New York Mets take the series vs Colorado Rockies | Rico Brogna Live Episode 302

New York Mets take the series vs Colorado Rockies | Rico Brogna Live Episode 302

[Music] [Music] [Music] it’s the amazing Rico brona podcast with your host Evan Roberts Rico bronia time the first half of the New York Met season is over this six-game home stand against Washington and Colorado over we get ourselves a little bit of a break a little bit of a chance to take a deep breath and look back at the accomplishment of the Mets turning their season around this was what turned out to be a successful first half of the Year this certainly turned out to be a very successful home stand going five- one and even though you hate to lose on a Sunday afternoon to the crappy Colorado Rockies and I hope this doesn’t come across like a loser mentality because obviously you want to win every single game you play but this felt like a loss on Sunday even before it started and I remember saying to my dad and my wife we all went to the game and my youngest son you know what as long as they’re not blowing the game in the ninth inning as long as it’s not some kind of catastrophic loss it’s okay they have done the job that they needed to do on this home stand as we said coming into this home stand against Washington and Colorado they needed to do serious damage they needed to go into the All-Star break feeling good they needed to go into the All-Star break above 500 they needed to win games at home consistently and going five- one against Washington and Colorado I would say they did that mission accomplished there are things about Sunday’s game we will get into that certainly pissed me off and I’m sure pissed a lot of people off but in general the New York Mets had a very successful close to the first half of the Season we’ll get into what that means for the second half we’ll build up the expectations this team has now created but obviously we’ll look back at what happened in these three games against the Colorado Rockies let me start at the end because look you don’t want a bad taste going into the All-Star break and you certainly hope that a loss at the end of the first half of the Year doesn’t somehow turn into something bigger I remember back in 2021 only three years ago Sunday afternoon it was my birthday took the family to the game had really Bouie seats and they blew a game late to the Pittsburgh Pirates and it was a bad loss but the were still in first place I think they were about four or five games up at the time and there was this sick feeling in my stomach of is this going to be the game that really turns the whole season to crap and look there were other factors that led to that Jacob deg Grom not pitching again certainly was a big part of it but when you think back to what happened in 2021 and how a once-promising season went down the toilet at least for me one of the things I think about was the way they closed the first half I don’t look at this game I mean certainly not like the way the Yankees lost I don’t look at this game as one of those examples but there were a few things from Sunday’s game that leaves you saying WTF since we’re going to use the OMGs I respond with a WTF let me start with the way this game concludes the Mets obviously gave up a ton of home runs in this game we can get into Jose canana we can get into Adrien Hower in this game way too long we get all that but the Mets put themselves in a hole and they started to fight back they actually showed a lot of Promise especially with the rallies they put together late even though they didn’t score in the sixth they got the leadoff man on even they though they didn’t score in the seventh they got the first two guys on that was a real killer too by the way because at that point they’re down 73 they get the first two guys on base with the heart of the order coming up and Alvarez and Alonzo struck out viento struck out they went down meekly but they score two runs in the eighth inning and all of a sudden it’s an eight to five game and it’s the Colorado Rockies whose team ER is about 35 so you go to the ninth inning the Mets again Pulu rally together infield hit Mark Theos Jose glacius unbelievable fourth hit of the game you get the tying run at the plate and Tyrone Taylor is coming up and I admit I had a brain fart I sat there and I turned to my dad and I said boy I’m I’m actually mildly surprised that Mendy isn’t going to DJ Stewart to try to hit a three-run home run it like slipped my mind that JD Martinez was on the bench and for me I’m a fan look at the end of the day May host the RICO bronia I ain’t perfect I’m not paid to manage this team but I genuinely forgot JD Martinez was on the bench that’s okay for me that ain’t okay for Carlos Mendoza because you need to explain to me how and I and I’ll tell you not that I want to go conspiracy theory crazy there’s enough people who have conspiracies coming out of this weekend like the fact that he doesn’t use JD Martinez to pinch it for Tyrone Taylor and then Jeff mcneel was like surprised when meny called him back he calls mcneel back and it as if JD Martinez was not ready to hit so here’s my conspiracy theory either JD Martinez was in the crapper or Carlos Mendoza had no idea JD Martinez on his bench because that did not make any sense why would you use JD Martinez to pinch it for Jeff mcneel but not Tyrone Taylor Jeff mcneel again had a quality