Edgy MD

Naquin just needs to be about 8% more Danny Heep.

Back atcha, MHII.

I fear Max' flank is tender. I could be wrong. He just seems to be falling out of his deliveries. Maybe that's just his thing and I've never really considered it.

Just a little harder next time, Zimmo.

Also, the Mets somehow fell off their torrid doink pace. Canha (who else?) managed to get them back on track last night, tying them with the 891 Oriloes for sixth all-time, but they have fallen off the pace that would get them into the top five. Hit Batsmen Endured by a Team in a Single Season 1) 1898 Baltimore Orioles: 160 2) 1899 Brooklyn Superbas: 125 3) 1899 Baltimore Orioles: 122 4) 1896 Baltimore Orioles: 120 5) 1897 Baltimore Orioles: 115 2022 New York Mets Projected to End of season: 114.54 T6) 2022 New York Mets: 111 T6) 1891 Baltimore Orioles: 111 8) 1895 Baltimore Orioles: 106 9) 2021 Cincinnati Reds: 105 10) 2021 Los Angeles Dodgers: 104 11) 2008 Cleveland Indians: 103 12) 2018 Tampa Bay Rays: 101 13) 1997 Houston Astros: 100 T14) 1894 Baltimore Orioles: 98 T14) 2021 Oakland Athletics: 98

National League Batting Average, 2022 1) Freddie Freeman (STL): .3272 2) Jeff McNeil (NYM): .3217 3) Paul Goldschmidt (LAD): .3195 4) Trea Turner (LAD): .298 5) Manny Machado (SD): .295 6) Nolan Arenado (COL): .293 7) Starling Marte (NYM): .292 8) Alec Bohm (PHI): .283 9) Nico Hoener (LAD): .282 10) Justin Turner (LAD): .280 Given an expected 20 remaining at-bats for each of our batting average title pursuers (each has five games left on the schedule), Freddie Freeman would be expected to garner 6.54 hits the rest of the way, and Jeff McNeil 6.43, based on their season rates. Assuming all of that, McNeil would need to collect three hits beyond his standard rate. So we're kind of looking for 9 or more hits in the remaining games. Actually, we're looking for wins. Five or more, but the subplot here is the need for a few more hits for McNeil. While McNeil hits cleanup tonight against Starlng Marte, Freeman bats third against Colorado lefty Kyle Freeland. (In all things, but money, t'll be an exceedingly free showdown.) Also, Starlng Marte may or may not get back on the field before the regular season ends, but even if he doesn't, he has a chance to crack the league's top five.

And Nido gets a rare second consecutive start. [TABLE][TR][TH][/TH][TH][FIMG=250]https://cdn.freebiesupply.com/images/large/2x/new-york-mets-logo-transparent.png[/FIMG][/TH][TH][/TH][TH][/TH][TH][FIMG=250]https://cdn.freebiesupply.com/images/large/2x/atlanta-braves-logo-transparent.png[/FIMG] [/TH][TH][/TH][/TR] [TR][TH]#[/TH][TH]Player[/TH][TH]Pos.[/TH][TH]#[/TH][TH]Player[/TH][TH]Pos.[/TH][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]1[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Brandon Nimmo (L)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]cf[/TD][TD]=#13274F]1[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Ronald Acuña, Jr. (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]rf[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]2[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Pete Alonso (R)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]1b[/TD][TD]=#13274F]2[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Dansby Swanson (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]ss[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]3[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Francisco Lindor (S)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]ss[/TD][TD]=#13274F]3[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Michael Harris II (L)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]cf[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]4[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Jeff McNiel (L)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]2b[/TD][TD]=#13274F]4[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Austin Riley (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]3b[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]5[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Eduardo Escobar (S)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]3b[/TD][TD]=#13274F]5[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Matt Olson (L)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]1b[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]6[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Daniel Vogelbach (L)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]dh[/TD][TD]=#13274F]6[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Travis d'Arnaud (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]c[/TD][/TR] [TR][TD]=#FF5910]7[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Mark Cahna (R)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]lf[/TD][TD]=#13274F]7[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Marcell Ozuna (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]dh[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]8[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Tyler Naquin (L)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]lf[/TD][TD]=#13274F]8[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Eddie Rosario (L)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]lf[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910]9[/TD][TD]=#002D72]Tomás Nido (R)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]c[/TD][TD]=#13274F]9[/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Orlando Arcia (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]2b[/TD][/TR][TR][TH][/TH][TH]Pitcher[/TH][TH][/TH][TH][/TH][TH]Pitcher[/TH][TH][/TH][/TR][TR][TD]=#FF5910][/TD][TD]=#002D72]Max Scherzer (R)[/TD][TD]=#FF5910]sp[/TD][TD]=#13274F][/TD][TD]=#CE1141]Kyle Wright (R)[/TD][TD]=#13274F]sp[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

I can't find it either. But man, searching for Amtrak ads is fun! [media=youtube]-ifqxlrJ4mQ[/media] [media=youtube]FRzkZr-V7JI[/media] [media=youtube]M6qZJnh8ONA[/media]

Man, the O's dream will have to be deferred.

I guess a similar challenge can be leveled at the manager for going with Álvarez over Vogelbach. Terry Collins could be similar — especially in the first half of his Mets tenure — in prioritizing tomorrow over today, even when "today" seemed maddeningly crucial.

Happy birthday to an https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carewro01.shtml18x All-Star.

Baseball's longest post-season drought, over.

Naquin was bold and gritty, but he clearly wasn't picking up the ball much at all there. Strike three was the best cut he had, and it wasn't much of a cut. Payback tomorrow.

Jansen is disappointing me with his lack of balking.

Well, hmm ... . That was ... an at-bat.

Shmoley holy!!

Figured I'd see Vogey on deck but he isn't even at the batrack.

I used to think Nimmo was a pincushion, but Cahna could get hit by a pitch while standing in the on-deck circle.

We could use a whole bunch of balks.

1. The entire audience around them also have flat stomachs. 2. Nobody wears masks on public transit (despite Amtrak's previous ad being totally masky-masky). 3. The basketball players appear to be on the same train as the couple, throwing high fives. Also, yeah, I don't like how he drinks his Amtrak-branded coffee.

#NidoFaith

Vientos may end up on defense tonight!

Faith.

Megill the post-season relief weapon may not be a thing.

Álvarez up as the tying runzel.