Irrational Exuberance

[batmagadanleadoff]

Nymr83 wrote: At this point there is a pretty serious inverse correlation among anyone who the Mets between the quality of their writing and the frequency with which they mention Madoff.

Clearly, the mature thing to do now is to shitcan any writer who dares to write Madoff and the Mets in the same sentence; to ignore that the Madoff scam ever affected the Mets finances; and to pretend that either money doesn't matter, or if it did, that Alderson has at his disposal, unfettered access to a $130M payroll budget that every NY MLB team should always have.

Doesn't the Madoff scam make this Mets story that's unfolding even more compelling?

[Lefty Specialist]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Notable is that Cespedes is one lazy-assed baserunner � including last night � and one of these days, I suspect, that trait of his will munch on the Mets' behinds. I got problems with several of our new guys - Cespedes tries so hard to hit home runs he barely does anything right beyond that (aside from the inevitable doubles, and don't think I'm devaluing dingers cuz I'm not). Clippard is impossible to watch -- excruciatingly slow working. If I were the Phillies I'd be on him for 'slow-pitching' them. O'Flaherty sucks.

Clippard is hard to watch, but he generally gets out of his messes, and I'd rather have him pitching the 8th than anybody else.

Cespedes, yes, you can see the flaws in his game, and he can be too casual in his approach. I'm kind of glad they won't be committing to him long-term, because I could see his act getting tiring after a while. But damn, he's talented.

O'Flaherty- trap door.

Uribe- Every time he gets up Keith says 'he doesn't get cheated' after his takes a powerful swing and a miss. Far better defensively than I expected, though, and he runs into one occasionally.

Kelly Johnson- a bit of a disappointment, but he's a pro, and I'd rather have him coming off my bench than Eric Campbell.

Conforto- 2016 came early. The average is starting to come up, and he doesn't seem fazed by the heat of a pennant race.

What these guys have provided is the flexibility Terry was missing. When you're putting up Danny Muno to pinch hit, you might as well leave the pitcher in. And now you can play matchups all over the infield and outfield. It's what real teams do and it had been lacking. Now you can rest Granderson against lefties. You can have a Cuddyer pinch-hit in a crucial situation instead of Darrell Ceciliani. You can bring in a Juan Lagares for late-inning defense. So many more good choices than just a month ago.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, all that. Talk about versatility. They can platoon all over the field � and almost are. And come September, stacking the lineup one way or the other won't leave them with a one-sided bench.

And Terry shifts Wilmer Flores willy-nilly between short and second without twisting his hands in worry over whether it would undermine his confidence, unlike the first half when he was loathe to move him off shortstop lest "Wilmer Sucks" appear on the back page. And � how 'bout that? � Wilmer is seemingly playing with all the confidence in the world.

They all seem to be. They all have a meaningful role on a team driving pennant-wards. They have the versatility to absorb a lineup loss like Duda, which might well have been devastating in other circumstances. Now it's all, "Whoah, hey, don't force things, big guy. We're up by five games and we're going to need you down the road. Go get well. We got this."

[Benjamin Grimm]

Anthony Martino had an article in the Daily News today about how the Mets have a whole new attitude from what they had in late July, just before Sandy made the Uribe/Johnson trade.

I like the point made above about Conforto. It's great that he's getting his growing pains in now. By next April, if he has a starting job (and he likely will) he'll be all the more ready for it.

I'm glad the Mets have Clippard. And Gilmartin too. I expect we'll see Dario Alvarez next week too. And Verrett can enhance the bullpen for a little while before his next start.

Good point about Wilmer and the switching between second and shortstop. If you treat players like they're little children, then they'll expect to be treated like little children.

[Edgy MD]

A big part of what I hate about designated closers. Given enough time, almost all of them become entitled yutzes.

[Frayed Knot]

I suspect the Wilmer can't leave SS policy was more organizational than something decided by just Terry.
They were afraid of the bad publicity for failing to find a "real" SS over the winter and moving Flores elsewhere would have looked like an admission that the one they settled for wasn't cutting it either.
But now that the've taken the bold plunge, the result wasn't nearly as bad as what they feared.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: I suspect the Wilmer can't leave SS policy was more organizational than something decided by just Terry. They were afraid of the bad publicity for failing to find a "real" SS over the winter and moving Flores elsewhere would have looked like an admission that the one they settled for wasn't cutting it either. But now that the've taken the bold plunge, the result wasn't nearly as bad as what they feared.

I suspect it's just that they don't like Ruben Tejada. Until August, Wilmer Flores was one of the worst hitters on the team and should sat. It wasn't about them refusing to move him to 2B, it was that they weren't going to play Tejada so might as well give Flores the AB where they don't have _any_ options while experimenting with seeing if guys like Muno, Herrera, or Campbell would provide anything.

[Frayed Knot]

It wasn't about them refusing to move him to 2B

It was specifically about refusing to move him to 2B, as even when they DID play Flores & Tejada in the same lineup it was Tejada who was shifted to 2B not Flores.
Flores, for instance, NEVER started at 2B until June 28 but has started their 28 times since. Tejada started at SS Only when Flores wasn't in the starting lineup at all (8 times) again until June 28 yet has started there 38 times since.

That's not Tejada hatred, it's a clear mid-year change in direction which suggests -- hell, it outright screams -- previous adherence to a strict policy even when it took precedence over logical in-game strategy.

