The Alternate Universe: Giants at Mets 6-30-20

We’ve all been depressed about what’s going on in the world regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, and baseball has become collateral damage. The 2020 baseball season is set to begin in late July. Until then, you can read this blog in the alternate: the one where global pandemics were a myth and baseball was around no matter what. We’re imagining the 2020 Mets season as if everything was normal. Enjoy these works of fiction.

Say what you want about Gabe Kapler, but it was a class move on his part to bat Flores third at Citi Field so the crowd could get another chance to cheer him so that Flores could tip his cap as one of the most popular players in Mets history. It’s really gone from player popularity to cultural mythology, this relationship between Flores and the Mets fan base. He’s two teams away from the Mets now, yet he remains this larger than life figure that might be more popular than half the current roster. The lesson, if you can pigeon-hole this into a teachable moment, is that showing that you care about a franchise by wearing your heart on your sleeve will get you a long way with a franchise.

Flores was probably the most stressful part of Jacob deGrom’s night, as there’s no doubt he didn’t want Wilmer to have fodder for another Instagram post in the off season. Thankfully for Jacob, Flores went 0-for-3 against him on Tuesday, and deGrom breezed through the rest of the lineup, only giving up one run on a sac fly to keep the Giants at arm’s length. Unfortunately, the Mets pulled out their 2018 playbook and didn’t get him any run support until he was already out of the game. Brandon Nimmo’s two out two run single in the 8th off Tony Watson gave the Mets a 2-1 lead, and that was quickly followed by a three run HR by Jeff McNeil which made it 5-1 and put the game out of reach and give Seth Lugo the victory.

There’s honestly no reason why the Mets can’t hope for a sweep against this team at Citi Field, especially with Marcus Stroman on the slab tomorrow who, as you know, came within an out of a perfect game his last time out (which of course means he’ll get hammered.) The Mets are right in the mix for a wild card spot and it would be nice if they can host that game. They still have designs on the division as they should, but with the Braves seemingly in no great rush to slow down (mull that turn-a-phrase over) and looking into some major ways to improve their team, it’s nice to have that wild card spot to be able to lock down. Sweeping the Giants would go a nice little ways to getting that done.

Today’s Hate List

1. Me.
2. Because I probably just jinxed Marcus Stroman for tomorrow.
3. “He almost threw a perfect game last time.”
4. “He should win easily.”
5. Do-de-oh, de-oh, de-oh.”