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 has started its exhibition season, and will return on July 23rd, barring unforseen events. Regardless, you can read this blog in the alternate: the one where global pandemics were a myth and baseball got started in March and never stopped. We’re imagining the 2020 Mets season as if everything was normal, and will do so … or at least try to … until the end of the season. Enjoy these works of fiction.
Steven Matz, now firmly entrenched as the third starter after the rotation reshuffling at the break, had a chance to ease into that role against the Mariners on Sunday afternoon, and he pitched very well, giving up just one run on six hits and seven strikeouts (with only two walks.) Only problem was that Matz was matched by Taijuan Walker, who went one better by going seven innings while giving up only one run in what was easily his best start of the season.
The bullpens then matched each other in a crisp slog that went to the 14th inning before we reached a conclusion. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Erik Swanson walked Robinson Cano and gave up a bloop single to J.D. Davis. Then, the sin of all sins, he hits Jake Marisnick with a pitch to load the bases to bring up Tomas Nido with the bases loaded.
At this point with two outs I’m dreading a pitch down the middle being popped up. And if there was a pitch down the middle I’m sure that would have happened the way this game was going. (Of course, this would have also meant more churros from the churro stand which meant they would have had to roll me out of Citi Field.) But Swanson threw four pitches that weren’t even close to being down the middle and the Mets had themselves a walk-off walk and a series sweep of Seattle, whose pitching staff I wish we could face 162 times.
The Mets, at 55-44, are on to Cincinnati.
Today’s Hate List
- Gerald Williams
- Josh Willingham
- Matt Beaty
- Kenny Rogers
- Aaron Heilman
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