The Crane Pool Forum

Christopher Sanchez leads the charge for the Phillies against fellow-lefty Sean Manaea and your host New York Mets.

The two division rivals have yet to match up this season, even during spring training, but now begin an unusual home and home series in which they play two at Citi Field and then head down to Citizens Bank Park for two more, to keep the schedule balanced relative to their two games in London where each will serve as "home" team for one game.

Manaea and Sanchez have had similar seasons, but Sanchez has been a little stronger of late, with the Cards catching up to Manaea in the sixth his last time out. Still he's allowed only one home run in 35 1/3 innings all season. That stinginess will certainly be tested against Philadelphia, currently second in the league in long balls.

Lest it go unsaid, they are first in all of baseball with regard to wins and losses, but the league-worst Miami Marlins walked off against them last night, so they are bound to be demoralized.

Leadoff hitter and left-field guy Kyle Schwarber has missed the last two games while nursing a sore back. Shortstop Trea Turner is on the 10-day injured list, but backup Edmundo Sosa has been terrific on both sides of the ball.

Huge if true

Of all Rob Manfred's screwing with the game in ways I object to, I have to give credit where credit is do. Baseball has finally broken the player barrier and it happened on his watch. Bravo for him.

Appears to be something wrong with J.T. Realmuto as well, with the late-filing of the lineup card showing the star catcher missing his second consecutive start.

The replacements leave Phillie heading out against Manaea with a lefty-heavy lineup.

#	Player	Pos.	#	Player	Pos.
1	Whit Merrifield (L)	lf	1	Brandon Nimmo (L)	lf
2	Alec Bohm (L)	3b	2	Starling Marte (R)	rf
3	Bryce Harper (L)	1b	3	Francisco Lindor (S)	ss
4	Nick Castellanos (R)	dh	4	Pete Alonso (R)	1b
5	Bryson Stott (R)	2b	5	J.D. Martinez (R)	dh
6	Edmundo Sosa (S)	ss	6	Brett Baty (L)	3b
7	Brandon Marsh (L)	rf	7	Harrison Bader (R)	cf
8	Johan Rojas (R)	cf	8	Jeff McNeil (L)	2b
9	Garrett Stubbs (L)	c	9	Tomás Nido (R)	c
	Cristopher Sánchez (L)	sp		Sean Manaea (L)	sp

With tomorrow being a Day Game, the Tuesday Night Mets Club made the best of a bad situation and will be in attendance this evening for Tuesday Night Mets--Special Monday Night Edition.

Section 514, row 2

I hope the Phillies line up is correct. I'm sure Manaea would love to face Harper batting right-handed and Castellanos batting left-handed.

Sorry. Having a little dog trouble today that's affecting my lineup skill set.

Philly sports ML's second best run scoring avg at 5.2 R/G, just a hair behind the Dodgers 5.24,
and are 6th best at preventing runs 3.68/G

Well, this sucks

These Phillies are annoyingly good

Garrett Stubbs channeling J.T. Realmuto by driving in a run.
Later

Good game shaping up here

And the bases loaded walk remains out best, and often only, run-scoring weapon in that situation.

Well, that was a good inning that went downhill fast.

NYM: 45 plate appearances with bases loaded this season.
5 bases loaded hits; four bases loaded walks

Lefty Specialist wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2024 8:14 pm Well, that was a good inning that went downhill fast.

Puh-thetic

You gotta put aside your RBEyes with the bases loaded. Just hang in there and let the pitcher panic hisself into making a mistake.

Harper taking two fastballs after being up 3–1.

Thanks, man!

Manaea's still pitching like an All-Star.

Manaea crusing

Manaea is indeed dealing, retiring seven in a row, but having thrown 100 pitches through six, he's unlikely to taste the seventh.

Their backup catcher steals bases better than our speedy CF'er

Lopez pitching like the Lopez of old.

I don't cotton to this "He always has the green light."

If a pitcher's in a hole, let him keep digging.

J.D. Martinez is suddenly hitting .308.