When things hit on all cylinders, it’s hard to focus on one thing. It’s also been rare to have the Mets actually hit on all cylinders. But in 2022, it’s happening regularly.
The story of Thursday’s 6-2 victory above all else was Cookie Carrasco. Carlos went 7 and 2/3’s innings becoming the first Mets starting pitcher to throw a pitch in the 8th inning this season, and if you had Carrasco as the first Met to do that on your bingo card, then I’d like to know where the hell you get your bingo cards. The most impressive part of it is the efficiency. Zero walks. 61 strikes in 91 pitches. 18 first pitch strikes out of 28 hitters faced. And the home run at the end of his day was just Carrasco being aggressive and not nibbling, nibbling, nibbling. He wants a big bite of the Cookie and he got it. Amazing what a pitcher can do when he doesn’t miss four months with a hamstring injury.
But give credit to the offense as well. Francisco Lindor had three hits including a home run in the first inning to put the Mets out to a 1-0 lead. Lindor was the DH today, and between today and Pete Alonso’s performances in the DH slot, it seems that the institution of the DH is going to help the regulars just as much as it will help the likes of J.D. Davis and Dom Smith. Then you have the performances of the new players: Eduardo Escobar with his first home run as a Met to give the Mets a 2-1 lead, and Mark Canha with two hits to help the cause. The first one led to a great “small-ball” sequence as Canha’s single led to a great hit and run executed with Luis Guillorme, and a sac fly by Tomas Nido to extend the lead to 3-1. The second one was an ambush of Anthony DeSclafani … a first pitch single in the third with runners on second and third to make the score 5-1 and put away any hope for the Giants to come away with a series split.
This lineup may not be the sexiest lineup on paper, but what it’s shaping up to be is the kind of lineup that can do different things at different times. I put “small-ball” in quotes because it’s not really a term I like. (“Small-ball” to me seems to be code for “WHY DOESN’T ANYBODY BUNT ANYMORE!!!!!”) But like Chris Bassitt said: This isn’t an all or nothing team. It’s got a great mix of the big power guys (I hesitate to call Alonso an “all or nothing” player but he fits the profile better than anyone the Mets have at this point), and guys who are going to put the ball in play like Canha. And every iteration in between. The Mets are just skilled, consistent offensive players. And I don’t care if they don’t bunt.
Or to put it another way:
Asked what taking three of four from the Giants tells him about his own club, Francisco Lindor grinned.
"We're the New York Mets," he said. "We've got a good team."
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 21, 2022
And they have Arizona, St. Louis, and Philly coming up while being four games clear of the field. Running away and hiding isn’t completely out of the question.
Today’s Hate List
1. Mike Yastrzemski
2. Thairo Estrada
3. Joc Pederson
4. Aaron Boone
5. Gerrit Cole
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