The Alternate Universe: Mets at Brewers 4-9-20

We’re all depressed about what’s going on in the world regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, and baseball has become collateral damage. We all need to escape, and now 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.

Mets fans and players were no doubt relieved when it was announced that Marcus Stroman wouldn’t be suspended for his run-in with Angel Hernandez in Stroman’s last start. I was relieved because there’s no way any pitcher should be suspended for a run-in with Hernandez because he seems to be the one who starts all of the run-ins. I get that Hernandez will never be disciplined because the umpires union would throw a Joe West sized tantrum, but Stroman not being suspended is enough of a referendum on Hernandez for me.

The person who was probably the least concerned out of anybody was Stroman, especially considering he tweeted out this gif on Monday:

https://giphy.com/gifs/bbcamerica-lions-bbc-america-dynasties-dsVo3yZadBdxpECuLq

I’ll give you a guess which animal is portraying Stroman in this Lion vs Hyenas matchup.

Stroman’s performance was as less stressed as you can get. Yes, he gave up three home runs in his six innings of work. But they were all solo shots, and they were the only hits he gave up all night, and by the time he gave up the first one (Christian Yelich in the 4th), Stroman already had a 3-0 lead thanks to a third inning rally off Brandon Woodruff, as Jake Marisnick led off with a single, was sacrificed to second, and that was followed up by a walk to Brandon Nimmo, an infield hit to McNeil (which could have been an error on Eric Sogard but the home scorer was kind), and a two run single to Pete Alonso which also scored McNeil as Avisail Garcia’s throw home went somewhere to Whitefish Bay.

By the time Stroman gave up the second of his three home runs (Lorenzo Cain in the sixth), he had four more runs on his side as Alonso led off the fifth inning with a single, J.D. Davis drew a walk, and Wilson Ramos blasted a three run HR which knocked Brandon Woodruff out of the game. Former Met Bobby Wahl relieved him and gave up a towering home run to Robinson Cano to make it 7-1 before Arcia’s home run which made it 7-2.

Then, when Stroman gave up his third home run of the game to Justin Smoak which led off the 7th, Stroman’s work was done. Six plus innings, three hits, three runs, two strikeouts but most importantly, ten ground ball outs which meant that Stroman was on his game which makes it another great sign that we’re going to see special things from this starting staff.

Dellin Betances, still trying to get healthy, gave up a home run to Omar Nervaez which made it 7-4 but otherwise seemed to be locating a little better and finding his velocity. J.D. Davis’ three run HR in the 7th put it away and the Mets cruised to a 10-5 victory to get them to 8-4 on the season. In case you’re not counting, that’s 21 runs in the last two games, and three runs given up by the starters in the last 22 innings. Small sample size, but this team is hummin’.

Today’s Hate List

1. Guillermo Mota
2. CC Sabathia
3. Wes Helms
4. Dan Uggla
5. Willie McGee