day he drew a pretty impressive walk in the fourth inning he had the RBI double in the eighth inning which actually was the only clutch hit that met got this entire game at least with runners in scoring position so not that I’m the president of the Jeff mcneel fan club but it really doesn’t make any sense that you would use JD Martinez to pinch it for him but not for Tyrone Taylor look it didn’t matter JD Martin has struck out so I understand that I mean it could have matter though because if JD strikes out for Taylor who knows what Jeff mcneel does so that left me scratching my head and I always love when I’m just confused by a move and then someone in the ballpark says hey Evan why did Mendy blah blah blah so in this case hey Evan why did Mendy not use JD Martinez and I turn around and I’m like I have no freaking idea I wish I knew so that’s number one in head scratcher from Carlos Mendoza number two I guess would be the handling of the bullpen because think about it you use fil May time after Jose canana really couldn’t settle down and and I think that’s the most disappointing aspect of this game the finale of this series that kintana promptly puts them in a hole giving up a two-run home run to Ezekiel Tovar early in the game the Mets fight back in the fourth inning canana settles down which he definitely deserves credit for and is given a new lease on life that two-run deficit he put them in the hole four the Mets were able to erase when Pete Alonzo H the two-run Home Run and they got the Francisco Lindor basees loaded walk and what does Jose canana do he pulls a Tommy glavin in which shutdown inning he has a lead and he very quickly gives up a home run gives it right back to what’s his name the dude with three home runs in this game Michael taglia just who just destroyed the Mets all weekend long I mean the Rockies give the Colorado Rockies credit for this they go on the road and they hit how many home runs they hit 12 home runs in three games four on Friday two on Saturday and then six on Sunday and tolia hit four of them so disappointing that canana has given a new lease on life promptly gives up a game tying home run not the end of the world though go get through the sixth inning and you’ve just put together a quality performance and what does he do first pitch of the sixth inning gives up a home run to brentan Doyle and that’s not all he got Lu that Harrison Bader made a great diving catch then he gives up another home run to taga so kintana to me if I’m making a list of the things that disappointed me from the finale of this series he’s probably number one in that he couldn’t build off his consistency over the last few weeks and he just gave it all back Mets fight give him some runs he gives up a bunch of home runs he gave up four home runs in this game and puts the Mets in a hole so that’s disappointment number one meny goes to Phil mton we’re still figuring out that not looked very good on Friday but did good look good the previous day and he gets that strikeout and immediately takes him out and I found that to be odd because you do have the All-Star break so I do think that that final game before the break you can manage a little bit more aggressively with your Bullpen because there is no Monday there is no Tuesday there is no Wednesday there is no Thursday you can be a little bit more aggressive he takes May out after just one out after a handful of pitches and then he goes to Adrien Hower and let’s just be honest about Adrien Hower we almost forgot about him because Hower got off to this terrible start as a starting pitcher uh a credit to the Mets they pulled him out of the rotation pretty quickly and then they move him to the bullpen and we start to see him become like this useful long reliever out of the bullpen and for a while that’s exactly what he was he would come out of the bullpen he’d pitch two three Innings at a time and usually would do a pretty good job of keeping the Mets in the game he has now had back-to-back bad performances out of the bullpen the loss on the fourth of July when he gave up the home run to Jesse Winker and then whatever the hell you want to call this crap gives up a two-run home run to Ezekiel Tovar that’s bad enough gives up the third home run to Michael taglia and takes a game that is relatively close because look when you’re facing Colorado and you’re down 53 you’re not out of the game not against that Bullpen and not with the way the Mets have been hitting and Hower gave up the insurance and as you saw as the Mets were rallying I’m muttering to my dad man every Insurance run they gave up was so big so my question for Mendy would be this all right you go to Adrien Hower he has a shaky seventh inning why not take them out like do you need to save your Bullpen what are you saving it for I mean we all get that Jose budo is not going to be available in Sunday’s game because of his Brilliance on Saturday same thing with dead Nell Nunes but you do have other guys and as much as I may not love Adam adino or Eric ory and Dana young who he eventually went to and Edwin Diaz who you can go to did not Pitch Saturday you see Hower stinks you see he’s given up the long ball why they need to stick with him I think if this was a middle of the week game or a game that wasn’t surrounded by the All-Star Game I probably would give the the defense of Mendy by saying ah you know what you got to be smart