Met Count 2026

[seawolf17]

So how do we do Met Count for an Opening Day home game? Lineup order, yes, but now that the pitcher's not in the lineup, does he go first because it's a home game? And by extension, does the DH go last because he's not on the field in the top of the first? Gotta prep my Mets book and get the cards in the right spots.

Last year's thread: https://grandcentralmets.com/forums/topic/73650-met-count-2025

 

Dom Hamel was 1287, so whoever's first is 1288.

(Apropos of nothing, I've got autos from 1215 of the 1287 in the book. A new season always messes with my percentages, but I've got Semien, Benge, Peralta, and Garcia ready to go.)

[Benjamin Grimm]

My opinion is that it's the order in which they're announced, because the announcement is what makes them officially in the game. When the PA announcer reads the lineup, I assume he reads the batting order from one through nine, including the DH, and then the starting pitcher.

[Gwreck]

The DH does not appear in the official count until he bats, irrespective of “lineup” order.

Applied Ruling:

Mets start tomorrow’s game with Peralta at pitcher, Bichette at third, Robert in center, Benge in right, and Polanco at DH.  Upon the first pitch of the game, all of those players except Polanco enter the count, ordered in their spot in the batting order:  Bichette, Robert, Benge, Peralta.

In the bottom of the first, the Mets are retired in order and Polanco does not bat.

In the top of the second, Polanco falls into a hole while being chased by a wild boar and breaks an ankle.  Vientos replaces him as DH in the bottom of the second.  

Polanco returns 6 months later and next plays in September.  He enters the record then, and not at all on March 26.

[seawolf17]

Even though he will have a "1" in the Games column? I agree that he comes after the fielders, but I'd think being in the starting lineup has to be enough to make it as an official Met Count Met once the game starts.

Even if the wild boar forces him into retirement when it jumps into the dugout after the first pitch, he still has a game played as a Met on his baseball card, just with zero PA. It's not like Jim Bibby or Ruddy Lugo, who were in uniform and active but never appeared in a game.

Nobody does Mets pedantry like this place. It's why I'm glad to be back.

[seawolf17]

And I'm assuming we put Peralta in the imaginary tenth spot in the batting order for this exercise, rather than zeroth, even though he is directly involved in the actual game before any of the other guys by definition.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree with seawolf. Even in the wild boar scenario, he'd still appear in the box score.

And if, instead of battling a wild boar, he was unable to be found because he was pooping, and Vientos went to the plate for him, Polanco wouldn't be eligible to enter the game in later innings.

[Gwreck]

1 hour ago, Benjamin Grimm said:

And if, instead of battling a wild boar, he was unable to be found because he was pooping, and Vientos went to the plate for him, Polanco wouldn't be eligible to enter the game in later innings.

Unless the opposing team changed pitchers after the first inning!

Rule 5.11 (a)(2): The Designated Hitter named in the starting lineup must come to bat at least one time, unless the opposing Club changes pitchers.

Rule 5.11 (a)(13): A substitute for the Designated Hitter need not be announced until it is the Designated Hitter’s turn to bat.

My reading of these rules means that even if Polanco is in the lineup as the DH (but not in spots 1-3 in the lineup), AND the Wild Boar renders Polanco unavailable, AND the Wild Boar also results in Skenes leaving after an inning…then Vientos can come in as the DH, Polanco won’t have ever played in the game, and isn’t yet in the books as a Met.

 

[Edgy MD]

I thought we agreed it went by as-they-appear, so a debut at the plate speaks for itself as the players appear in an order, and defensive-position-order when a player debuts on defense.

So, making assumptions about tomorrow's lineup, the order will be:

• Peralta
• Polanco
• Semien
• Bichette
• Robert, Jr.
• Benge 

... as all are expected to debut on defense in the top of the first.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't think we ever came to an agreement. I always favored the lineup-order method, but others have different opinions. I imagine that for seawolf's purposes, whatever methodology she prefers would be the way to go.

[seawolf17]

And after all that, Baty is DHing. So it's likely to be:

1288 Bichette
1289 Polanco
1290 Robert
1291 Semien
1292 Benge
1293 Peralta

I assume?

[Frayed Knot]

6 hours ago, seawolf17 said:

And after all that, Baty is DHing. So it's likely to be:

1288 Bichette
1289 Polanco
1290 Robert
1291 Semien
1292 Benge
1293 Peralta

I assume?

1294 -- Tobias Myers

[Gwreck]

1295 - Luis Garcia

[seawolf17]

1296. Luke Weaver
1297. Devin Williams

[seawolf17]

1298 Craig Kimbrel

[Edgy MD]

Number 1299 Joey Gerber KILLING it with his leg kick as he debuts with a strikeout of Kyle Tucker.

Also sporting some thunderdimples.

 

[Gwreck]

1300. MJ Melendez

[Gwreck]

1,301. Carl Edwards Jr.

1,302. Austin Slater