Edgy MD

That was a long, baseball-less Monday in our household, but we comforted ourselves with visions of a healing Francisco Lindor. Whether or not the Mets start Lindor all three games in Atlanta, the Mets could end up writing three different secondbasemen into the lineup card in three days. A lot of very interesting options with two lefties going against them in the series. Our household is also not treating the Phils' clinching as official. As far as we're concerned, in the unlikely event that the Mets and Philadelphia finish with the same record, the Mets will be co-division champions, and any tiebreakers are in place only to determine playoff seedings. The other exciting news from last night, as noted above, is the Mets gaining a half game on the Diamondbacks, who go into the final week of the season having locked up nothing, secured nothing, and virtually clinched nothing. All of America must become Giants fans. Clinching in Atlanta takes on an added urgency for Carlos Mendoza's team, as that eight-run comeback suggests the Brewers may be clicking on more cylinders than the Mets. Playoff baseball. [th]Day[/th][th]Date[/th][th]Opp.[/th][th]Starter[/th][th]Opp. Starter[/th][th]Score[/th][th]Div. GB[/th][th]WC1 GB[/th][th]WC2 GB[/th][th]WC3 GB[/th] [th]Sunday[/th]1@CWSSean Manaea (L)Garrett Crochet (L)=#00B050]W, 2–08.04.04.01.0 [th]Monday[/th]2=#C00000]vs. BOSLuís Severino (R)Brayan Bello (R)=#00B050]W, 4–17.54.03.00.5 [th]Tuesday[/th]3=#C00000]vs. BOSDavid Peterson (L)Kutter Crawford (R)=#00B050]W, 7–27.53.53.00.5 [th]Wednesday[/th]4=#C00000]vs. BOSTylor Megill (R)Tanner Houck (R)=#00B050]W, 8–37.53.53.00.5 [th]Thursday[/th]58.03.02.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Friday[/th]6=#FF0000]vs. CINSean Manaea (L)Brandon Williamson (L)=#00B050]W, 6–48.03.01.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Saturday[/th]7=#FF0000]vs. CINJosé Quintana (L)Jakob Junis (R)=#00B050]W, 4-07.02.00.5[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Sunday[/th]8=#FF0000]vs. CINLuís Severino (R)Julian Aguilar (R)=#FF0000]L, 3-17.02.01.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th][/th][th][/th][th]SQUEAKY[/th][th]BUM[/th][th]TIME[/th][th][/th][th]🐭[/th][th]( | )[/th][th]⏰[/th][th][/th] [th]Monday[/th]9=#0070C0]@TORTylor Megill (R)Ryan Burr (R)=#00B050]W, 3-27.01.51.0[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Tuesday[/th]10=#0070C0]@TORDavid Peterson (L)Chris Bassitt (R)=#FF0000]L, 6-28.02.52.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Wednesday[/th]11=#0070C0]@TORSean Manaea (L)Bowden Francis (R)=#00B050]W, 6-28.02.01.5[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Thursday[/th]128.02.01.5[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Friday[/th]13=#EF0C0E]@PHIJosé Quintana (L)Aaron Nola (R)=#00B050]W, 11-37.01.51.0[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Saturday[/th]14=#EF0C0E]@PHILuís Severino (R)Kolby Allard (L)=#FF0000]L, 2-18.02.51.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Sunday[/th]15=#EF0C0E]@PHIDavid Peterson (L)Christopher Sánchez (L)=#FF0000]L, 6-49.03.52.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Monday[/th]16=#215C98]vs. WASSean Manaea (L)Jake Irvin (R)=#00B050]W, 2-18.03.51.0[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Tuesday[/th]17=#215C98]vs. WASTylor Megill (R)Mitchell Parker (L)=#00B050]W, 10-18.02.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Wednesday[/th]18=#215C98]vs. WASJosé Quintana (L)DJ Herz (L)=#00B050]W, 10-07.02.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Thursday[/th]19=#EF0C0E]vs. PHILuís Severino (R)Taijuan Walker (R)=#00B050]W, 10-66.02.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Friday[/th]20=#EF0C0E]vs. PHIDavid Peterson (L)Christopher Sánchez (L)=#FF0000]L, 12-27.03.01.0[MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Saturday[/th]21=#EF0C0E]vs. PHISean Manaea (L)Ranger Suarez (L)=#00B050]W, 6-36.03.01.0[MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Sunday[/th]22=#EF0C0E]vs. PHITylor Megill (R)Zach Wheeler (R)=#00B050]W,2-15.03.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Monday[/th]235.53.0[MetsOrange]+0.5[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Tuesday[/th]24=#002060]@ATLLuís Severino (R)Spencer Schwellenbach (R) [th]Wednesday[/th]25=#002060]@ATLDavid Peterson (L)Chris Sale (L) [th]Thursday[/th]26=#002060]@ATLSean Manaea (L)Max Fried (L) [th]Friday[/th]27=#C5BD50]@MILJosé Quintana (L)Colin Rea (R) [th]Saturday[/th]28=#C5BD50]@MILTylor Megill (R)Frankie Montas (R) [th]Sunday[/th]29=#C5BD50]@MILLuís Severino (R)Tobias Myers (R) [th]Monday[/th]30

Ouch. I haven't seen that sort of heat from Trevor May since 2019.

