IGT 09/14 - Orioles at Mets

[kcmets]

• Brandon Young RHP (9-4, 3.71 ERA, 112 SO)

• Jonah Tong RHP (2-1, 4.80 ERA, 14 SO)

Discuss playing an AL East opponent in mid-September amongst yourselves...

[Frayed Knot]

49 minutes ago, kcmets said:

Discuss playing an AL East opponent in mid-September amongst yourselves...

Not as bad as playing an AL West opponent in late-September

(in TEX Sept 22 - 24)

[ashie62]

PETE ALONSO PETE ALONSO 

 

 

[Gwreck]

Good article from Abbey Mastracco in the Daily News:  

Ex-Met Pete Alonso not ‘hurt or slighted’ ahead of return to Citi Field with Orioles

https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/09/14/pete-alonso-returns-to-citi-field-with-the-orioles/

Some highlights from the article:

[quote]“I knew they were going to love Pete,” former Orioles and Mets manager Buck Showalter recently told the Daily News. “He called me about Baltimore. I said, ‘Pete, Baltimore will get you. They will appreciate you, and you’ll like the city because the city’s blue-collar. All they want there is the Orioles to be good.'”

…

 

[D]efensively, he’s improved. Declining metrics and increasing age led the Mets to believe that his value wasn’t worth the long-term investment as a right-handed first baseman. They thought wrong.

Alonso credits the O’s staff for helping him with positioning, as well as his own growth.

“It’s understanding where the game is going to flow based on things like how the pitcher is pitching,” he said. “It’s thinking, ‘When the guy makes contact, how is this going to affect me?’ I think it’s helped me get to get to some more balls. And obviously, this is year eight, so I think experience is kind of added into that too.”

His son, Teddy, was born nearly a year ago while the Mets were desperately trying to stay in the Wild Card standings. The timing was perfect; Alonso’s wife, Haley, gave birth to Teddy a few days before the team’s final road trip of the season, and a few days after left-hander Sean Manaea’s wife, Talat, gave birth to their daughter, Shima, in the very same hospital room at Mt. Sinai West.

“This time last year was very, very stressful,” Manaea said. “I didn’t know what being a dad was like or the whole process. Going through that was crazy. We kind of confided in each other. The moms were putting in all the work and doing their thing, but it was made a little bit easier to go through that experience together.”

Manaea and Alonso grew close during the 2024 season. When Manaea tallied his 1000th strikeout, he found a bottle of wine in his locker from Alonso. It was a moment when Manaea realized Alonso was more than just a home-run leader — he was a crucial team leader.

Alonso learned Spanish to better communicate with his teammates. He took the rookies to dinner. A University of Florida baseball alum, he felt protective over his fellow Gators coming through the Mets’ system as prospects. He felt just as protective over Jeff McNeil, a close friend since their days in the minor leagues.

The Mets could always count on Alonso to lighten the mood on bus rides with a comedy act, or to fire them up with a motivational speech.

But Alonso’s true leadership came on the field where he earned immense respect for regularly playing 162 games.

“He played no matter what,” said shortstop Francisco Lindor. “Everybody knew what he was going through at times. He always showed up, posted up, played hard and took care of business.”

…

Alonso isn’t returning to Flushing with any ill will, only gratitude.

“I didn’t feel hurt or slighted because I obviously respect their decision,” Alonso said. “They’re trying to do whatever is best for their organization, and for them. So am I.”[/quote]

 

[Edgy MD]

Obviously, they are losing on the decision, but I don't think "They thought wrong" can be concluded until the end of the deal.

[Gwreck]

Surely not.  2026 is the worst first year “loss” they’ve ever had, though.

1991: Darryl Strawberry puts up 3.7 WAR in his first year in LA.  Hubie Brooks pits up 0.2 (while also costing a still-productive Bob Ojeda in trade to acquire).

2012: Jose Reyes has a 3.0 WAR season in Miami.  Ruben Tejada is given the full-time shortstop role at age 22 and has his best-ever year (2.1 WAR).

