Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That's a really good suggestion. I hadn't even thought about reddit. Thanks.
I have also considered posting in my neighborhood's page on Facebook to see if there are any Mets fans about that would watch some games with me. I know I've seen one or two people in Mets hats walking around.
Yeah, reddit is a good idea and also FB. Are you a member of the FB Canton Neighbors group? -They are pretty active. Maybe also try r/mets to see if there are any Mets fans down here? I wish you good luck/success
Yeah, reddit is a good idea and also FB. Are you a member of the FB Canton Neighbors group? -They are pretty active. Maybe also try r/mets to see if there are any Mets fans down here? I wish you good luck/success
I'm a member of Patterson Park Neighbors, but not Canton Neighbors. A lot of stuff ends up getting cross-posted between the two, though.
Just lost 2 out of 3 to the godawful Marlins and the 2 losses were both in walk-off fashion. Meanwhile, the Nats took care of business against a reeling Braves team and swept a 4 game series, making our NL East lead what feels like an awfully flimsy 4 games. And now we square off against the Nats for a 3 game series in Washington.
This is the test to see what this team is made of. Either we take care of business and increase our lead by winning the series or we lay down and let the Nats steamroll through September to win the division, like everyone thought they would.
Just lost 2 out of 3 to the godawful Marlins and the 2 losses were both in walk-off fashion. Meanwhile, the Nats took care of business against a reeling Braves team and swept a 4 game series, making our NL East lead what feels like an awfully flimsy 4 games. And now we square off against the Nats for a 3 game series in Washington.
This is the test to see what this team is made of. Either we take care of business and increase our lead by winning the series or we lay down and let the Nats steamroll through September to win the division, like everyone thought they would.
Yup, big series for sure. Shame the Buccos aren't putting the same pressure on the Cards. Being swept by Milwaukee meant winning the series in St. Louis is just keeping the division race somewhat interesting.
Suggestion: Don't walk Bryce Harper 4 times. That was one of the craziest stat lines I had every seen
Yup, big series for sure. Shame the Buccos aren't putting the same pressure on the Cards. Being swept by Milwaukee meant winning the series in St. Louis is just keeping the division race somewhat interesting.
Suggestion: Don't walk Bryce Harper 4 times. That was one of the craziest stat lines I had every seen
Luckily, we only walked Bryce Harper once today and he was a complete non-factor in this game. A huge 8-5 win over the Nats today to increase our lead to 5 games. Poor performance by our starting pitcher, but the offense and bullpen came up big. So, I'm feeling much less impending doom today than yesterday.
Now, as long as we at least split the two remaining games (which have much more favorable pitching matchups for us than today's game did), then we should be in a good position moving forward.
Luckily, we only walked Bryce Harper once today and he was a complete non-factor in this game. A huge 8-5 win over the Nats today to increase our lead to 5 games. Poor performance by our starting pitcher, but the offense and bullpen came up big. So, I'm feeling much less impending doom today than yesterday.
Now, as long as we at least split the two remaining games (which have much more favorable pitching matchups for us than today's game did), then we should be in a good position moving forward.
Ok, Genie, let me ask you a baseball question. If you are Matt Williams, and you are down one run in the 7th with 2 on, nobody out, and you have both Storen and Papelbon in the pen, do you put one of them in the game to try and quash the rally, or do you follow the "this is my 8th inning guy, this is my 9th inning guy" mentality and hope the other relievers can get you out of the jam without further damage.
I figure by posing the question, you already know my answer. I also heard (didn't get to watch the game) that Williams sent up Max S. (can't spell his last name!) to hit with 2 on, 2 out in the bottom of the 5th rather than pinch hit for him, which is another really weird decision in a game where he wasn't very effective.
Last edited by westsideboy; 09-07-2015 at 09:42 PM..
Ok, Genie, let me ask you a baseball question. If you are Matt Williams, and you are down one run in the 7th with 2 on, nobody out, and you have both Storen and Papelbon in the pen, do you put one of them in the game to try and quash the rally, or do you follow the "this is my 8th inning guy, this is my 9th inning guy" mentality and hope the other relievers can get you out of the jam without further damage.
I figure by posing the question, you already know my answer. I also heard (didn't get to watch the game) that Williams sent up Max S. (can't spell his last name!) to hit with 2 on, 2 out in the bottom of the 5th rather than pinch hit for him, which is another really weird decision in a game where he wasn't very effective.
Matt Williams is a terrible in-game manager, in my opinion. I didn't think anyone could make me thankful for Terry Collins, but Matt Williams makes TC look like a damn genius, which is saying something.
