IGT 6/1 Mets Mariners 9:40 Warren v John Hancock strive for 5!

[Edgy MD]

Melendez is supposed to take a few steps and fall down on that play.

[Centerfield]

Shoulda had a pinch runner and shoulda been stealing. 

[Edgy MD]

Ewing is the stuff.

I don't think we're going to see him at second any time soon.

[Centerfield]

That guarantees Soto is walked in the tenth inning. 

[Edgy MD]

2 minutes ago, Centerfield said:

That guarantees Soto is walked in the tenth inning. 

Yeah, but that's just asking to be punched in the face by Young.

[Edgy MD]

Baty is feeling himself after that play at third.  I'm picking him for the game-winning hit.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

That Juan"t good

[Edgy MD]

I kind of want to see Waggy batting for Young, and save Vientos to hit for Melendez.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Slumpy Ewing looked overmatched on every pitch

[Centerfield]

Crap. Can’t strand the free runner. Walkoff seems inevitable now. 

[Centerfield]

That Soto K was basically the ballgame. 

[Centerfield]

Second disengagement basically gave them third. 

[Edgy MD]

You're supposed to walk Young in that situation to set up the double-play.

Seattle had a lefty on deck and just the backup catcher available on the bench.

[Gwreck]

We are once again called upon to point out that Rob Manfred sucks 

[Gwreck]

This was the 12th extra inning game for the Mets this year (7-5).

The Mets had 4 wins in extras in which the stupid free runner was inconsequential (for example, the May 29 game in which Melendez hit a homer in the bottom of the 10th in a tie game to win).  3 wins were aided by the free runner (ex. April 7 against Arizona; a single wins the game versus just having the winning run on first).

By contrast, 4 (maybe all 5) losses were aided by the stupid free runner:

-March 29 vs PIT: in the top of the 10th, Pirates get a Single, GIDP, Walk, Walk, Single, Strikeout.  In a normal world that’s at most 1 run, but Manfred gifts them a second.  

-April 1 at STL: bottom of 10th, tie game: walk, GIDP, single.  In a normal world that’s a runner on first with 2 outs and probably goes to the 11th.

-April 19 at CHC: Wild pitch, K, sac fly.  Mets lose without giving up a baserunner in extras.

-May 2 at LAA: walk, single, 2 flyouts, single.  Maybe that scores the winning run in any circumstance…maybe not.

-Tonight in SEA, only hit was a single.

 

[Centerfield]

9 hours ago, Gwreck said:

We are once again called upon to point out that Rob Manfred sucks 

Yes. It does. I wonder if we hate it even more given how many extra inning games the Mets play. 
 

And as you pointed out, how that free runner seems to bite us in the ass

[Centerfield]

I know this is a small thing, but not pinch running for Melendez really bothers me.  I mean, you get the leadoff man on in the 8th inning.  It's your DH.  Why would you not run for him there?  Why wouldn't you give yourself an advantage?  Maybe he steals?  Maybe the threat of him stealing results in a fat pitch for Baty.  Maybe that same ball is hit and a faster runner forces a throw on that double play.  In any case, you give yourself a better chance to win with a runner as fast as Brujan.

Melendez is your DH.  So it's not like you have any downside positionally.  It's the 8th inning.  So there's a good chance that spot is not going to come up again (it did not).  And even if it does, you still have bats like Vientos and Wagaman on your bench.  What is the downside?

The only thing I can think of is by running Brujan there, you lose the option to use him as the free runner in the 10th.  But playing for the 10th inning in the 8th inning seems foolish to me.  And there's no guarantee that the free runner is someone you want to sub for anyway.

I know that little things like this are probably not going to make a difference in 2026.  But one day, the Mets will hopefully be competitive again, and we'll need to win around the edges.  Mendoza is not the guy.  He's proven this over and over again.  I don't see why we don't get started in finding the right guy right away.  

Infuriating.  

[Gwreck]

7 hours ago, Centerfield said:

I know that little things like this are probably not going to make a difference in 2026.  But one day, the Mets will hopefully be competitive again, and we'll need to win around the edges.  Mendoza is not the guy.  He's proven this over and over again.  I don't see why we don't get started in finding the right guy right away.  

Infuriating.  

I agree with all of this except that I’m not sure mid-season is the optimal time to find a new manager.

Mendoza should be fired because he does a bad job as manager, full stop.  But if they’re not going to do so now, the one possible benefit to waiting is a broader candidate pool after the season ends.