Babies And Vets Co-Existing to Keep The Roller Coaster Going

You would think last season would have taught me not to get too high or too low with my emotions, as the wild cards have made the regular season a little more of a marathon and a little less of a sprint. But I’ve gone right back to going back and forth between thinking that we’re an aging under .500 team after losses, and the presumptive candidate for the National League nomination for the World Series championship after wins.

I mean yeah, by the time I’m typing here, I type somewhat clearly, moderately, and rationally. I like to take deep breaths and enjoy life before I say anything dumb (and anything I say is a lot of dumb anyway.) But in my head, make no mistake about it, I’m a wreck. I want to go to the World Series at Citi Field this season. Anything that jeopardizes that causes me to scream (in my head, and out loud.) Meanwhile, anything good that happens has me looking at flight times to American League cities.

Let me illustrate thsi for you: Dominic Leone pitched the 6th inning with the Mets down 5-2 after Cookie Carrasco struggled in his first game back from his bone spur irritation. When Brett Baty’s oppo taco cut the Guardians’ lead to 5-3 heading into the 7th, I was suprised to see Leone come back out for a second inning. Before you knew it, he loaded the bases with nobody out, and then Buck Showalter replaced him with Stephen Nogosek, who probably should have started the inning anyway. At that point, 12-year-old me is crying because now there’s no way I’m going to the World Series … again.

But then, Nogosek faced Amed Rosario, who hit into an 8-2-5 double play, helped out by Will Brennan at third who turned the sac fly attempt into Yakety Sax. So I go from being depressed about having to watch other teams in October to posting this on Twitter:

We're winning this game.

— Metstradamus (@Metstradamus) May 20, 2023

With all due respect to … myself, what the f*** is wrong with me? They were still losing by two runs and I go and put the mush on my favorite team with this stupidity?

When Josh Naylor drove in two runs to make it 7-3, I was mad at myself. I mean, I was mad at Dominic Leone more, and I was a little made at Buck Showalter for leaving him in, but I was mad at myself for going all Sal Licata and jinxing the season. But fear not, because Sam Hentges helped us out in the bottom of the 7th with two walks and a single to bring up Pete Alonso with the bases loaded and nobody out. The Guardians brought in James Karinchak to face Alonso. Surely, Alonso couldn’t keep up his current power streak, could he?

Yeah, he could.

A GAME-TYING GRAND SLAM FOR PETE ALONSO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/poXNM8QA6G

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

Jeff McNeil made a sparkling defensive play in the 9th, then Alonso did him one better to keep the game at 7-7. Then came the 10th, and Drew Smith gave up his first home run of the season (he gave up nine gophers at this point last year) to Gabriel Arias to make it 9-7, and now I’m wallowing in it. I’m starting to think about how good St John’s baseketball roster is going to be this year.

But from then, it took a cast of thousands to win this game. The kids or, the “babies” has Francisco Lindor called them, were huge. Mark Vientos grounded a one out single up the middle to drive in ghost tunner Brett Baty to make it 9-8. But don’t forget about the vets, as Eduardo Escobar pinch ran for Vientos and almost immediately pulled a Dave Roberts and stole second.

Then with two outs, Francisco Alvarez lined an 0-2 cutter through the hole to drive home Escobar and tie the game.

FRANCISCO ÁLVAREZ COMES THROUGH AND WE'RE TIED AGAIN!!!! pic.twitter.com/Rr7oy3bQ4U

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

I have Expedia fired up.

Then up came Brandon Nimmo, who battled an 0-2 pitch and chopped to to Rosario, who couldn’t throw out Nimmo, and Alvarez wen tto third on the play (he took second on the throw home after his game tying single.) Then came Francisco Lindor, facing his former organization for the first time. You just absolutely knew that he was going to play a big role in this game one way or the other.

FRANCISCO LINDOR!!!!

THE METS WIN THE GAME!!!! pic.twitter.com/tnJO5RPiyL

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

The babies, who the Mets have been careful with, are paying dividends because of that. The vets don’t want you to forget them either. It all came together for the Mets’ third straight victory, a streak which had come to life on Wednesday from that crazy win, and now the Mets have two crazy wins in three nights.

Meanwhile, I’m back to checking flights to Tampa, Arlington, Houston, Toronto and Minneapolis in October. I can take the train to Baltimore and Boston. I don’t have to worry about Oakland.

St. John’s can wait.

Today’s Hate List

Jason Kipnis.

No seriously, what the f***, Jason?