2016: Daniel Murphy leads the NL with a .985 OPS in Washington; 4.7 WAR.  Neil Walker (acquired for an at-the-end-of-the-road Jon Niese) has a perfectly respectable .823 OPS and 2.3 WAR but gets hurt in late August. 

2020: Zack Wheeler is outstanding in his first year for the division-rival Phillies.  Whether comparing against Porcello or Michael Wacha, it’s not pretty, and only because it was a short season.  

2026:  Alonso has 4.1 WAR (so far) against Jorge Polanco’s -1.4.  A runaway winner for “worst.”

 

 

[kcmets]

• Dylan Beavers (L) LF
• Pete Alonso (R) 1B
• Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
• Coby Mayo (R) 3B
• Jackson Holliday (L) 2B
• Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) DH
• Heston Kjerstad (L) RF
• Colton Cowser (L) CF
• Carlos Narváez (R) C

• Francisco Lindor (S) SS
• Juan Soto (L) LF
• Bo Bichette (R) 3B
• Carson Benge (L) RF
• Jared Young (L) DH
• Marcus Semien (R) 2B
• A.J. Ewing (L) CF
• Brett Baty (L) 1B
• Francisco Alvarez (R) C

[Edgy MD]

49 minutes ago, Gwreck said:

2026:  Alonso has 4.1 WAR (so far) against Jorge Polanco’s -1.4.  A runaway winner for “worst.”

I'm not sure it's Alonso vs. Polanco so much as Alonso vs. the Mets at first across the board — and while that isn't much better, there should also a per-dollar-type denominator at work.

[Gwreck]

That was a pretty quick analysis but my immediate reaction is that it really shouldn’t be a measure of “all the other first basemen” since all of those guys (Young, Vientos, whomever) would still have been Mets if Alonso was retained.  Polanco was the clear and specific alternate personnel decision.

I’m sure looking at the money only makes it worse since Alonso wasn’t replaced with a team-controlled prospect and was instead replaced with a full-market-rate player (at only a somewhat lower cost for this year).
 

[Edgy MD]

JOAN JETTS

RING TOSSER

Brandon Young RHP 9-4, 3.71 ERA, 112 SO

LINEUP

1. D Beavers (L) LF
2. P Alonso (R) 1B
3. G Henderson (L) SS
4. C Mayo (R) 3B
5. J Holliday (L) 2B
6. C Encarnacion-Strand (R) DH
7. H Kjerstad (L) RF
8. C Cowser (L) CF
9. C Narváez (R) C

ADAM HOROWITZES

DART THROWER

Jonah Tong RHP 2-1, 4.80 ERA, 14 SO

LINEUP

1. F Lindor (S) SS
2. J Soto (L) LF
3. B Bichette (R) 3B
4. C Benge (L) RF
5. J Young (L) DH
6. M Semien (R) 2B
7. A Ewing (L) CF
8. B Baty (L) 1B
9. F Alvarez (R) C

[Edgy MD]

Soto back in left, as the Mets alternate between him, Baty, and Young at DH, as none of them are running particularly well.

[ashie62]

4 hours ago, Edgy MD said:

Obviously, they are losing on the decision, but I don't think "They thought wrong" can be concluded until the end of the deal.

The only positive I see is the breakout of Jared Young and the possibility of him starting at 1B next season at almost no cost

We know what the stats are for Pete this season, he has 100 RBI's. You could argue that this is his career year. So I would "expect" some regression next season

I cant gauge fan disappointment or clubhouse presence with numbers and data but Pete's absence still looms large

This disaster of a season has many causes and I do believe not keeping Pete is a major one. It just feels like a smart azz Mets newbie GM sent away Santa Claus away on an over reliance on numbers and no consideration of heart

[Edgy MD]

He wasn't and isn't particularly new.

And yeah, he relied on numbers, but what are we citing in judging his failure? Numbers, no?

Numbers are what these guys deal in and it's what they are judged by.

[metirish]

 

 

 

[kcmets]

Pop-up Petey l

[Edgy MD]

Good on them early-bird fans.

