Gwreck

This early in the season, it’s pretty easy: -In order of importance, we want the Phillies, Braves, and Dodgers to lose. -Everyone else in the NL is irrelevant until they prove otherwise. -I don’t even think about the Junior Circuit unless the Mets are playing one of their teams.

Home opener yesterday drew 41,449. Short of a sellout and the smallest home opener crowd since 2013. Of course last year was a record but by way of comparison, 32 home dates last year had bigger crowds than yesterday.

A lot depends on what “convenient” means. Having to make one connection — e.g., subway to subway, subway to commuter rail — seems fairly reasonable to call “convenient.” Example: all the Metro-North lines go right to Grand Central where the 7 runs frequently to the ballpark. That also seems to be a pretty convenient public transit option.

The anthem is a trickier song to sing than sometimes one realizes. What happened today is literally the reason so many singers use teleprompters, even if you’re singing something for the millionth time. They started doing a different version of the stretch in the last year or two, with the organist playing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” instead of the rousing version they used to use. No surprise it’s lifeless and bad, as organ music at the ballpark sucks. Not everything that once was old is good. Sorry to hear about the box but hopefully it was free? Most of the Citi boxes typically do have two rows of seats in the front that are sufficiently exposed that you feel like you’re at the game. If you’re in the back, though? Agree that it’s not a fan experience.

Great time at the game. Miscellaneous things not mentioned above: -Tyrone Taylor got a nice hand from the crowd…and is still wearing #15. -Nunez, Megill, and Garrett all present to be introduced. -Marcell Ozuna getting loudly booed during introductions and every time he came to the plate. Well done fans. -Robert could easily become a favorite if he can hit a little bit. Looks like he has some great baseball skills. Got a great read on Baty’s triple and nearly caught Polanco on the basepaths. -Benge got all the attention but Alvarez’s follow-up was absolutely pummeled and he was really enjoying his trip around the bases to celebrate. -Polanco looked fine at first, had a couple good plays, a hard grounder and a wide throw from Bichette.

1295 - Luis Garcia

100%, because it sucks. I’ll care less if he saves 50 games with an ERA+ of 250. Mine: -Mendoza does not get an extension until after the postseason ends. Media will talk about this incessantly even though it’s abundantly clear (as in 2015) that a playoff run will be necessary for the manager to keep his job. -Senga finishes in the top 10 of Cy Young balloting. -Mets win the season series against the Dodgers but go inexplicably go 1-5 against the White Sox and Sacramento. -Pete Alonso gets a curtain call in each of the 3 games Baltimore plays in September at Citi.

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.

Brujan is the odd man out because Jared Young got the last bench spot. I am surprised but I suppose Edgy is not?

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.

Thanks for the reminder! We were looking for Cody Bellinger with 16 and former-Met Javier Baez with 13. There might be another quiz or two out there with cleanup needed before opening day…will get on that. Full list below. Player Homers Bryce Harper 40 Gincarlo Stanton 38 Freddie Freeman 31 Ozzie Albies 22 Marcel Ozuna 21 Anthony Rendon* 21 Kyle Schwarber 20 Juan Soto 19 Austin Riley 19 Paul Goldschmidt 18 Ronald Acuna Jr. 18 Rhys Hoskins 17 Nolan Arenado 16 Cody Bellinger 16 Matt Olson 15 Trea Turner 15 JT Realmuto 14 Christian Yelich 14 Aaron Judge 14 Javier Baez 13

National Weather Service now forecasting a delightful high of 64 and partly sunny for Thursday.

He does not. He is on a minor league contract and will be paid at that salary (and not earn MLB service time either). Very bad luck all around.

I don’t know about Lucchesi specifically, but DiComo reported this weekend that the Mets aren’t sold on either Hudson or Lovelady as the last man in the ‘pen and are still considering other waiver-wire options.

I’d give him 8.

Mets announced that Benge made the roster and is starting on Thursday in right field.

Netflix isn’t a niche product. Putting a game there is far different than Apple TV. Netflix has about 65 million subscribers in the US, which is comparable to ESPN’s current penetration.

You have a very different read of the situation than I do. Pache and Young are fringe candidates at best and were always extremely unlikely to make the team. The Mets were seemingly ready to go with Tauchman and Benge and no extra infielder (witness Bichette recently playing short to get practice in). With Tauchman hurt, Brujan’s very tentative spot becomes much more secure. If Benge doesn’t make the team for some reason (unlikely at this point) then I’d expect MJ Melendez to be above Pache and Young in the pecking order.

With Tauchman hurt, Vidal Brujan’s chances to make the roster just went up significantly and he’s probably leading Pache and Young for the last bench spot.

To be just a tiny bit of a dark cloud…I think Howie actually had lost a beat or two in recent years. It might be in part because he’s had some recent changes with his partners, but he was leaning a bit too far his self-appointed curmudgeon status, developing a bit of main character syndrome. That all said, this will be a tremendous loss for everyone.

I could see Manaea being used as a piggyback reliever too, particularly with Holmes or McLean. I believe Britton suggested that was a possibility too, given the early season off days and lack of need for a 6th starter.

I think you’re right that it has to be a service time thing. Something along the lines of a first year player who gets XX days = rounded up to a full year of service time (rather than the 172 days typically needed). Maybe that’s 75 or 100, so you’d have really have to hold the player out a long time to delay the FA clock.

I think they’re independent. Tauchman will either be the starter OR he will get a bench spot if Benge makes it.

DiComo reports that Mendoza stated today that Brazoban is confirmed for an opening day roster spot. We’re now down to 3 spots still to be locked down, although Britton and Sammon have both suggested that Tauchman is very likely to make the team under any circumstance. To be determined: 1. Starting RF: Benge or Tauchman 2. Last bench spot: Tauchman, if Benge makes the team. If Benge doesn’t make the team, ??? [Melendez, Brujan, Young, someone else] 3. Last bullpen spot. Kimbrel or a second lefty [Lovelady, Bryan Hudson] Lineup: Alvarez, Polanco, Semien, Bichette, Lindor, Soto, Robert, [Right Field], Baty Bench: Torrens, Vientos, Taylor, [Open Spot] SP: Peralta, Holmes, Senga, McLean, Peterson, Manaea RP: Williams, Weaver, Raley, Garcia, Myers, Brazoban, [Open Spot]

1. Johan Santana 2. Frank Viola 3. Brian Dozier 4. 5. Rick Aguilera 6. 7. Michael Cuddyer 8. 9. Matt Lawton 10. Jerry Koosman further down the list: Carlos Gomez