IGT 8/4 Mets at Baltimore with Spoiler cheese 7:05

[Frayed Knot]

This game is about to go from a tie in the top of the 6th to a mercy-rule loss before the bottom half is over.

[Frayed Knot]

We're burning through a ton of bullpen tonight.

But at least we've got Megill going tomorrow.

[ashie62]

Not even Ronnie James Dio could save the Mets tonight

[Frayed Knot]

Mets have now missed tags for the cycle.

[MFS62]

The Birds were feasting at Bickford's.

(If you don't remember, here's the link):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bickford%27s_%28restaurant%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bickford%27s_(restaurant)



Later

[Frayed Knot]

At this point, ending the season on a run of somethong like 10-47 seems like a distinct possibility, if not a probability.



The old saying about how you're never as bad as you look when you're losing is true ... because they're worse!!

[Frayed Knot]

Ortega gets his first hit as a NYM as well as the Mets' first hard hit ball of the night.

[Edgy MD]

By scoring a run, the Mets lose their right to use a position player to finish the game on the mound.



What a ridiculous rule to present such a stupid conflict of interest.

[Edgy MD]

FIRE ART HOWE!!

[Edgy MD]

Nimmo the tying run is on sextuple deck!

[Edgy MD]

Two out! Álvarez now the tying run on sextuple deck!

[Edgy MD]

And Marte ends the looming threat.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Nimmo the tying run is on sextuple deck!

No he's not, he was taken out of the game.





Gary: "McNeil flicks it to LF ... what an apt description of his season.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Nimmo the tying run is on sextuple deck! No he's not, he was taken out of the game.

Well that explains why they didn't tie it.

Frayed Knot wrote: Gary: "McNeil flicks it to LF ... what an apt description of his season.

I think his season has more been about not getting around on the inside pitch, and hitting groundouts to second off the handle of the bat.



As far as I'm concerned, he can flick it to left a lot more.

[Edgy MD]

Look at the cluster of outs on grounders to the right side.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: As far as I'm concerned, he can flick it to left a lot more.

The upside of which is the occasional single. This one resulted, as many of them do, in a foul pop up.



The problem isn't that he flicks the occasional ball to LF, it's that that seems to be his intent, that a defensive swing is his fallback position as it's his only remedy to keep from K'ing.

The defending ML batting champ currently has 21 XBHs in 400+ ABs and an OPS+ in the low 80s.

That he's usually hitting 3rd just spells out how bad the current situation is.

[Edgy MD]

I know about his lack of extra-base hits.



What I'm trying to demonstrate is that, whatever his failures, it is not from too often trying to flick the ball to left, nor is it characteristic of his season, as he has demonstrably made a great many more outs in pulling the ball. The league is pitching him inside, over and over ad over, and mostly succeeded in taking away his opportunities to even try to go the other way.



On the inside portion of the plate where he is being pounded, he's failing to judge balls from strikes, he's pulling the ball into ineffective grounders on the right side or (less often) into happy DP territory between the shortstop and second, and when he does elevate, he's flying out to the warning track, or not even that far.



He's also cursing a lot.

[ashie62]

He could try to hit the ball up the middle

[Frayed Knot]

It's not a question of which direction JMcN hits the ball, it's that he's trying to pit-a-pat it in whichever direction.

If the pitch is inside he pulls out the cricket swing and hopes it gets over an infielder (but in front of the OF). With pitches over the plate or away he's trying to poke and aim and maybe get lucky.



So if all goes right the upside is a single or, if particularly well placed, a hustle double. If not it's an easy put out that doesn't advance a runner. And if on the ground with runners on it's an easy two outs.

[Edgy MD]

I disagree that he's trying to "pit-a-pat" the ball no matter where it's pitched.



I just think he's failing to judge or handle the inside pitch. The supposed cricket swing isn't an intentional technique. It's just how you end up swinging when chasing a pitch a foot or more inside.



I certainly agree he's had a terrible year. But I think he'd love to be driving the ball. But the league has adaptated to him, and he's failed to adapt back. It's a mess and I think there's a good chance he doesn't return for more in '24.

[Benjamin Grimm]

http://potg.leaptoad.com/mets/images/schaefer52.jpg>



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