COVID19
The Cardinals and their fans think Jack Flaherty can supplant Jacob deGrom as the NL Cy Young. If this simulated game is any indication, that’s just not going to happen:
deGrom allowed just one run over 6.1 whereas the Mets knocked Flaherty out in the fifth. In that fifth, the Mets scored three runs on a Jeff McNeil RBI single and then a Michael Conforto two RBI single.
The Mets also saw a Pete Alonso homer and Amed Rosario RBI single. Edwin Diaz closed out the Mets 5-3 win and sweep of the Cardinals.
After signing with the Mets, Michael Wacha got a chance to face his former team in a simulated game, and he would come out on top.
Over six innings, he allowed just one run. He got run support from two Jeff McNeil solo homers, and a Yoenis Cespedes RBI single.
Edwin Diaz made it an adventure in the ninth allowing a run, but he would still lock down the Mets 3-2 win.
Rick Porcello had what was probably the best start of his computer simulated baseball career allowing just one earned to the Cardinals over 6.2 innings.
Even though he had allowed just three hits up until that point, Luis Rojas went to his bullpen. Justin Wilson and Dellin Betances kept the Cardinals off the board heading into the ninth for Edwin Diaz, who converted the save.
In this 2-1 Mets victory, Brandon Nimmo hit a second inning RBI single against Cardinals starter Daniel Ponce de Leon scoring Wilson Ramos. In the fourth, Yoenis Cespedes hit a solo homer, which proved to be the game winner.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Major League Baseball is starting to make plans to renew Spring Training on June 10 and start the season on July 1. It should be noted that’s not set in stone as much needs to be worked out, but that appears to be the general construct.
At the same time, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the inability to get widespread testing necessitates team practice facilities remain closed. It’s an opinion other NBA owners share.
Mark Cuban told @bdameris and @MFollowill on their podcast that the inability to test for coronavirus is the reason the Mavs have no immediate plans to open their practice facility. pic.twitter.com/1w7l5TeUWj
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 7, 2020
The Cuban point is a valid one not just for the country or pro sports. It’s valid because Major League Baseball doesn’t have any answers.
As noted by Passan, when a Cleveland Indians player asked about the plan for the (inevitable?) event a player tests positive. There was no answer provided, and there is no answer as to everything else which needs to be put in place.
Owners seemingly want players to reduce salaries more than previously agreed. There needs to be approval from the players, public health officials, and governmental approval.
All told, the only thing we know is the owners are pushing to return to play. Like them, we all want baseball back, but there is just no way baseball can realistically return anytime soon.
Schools in the tristate area are closed through at least June, but somehow we’re supposed to believe baseball games will be able to be played less than two weeks after in Citi Field, Citizen’s Bank Park, and Yankee Stadium?
That’s just the situation in the Northeast. What about California? Cuban is saying the NBA can’t even practice in Dallas, but somehow they can play games in Arlington and Houston?
What exactly is the thought behind all of this? What’s the motivation?
Is this just a contingent of broke owners (i.e. Wilpons) who are so desperate for revenue and a cut in player salaries they’re willing to return to play before it’s even safe? Is this just a way to get bargaining power and leverage? Is this just a way to keep their name in the news to stay relevant?
There’s no way to be sure. To a certain extent, this perfectly describes these times – no one can be sure. With that in mind, perhaps baseball should be focusing on humanitarian aid and funding testing and research to help them get back on the field.
It’s a better and more realistic plan to just randomly choosing a start date with no real contingency plans or any understanding of when it will be safe to play again. When you do things like that, you jeopardize the health of your players, employees, and their families.
The very last thing baseball wants is Mike Trout or another star like Jacob deGrom on the IL with COVID19. They also don’t want their elderly owners and employees potentially contracting the disease and dying. As long as there is insufficient testing and no real defined treatment or vaccine, that’s the risk.
To even talk return without those things in place, the talk of a return to play anytime soon is nothing more than hubris and stupidity.
The Cincinnati Reds are built somewhat similar to the 2015 Mets – exciting young pitching with some interesting position players. Today, we saw the Mets did it better with Steven Matz out-dueling Trevor Bauer.
Michael Conforto and Wilson Ramos hit back-to-back one out doubles in the first to give the Mets the lead. That lead grew to 2-0 when Brandon Nimmo homered in the second.
Overall, Matz gave up one run over six. Robert Gsellman and Dellin Betances picked up the hold, and Edwin Diaz got the save in the Mets 2-1 victory.
We can talk about Jeff McNeil homering in the game while he popped into the telecast. We can talk about Marcus Stroman helping his own cause in picking up the win, or the Edwin Diaz driving you crazy in the save opportunity.
Really, that’s not the biggest deal from tonight. No, it was Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling calling this simulated game. It was about getting to hear this again:
"And the ball game is over!"
The virtual Mets bring home the W with Gary, Keith, and Ron on the call to bring their record to 20-16 ?? pic.twitter.com/qof8jsHQGd
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 6, 2020
Sometimes, we may forget how unrealistic video games and simulations can be. This game between the Mets and Reds is a perfect example of that.
Not only did Jacob deGrom enter the game with a 3.89 ERA, but he’d be knocked out of this start after allowing five earned over 4.2 innings. As if that wasn’t all ridiculous enough, the Mets gave him some run support.
That mostly came in the form of two Yoenis Cespedes homers and a homer from Pete Alonso. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as deGrom would take the loss in this 7-6 game.
Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna, Jr. hit back-to-back homers off Michael Wacha in the first, and the Braves lineup was off and running.
Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso returned the favor in the bottom of the first. Austin Riley hit a three run homer in the second, but the Mets couldn’t respond. All told, it was a 15-3 loss.
Mets have now gone from nine straight wins to three straight losses.
Ronald Acuna, Jr. hit a three run homer off Rick Porcello in the top of the first, and that was all the Braves would need in their 6-2 win.
The Mets only mustered two runs with one of them being a solo homer by Yoenis Cespedes. After winning nine straight, the Mets have now lost two in a row.
The Mets returned to Citi Field with a nine game winning streak, and they were wearing their Friday black jerseys. However, they would not be winners.
Ozzie Albies hit a two run homer off of Steven Matz in the fifth to give the Braves a 3-1 lead. The Mets almost took the lead in the bottom half, but Amed Rosario‘s fly ball was caught safely inches from the wall.
In the seventh, Jeff McNeil hit yet another homer this season to pull the Mets to within 3-2. While the Mets had two on in the eighth, they couldn’t push that tying run across, and they eventually lost by that 3-2 score.