you gotta play the long game but in this case it didn’t make a lot of sense so I thought those were the two big fa paaw outside of that I gotta tell you I like the lineup if you really feel the need that JD Martinez needs an off day if you at least go with that conclusion because I love finding ways for Jose glacius to play and hopefully coming out of the break Mendy’s going to realize that the excuse that they’ve been using the last couple of games that he hasn’t started has been he’s not feeling well he had an IV all this kind of crap when he comes back out of the break and and certainly I don’t expect Jose glacius to continue hitting 350 360 or something but his defense is so smooth whe whether he’s at third base or second base he looks great and Jeff mcneel as much as you know I don’t have faith in him and if you can get something from him at the deadline you’ve got to think about it he is probably your best option in the right field right now he is Tyrone Taylor is cooled off DJ Stewart stinks of the current guys on this roster I’ll phrase it that way because obviously they can use a piece and the Nationals have indicated their selling Jeff mcneel is their best option in right field so disappointing Sunday loss those are the questions I have and look the Mets also missed a million opportunities they went one for 12 with runners in scoring position in this game and I think the real opportunity they missed was in the fourth inning the fourth inning was some inning too because like I said I took my youngest son to the game Spence and he wanted ice cream in that inning so that was our ice cream line inning we did see the Pete home run on the TV screen I love that about City Field in these newer ballparks when I would send my poor dad when I was Spence’s age who was three and I’d say d d ice cream ice cream and he would go get ice cream at Chase Stadium he would miss whatever he missed but City Feld because they got TVs everywhere at least you’re able to experience it so that was a great moment on the line to get the Mr softi Spence wearing his Pete Alonzo Jersey very excited that Pete Alonzo hit a home run as was I as was every Med fan it’s good to see Pete do that his 19th home run of the season going into the All-Star break but a ton of missed opportunities in that inning he hits the two-run Home Run they load the bases up with one out and Harrison Bader who has had a very good first half so tough to pick on guys but he had a terrible game pops up with the bases loaded on the first pitch even after Francisco Lindor draws the bases loaded walk Brandon immo grounds out but I mentioned the seventh inning when they got the first two guys on base and then Alvarez Alonzo Vientos all strike out back to back to back one for 13 was the official number with runners in scoring positions so when you give up six home runs in a game and you go one for 13 with runners in scoring position I don’t have the stats but I can promise you your record is bad you’re usually not going to win those games uh as far as Saturday is concerned Boy Saturday was on a lot of levels a very very surreal afternoon uh I went to a birthday party but it was one of those birthday parties where there were a lot of adults there and the family who was having this birthday party Not Just Met fans But Die Hard Met fans so it was one of those rare instances Pete where usually when I do things with my family on a Saturday I DVR the game no big deal just DVR the game I’ll watch it a little bit later on that was not going to happen in this case because they’re DieHard Med fans and listen as weird as I am and I’m a weird guy I will never go over to somebody’s house and say hey don’t put the me game on I’ve got a DVR it and I have to admit uh I felt like a normal human being on Saturday because they put the game on outside kids are playing I’m playing a little bit too having a few drinks but the game is on and there’s a lot of Met fans there so it was like almost a watch party in a lot of ways and so I did not score the game but I felt like a regular human being enjoying the Met game with other people and not DVR it on a Saturday afternoon and I’m proud of myself honestly tell me how it feels to be a normal person for a change well I I I liked it I liked it would I still prefer to be able to sit my cocoon and score a game yes but look on a lot of levels and let’s not mess around here that was also during that game the moment where everybody’s phone is buzzing about what happened to former president Trump so that became like a big part of the party because people are like holy crap what the hell happened and I’ll never forget now the first thing someone said and I don’t think they would doing it to be mean or anything like that the first thing they said is is this AI which is the scary part about the world we’re living in right that your first reaction to seeing an assassination attempt on a former president and a presidential candidate is to say let me is this real it’s kind of like when we see sports news reported and we’re like is this a fake account this is a video and we’re our first assumption is is it fake but yeah so so you have the game but then you also have everybody like what the hell’s going on everybody checking their phone I will say no one flipped the channel though off of that game I guess I guess with phone information that was probably where you were going to get