get that. There's just something about Scherzer that annoys me. Probably the uniform. 

You’re just heterochromia intolerant.

DaveSchmidt said:

You’re just heterochromia intolerant.

 he's extreme. It does creep me out a little 

Mr. Greinke is pitching a masterpiece.

Wow. That guy.

Can hit.

Great series.  Great game.  

sbenois said:

Mr. Greinke is pitching a masterpiece.

 First-guessed taking him out. 

The Nationals batters only struck out three times last night.  I had to keep staring at the box score.

That's pretty remarkable.

mrincredible said:

The Nationals batters only struck out three times last night.  I had to keep staring at the box score.

That's pretty remarkable.

Wow! It is!

Seems like the whipsaw may shift back. The importance of starting pitching. The peril of having your relievers seen multiple times in a longer series. The importance of contact.

jimmurphy said:

 First-guessed taking him out. 

You and my wife, both. 

One thing, though: That was a good pitch by Harris that Kendrick reached and hit out. Sometimes — and I think this was one of those cases — it’s about what the guy did in the box, not on the mound.

jimmurphy said:

 First-guessed taking him out. 

 so did I.  Only threw 80 pitches.  AJ Hinch overmanaged himself out of a WS win.

(Well, now I’m seeing both Harris and Kendrick refer to the pitch as a mistake that caught too much of the plate, but the pitch tracker sure made it look down and away.)

DaveSchmidt said:

(Well, now I’m seeing both Harris and Kendrick refer to the pitch as a mistake that caught too much of the plate, but the pitch tracker sure made it look down and away.)

 I am with you on this.  It looked to my eye like Kendrick went down and got good wood on a decent pitch.  Credit to him.  As it was he barely hit the foul pole.

this is the internet.  We don't have to speculate, we can know

I'd say the pitch was a little of both -- it was not an easy pitch to hit for a HR, but it probably also caught too much plate.  The intent was likely for it to be 3-4 inches lower than it was.  But it was a good piece of hitting either way.  

And I still think he should have left Greinke in the game.  They would likely have had a much better chance at keeping the game close if they could have stayed out of the bullpen for another inning or two.

I think I'm ready for Hinch to be the Mets' manager. I already have begun questioning his bullpen moves. Was he resting Cole for Game 8? I know he wanted to save him for a lead, but you have to make sure you keep it close.

OK, you’re Hinch and it’s the top of the seventh. You’re confident that Greinke has another inning in him, so you leave him in. You don’t want to bring in Cole in the middle of an inning, because that’s not his forte, which pushes him to at least the eighth. By then, you’re already down a run.

Now, why not Cole to start the eighth? I don’t know, but the Astros didn’t score again, so it may have been moot. (There’s an argument that the Astros approach their plate appearances differently if still down only 3-2 rather than 4-2 or 6-2. Still, the fact remains that two runs weren’t enough.)

I would have stuck with Greinke through the 7th. Maybe he would have given up the lead, but he was pitching well and I thought pitching around Soto to get to the rest of the lineup was the right move to make there. Then again I was ok with Matt Harvey getting to come out for the 9th inning... 

It's Beltran 

https://www.mlb.com/news/carlos-beltran-to-be-new-mets-manager

So we’re both still happy?

DaveSchmidt said:

So we’re both still happy?

 I guess so

Sigh.  Two more years of learning how to manage by making mistakes.  No different than Callaway.

His first choice for Bench Coach is Terry Collins.  

Wonder if they'll let that happen.  And if Regan will stay. 

I was completely wrong about Regan when they hired him.  I hope he stays.  I thought that every pitcher improved, except Familia, within a few weeks of his hiring.  In my opinion, Familia just isn't very smart.  He can throw, but not pitch or adjust.