8/2/2018 Game Preview: Atlanta Braves at New York Mets

MLB: Atlanta Braves at New York Mets

The Mets have barely survived a two day trip to Washington D.C., and their reward is that they get to play more baseball. Joy. Extended spring training continues as the Mets host the Atlanta Braves in Flushing, NY at 7:10 ET.

How To Enjoy

Television Coverage: It’s SNY tonight for Mets coverage. If you’re in Atlanta and you want to hear Chip Caray say things like “fisted” and “belted” and mispronounce “Foltynewicz” at least three times, tune into FOX Southeast.

Radio Coverage: 710 WOR or ESPN Deportes 1050 here in New York, and  either 680 AM or 93.7 FM, or WYAY 106.7 on the Braves Radio Network. (By the way, W-YAY? As in “YAY BRAVES?” My goodness.)

The Pitchers

Jason Vargas again? How come every time I do this Jason Vargas is pitching? And how did the Mets lose 25-4 without Vargas having anything to do with it? How does this happen. Vargas has 35 strikeouts this season. All opposing pitchers, I think.

Mike Foltynewicz is 7-7 with a 3.04 ERA and 133 K’s. Foltynewicz hasn’t been great in his last two starts, pitching to a 6.75 ERA in ten and 2/3’s. He has struck out 13 but walked six in thos 10 & 2/3’s. With the Mets having lost to Tommy Milone on Wednesday, this is known as “false hope”.

The Lineups

Unless somebody gets traded at the last minute again …

Look! It’s a bird … it’s a plane … it’s Todd Frazier back from the DL!!! Where the hell is my batting practice jersey? He and Bobby Wahl are activated while Jacob Rhame is sent down and Phillip Evans goes on the DL with a fractured tibia.

Jose Reyes plays shortstop tonight, because he’s hot, and the Mets need to get a good look at him down the stretch.

And for Atlanta:

Adam Duvall makes his Braves debut after coming over from the Reds in a trade that got Met killer Matt Wisler out of the divison.

Game Notes

  • Freddie Freeman has a .796 OPS against lefties in his career. This season, in 138 AB’s, his OPS is 1.011 with 9 HR’s and 28 RBI. He has 9 HR’s against righties with an OPS of .887.
  • Freeman is hitting .318 with an OPS of .924 against the Mets in his career. For comparison, Larry Jones hit .309 with a .949 OPS against the Mets in his career.
  • More Freeman: He has 22HR’s and 94 RBI against the Mets in 573 career plate apprearances. Larry had 49 and 159 in 1019 PA’s. This means if Freeman keeps up this pace, I’ll be a full blown alcoholic by the time I’m 50 years old.
  • Cleanup hitters are hitting .632 off Vargas with an OPS of 1.847 this season. Seventh place hitters, somehow, are hitting .444 off Vargas with an OPS of 1.246.
  • Adam Duvall has two hits in 20 at-bats at Citi Field, and is hitting a career .182 against the Mets in his career.
  • The Braves have won three straight after losing the previous four and are now only a half game back of Philadelphia in the N.L. East. They embark on a seven game road trip in the division, and they’re providing an infographic on chicken sandwiches.

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