Did Colón Lay Down?

[Edgy MD]

In the Miami game, I mean. The one he pitched that was the Marlins' first home game after José Fernandez died.

It was one of two completely out-of-character games for him on the season, the other being a game against Washington back in May when he suddenly couldn't find the plate. But in this game, he walked nobody. The Fish just blasted the ball all over the place.

Evidence is all circumstantial. He had been pitching mostly outstandingly for a month. He'd done well against the Marlins all year. He gave up a leadoff homer to just about the poorest homerun threat in the National League among starting players. In one of the toughest homerun parks too. Also, once the game was in hand, the Mets relievers (the weaker Mets relievers) all shut the Marlins down over the last 5 2/3. The drubbing was all on Bart alone.

He had the motive:

• a gracious gift to a team and fan base that needed some catharsis,
  
• a fraternal offering within the brotherhood of Caribbean ballplayers,
  
• he had a career that could absorb a few extra runs on the ledger, while protecting the younger Mets starters from taking the hit.

He had the means:

• the Marlins had all but been eliminated (or possibly had been officially knocked out?),
  
• the Mets, while they hadn't clinched, would have to fall behind both the Giants and Cards over the last five games in order to miss the playoffs,
  
• The Mets could easily get back the game the next day with Syndergaard facing (LOL!) Koehler.
  
• He might even have had some co-conspirators, with Don Mattingly or his players possibly agreeing to (or merely psychologically getting the hint to) lay down the next day, which they did (at any rate), in the form of 12-1 drubbing.

A conspiracy theory for a January evening.

[seawolf17]

I honestly wondered about that too at the time.

[MFS62]

Similar to Denny McLain's "gift" to Mickey Mantle?

Possible.
And for all the items you mentioned.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I certainly hope not. The Mets playoff spot was definitely not assured at that point. And if he did in fact "lay down" then I'm glad he's gone, no matter how cute and jovial he is.

[ashie62]

I hope not. We needed that game badly.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/09/27/bartolo-colon-mets-lose-7-3-to-mourning-marlins/91153016/

[Guest d'Kong76]

There's enough turmoil right now for me to even consider this conspiracy...

The IGT

[Lefty Specialist]

Colon was all about precision. He was definitely thrown off that night. I don't think he was throwing anyone cookies intentionally.

[ashie62]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Colon was all about precision. He was definitely thrown off that night. I don't think he was throwing anyone cookies intentionally.

^ This ^

[dinosaur jesus]

Yeah, I think was just a kind of rattled by the circumstances. I did suspect he grooved that pitch to Gordon. That was just too perfect a moment when he hit it out. But what's the point of grooving a pitch to Dee Gordon? Nine times out of ten he'll just slap it to the left side.

[Lefty Specialist]

If you're really going to groove a pitch, you groove it to Stanton, not Gordon. Gordon had a little something extra working that night, and you know what- good for him.

[Centerfield]

I think there is not a chance he did this. He's a professional. He owes a duty to his teammates and fans.

If the Mets had already clinched possibly, but in a heated pennant race? No way.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, "the Mets, while they hadn't clinched, would have to fall behind both the Giants and Cards over the last five games in order to miss the playoffs," is the weakest part of the argument. They had the lead, but it was certainly precarious enough. And the planks of the theory start to fall apart if he has to call the Cardinals* and ask them to put the chase on hold for one day and lay down themselves. Days were dwindling.

*The Cards, for their part, DID get crushed that night, 15-2, and if you want to work them into the theory, for speculation's sake, they did have a veteran Latino starter on the mound, in Mexican-born Jaime Garcia.

[TransMonk]

Lefty Specialist wrote: If you're really going to groove a pitch, you groove it to Stanton, not Gordon.

See, I think the opposite. If you're going to groove one, let the 140 lb. guy get the groove and not the masher.

I think Bart gave one cookie out of respect and Gordon nailed it. Stanton was not getting the cookie since the, overall, the Mets still needed the game.

[Fman99]

I don't think he laid down. Pennant chase and all that.

I do, however, think that Piazza tipped off all of Clemens' pitches in the 2004 All Star game where Clemens got shelled in front of the home crowd in Houston in the first inning. That's an exhibition game, perfect time to roll a guy who is a douchehole.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I think this is crazy talk. And then Mattingly agreed that the Marlins would "lay down" for the following game? And who negotiated that agreement? Colon? Terry Collins? Jeff Wilpon? As if the Mets thought splitting two games would've been a good thing at that point of the season.

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

"Lay Down, Colon" is playing in my head to the tune of "Lay Down, Sally."

[ashie62]

Lay Lady Lay inside my big brass belly.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It's benignly ludicrous.