Leaving Scherzer in to hit was totally baffling to me. He hadn't had a hit in a month and he wasn't exactly at his most effective. They really needed to score more runs there and I think that's what ultimately cost them the game yesterday. But, I guess it speaks to how little Matt Williams trusts his bullpen at this point. The Nationals have a few weaknesses, but right now the bullpen is the most glaring.
While I definitely hate the "this is my 8th inning guy, this is my 9th inning guy" mentality, there are definitely pitchers you trust more in high leverage situations than others. That mentality is not exclusive to Matt Williams - it is pervasive across baseball and I think it's pretty silly. Terry Collins is guilty of it as well, but at least he recognizes when there are situations where maybe Familia needs to get a 4 or 5 out save. He has done that on multiple occasions. He also tried to push Tyler Clippard (our "8th inning guy") multiple innings the other day, but that ended up costing him.
Actually, what drives me more nuts is the over use of righty/lefty matchups. Since this game was crucial to both teams, it was pitched like the 7th game of the World Series, which was sort of frustrating to watch. Matt Williams burned through like 5 pitchers in 2 innings or something like that. Pitcher in. One batter. Pitcher out. Pitcher in. One batter. Pitcher out. Ugh, it's ridiculous. That said, the Mets have a very tough lineup to manage against in that way because we are very righty-lefty balanced as far as our big hitters go. The Nats are basically right handed aside from Bryce Harper and it's only for guys like him in key situations where I would consider bringing in a specialist.
Like the Nationals, the Mets are also weak in their middle relief, which I think is the root of a lot of both teams' problems. They have great closers and 8th inning guys, but there is no one else the managers can trust in key situations, so they leave their starters in too long or they mismanage the middle relief in some other way because it's really just the guy of the moment.
On another vein, another thing I've been thinking a lot about lately given recent events surrounding my team is PR and the players' relationship with the media and the fans.
I think most of you probably know the PR disaster that has been Matt Harvey and his innings limit lately and it's something I am struggling with a lot. Matt Harvey is a very polarizing player. On one hand, the way he acts sometimes rubs me the wrong way. On the other hand, the Mets need that kind of swagger. David Wright, Jacob DeGrom, Bartolo Colon, and the other clubhouse leaders are all very laid back sort of guys. Harvey is the fearless bulldog. But, I think his comments about his innings limit and the fact that he seemingly sided with his agent Boras (that snake - I hate that guy) rather than his team really upset a lot of the fans, including me. It cut deep, not gonna lie. It revealed what many had suspected all along - that he is a selfish player. He cares more about the contract he may get in the future (likely not with the Mets) than standing with his team in a playoff run.
Of course, he and Boras seem to have both backtracked their comments since because they instantly saw how much it hurt his image. And I am positive that Harvey and the Mets will work something out so that he is able to pitch in the postseason, should he get there. And I am willing to forgive and forget. But, I am more lenient than a lot of New York sports fans. And he cannot undo what he has said and the damage it has done.
Now, we turn to the Nationals, who have also mouthed off to the media. In the beginning, it was Harper and Werth declaring themselves champions before any games had been played, which makes them look awfully silly now. But, lately, the PR has been even more damaging.
After Friday's game, Papelbon said the following about the fans:
I saw a few of them sitting down. I’m not gonna lie. We need to stand on up in those situations. Let’s get that going. Ya know what I mean? Because this is playoff baseball.
After yesterday's game, Harper said the following about the fans:
I mean, they left in the 7th. That was pretty brutal.
Basically they seem to be calling out the fans for being fake. I don't think it's a coincidence that it's the two players that have the biggest reputation for not being great clubhouse guys that are saying these things, but I also don't think they're wrong. But, maybe saying it to the media wasn't wise.
During playoff runs, emotions often run high and this is often when players say some things to the media that maybe they shouldn't say.
I'm interested to hear others' perspectives on this. Is it refreshing to hear what the players really think? Or should they just shut their traps and play? What should the relationship be between the players, the media, and the fans? Is it different in today's game with social media?
Sorry, I know I'm going on forever, but I just find all of this stuff super interesting. And the atmosphere of stretch run baseball is something I don't get to experience all that often!
On another vein, another thing I've been thinking a lot about lately given recent events surrounding my team is PR and the players' relationship with the media and the fans.
I think most of you probably know the PR disaster that has been Matt Harvey and his innings limit lately and it's something I am struggling with a lot. Matt Harvey is a very polarizing player. On one hand, the way he acts sometimes rubs me the wrong way. On the other hand, the Mets need that kind of swagger. David Wright, Jacob DeGrom, Bartolo Colon, and the other clubhouse leaders are all very laid back sort of guys. Harvey is the fearless bulldog. But, I think his comments about his innings limit and the fact that he seemingly sided with his agent Boras (that snake - I hate that guy) rather than his team really upset a lot of the fans, including me. It cut deep, not gonna lie. It revealed what many had suspected all along - that he is a selfish player. He cares more about the contract he may get in the future (likely not with the Mets) than standing with his team in a playoff run.