"It better be electric.  I hope people go crazy for him. He deserves it."  — Francisco Lindor.

[Edgy MD]

Howie Rose on the air mistakenly calling Joe Torre the manager during Lee Mazzilli's rookie year.

[Gwreck]

Pete got ovations:

-When the opposing team lineup was announced

-First time he stepped out to warm-up; tipped his cap

-After the tribute video, a standing ovation; he tipped his cap

-When he came up in the top of the first to another standing ovation.

I can count on one hand (and have fingers left) the number of times Mets fans have been actively rooting for a visiting player to homer.   

 

[kcmets]

Why are my lineups from 4 hours ago replaced by ones 3 hours ago?

Oh, and Petey BB....

[Edgy MD]

37 minutes ago, kcmets said:

Why are my lineups from 4 hours ago replaced by ones 3 hours ago?

Oh, and Petey BB....

Sorry.  When peoples are talking to me, I post dumb stuff.

I'm sitting here rooting for Ewing to beat both Lindor and Alonso to 300 homers.

[Edgy MD]

45 minutes ago, Gwreck said:

I can count on one hand (and have fingers left) the number of times Mets fans have been actively rooting for a visiting player to homer.   

There was Piazza as a Padre, and then there's ... umm ... .

I think that's all I got.  I imagine there were some spots in the early sixties that folks were kinda semi-actively rooting for Willie Mays, but that's certainly not something I can testify to.

Maybe they were rooting for Seaver to hit a homer when he came back to Shea as a Red.

[Gwreck]

3 minutes ago, Edgy MD said:

I'm sitting here rooting for Ewing to beat both Lindor and Alonso to 300 homers.

That would be an awfully long slump for Francisco

[Gwreck]

1 minute ago, Edgy MD said:

There was Piazza as a Padre, and then there's ... umm ... .

I think that's all I got.  I imagine there were some spots in the early sixties that folks were kinda semi-actively rooting for Willie Mays, but that's certainly not something I can testify to.

Maybe they were rooting for Seaver to hit a homer when he came back to Shea as a Red.

Bonds and McGwire are the other two that came to mind.  (Maybe you could take issue with calling those the fairweather fans Mets fans).

[Edgy MD]

1 minute ago, Gwreck said:

That would be an awfully long slump for Francisco

It would sure get Gary Carter off the hook.

[Frayed Knot]

I was there for both Seaver's first game back and Strawberry's. Definitely cheering for both (particularly Seaver) from the Shea faithful. Except for me, I wasn't cheering for either.

Seaver doubled off Koosman in the 5th and scored on a Pete Rose single. (Reds 5 - Mets 1)

Strawberry did HR (off Viola in the 6th) but also grounded out vs Johnny F. to end the game (Mets 6 - Dodgers 5)

[Gwreck]

1 minute ago, Frayed Knot said:

Definitely cheering for both (particularly Seaver) from the Shea faithful. Except for me, I wasn't cheering for either.

Rumor has it FK was the guy holding the “Dick Young was right” sign.

[Edgy MD]

Today's a very strandy day.

It may be a fan appreciation thing.  Like the first 1,000 fans through the gate get a stranded baserunner, while supplies last.

[Frayed Knot]

btw, the Dodger lineup on that first Strawberry game included, in addition to Darryl,: Gary Carter, Eddie Murray, Brett Butler, Juan Samuel,  Once and future Mets abound.

Butler, Samuel, Straw, and Murray hit 1-2-3-4 in the lineup. Carter pinch-hit in the 9th (and doubled).

[Frayed Knot]

9 minutes ago, Gwreck said:

Rumor has it FK was the guy holding the “Dick Young was right” sign.

Nah. Just pissed off over the whole affair.

[Edgy MD]

7 minutes ago, Frayed Knot said:

btw, the Dodger lineup on that first Strawberry game included, in addition to Darryl,: Gary Carter, Eddie Murray, Brett Butler, Juan Samuel,  Once and future Mets abound.