I imagine there are a lot of factors. I guess some of them could be the lack of a marquee free agent to hook pre-season sales around, the impression that left that the Mets were looking past this season, a lousy start which cut into the May-through-July sales, and losing their biggest mound draw (and really having no established mound draw behind him). Or they could just really stink at marketing. I dunno. I'm sure there's a place I can look up how big a cut of the pie ballpark revenues accounts for. Maybe that's lower with the Mets than other teams. Or maybe their prices are more prohibitive relative to the market.

It's ESPN. ESPN isn't so much a journalism outlet, but a brand. And now they've got a sports book affiliated with that brand, so I wouldn't make too much of odds from there, as it's in their interest to queer the method by which they arrive at those odds. Not saying these odds are necessarily influenced by the gambly-gambly side of ESPN, but I don't trust 'em. Apart from the day-to-day record, internal personnel things can be moving the needle — the return of Albies, the apparent setback of Senga, the Mets using Diaz for four innings over two days, the Braves scheduling Fried over Morton against the Mets — but that's just speculation.

Does anybody have, have access to, or can we assemble, a complete list of uniform combinations the Mets have worn in the 2024 season? For the purposes of the exercise, let's consider a new patch necessarily to be a new uniform, but any distinct combination of pants/top/cap is. So the classic home white pinstripes with the blue hat is distinct from the home white pinstripes with a camouflage hat, an Independence Day weekend hat, or first responder hat.

The Braves have announced intent to use their off day today to skip Charlie Morton in favor of Max Fried. This is not as easy a decision as all that. While Fried represents a young (30) gun versus and old (40) one in Morton, he's not had that great a year. Morton has had some success against the Mets, although the Mets have gotten to him two out of the three times they've matched up in 2024. The Mets have overall handled righties better than lefties, but that's kind of changed as the season has progressed. Probably the right move, but I like to see their hand forced instead of the Mets'. Also, the Brewers have used the off day to push Freedy Peralta back a slot in the rotation, which seemingly takes him out of the conversation for the season's last day, presumably setting him up to be the post-season opener. Closing the season against the Brewers, it will be the third team this month (by my count) featuring a Metly brother. Having previously faced the Reds and Alexis Diaz, we now go up against the Braves and the (injured) Ronald Acuña, Jr., and the Brewers and Trevor Megill. Rather than get with that program, all the Phillies managed to field is the spawn of Roger Clemens. [th]Day[/th][th]Date[/th][th]Opp.[/th][th]Starter[/th][th]Opp. Starter[/th][th]Score[/th][th]Div. GB[/th][th]WC1 GB[/th][th]WC2 GB[/th][th]WC3 GB[/th] [th]Sunday[/th]1@CWSSean Manaea (L)Garrett Crochet (L)=#00B050]W, 2–08.04.04.01.0 [th]Monday[/th]2=#C00000]vs. BOSLuís Severino (R)Brayan Bello (R)=#00B050]W, 4–17.54.03.00.5 [th]Tuesday[/th]3=#C00000]vs. BOSDavid Peterson (L)Kutter Crawford (R)=#00B050]W, 7–27.53.53.00.5 [th]Wednesday[/th]4=#C00000]vs. BOSTylor Megill (R)Tanner Houck (R)=#00B050]W, 8–37.53.53.00.5 [th]Thursday[/th]58.03.02.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Friday[/th]6=#FF0000]vs. CINSean Manaea (L)Brandon Williamson (L)=#00B050]W, 6–48.03.01.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Saturday[/th]7=#FF0000]vs. CINJosé Quintana (L)Jakob Junis (R)=#00B050]W, 4-07.02.00.5[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Sunday[/th]8=#FF0000]vs. CINLuís Severino (R)Julian Aguilar (R)=#FF0000]L, 3-17.02.01.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th][/th][th][/th][th]SQUEAKY[/th][th]BUM[/th][th]TIME[/th][th][/th][th]🐭[/th][th]( | )[/th][th]⏰[/th][th][/th] [th]Monday[/th]9=#0070C0]@TORTylor Megill (R)Ryan Burr (R)=#00B050]W, 3-27.01.51.0[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Tuesday[/th]10=#0070C0]@TORDavid Peterson (L)Chris Bassitt (R)=#FF0000]L, 6-28.02.52.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Wednesday[/th]11=#0070C0]@TORSean Manaea (L)Bowden Francis (R)=#00B050]W, 6-28.02.01.5[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Thursday[/th]128.02.01.5[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Friday[/th]13=#EF0C0E]@PHIJosé Quintana (L)Aaron Nola (R)=#00B050]W, 11-37.01.51.0[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Saturday[/th]14=#EF0C0E]@PHILuís Severino (R)Kolby Allard (L)=#FF0000]L, 2-18.02.51.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Sunday[/th]15=#EF0C0E]@PHIDavid Peterson (L)Christopher Sánchez (L)=#FF0000]L, 6-49.03.52.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Monday[/th]16=#215C98]vs. WASSean Manaea (L)Jake Irvin (R)=#00B050]W, 2-18.03.51.0[MetsOrange]+1.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Tuesday[/th]17=#215C98]vs. WASTylor Megill (R)Mitchell Parker (L)=#00B050]W, 10-18.02.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Wednesday[/th]18=#215C98]vs. WASJosé Quintana (L)DJ Herz (L)=#00B050]W, 10-07.02.5[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Thursday[/th]19=#EF0C0E]vs. PHILuís Severino (R)Taijuan Walker (R)=#00B050]W, 10-66.02.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Friday[/th]20=#EF0C0E]vs. PHIDavid Peterson (L)Christopher Sánchez (L)=#FF0000]L, 12-27.03.01.0[MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Saturday[/th]21=#EF0C0E]vs. PHISean Manaea (L)Ranger Suarez (L)=#00B050]W, 6-36.03.01.0[MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Sunday[/th]22=#EF0C0E]vs. PHITylor Megill (R)Zach Wheeler (R)=#00B050]W,2-15.03.0[MetsOrange]0.0[/MetsOrange][MetsOrange]+2.0[/MetsOrange] [th]Monday[/th]23 [th]Tuesday[/th]24=#002060]@ATLLuís Severino (R)Spencer Schwellenbach (R) [th]Wednesday[/th]25=#002060]@ATLDavid Peterson (L)Chris Sale (L) [th]Thursday[/th]26=#002060]@ATLSean Manaea (L)Max Fried (L) [th]Friday[/th]27=#C5BD50]@MILJosé Quintana (L)Colin Rea (R) [th]Saturday[/th]28=#C5BD50]@MILTylor Megill (R)Frankie Montas (R) [th]Sunday[/th]29=#C5BD50]@MILLuís Severino (R)Tobias Myers (R) [th]Monday[/th]30