it anyway but obviously Saturday was a a crazy day a scary day that’s for sure and two people lost their lives and by two people I don’t mean actually one person lost their life because I don’t even count the Assassin that’s scumbag deserved to lose his life but I think we we have heard about people losing their Liv so it’s obviously very very tragic but as far as watching the game with other people’s concerned and not scoring it yeah I felt like a human you know what the best part was when budo comes in and then dead nail seals the deal especially when buo got in trouble it was a cool experience high-fiving other people and sharing our excitement over something good for the New York Mets I like that Pete is different than being by yourself and just high-fiving yourself for Jam yeah it’s very different than high-fiving myself and also seeing something happened three hours after the fact which is the case on DVR yeah I gotta tell you something because I spend a lot of time watching games with other people because I can’t do that like I I can’t I have to I have to watch it live I’ll get people around like again like I had people over my house yesterday too so that was something that was it just was we were socializing it is what it is but it’s it it feels cool to just be able to socialize and watch sports and all react together and have that be part of the conversation too because when you’re watching by yourself man like I know it for you for someone that just takes in every piece of information it has a different feel to it it has a different setting it’s like we’re all doing this together we’re all part of the same team I guess absolutely no that that part I have no complaints about I think that you know when you’ve got kids running around and it’s a social environment you’re just not able to watch every single pitch so I think I miss that because I like watching every single pitch but you are right like sharing in the enjoyment of Jose budo being just a dog out of the bullpen and dead Nell Nunes getting those big strikes outs and then Francisco Lindor hitting the big three run home run late it’s cool it’s a nice bonding experience for all of us but it was a very good victory um it was interesting because going into that game I saw the lineup and I think I even tweeted this where I said this is a heat check lineup from Carlos Mendoza what I mean by that for those that don’t love basketball was sometimes when you’re hitting threes it’s such an amazing clip you’ll just pull up from half court and be like I’m so hot let me just see how hot I am when you look at that lineup in game two of this series with the Mets on a hot streak with the Mets playing really well and then you see DJ Stewart batting Fifth and you see Ben gaml batting seventh and playing Left Field and no Jose glaus always still not feeling well you look at that lineup and you’re like oh my God is meny getting cocky or something I think we’ve gotten to the point where it’s got to be it for DJ Stewart he did have a hit in this game and he got on base a couple of times but let’s not be fooled he’s a 170 hitter how he’s still on this team and then batting fifth I mean let’s let’s think about that for a second DJ Stewart is a hitting ahead of Mark Vientos granted Vientos took it 04 and then Ben gaml who also I give him credit he got on base a couple of times including that big walk late but it felt like a very heat Check Line L up by Carlos Mendoza I don’t disagree with his handling of Christian Scott Christian was very mediocre after a quick start gave up a couple of home runs which was really the story of the series when you look at how many Colorado hit but Jose budo is a weapon and I think what’s going to be interesting is how they use him you know I I think I would lean towards keeping him as this multi- inning guy as the weapon who can come in and get the eight outs that he got which is what saw he comes into a tricky spot with guys on base gets through the fifth inning pitches a clean six pitches a clean seventh then he runs into a trouble in the eighth and dead Nell Nunes just cleans it up another guy who is high leverage reliever and can get more than three outs but I think with budo and I’m not sure if he’ll ever be in a spot where they’d be comfortable using him on back-to-back days he’s still making that adjustment from a starting pitcher but this kind of reminds me of Seth lug go back in I guess it was 177 and 18 when you had this real weapon out of the bullpen and you just got to figure out how you’re going to use him you know are you good knowing you can’t use that weapon on back-to-back days because if he’s never never going to be able to pitch on back-to-back days then why waste just getting an inning out of him if he pitches a clean inning like we saw him get through the fifth and get to the sixth ride it and the truth is we we’ll never know this because he did get in trouble Maybe would have finished the game I mean that’s that’s entirely possible now the longer you go the more you’re not going to have the guy but I think in this case with it being the Saturday before the All-Star Game Jose budo wasn’t pitching Sunday no matter what so you may as well get the most out of him but I would continue to use him as a guy who when he comes into a game may get eight outs maybe more because he’s clearly capable of doing it he is a starting pitcher he is stretched