IGT, 2024-04-14 (actually 15) PIT@NYM, Chasing the Break-Even Point

[Edgy MD]

The Mets try to complete their recovery from an oh-and-five start by hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates, Major League Baseball's only team whose name definitively suggests they engage in criminal behavior.

The Buccarinos started off on a tear, opening with an opposite-of-the-Mets run of five-and-oh, which continued on to nine-and-two with two walkoff wins over the impressive Baltimore Orioles. They have since cooled a bit, losing three of their last five, including a four-game split with Philly. It's not really clear how they've done it, as they have a solid lineup all around, but nobody has opened on a tear, with Oneil Cruz and utility outfielder Edward Olivares tying for the team homerun lead with three. Ke'Bryan Hayes is probably their best hitter still, but he hasn't homered yet. I'm sure they're happy just to get Cruz back on the field, but apart from those homers, he's making a lot of wind, currently tied for third in the league in strikeouts.

Lefthander Martín Pérez has been their best pitcher on another solid top-to-bottom unit, and lo and behold, that's who we draw tonight. Perez is a good veteran starter, but he's not 1.89 ERA over 19 innings good, and it's hard to believe that he's figured it out now at 33. But if there's hope for him, there's certainly hope for his opponent, 31-year-old Adrian Houser.

David Bednar is scuffling as closer and it seems only a matter of time before Aroldis Chapman takes over. The world just needs to (a) get used to seeing Chapman in a Pirates uniform and (b) get over the strange video that appeared online this offseason of Chapman groping his mother.

The Mets haven't really gotten a weak team yet, have they?

[MFS62]

As things change, some things stay the same. And Andrew McCutcheon is still a Pirate, but he is now DH-ing.
Contrary to popular belief (I may have stretched that one) he was not a teammate of Honus Wagner. This is his 11th year with the club. And during that time he has had hits against the Mets at an inopportune time.

Later

[kcmets]

Today is the 15th... tax day, Patriot Day and Jackie Robinson day.

A day-fecta!

[kcmets]

McCutcheon, who seemingly was always destined to be a Met, hit his
300th HR yesterday. If you asked me on the street yesterday morning
I would have guessed he was already in the low 400's.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ah yes. The Pittsburgh Pirates. Perhaps the saddest franchise in all of baseball and the most financially strapped. But the Mets have just two NL East first place finishes in the last 35 years. That's mostly, really all of it, on 'eff n jeff. The Pirates, on the other hand, won the NL East three times over the last 35 years, once more than the Mets. Even though the Pirates haven't played in the NL East since 1993 -- 31 years ago.

In other words, the sad sack Pirates spotted the Mets 31 years, and they'e still ahead of the Mets in NL East titles. There are surely forum members or at least lurkers, who weren't even alive when the Pirates were a member of the NL East.

[Benjamin Grimm]

35 years is an arbitrary number. Make it 40 years, and the Mets are ahead of the Pirates.

[batmagadanleadoff]

It's not so arbitrary if you wanna make a point about the disastrous Wilpon ownership era.

Plus, you can go all the way back to 1962 when the Mets were born, and the Pirates come out ahead. even though they've been out of the NL East for more than 30 years.

Also, two first place finishes in 35 years is an enormous Mets embarrassment all on its own, even without the comparison to the Pirates.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Also, two first place finishes in 35 years is an enormous Mets embarrassment all on its own, even without the comparison to the Pirates.

This is true.

[kcmets]

Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Starling Marte (R) RF
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Brett Baty (L) 3B
Francisco Alvarez (R) C
Jeff McNeil (L) 2B
Tyrone Taylor (R) DH
Harrison Bader (R) CF

[ashie62]

The Mets have won three series in a row I believe

[metirish]

Who are #1 and #2?

The answer is in the replies to the tweet , don't look

[kcmets]

Pretty sure Big Ralph Kiner is in that rarefied elite air.

[Edgy MD]

The answers are Ralph Kiner and Jesus.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Alou?

[metirish]

Ralph is not one of the two

[metirish]

Alou , none of the Alou's are the answer

[ashie62]

Hank Aaron

Willie Mays

[Edgy MD]

Baty back in there against the lefty.

#	Player	Pos.	#	Player	Pos.
1	Oneil Cruz (L)	ss	1	Brandon Nimmo (L)	lf
2	Bryan Reynolds (S)	lf	2	Starling Marte (R)	rf
3	Ke'Bryan Hayes (R)	3b	3	Francisco Lindor (S)	ss
4	Rowdy Tellez (L)	1b	4	Pete Alonso (R)	1b
5	Andrew McCutchen (R)	dh	5	Brett Baty (L)	3b
6	Jack Suwinski (L)	cf	6	Francisco Álvarez (R)	c
7	Connor Joe (R)	rf	7	Jeff McNeil (L)	2b
8	Jared Triolo (R)	2b	8	Tyrone Taylor (R)	dh
9	Henry Davis (R)	c	9	Harrison Bader (R)	cf
	Martín Pérez (L)	sp		Adrian Houser (R)	sp

[Benjamin Grimm]

Alex Rodriguez?

[kcmets]

On quick looksee, Kiner hit 215 HR in his first 754 G.

I don't even know who Jonathon Baron is so that's about all I got...

[metirish]

Ryan Howard is #1 according to this guy ( per Elias )

I think he agreed with someone that Judge was #2

[Edgy MD]

O'Neill Cruz has some holes in that swing.

[Edgy MD]

Jackie Robinson Day seems to have snuck up on me.

[Edgy MD]

David Robinson has some interesting thoughts, but took some time getting around to them.

We're pretty close to the time where the stand-in for Jackie Robinson's legacy has moved from his widow to his kids to his grandkids.

[metirish]

His son David seems like a deep thinker and speaker , interesting man