Edgy MD

Cleveland deploying two Met penners in a row with Matt Festa and Colin Holderman.

And McLean just dug a hole and fell into it. Six to five.

I'm all alone again. You all missed Young with a pinch-hit RBI single. Great to be a quasi-regular like Young, and when they sit you down, you make a contribution off the bench, telling the manager what you think of being left out of the lineup.

O'Jays playing on the PA during a mound visit. The O'Jays were a defining part of the Phillie Sound, but actually were originally from nearish-by Canton and named after pioneering Cleveland DJ Eddie O'Jay.

Lindor should have scored on that.

He also took a few photos on the way to first before turning his jets on.

A 420-ish-foot triple from Benge and it seemed to come a little off the end of his bat.

Wagaman saves the lead with his glove. I had thought the Mets had forgotten he owned a glove.

Short afternoon for Griffin I'm advocating.

The romantic in me likes joy. He loves joy. He also loves the beauty of human movement and human self-expression. The cynic in me says that getting that much air and trying to land flat-footed on or about the inclined surface of a pitching mound is asking for a year-long vacation following Edwing DiazTM ACL surgery. The cynic also notes that, just because nobody took the dance as an insult enough to try to brain your teammate in Biloxi doesn't mean it won't happen in Philly. It only takes one. The romantic also longs for a US baseball world a little more like Japan, where culture happens in the distinct expression of the distinct players radiating outward and the distinct expression of the fans radiating back at them, and not an endless wasteland of "Day-O," "Wild Thing," and "Clap Yo Hands!" But Lindor only has one brain. 35. That's, like, an 80, but dropping to a 40 as soon as someone gets dusted, and dropping to a 5 when someone gets plunked. I dunno, but it's a dangerous world out there.

Your Mets, once again ahead of the Giants and hot on the asses of the flagging Nationals. Please welcome to the lineup Christian Pache, in the first start of his Mets career, and welcome back Eric Wagaman, who hasn't been in the lineup card for what seems like a career's worth of games. Day off for AJ Ewing and the blisteringly hot Jorge Polanco. Stay ready, though, guys. Starting Pitcher Nolan McLean RHP 7-7, 3.29 ERA, 148 SO Lineup Francisco Lindor (S) SS Bo Bichette (R) 3B Luis Robert Jr. (R) CF Carson Benge (L) RF Francisco Alvarez (R) DH Marcus Semien (R) 2B Eric Wagaman (R) 1B Luis Torrens (R) C Cristian Pache (R) LF Starting Pitcher Foster Griffin LHP 12-3, 3.06 ERA, 116 SO Lineup Travis Bazzana (L) DH Country Roads DeLauter (L) RF José Ramírez (S) 3B Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B Angel Martínez (S) LF Brayan Rocchio (S) SS Petey Halpin (L) CF Patrick Bailey (S) C Angel Genao (S) 2B

Nothing against the Knicks, but even from an all-New York-sports-fan point of view, that seems like a wash at best. If I'm going to offer up the soul of the Mets, I want the president in prison, universal health care, affordable high-speed rail, or the like. Abolition of ICE? Sure! More power pop bands and fewer divas on the charts? Sorry, Mets, but hell yeah!

Where did this ceremony take place? Why wasn't I invited?

Every. Single. One. It evolves on occasion, with varieties regarding the jump, whether he spins away from the plate, and how much slide goes into his step, but some permutation of it goes down every time.

In the broad spectrum of takes, where 1 equals "That's some punk shit from a punk pitcher who needs a punk slap upside his punk head" and 100 is "Loosen up — it's baseball, it's fun, success needs to be celebrated, and personalities need to be expressed, and hey, he's got a personality, you don't, and you old farts need to get over yourselves," where are you? Please express your positions in as many words as you need, but please include a number.

Fun but kind of crazy energy coming off of Yan in the post-game. I got the idea that he doesn't drive the speed limit.

Giving a shot to Chayce McDemotts of the world is the hidden bonus of being in last place and trading off a massive chunk of your pen. Look what a pin-cushion this guy has been in his short-but-battered MLB career to date. Season Team W L ERA IP H R ER HR BB SO HBP 2024 BAL 0 0 6.75 4 5 3 3 1 2 3 0 2025 BAL 0 1 15.58 8 2/3 12 15 15 3 12 9 1 2026 LAD 0 0 7.71 2 1/3 3 2 2 1 0 1 0 2026 NYM 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0

And looking sad. We'll have a fully rested Nate Lavender!

Young had an error, so my PotG is going to be Polanco. For the first time this year, I'm pretty sure.

Duarte continues to show huarte.

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" : Progressive Field :: "My Girl" : Citi Field

Give the 10th to Xzavion!

Chayce is an ayce.

Francisco! That's not fun to say!

Green didn't get Williams up??