out I think that’s how they have to use them but right now this met Bullpen has two and a half guys you trust that’s how I would phrase it I think you trust Jose budo handful of performances but he’s been great in all of them you trust dnell Nunes and you’re halfways with Edwin Diaz yeah you you’re almost there I mean look at Friday Friday night was so freaking infuriating with Edwin Diaz I went to Friday night’s game as well me and my oldest son that’s what that’s how we work now we split them up take one son one game one son the other game because if they’re together I think a lot of parents know this things can get very very bad but on Friday night we go to the game we see that Michael toia hit a two-run home run I mentioned how many did he hit in this uh series four over the weekend so we see manah give up the early runs the Mets respond immediately Vientos a glacius backto back Bader hits a bomb Mets are hitting home runs all over the place Bader it’s a second bomb a glacius it’s a second bomb and they build themselves up this 7-2 lead which sort of feels comfortable right yeah they feeling pretty good they stretch manah out for a seventh clearly because and this is where I’m with meny and Mendy said this after the game that the score was a part of the reason why manah came out for the seventh inning look Shawn Mania if you go back to the sixth they were making pretty good contact against him and his pitch count was under any other circumstances six Innings two runs 91 pitches hard contact he’s coming out like there’s no way he’s pitching the seventh inning but I think Mendy looked at it and said hey I got a seven to2 lead maybe I can steal three outs and and that’s exactly what he did because he gives up the lead home leadoff home run to Brendan roggers and then he gets three outs and he got seven out of them if that’s a closer game I don’t think manah pitches the seventh but I think because they had the big lead Mendy said let me let me push my luck just a little bit and he was able to do it and then we get the bullpen experience you get seven Innings out of Shawn manah he gives up three runs you have a seven to3 lead you only need six outs and here comes the full Bullpen experience Jake Dean and I apologize I know I know what I said on a previous Rico remember what I said hey just get him up there against lefties his numbers are solid he’s good at that well he came in into a perfect Lane he’s facing two out of three lefties the first Lefty he face Charlie Blackman home run then he faces the right he gives up a double and he does get the other Lefty Ryan McMahon out they say two out of three ain’t bad two out of three sucks because two out of the three base runners or batters against Jake deckman got on base so the deckman experience goes away here comes Phil mton and Phil maton joins the club of relievers we don’t trust got lucky when Elias Diaz ripped the line driver out of Vientos and then gives up a bomb of a home run to Brenton Doyle and all of a sudden we have ourselves a one-run game when Edwin Diaz comes in and I and look I can’t [ __ ] about the at offense they didn’t do anything the last three Innings you score eight runs it should be enough or seven runs it should be enough Diaz comes in and this is why the Edwin Diaz roller coaster is reminiscent of every year he’s been here outside of 2022 he gets the first two guys out and then walks Sam hilard on four freaking pitches gets ahead of Charlie Blackman and he walks him and then finally with that entire building being stressed out nice crowd almost 30,000 people on a Friday night he Strikes Out Ezekiel Tovar he got the job done Kudos Edwin Diaz he did not blow his 500th game of the season but he did not make it easy it was very very stressful and that’s why I would include Edwin Diaz in that column of I sort of trust him but not really look the reality with Edwin Diaz is that no matter how you cut it he’s the guy getting the biggest outs he is the ninth and in guy he is the closer and if the New York Mets are going to get a wild card spot and as we stand here on this fine July evening or morning depending on when you’re listening they’re in a wild card spot they’re in the driver’s seat they need Edwin Diaz doesn’t have to be 2022 but he needs to be one of the more reliable closers in Baseball look you look around baseball a lot of closers are not reliable Yankee fans right now are having a field day with Clay Holmes even though it wasn’t all his fault but they are so going to need Edwin Diaz to figure it out he cannot be the problem he was before he went on the Phantom iio uh you know I I appreciate that that view but can I just dive into something with that do for a second because what made him so great in 20202 was the flexibility that buck shalter had with Ed Diaz the fact that it wasn’t just the ninth inning it was the seventh inning it was the eighth inning Carlos Mendoza has made a point saying he’s our closer he’s he’s our ninth inning guy there’s no that I mean he’s going in there if he’s going in he’s getting four out saves five out saves he’s not going into the eighth inning and facing the lineup and then we’re gonna rely on somebody else you know what though I don’t here’s let me just counter this I don’t know if that’s true yet because first of all he isn’t dominating and I think that when Buck hadam had a dominating Edwin Diaz so he looked at him as the