Bringer Of Pain

With the win on Friday, and Zack Wheeler’s Revenge Tour on the schedule for tomorrow, you could say that Saturday’s game acts as a de facto rubber match. The good news was that some of the Metropolitans of Fun came in with some good numbers against Zach Eflin:

McNeil vs Eflin: 8-for-25, 3 2B
Dom vs Eflin: 7-for-17, 4 2B
Escobar vs Eflin: 3-for-5

even Jacob deGrom is 2-for-4 vs Zach Eflin. Mets by a three-piece https://t.co/bC61pAlGwx

— Tim Ryder (@TimothyRRyder) May 28, 2022

Well Jake wasn’t getting any ABs tonight. But look no further than that first line, because that’s all the Mets had to rely on to continue his mastery of Eflin. Ater Taijuan Walker gave up a couple in the top of the 4th, the Mets did what they do best: and that’s respond with a few of their own. It was swift and merciless as Eflin gave up a leadoff walk to Francisco Lindor, a single to center by Pete Alonso, and then this to Jeff McNeil:

Three-run homer for @JeffMcNeil805! pic.twitter.com/F7J3oqhVUU

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 29, 2022

I loved the dramatic rainfall while McNeil was rounding the bases. It was movie like. I know that Josh Donaldson has the nickname “Bringer of Rain” patented. But this is the first time since Roy Hobbs that a struck baseball actually brought a dramatic torrential downpour.

The Mets got three more in the fifth as Lindor tripled in two runs with a drive to the left field wall that landed between a colliding Kyle Schwarber and Odubel Herrera, and Pete Alonso added a sac fly to extend his league lead in RBI. Lindor kicked in another run in the 7th to give you your final score. Colin Holderman’s two scoreless innings were a definite help (talk about mop-up duty if you want, but the way the Phillies almost came back from 7-0 down last night means there are no “mop-up” innings against this team.) The secret sauce might have been Luis Guillorme’s three hits and two runs from the leadoff spot. Was surprised to learn that tonight was actually the 4th time Guillorme started a game in the leadoff spot. He must have done it in those games after the Mets were eliminated and I just decided to drink my way through it, making those finer details hazy. Of course, this was in response to Brandon Nimmo being out of the lineup for a couple of days with an injury. But when you can depend on a guy like Guillorme to slip into the leadoff spot and do what he did in a spot start basis? Hell, this season might really, really be special.

Meanwhile, the delicious Phillies slander continues:

Phillies have gotta make a change, now

— Tyrone Johnson (@TyJohnsonNews) May 29, 2022

i’m sorry if i had to watch the phillies defense for more than a week at a time i’d kill myself

— steph (@whutyearisit) May 29, 2022

So girardi did a bullpen game yesterday (didn’t work) to give starters like efflin additional rest (didn’t work). Efflin gave up 7 ER tonight

— MVPolar Bear Pete Alonso (@EDSdt1234) May 29, 2022

If Mets beat Wheeler tomorrow not impossible Girardi is out Monday.

— That MET Guy (@Tobycooklyn) May 29, 2022

I don’t know … every time the Mets seem to have a manager on the ropes, Tyler Clippard pitches 7 and 1/3 scoreless innings or some dumb nonsense like that. I almost hope that the Phillies string Girardi along, since nobody needs Jack McKeon or Joe Torre or freakin’ Snoop Manuel take over and send this team on a magical run to the division title. Though I have to be honest with you: the real culprit to me is Dave Dombroski. He built this team like a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich that had no peanut butter, and then said “you know how I can fix this? More jelly!”

But yeah, keep blaming the manager. That’ll work.

Today’s Hate List

1. Odubel Herrera
2. Rhys Hoskins
3. Shane Victorino
4. Brett Myers
5. Tom McCarthy