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.
Visiting teams have to love hitting at Great American Ballpark. The Mets, who scored 16 runs in three games there last season, are no different. Wade Miley was dynamite the last time he faced the Mets. Not so much today as he was torched from jump. Pete Alonso’s three run HR got the Mets going in the first, Robinson Cano’s two run double (generously scored a hit much to Nick Castellanos’ liking) in the third continued the onslaught, and then Cano’s three run HR in the fifth knocked Miley out.
But Rick Porcello wasn’t much better, as he gave the 3-0 lead right back with a three run HR to Castellanos, and a three run HR to Freddy Galvis in the fourth. Luckily for the Mets Porcello did what he was brought in to do, and that’s pitch six innings, after which the Mets had an 8-6 lead. Unluckily, the Mets bullpen. Yeah, that’s an incomplete sentence, specially crafted to tell the story of tonight’s incomplete pitching performance. Jeurys Familia gave up a two-out RBI single to Shingo Akiyama in the 7th which made it 8-7. Then Luis Rojas gambled and lost as he brought in Justin Wilson, hoping he’d end the inning by striking out Joey Votto. Instead, he walked him to load the bases and bring up Eugenio Suarez, and now Wilson has to face him because rules.
Suarez singled off Wilson to bring home the tying run to make it 8-8. That brought up Mike Moustakas. With the count 1-2, Wilson made the pitch he wanted, and got Moustakas to flail at it. Of course, the ball looked softly in front of Cespedes to bring him two and make it 10-8 Cincinnati. Seth Lugo then came in to strike out Castellanos to get the Mets out of that quagmire.
But the bullpen wasn’t done, as Rojas brought in Edwin Diaz to try to hold the Reds to ten. That, of course didn’t work either, as two walks and a home run to Aristedes Aquino (really?) made it 13-8. Shamefully those would turn out to be huge runs as the Mets rallied for three in the top of the ninth as Michael Conforto cleared the bases off of Amir Garrett to make it 13-11. Rasiel Iglesias then came in and walked Cespedes and Wilson Ramos to bring up Cano with a chance to draw the Mets even. But he popped up to Suarez to end the game.
Side note: My brother, who was in the stands, got a dirty look from Cano as he cursed at him in Spanish. My brother, who knows zero Spanish, apparently invested in Babbel and went straight to the curse words in anticipation of this happening. I want all of you to know that I had nothing to do with this and did not encourage him in any way.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Today’s Hate List
- Wade Miley
- Nick Castellanos
- Eugenio Suarez
- Rasiel Iglesias
- Mike Moustakas
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