Of course, he and Boras seem to have both backtracked their comments since because they instantly saw how much it hurt his image. And I am positive that Harvey and the Mets will work something out so that he is able to pitch in the postseason, should he get there. And I am willing to forgive and forget. But, I am more lenient than a lot of New York sports fans. And he cannot undo what he has said and the damage it has done.
Now, we turn to the Nationals, who have also mouthed off to the media. In the beginning, it was Harper and Werth declaring themselves champions before any games had been played, which makes them look awfully silly now. But, lately, the PR has been even more damaging.
After Friday's game, Papelbon said the following about the fans:
I saw a few of them sitting down. I’m not gonna lie. We need to stand on up in those situations. Let’s get that going. Ya know what I mean? Because this is playoff baseball.
After yesterday's game, Harper said the following about the fans:
I mean, they left in the 7th. That was pretty brutal.
Basically they seem to be calling out the fans for being fake. I don't think it's a coincidence that it's the two players that have the biggest reputation for not being great clubhouse guys that are saying these things, but I also don't think they're wrong. But, maybe saying it to the media wasn't wise.
During playoff runs, emotions often run high and this is often when players say some things to the media that maybe they shouldn't say.
I'm interested to hear others' perspectives on this. Is it refreshing to hear what the players really think? Or should they just shut their traps and play? What should the relationship be between the players, the media, and the fans? Is it different in today's game with social media?
Sorry, I know I'm going on forever, but I just find all of this stuff super interesting. And the atmosphere of stretch run baseball is something I don't get to experience all that often!
The inning limit thing with Strasburg may very well have cost the Nats a shot at the WS a few years back. Looking at him pitch right now, it didn't seem like it did him much good at all. The guy is still as fragile as a Ming vase.
I honestly don't mind Harper calling out the fans. The guy plays baseball like a freaking freight train going down a mountain with no brakes. It is a disservice that the home fans would cut out early during the most important games of the year to avoid traffic. I know it is a game, he is rich, etc., but all Washington fans are doing is opening the door even wider for him to leave for a city that is more passionate about baseball and cares more about winning (I have heard a few stories about him ending up in pinstripes)
But thanks for your analysis, especially the lefty-lefty, righty-righty match-ups. I haven't seen the Pirates do that too much this year. Granted, they have better relief pitchers, but Hurdle tends to let relievers stay in to finish innings so long as they are getting outs. I have asked a few other people and the hypothesizes were:
1. Matt Williams just doesn't know what he is doing.
2. Managing the game conservatively means the blame goes on the players when the team loses (Well, that was the 7th inning guy, he didn't do his job.) While being unconventional and failing means the blame goes on the manager (Stupid Williams, why did he expect Storen to get 5 outs, he is the 8th inning guy!)
3. Agents want their best relief pitchers to only enter games when saves are on the line so they can demand more money as free agents, and managers cow to their wishes.
Either way, I thought it was dumb. Put in Storen. Otherwise, what are you paying him for?
The inning limit thing with Strasburg may very well have cost the Nats a shot at the WS a few years back. Looking at him pitch right now, it didn't seem like it did him much good at all. The guy is still as fragile as a Ming vase.
I honestly don't mind Harper calling out the fans. The guy plays baseball like a freaking freight train going down a mountain with no brakes. It is a disservice that the home fans would cut out early during the most important games of the year to avoid traffic. I know it is a game, he is rich, etc., but all Washington fans are doing is opening the door even wider for him to leave for a city that is more passionate about baseball and cares more about winning (I have heard a few stories about him ending up in pinstripes)
But thanks for your analysis, especially the lefty-lefty, righty-righty match-ups. I haven't seen the Pirates do that too much this year. Granted, they have better relief pitchers, but Hurdle tends to let relievers stay in to finish innings so long as they are getting outs. I have asked a few other people and the hypothesizes were:
1. Matt Williams just doesn't know what he is doing.
2. Managing the game conservatively means the blame goes on the players when the team loses (Well, that was the 7th inning guy, he didn't do his job.) While being unconventional and failing means the blame goes on the manager (Stupid Williams, why did he expect Storen to get 5 outs, he is the 8th inning guy!)
3. Agents want their best relief pitchers to only enter games when saves are on the line so they can demand more money as free agents, and managers cow to their wishes.
Either way, I thought it was dumb. Put in Storen. Otherwise, what are you paying him for?
Well, so much for tonight's attempt at using Storen in the "fireman" role. He went in the game and poured gasoline all over the Met's rally!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well, so much for tonight's attempt at using Storen in the "fireman" role. He went in the game and poured gasoline all over the Met's rally!
