Don’t Blame J.D. Davis, Blame Brodie Van Wagenen

The Mets didn’t lose this game because of J.D. Davis. Even though he was a central figure in the loss, you can’t blame him. Not in the least. And yet, he was a central figure to all that went wrong.

This game was lost on the sixth inning. In the top half, he’d get the rally started with a single off Braves starter Max Fried. He was on second when Wilson Ramos hit a single to right, and he was the one chugging home on an all time bad send by Gary Disarcina.

Davis did what he could do when really there was nothing he could do. Instead of bases loaded one out with Amed Rosario, who had hit a game tying RBI ground rule double in his previous at-bat, there were now two outs. The Mets still had a chance there, but Rosario struck out.

In the bottom of the inning, Davis would strike again. Freddie Freeman led off the inning with a routine fly ball which absolutely should have been caught. The problem is Davis is not a left fielder. He doesn’t belong out there. However, because of the complete lack of depth built by Brodie Van Wagenen, there was Davis playing a position he should not have been playing.

It was a rally started because Davis can’t play the position he was requested to play. However, it wasn’t Davis who melted down on the mound.

Up until that point, Steven Matz was pitching well. He only allowed two earned over the first five, and he had pitched four consecutive scoreless innings since the two run first. He dealt with some adversity, and he got through it.

Unfortunately, when that ball dropped in front of Davis, he was noticeably upset. It harkened back to the times when Matz had been called not mentally tough. He then allowed a two run homer to Josh Donaldson which effectively ended the game.

Matz would not get another out, but he’d allow another run. He’d depart leaving Ozzie Albies in scoring position. Chris Flexen entered the game. To his credit, Albies did not score, and he’d also pitch a scoreless seventh. In that seventh, he made Dansby Swanson look ridiculous on a strikeout.

But, it was too little too late. Stephen Nogosek made his Major League debut in the eighth. He’d get into trouble, and Daniel Zamora couldn’t bail him out allowing a two RBI double to Nick Markakis.

As if things weren’t bad enough, Anthony Swarzak, a reliever traded away by Van Wagenen, pitched 1.1 scoreless allowing just a hit. As bad as that was, with the loss, the Mets dropped to fourth place.

14 Replies to “Don’t Blame J.D. Davis, Blame Brodie Van Wagenen”

  1. David Klein says:

    matz was supposedly fine the first five innings but really he was lucky. He got some big outs in jams but I don’t think he was all that good and then he showed up his teammate, who granted should have caught the ball but after that Matz got crushed and that’s on Matz and nobody else. Matz has a earned runs average over 4 and continues to give up tons and tons of homers and has whether the ball is juiced or not. I know some still for some reason hold onto hope for him to be a top of the rotation guy, but really he’s a mediocre back end of the rotation guy.

    Flexen looked great and has looked like he could’ve a solid piece for the bullpen outside of one bad slider in his two outings and his stiff played up huge. Nogosek gave up soft contact and really should have let Ramos field the grounder. No idea why Mickey went lefty righty down three runs just let the kid try to finish the inning, goodness.

    The secondary lead by Davis was dreadful as was the send by the third base coach. Good games from McNeil and Rosario(before he was double switched out), and not much else from the offense.

    1. metsdaddy says:

      One of the issues with Matz was he was always going to be a #3. He was just overhyped, and honestly, I’ve been guilty of both buying into the hype and pushing it more than it should’ve been.

      As for Nogosek, historically, he’s got pretty severe reverse splits. I don’t mind the switch there especially since it was still close at the time.

  2. David Klein says:

    Brodie’s terrible but so is Mickey the whole the team hasn’t quit on him stupidity is stupid he can’t manage his way of a paper bag he’s a good pitching coach but an abhorrent manager. He was just another bad move by a Sandy in what was a mistake filled last few years as s gm for Sandy.

    1. metsdaddy says:

      Callaway really hasn’t been bad, and he’s being judged for past mistakes.

      Trust me. I know he was bad last year, and he’s still made some errors here and there this year. Still, he’s been fine.

  3. bill broderson says:

    Brodie and Calloway are not Competent Enough to have their Titles…..Wilpons are terrible Owners who have done nothing in 20 years to build a strong foundation so our great pitchers lose confidence and figure the team will lose it anyway….Not sure who could fix this mess as long as wilpons are here

    1. metsdaddy says:

      The last point you made is depressing and correct.

  4. Albert Elk says:

    Enough of the BS criticism of the game criticism of Callaway and JD Davis.

    Dr Z : What about the lefty’s 77 mph slider? Seriously?
    Who cares if he can get a guy on Baltimore out?
    Put the guy on waivers.

    Blevins and the deal throw in Swarzak (relievers perform in walk years and every other year?) shut down the Mets and if it was other ownship that was on board with the Swarzak signing 16 months maybe they just do not go out and dump or swap to a horrendous Cano contract?

    Criticize Calloway and Eiland for giving up on Swarzak where Atlanta found a nugget easily.

    This team is woefully short of fresh pitchers, highly constrained mostly due to ownership. Blast Wilpon on Swarzak!!!

    Tell me, where did Freeman hit his home run?
    So why would even Conforto not be positioned near the warning track?
    Did JD Davis defy where he was told supposed to or was positioned to play?
    What if Cespedes was not reckless on his ranch? Cespedes might be out there?
    Why trash JD for Matz blew a gasket?
    That was latent from the shit play by everyone (except a few) after the seventh inning.
    Look how useless Cano is off the bench, blame the GM who the owners shopped to find for they are not astute in building from within.

    Rosario accumulates cockiness on the path and he and Cano rack up DPs.

    Look at the Brave forty man roster there are close to 15 #1 draft picks….
    Blame Calloway?

    Extremely happy that Flexen and Nogosek had high heat and spotted well.
    Nogosek had bad breaks yet seemed to have the temperament and outside of first outing jitters on the squibbler (I doubt Ramos could have shifted towards first) he looked like he may be what we all are looking for… yet can he hit his locations?
    To even criticize or bring up Nogosek’s choice to field it – on his debut – when the subsequent runs were inconsequential when Canó looked so overwhelmed by a fastball < 95 is crazy!

    1. metsdaddy says:

      You make an important point here. Much of that criticism leveled at Callaway should really be directed towards the GM and ownership.

  5. Gothamist says:

    If you look at the possibility that SD and the Reds will have passed the Mets by next week leaving the Mets, Pirates, SF and Miami at the bottom please blame the injuries, then the owners, the pen, hitters w RISP, then Brodie and then Callaway.

    1. metsdaddy says:

      Ownership and BVW are at the top of the list of areas to blame.

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