Puck Luck

Evan Longoria

Thomas Szapucki came up from the minors for his first ever MLB start on Wednesday, and got racked by the San Francisco Giants. Evan Longoria hit a wind blown home run to make it 3-0, and Joc Pederson hit another home run in the first inning after three last night making me very thankful that 1) he’s no longer in our division, and 2) we are done with him for the season.

True story, at 5-0 I figured that I could go outside and take the extra few steps to try to find the beer that I really liked (they didn’t have it), and knew that it had been a while. So when I walked back into my apartment I said to nobody in particular: “Is it 9-0 yet?” I looked at the damn screen and it was indeed 9-0. (I was kidding, for crissakes.) Szapucki had given up a double to Wilmer Flores, and home runs to Mike Yastrzemski and another homer to Longoria, cementing his place as the modern day Julio Valera (google him, kids). Szapucki has been a prospect since 1994, and now we know why.

Comeback? This team is capable. But nine runs down in a day game after the mother of all night games? Was probably a little too much to ask. Hell, getting three runs was amazing. But having had to go with Szapucki on getaway day makes the 13-12 loss painful. To lose that coin flip game headed into a game where you have a AAAA pitcher starting the next day is a double whammy. But kudos to the Mets for putting up a fight, kudos to the Mets bullpen for holding the Giants to nine, and kudos to Jeff McNeil for putting his life on the line for a fly ball down by eight runs in the 3rd inning.

Yeah, he remained in the game, but not for long as he has a left knee contusion (fancy for bruise). At least the Giants fans were smart enough to applaud him for his effort and not heckle him to the point where he shoves it down their throats again.

So the Mets have lost two in a row for the first time since April (and if you took my advice and bet the house on the Mets today, then call 1-800-GAMBLER you degenerate.) Now they finally get a day off before a week at home against the Phillies and Nationals. These are the games the Mets have to fatten up on before another California road trip and before a really tough June stretch. Down three starters are not, the Mets have the superior team to those two, and quite frankly anything at .500 or less would be a bit of a disappointment. I mean, look at what the Phillies’ own fans are saying about their team:

The best thing they could do heading into their day off and the Phillies series is to flush away the last two games and make sure two straight losses don’t turn into five straight losses. Their play so far this season portends that if they lose, it won’t be because of any sort of hangover.

Today’s Hate List

1. Joc Pederson
2. Evan Longoria
3. Jakob Junis
4. Mike Yastrzemski
5. Mauricio Llovera

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