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3 thoughts ahead of the Mets-Braves doubleheader finale
Where is your head at, Mets fans?
So much can change today for the New York Mets. An epic doubleheader to end the year is exactly what Major League Baseball dreamed of except there are a lot of different nuisances to go with these games.
Playoff baseball involves a different kind of strategic thinking. It sure feels like the Mets and Atlanta Braves are already there.
Where’s your head at? What about mine? Heading into this conclusion to the regular season, let’s share some thoughts on what’ll happen, what it means, and how MLB created a situation where someone is going to feel jipped.
1) How sure of a thing is a split between the Mets and Braves?
A lot of fans spent Sunday night debating the merits of starting Tylor Megill or Luis Severino in the first game of the doubleheader. It seems like both teams will save their superior pitchers, Severino and Chris Sale, for a possible second game. The thinking makes sense on the basis that you want to win the first game and have a good pitcher available for Tuesday to start the opener of the Wild Card round. At the same time, you still have to win a game and a split is no sure thing.
Many believe whoever wins the first game will put out an inferior lineup for the second. It’ll happen. This is the game where Eddy Alvarez will bat leadoff if the Mets win the first. We’ll see whichever pitcher the Mets don’t intend to carry on the postseason roster toss as many innings as possible. Strangely, starting Megill in the second game seems to make most sense if for no other reason than you might want him to simply eat up innings for you. Is he going to join the Mets on their playoff roster? It wouldn’t be a lousy choice but if he pitches on Monday he wouldn’t pitch at all in the Wild Card round.
Splitting the doubleheader seems inevitable but no lock. There is incentive to win both. Sweeping the Braves means the Mets can knock them out of the playoffs and change their flight from Milwaukee to San Diego. We saw how well the Brewers can beat up on the Mets plenty this year. They’ll run amuck on the bases.
And still, getting the better matchup could mean burning through more of your better pitchers thus setting up for trouble over the next three days.
2) MLB scheduled a very awkward celebration for around 3:45pm today
What MLB wants more than anything is for the most games possible to have meaning. Well, both of these games will matter—maybe only one and a half. Whoever wins the first game won’t have nearly enough motivation to compete in the second. And whoever wins the first will have to settle for an awkward celebration at around 3:45pm today when they clinch a playoff berth.
I’m still angry about how the rainouts last week were handled. There was a chance to play Monday night. Two more could have been played on Tuesday. While it does feel like the situation has not benefited the Mets because at worst they’ll be playing the B-squad Braves in the later part of the afternoon, it doesn’t change the fact of how poorly planned these games ended up.
The celebration of making the playoffs should be something every team, player, and fan gets to enjoy. Surely teams in the past have clinched after winning the first game of a doubleheader, especially back in the day when they were much more frequent.
It’s not a huge deal for the champagne to delay. However, with dual celebrations planned by a logical thinker, it feels like a participation trophy more than an earned one.
3) The Mets and Braves are at such a disadvantage, but don’t forget about the Diamondbacks
Both teams should make the playoffs. And when they do, it’ll put them at a disadvantage. Flights to Milwaukee or San Diego after are tough enough with a game scheduled on Tuesday night. Unable to plan their pitching better or get the day of rest their opponents will, it’s a tough situation for the Mets and Braves.
Let’s not forget about the Arizona Diamondbacks either. Yeah, they had 162 chances to win one more game. Due to the circumstances of the doubleheader and one team likely to not give it 100% mentally, they’re at maybe the biggest disadvantage of all.
If you believe there was a conspiracy against the Mets, you better believe there was an even bigger one against the Diamondbacks. After making their run to the World Series last year with most casual baseball fans not really caring or noticing, bouncing them out of the postseason before they even get there in favor of the Mets and Braves benefits the league far more. The Mets and Braves draw an audience of lovers and haters. The Diamondbacks are just kind of there.
A tear won’t be shed for Arizona if the Mets and Braves do as expected and each win once today. By golly, if you’re a Diamondbacks fan, you’d be in the right to type up a strongly worded letter directed at Rob Manfred. Be sure to use bold, red font. Maybe pick one from a 1950s horror movie to really get your message across.
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