Drew Smith was a little unlucky in the 8th inning.
With a 2-1 lead, and right after Francisco Lindor was thrown out at home to end the top of the 8th, he gave up an infield single to Christopher Morel to start the inning. Then, Wilson Contreras hit a hard ground ball which off the bat I thought was headed for a 6-4-3 double play. But it just evaded the slight shift that the Mets put on for a single which sent Morel to third. So first and third with one out and Ian Happ comes up. Happ works Smith to a seven pitch at-bat which ended when he somehow got his bat on an inside fastball to bring home Morel on a ground out to Smith where Morel went on contact to tie the game.
Smith then got Seiya Suzuki to pop up and it seemed like Smith was going to get out of it. But then his streak of bad luck ran out, and it turned into just plain bad. He hung a slider to Nico Hoerner and he smacked a single to center to score Contreras and that was the ballgame.
We're at the All-Star Break so why didn't Buck use Diaz to start the 8th and the top of the Cubs order due up? #LGM
— Jason Epstein (@Southfive) July 17, 2022
It’s a fair point as it was the top of the order for the Cubs in the 8th, and Showalter has done this before. But Buck has always been good about when to use the whip and when to use the carrot. After already winning three from the Cubs with Yoan Lopez on the mound, Buck was playing with house money anyway. My guess was that after going with Diaz three days in a row earlier in the week, he didn’t feel that the situation was so dire that he needed Diaz to work two days in a row if it wasn’t for a save situation. I can see that. Besides, if Drew Smith is your 8th inning guy, then he should pitch an 8th inning. Bad that he blew it, but good that the Mets can have a fairer assessment of their bullpen situation going into the trade deadline anyway.
Besides, things are good. Sure you wanted the Mets to end the first half on a good note, but the entire first half of the season has been a good note. They’re 58-35 (the second best record they’ve had at the break only behind the creatures from 1986). David Peterson pitched well today and got out of james, and the team is still in good spirits despite the loss …
Our latest Mets travel anecdote: Buck Showalter was recently late for the team bus. He finally gets outside and the bus horn is honking. It was Scherzer.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) July 18, 2022
Would you risk pissing off this man if things weren’t going well?
Today’s Hate List
- No list today.
- In fact tonight …
- I intend to shake off the haters …
- … and cruise to the break.
- But come back tomorrow morning where I talk about Juan Soto!!!
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