Yes Tylor, We're Frustrated Too

Tylor Megill says today's outing was "frustrating:"

"This one was definitely frustrating, to say the least." pic.twitter.com/jDPTMDxbMe

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 6, 2023

Yes, Tylor, It was as frustrating to watch as I’m sure it was for you to pitch. I get it.

Tylor’s outing specifically was frustrating. He gave up six hits and three walks in 4 and 2/3’s innings, and of the three runs he gave up, two were with two outs: both on RBI singles to Elias Diaz in the first and fifth innings. When you got the crowd on your side with two outs and, in the case of the first inning, two strikes, you want to put those hitters away. It was especially heartbreaking in the 5th after the Mets had tied the game at 2-2 in the third, and you had a chance to get yourself five to give a tie game (or perhaps the lead) to your bullpen in the 5th. But Tylor gave Diaz a middle-middle slider and Diaz did what he was supposed to do, which was to turn it into the go-ahead hit, and in this case, the game winning hit.

We feel you, Tylor.

Stephen Nogosek was also touched by a case of the wilds, walking two in 2 and 2/3’s. But it was his four pitch walk to Harold Castro … the 7th place hitter … which was a killer, as it immediately preceeded a two run HR by Ezequiel Tovar which put the game away. But the Mets had one final chance to make this a game. In the 8th against Jake Bird, the Mets rallied with two outs on a single to Francisco Lindor and a walk to Pete Alonso. Buck Showalter then sent up Jeff McNeil to pinch hit for Tommy Pham as the tying run, and Bud Black left Bird in the game even though he had a lefty warm in the bullpen. McNeil had a .307 average against righies as opposed to a .225 average against lefties, but Black let Bird stay in.

So this is where Alex MacKay comes in. He was the home plate umpire, and his strike zone was huge all day. It didn’t favor anyone per say … he gave some inches off the outside to Megill in the first, and some inches off the inside to Austin Gomber in the bottom of the first. Strike one to McNeil was off the outer half. Maybe above 70% (totally unscientific data) of umpires in the league call that a ball. But MacKay calls it a strike. So now McNeil has to adjust and swing at everything. Bird, perhaps knowing this, goes to two curveballs and McNeil flails at both of them to end the inning and, realistically end the game.

Frustrating, I know. More frustrating when you realize that the Mets walked five batters even with MacKay’s giant strike zone.

The Mets are now at 17-17 after this loss, which was basically “let’s draw it out of a hat” lineup with Mark Canha playing first and Eduardo Escobar playing second base. They seemed to be stuck in molasses today. The one other thing I’ll say is that it’s notable when Starling Marte tries to bunt twice in a game. One bunt went foul, the other bunt, looked like he was bunting for a hit which turned into a sacrifice bunt. It led to a run, but it almost looks like that Marte is trying to get himself going. If that’s the case, then maybe it’s time to drop him down in the lineup so that guys like McNeil and Alonso can get extra turns instead.

But don’t listen to me because I’m not the lineup guy.