Putting Lipstick On A Cookie

It really is sad seeing what is happening to Carlos Carrasco.

Cookie gave up five runs in an inning and 2/3’s against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim By Way Of The L.A. Coliseum And California. He was pulled after 49 pitches, even though this season really doesn’t matter and another 50 pitches wouldn’t have done anything except save the rest of the bullpen and make a 5-0 game 10-0 which, in this season, really doesn’t matter. But I’ve learned tonight that people really like putting lipstick on pigs and pretending that anything that happens the rest of this season matters.

I have news for you: It doesn’t.

If you were at the game toinght, I feel for you. I really do. Having been a season ticket holder for the Jets for many years, I know all about paying good money for games that don’t matter. It’s sunk cost. And it sucks.

But I also believe that no decision should be made exclusively for the entertainment of the fans. They should be made for what makes sense in 2024. And the Mets are in a position where getting to the end in one piece is paramount. That’s why, unfortunately, we’re probably stuck with Carlos Carrasco the rest of the season.

Look, I get it. Nobody wants to see him pitch anymore. But what is the alternative? There’s no hot-shot starter that’s close to being ready for the majors. And if there was, the Mets probably wouldn’t want to start the clock on that pitcher for the benefit of “seeing what he’s got” and starting his clock.

You could also bring up Joey Lucchesi to “see what he’s got”, as some people actually suggested to me tonight. Joey Lucchesi has been in the Mets organization for three years now. If the Mets brain trust doesn’t know what he’s got by now, then said brain trust should be fired. Plus, he’s at 108 innings pitched a season after major surgery. Do you want to give him six starts of, maybe 36 innings, and push his innings total up and risk his status for 2024? Because of Carlos Carrasco? And I understand that he’s going to pitch in Syracuse for three more weeks but they can monitor him there and pull the reins on him, rather than send him up to the majors and require him to go every fifth day because there’s nobody else. Do you really want Lucchesi to blow out his arm because you don’t like seeing Carlos Carrasco pitch in a season that means nothing? And if you release Carrsaco now and bring up Lucchesi and he gets hurt again, then what?

Jose Butto? Sure, you can give him a run to see what he has for 2024. But once again, he’s been in the organization since 2018. If they don’t know what he has by now then that’s on them. And take a look at his stats, major and minor leagues, and tell me that he’s somebody who you think has a serious case to be in the Mets rotation in 2024. Seriously. I saw the Jets bench Mark Sanchez for Greg McIlroy. The Jets were 6-10. It didn’t matter. He retired a season and a half later.

I know the frustration. I know that you don’t want to see him pitch if you’re a season ticket holder. But you’ll be back in 2024. Carlos Carrasco won’t be back next year. I don’t expect you to care about that. And I’m not arguing that Carrasco should be on the team the rest of the season because of some debt to him because he’s a veteran and he’s a good guy.

But what I am saying is that his greatest contribution to the Mets at this point is to just go out there and throw 75 pitches a game and just help the Mets get to the end of the season in one piece. That’s his role right now. If he gets DFA’d and Lucchesi comes up and blows out his arm and 2024 is ruined for him, then what? If Jose Butto gets his lights knocked out in the next six starts, will you feel better as a season ticket holder because at least it wasn’t Carrasco and that the Mets are “seeing what the young guys have”, like it means anything at this point?

If it was someone with a real chance to make it in 2024, like Matt Harvey or Zack Wheeler or Jacob deGrom when they were coming up, then sure. But then we’d all scream because their clock would start for the sake of getting through a lost season. And we’d be right. Because the back end of 2023 … say it with me …

DOES …

NOT …

MATTER!!!!!!!

Maybe after this game, the Mets decide that’s enough, that it’s too untenable to keep Carrasco on the roster for the rest of the season. But I’m not sure what the point would be to that. If it’s to make the season ticket holders feel better about a month that doesn’t matter, great. I only hope that Carrasco’s replacement going on a heater to end any chance of the Mets first round draft pick not dropping ten spots will make those people sleep better at night.

As for the rest of the game, first off I’m sure everyone hopes Chase Silseth is okay.

Angels pitcher Chase Silseth exits the game after being hit in the head by a throw intended to go from first to third

(via @SNYtv)pic.twitter.com/i1Oh7eGIK0

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 27, 2023

Second, full props to the bullpen for holding the fort after that.

Third, enough is enough with these pitchers who can’t throw anywhere near the plate when Pete Alonso is up.

Benches cleared — but no punches thrown — after Pete Alonso is hit near the back of his neck with a José Soriano curveball. Alonso had some words for Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe after the pitch. He was then removed for a pinch-runner. pic.twitter.com/NeZ5Po1yUX

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) August 27, 2023

Ron Darling’s solliloquy afterwards was nothing short of brilliant. And maybe Logan O’Hoppe and his 27 major league games should shut the f*ck up.

And finally, the Mets lost. I wish it mattered more.

Today’s Hate List

1. Logan O’Hoppe
2. Logan Paul
3. Jose Soriano
4. Alfonso Soriano
5. Rafael Soriano