You could feel the worm turn on Saturday night when Jeff McNeil was up with the bases loaded and two outs with the Mets up 1-0. When Nick Castellanos, who has the range of a turtle, got a hold of McNeil’s sinking liner to end the inning, it was your first hint that things weren’t going to go right.
Bailey Falter, he of the 5.89 ERA at Citizens Bank Park in 2022, was the perfect candidate to deliver famine to the Mets after they feasted on Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler. Falter did that because 1) of course, and 2) if you’re lefthanded and draw breath, you have an even chance to beat the Mets. (Hell, if Julia Roberts learned a slider and signed with the Braves, I’d worry.) Falter went six innings while only giving up two hits, two walks, one run, and a long foul ball. Meanwhile, Alec Bohm’s two run double in the third gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead, and they would not relinquish it as they earned a split of the doubleheader.
The shame of it was that if they could have gotten to Falter, the Phillies lineup was getting frustrated enough with the Mets’ pen, They had the bases loaded in the 5th, but Stephen Nogosek got Matt Vierling swinging. They had the bases loaded in the sixth when Jeff McNeil absolutely pilfered JT Realmuto (more on that later). Then they had a runner on second in the 7th and couldn’t get a hit off of someone named Rob Zastryzny. With all due respect, what bar league in Montana are we getting these people from? If the Mets could have touched up Jose Alvarado and David Robertson, the Phillies would have been swept at the hands of Michael Perez, Stephen Nogosek, and Rob Zastrysny. Might I say Phillies fans would be pissed? Might I say … they’d be right?
But it was not to be, as it was Bailey Falter who played the ultimate role of “how the hell did this guy beat us.”
Today’s Hate List
First, Jose Alvarado. Because he’s still a big mouth.
Second, Hector Neris. Because crissakes.
Third, Aaron Boone. Because what the f*ck?.
Fourth, Tom Verducci. Because I saved the best for last. Guy actually went on national television and said that he looks at defensive efficiency to judge defense, and that the Mets and Phillies are tied in defensive efficiency so that the Phillies might actually have as good a defense as the Mets.
So basically according to Tom Verducci: this …
Just how the Phils drew this one up… 😅 https://t.co/trw7QjbfQF
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 21, 2022
.. is the same as this:
JEFF MCNEIL, THE FLYING SQUIRREL 😳 pic.twitter.com/5ZHEMWrvpF
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 21, 2022
If you had to take a sedative after listening to that, congratuations: you’re now a statistic in the Verducci Effect.
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