[Edgy MD]

�He�s done fine. That�s why I just want to leave him alone. The minute you move him, controversy starts. Then when you move him back, more controversy. We�re trying to play baseball here and stay away from the back page.� � Terry Collins, circa June 4

[ashie62]

Wilmer Flores is one of our best players. Good enough for me.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: It wasn't about them refusing to move him to 2B It was specifically about refusing to move him to 2B, as even when they DID play Flores & Tejada in the same lineup it was Tejada who was shifted to 2B not Flores.

And lest it be forgotten, he was placed at third base as well for two weeks or so, leading the booth to frequently comment that the team had three guys out of position that needed to rotated clockwise.

[nymr83]

How sweet would it be if we could sweep the Nationals and make the 2nd series against them meaningless?

The Yankees could roll into town with 9 games left and the Mets more concerned about getting the postseason rotation in order than they are about the "subway series"

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

So the much vaunted rotation is struggling and the suddenly explosive offense has to keep bailing them out. But then the one starter we'd given up on comes out and pitches 7 shutout innings in a bandbox.

That's so 2015 Mets.

[Frayed Knot]

It's almost time to start lining up jokes about the offense wanting to sue the pitching staff for non-support.

[Centerfield]

"That's right. Mets fan. You remember correctly."

"No, definitely, it's been fun."

"The streak? Which one, we've had a few now."

"Well, actually there were two in August."

"Yeah, really. Yup. There was the one where they swept the Nationals and took over first, and then there was the one later in the month where they extended their lead and ripped out the Nationals' hearts."

[Guest themetfairy]

The Nationals have hearts?

[Centerfield]

Well not anymore. Duh.

[Centerfield]

I don't know if I am irrationally exuberant anymore. I think I am more bewildered/dumbfounded/sitting in front of the TV with mouth hanging open in disbelief.

I like to think that the Nats saw the 5-0 score and were glad to see it, but knew that the game was far from over. I also like to think that as they saw the score change to 5-2, 5-4, then tied at 5, that they knew what was eventually coming. I picture them watching after their game ended, jumping out of their seats during the foul HR, then sitting back down dejectedly.

After the Murphy double I see Jason Werth angrily getting up and switching off the TV, and saying "Who fucking cares. We just have to do our part and keep winning." And everyone walking away shaking their heads.

I don't know why the Nationals locker room TV does not have a remote. I can't answer everything.

[Ceetar]

Centerfield wrote: I don't know why the Nationals locker room TV does not have a remote. I can't answer everything.

Jonathan Papelbon absconding with it when Storen tried to decide what they were going to watch postgame and then he lost it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I read a few things online. The Nationals are pointing to recent examples of other teams that were behind in August and stormed into first place with a strong September. They feel that the same thing can happen with them.

And they're right.

It doesn't mean it will happen, but it can, and fictional Jayson Werth is right, the Nationals have to concentrate on winning each game.

I wish I could peek ahead at the standings two weeks from today. At that point, with the three games in DC behind us, we'll have a much clearer idea of the challenge ahead. If the Mets lead is still 5 or 6 games at that point, they'll be in really good shape. And if it's 7 or 8 or more, then even better.

[soupcan]

I just hope that the 2015 Mets are as aware of '7 up with 17 to play' as we are.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

"Fictional Jayson Werth" needs a Twitter account.

[MFS62]

Centerfield wrote: I don't know if I am irrationally exuberant anymore. I think I am more bewildered/dumbfounded/sitting in front of the TV with mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Maybe not exuberant, but:

I'm wild again
Beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I

And I like it.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Centerfield wrote: I like to think that the Nats saw the 5-0 score and were glad to see it, but knew that the game was far from over. I also like to think that as they saw the score change to 5-2, 5-4, then tied at 5, that they knew what was eventually coming.

I was trying to switch on the Nats game every once in a while just to hear how their announcing duo was reacting to changing scores in the NYM/PHI game.
Did manage to catch at least one reaction to some NYM runs which I would describe as a kind of resigned disbelief. It was like he wanted to say "How the Fuck are those guys doing it?!?" but managed to restrain himself.

[Farmer Ted]

May 24, 2015:
Mrs. Ted: 9-1 Pirates in the 7th. Mother fuckers. Niese sucks.
Farmer Ted: Sons-a-bitches. I fucking quit those assholes.

August 27, 2015:
Mrs. Ted: 5-0 Phillies in the 3rd. Mother fuckers. Niese sucks.
Farmer Ted: [Yawn] I'm going to take a shower. It should be tied up by the time I get back.

Soak it in folks. Soak it in.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: "Fictional Jayson Werth" needs a Twitter account.

Yeah @f'JWerth... hee hee

[TransMonk]

[Lefty Specialist]

It's not so much exuberance as it is this tingly feeling that says, "Hey, they might actually pull this off."

What team goes 10 GAMES and over 400 plate appearances without a home run in June and then hits 43 in 24 games in August? I mean, that just doesn't happen. Until now, anyway.

It's like Damn Yankees and we're the Washington Senators. Come to think of it, Terry looks a bit like Ray Walston.

[dinosaur jesus]

Lefty Specialist wrote: It's not so much exuberance as it is this tingly feeling that says, "Hey, they might actually pull this off." What team goes 10 GAMES and over 400 plate appearances without a home run in June and then hits 43 in 24 games in August? I mean, that just doesn't happen. Until now, anyway. It's like Damn Yankees and we're the Washington Senators. Come to think of it, Terry looks a bit like Ray Walston.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Some advice for Blue Jays fans that works for Mets fans as well.