That's It! I'm Calling a Meeting!

The Mets were blown out for a second day in a row by the next to worst offense in the majors and burned most of their bullpen in a loss so bad they called a players only meeting afterwards.

Despite the fact that rain was in the forecast, the Mets and Pirates began a baseball game at its scheduled time yesterday. It looked like the Mets were playing mad and taking it out on Pirates starter Bailey Falter. Francisco Lindor started off the festivities with a double to left. Juan Soto drove him in with a single to right. Pete Alonso followed Soto’s single with one of his own. Brandon Nimmo hit a ball hard but it was a line out to right, and Starling Marte struck out to end the inning, but hey, it was just the first inning and New York was getting some good swings in. Surely, they’d keep it up. 

Paul Blackburn started for the Metsies. He struck out Adam Fraizer, permitted an Andrew McCutchen single, struck out Bryan Reynolds, and got Nick Gonzales to ground into an easy 6-4 fielder’s choice. 

Tyrone Taylor popped up to first and Brett Baty did the same to third, but the Mets began a little two out rally when Luis Torrens singled and Lindor walked. Then the predicted rains came, and play stopped for almost an hour and a half. When play finally resumed, it was as if a switch was flicked. Braxton Ashcraft replaced Falter and struck out Vientos to end the top of the second. Blackburn stayed in. Even though the entire bullpen got a night off on Friday thanks to Blade Tidwell, the Mets bullpen is running on fumes. But Carlos Mendoza’s decision to let Blackburn ride failed spectacularly - he didn’t get a single out after the rain delay. The Pirates would score three runs, which would end up being enough. The ‘pen yielded mixed results: Jose Buttó was forced to throw 34 pitches but he didn’t allow an earned run. Brandon Waddell threw three shutout innings (he’s probably a goner.) Reed Garrett tossed a seven pitch hitless frame. But Huascar Brazobán and Colin Poche combined to give up six runs in the bottom of the eighth to make the score ugly as sin. 

The Mets players called a players only meeting following the game. When you lose 12 out of your 15, I suppose that’s the time to call one. We know that “6-7” guys spoke at said meeting, and three of them were Lindor, Alonso, and Soto. Soto’s message was reportedly, "Keep going. Believe in it." Hmm…I suppose I shouldn’t judge unless I can obtain audio. It’s all about the delivery sometimes. We also know that Brandon Nimmo was not one of the dudes that spoke, even though he fancies himself as much of a team captain as Lindor. Nimmo did speak to the media afterwards though. He said the meeting focused on “team cohesion and building each other up”, according to Laura Albanese of Newsday. He also said it was “good and productive” and reminded him somewhat of last season’s pivotal meeting.

About that: it’s impossible to top the impact last season’s players only meeting had on the team’s season. The expectations are probably going to be unfairly high for awhile. That being said, this absolutely had to happen. Something had to be done. And if the front office insists on not firing the hitting coaches…

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Pete Alonso stole his first base of the season. That was in the before rain delay times.

Carlos Mendoza got himself ejected for the first time this season (third time in his career.) While he legitimately had beef with home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz over his inconsistent interpretation of the strike zone, I think it’s obvious Mendy purposely got himself rung to try and motivate his team. Mendoza is seen barking at the home plate umpire v irtually every game and almost never gets tossed, so he must know where the line is, and yesterday, he decided to cross it with a magic word or two. 

Uncle Steve officially submitted an application to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board for one of three downstate gaming licenses.

The Mets released RHP Grant Hartwig and his angry inch.

The Mets wore their alternate blue jerseys and lost anyway. Now I don’t know what to believe. 

Sean Manaea (loose bodies/right oblique strain) is going to throw a bullpen today. If that goes well he’ll start another rehab game. Mendoza wouldn’t promise Manaea would join the big league club after that.

Brandon Sproat the GOAT had his best pitching performance of the season yesterday to give the Triple-A Syracuse Mets (34-45) an 8-0 victory over the Rochester Red Wings (Nationals affiliate) in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Sproat tossed six shutout innings, allowing just two hits, walking three and striking out six. He threw nine pitches at least 99 mph - before yesterday he only threw four at least that fast all season. Francisco Alvarez hit a three-run homer.

The SMets also won Game 2 by a wide margin, beating Rochester in their own ballpark 10-2 in 8 innings. The game was scheduled for seven innings (minor league doubleheader games are always seven innings long), but the teams were tied at two. That’s right - Syracuse scored eight runs in the top of the eighth. Drew Gilbert hit two home runs. 

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies (49-23) scored two runs in the bottom of the 11th to come through against the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox). The winning run scored on a Jet!(t) Williams walk. Southpaw Zach Thornton threw five innings without allowing an earned run. He permitted five hits but walked nobody while punching out four. Brooks Raley (Tommy John) had his first rehab appearance for Binghamton. He allowed one hit and struck out two in one and two thirds scoreless innings.

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones (52-22) defeated the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) 6-4. AJ Ewing, Colin Houck, Onix Vega, and Troy Scheffler Jr. all had mutlihit days. Lefty Jonathan Santucci got the dub. He gave up three earned runs in five and two thirds innings. He walked one and struck out eight while permitting seven hits.

The Low-A St. Lucie Mets (40-33) committed four errors in a 5-3 loss to the Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins). Corey Collins went yard. Irving Cota was charged with the loss. In four and one third innings of work he allowed two earned runs (as well as two that were unearned.) He walked two and struck out three. 

Today the Mets, fresh off their team meeting, will try to not get swept by the Pirates. Frankie Montas (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start as a Met. Pittsburgh will counter with the right-hander Mike Burrows (1-2, 4.45 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 pm eastern. The game will air on PIX11.