What they were planning all along then, good. The Braves have switched things up to get Matt Fried in there. Let them do the panicking and second-guesssing.

With the Braves announcing their pitchers for the Mets series, the Mets are holding back, but will probably let us know by tomorrow, but ... the question may no longer be whether Quintana is number four ahead of Megill, but whether he's #3 ahead of Peterson. Peterson has unquestionably had the better season, but Quintana is just as unquestionably the hotter hand.

As unlikely as it may seem that the Mets equal the the Phillies' record over the next six games, I just want to point out how very logically offensive and unjust it is that the first tiebreaker for a division championship is head-to-head record between the two teams. What you're competing for is a division title. If, in designating that title winner, you can't give primacy to the intradivisional record over all else besides overall record, then nothing makes sense, up is down, hot is cold, and Bugs Bunny is an un-American menace. [fimg=500]https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/EF735FDW34I6XFEJR562ZVI6OU.jpg[/fimg]

=Cowtipper post_id=171305 time=1727038608 user_id=166] My crystal ball says the Mets won't win this one.

Phillies somehow stealing three bases in a single inning and coming up with bupkis. Nimmo being interviewed and his voice sounds like RFK, Jr.'s.

Playoff baseball, my friends.

Amazing that Álvarez is so deadly on backpicks but people are stealing on him so liberally.

Time to make it happen, Pete Alonso.

Gameday only says "injury delay." What happened? Iglesias fouled one off his leg. It looked frightening for a few moments, and then he got a base hit and scooted down the line pretty much as scooty as usual.

Trea Turner is very pilfery. My bum squeaked.

Mendoza seemingly knows what he's doing but I imagine that if I asked 10 Met fans, 11 would disagree with this move. Including myself, that might make 12.

Six uncomfortable outs left. "We're in squeaky-bum time." — metsirish

Frayed Knot wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Howie's sarcastic anti-ESPN burns are scorching. Do share. Raad: "ESPN was just showing a replay of the Nimmo homer and ... ." Rose: "Why? Did they miss it the first time? Were they showing footage of Schwarber hitting in the cage between innings?"

Howie's sarcastic anti-ESPN burns are scorching.

Asking for three innings more against his lineup with a single run to work with is a big ask for any bullpen.

The Hot Corner wrote: =whippoorwill post_id=171332 time=1727048638 user_id=79] I thought the Mets were keeping Alonso I'm sure they will make a strong bid to keep him, but he will be a free agent (represented by Scott Boras) so nothing is guaranteed.

First-pitch swinging and homerun dinging for Nimmo!

Maton is getting it done. Getting two shutout innings out of the fifth, sixth, or maybe seventh guy in the pen is close to being as good as getting two more out Megill.

Look't Megill going toe-to-toe with Wheelie.