The Mets hit three home runs, two off Max Scherzer, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to the Nationals, 5-4, in the first of a four-game series.

One of the big hopes for this season was with Terry Collins no longer in the dugout that we would get away from the matchup masturbation. But we saw it in a horrible way yet again in this game. Steven Matz gave up two homers to Anthony Rendon and Mickey Callaway decided he wasn’t going to let him serve up a third one.

He came out with a hook after Matz retired the first batter in the seventh. And it was obvious that Tim Peterson was going to face Rendon and Jerry Blevins was going to face Bryce Harper. Meanwhile, Harper was 0-3 against Matz.

Rendon got an infield hit and sure enough, Blevins came in to face Harper.

But anyone who’s been paying attention knows that Blevins has no special ability to retire Harper. Coming into tonight, Harper had an .895 lifetime OPS in the majors. But he had an 1.103 OPS against Blevins.

Harper hit a two-run homer to give the Nats a three-run lead. Harper now has three XBH and 4 BB in 16 PA against Blevins. Can we please, pretty please, not think of Blevins as some kind of weapon to use against Harper? And the same thing applies to Freddie Freeman, too.

Sure, it’s not a huge sample. But Harper has the sixth-most PA against Blevins of any active player. And it’s not like Blevins has been great this season. There was no reason to actively seek out this matchup. But Callaway did and it turned out to be the difference in the game.

You can say that it’s not fair to judge Callaway because his big guns are on the DL. But we can judge him on things like this. Not saying this is a reason to fire him. But when we’re putting things in the “Pro” and “Con” columns – this needs to go down as a con.

12 comments on “Gut Reaction: Nationals 5, Mets 4 (7/12/18)

  • Michael

    From what I have seen so far I would take Terry over Mickey any day of the week.

    • Pal88

      Gerardi is still out there.

      • Charlie Hangley

        Manager of the 2019 New York Mets: Carlos Beltran!

        • TexasGusCC

          Me likes it, me likes it. Outside the box…

  • Steevy

    Callaway is terrible,but no I don’t want TC back.I want a new GM who will bring a broom to the organization.

  • TexasGusCC

    Very fair point Brian. I want to like Callaway, though I prefer Girardi and even said that if not Girardi, I wanted Tony Pena. If the Cubs can release Rick Renteria to hire Joe Maddon, then Alderson could have done the same. But, this is the snob, who never changes his mind.

    Luckily, Girardi is still out there and open to managing the Mets. I think Callaway is a very smart guy, but, the AL only coaching staff didn’t do him any favors.

  • Mike Walczak

    Callaway will probably go after the new GM is hired. That’s if it is from outside of the organization and not Moe, Larry or Curly.

  • Bob S

    Mets come back to 5-4 in the ninth – lead off single – and Jose can’t even lay down a bunt to get the tying run to second – we then put Rosario up as a pinch hitter (?) and he hits into a double play – and Madson was pitching. We question his pitching decisions but why do we keep Reyes who’s hitting .160 and can’t even bunt?

    • Michael

      Reyes is one of the few on the team who can bunt.

  • Michael Walczak

    They should all bunt because they cant hit.

  • Pete In Iowa

    Here’s another for the “con” column:
    Mickey decides to run for his catcher Plawecki. He inexplicably chooses Ty Kelly while leaving his fastest runner on the bench. He then bats Rosario. Game over.
    If you have already decided to take out Plawecki, you must then be aware Mesoraco must be brought into the game. No doubt, Rosario should have ran and Mesoraco should have been the pinch hitter. Not doing this, if the game had been tied, he would have burned an extra player going into extra innings when it wasn’t 1) the correct move and 2) it wouldn’t have been necessary.
    We are more than 1/2 a season in. Mickey hasn’t figured this out yet??

    • TexasGusCC

      Pete, I said it right then. Callaway manages to please, not win.

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