fireman where hey one-run lead heart of the order in the eighth inning let me go to my best reliever right now he probably isn’t their best relever as crazy as that sounds uh dell Nunes and Jose budo are their best relievers but number two we haven’t necessarily seen that situation yet where it’s so obvious that you may want to use your best lever if he still considers him that in that inning like there seem to be so many opportunities for Buck Showalter in 2022 and I think there was one earlier this season that we may have commented on but there haven’t been a lot of those like situations where you would say hey go use Edwin Diaz in the eighth inning of a game so I don’t know if that’s true that Mendoza won’t but then the other problem with it is I just don’t know where Edwin Diaz is at in terms of the confidence to just use him like a Swiss army knife wherever they’re trying to get him back on track mentally and maybe a part of that is you’re the ninth and in guy don’t overthink it but then again recently he brought him in in the eighth inning in a spot where he shouldn’t have I I don’t think Mendy’s declared anything in terms of how he’s going to use Edwin Diaz in a big spot I just like to see this Bullpen work so whatever it takes that’s all I care about well they need better arms I mean I hate to say it that’s going to be the Focus during the All-Star break for a lot of Met fans they got to go out and add arms now let’s address a trade that was made a couple of days ago and that was the fact that Hunter Harvey was dealt from the Washington Nationals to the Kansas City Royals uh the Nationals are a team that the Mets pretty much made sellers they are a team that has a few pieces that I think the Mets could use I’ve specifically mentioned the names Dylan fluro and Jesse Winker Hunter Harvey and this is concerning by the way what I’m about to say is not ideal Hunter Harvey went for a lot so think about this the Kansas City Royals are able to trade a second round pick uh in this upcoming draft the reason they’re able to do that is because in the MLB draft there is an exception for trading picks for teams that hold competitive balance picks all teams that have either one of the 10 smallest payrolls or Revenue pools get an additional pick in the first or second round so when you saw that trade and you saw wait a second how did the Washington Nationals acquire a draft pick I I wasn’t familiar with baseball allowing draft pick trades they don’t but they do allow it for these small Revenue teams because they get these extra picks these competitive balance picks and those picks are allowed to be traded so whenever a trade is made I always like to say hey what’s the comparison for the Mets like what would have our price have been well we can’t trade a draft pick so the Kansas City Royals offered something that the Mets cannot offer that’s Point number one point number two the kid they traded Kaden Wallace a second round pick from two years ago’s draft is the second best Prospect in the Royals organization so Kansas City traded their second best Prospect and a very high draft pick for Hunter Harvey that is an incredibly high price tag and that’s why when we’ve talked about adding relievers I’m open to the idea of using a starting pitcher to go get a relever because that kind of Premium to pay that’s an awful lot that’s an awful lot for a guy like Hunter Harvey so as we get closer to July 31st we’ll see what the price tag is July 30th to be exact the deadline is actually the 30th this year but we’ll see what the price tags are the Mets are going to have to use the power of the pocketbook we’ve talked about that before using the power of the fact that Steve Cohen can afford to take back either a big contract from a relief pitcher they’re acquiring or just taking back a bad contract that’s something that they can hopefully take advantage of but the hunter Harvey package pretty expensive now let’s get to some of your emails the RICO B at gmail is where you can send them negative Dan’s got a pretty good email even after the loss on Sunday the way this team closed out the first half means the hype coming out of the break is going to be enormous I’m sorry if you don’t think this is fair but for as much as Lindor and nmo have done for us to get back in it it is absolutely on them to finish the job in the second half the biggest weakness since they’ve been together is finishing strong and handling the pressure that’s all about to come come back down on them especially after the incessant they should be Allstars talk it’s time for them to change the narrative if they really want to ascend to the next level you’re in a playoff spot and the expectations are now holding on to that spot and anything less is a disappointment the second series out of the break is the Atlanta Braves and we will talk uh and there will be talk about the first wild card spot and revenge for 2022 you say all the time expectations change and when you finished the first half the way they did and in the spot they did the pressure now Falls squarely on your appointed co- captains for the first time since they’ve been together to finish the effing job this is not unrealistic for me to set the bar at this level and it’s time for them to finally make their Mark I won’t believe it until I see it as they’ve been here and have had more than enough chances to prove that they can handle the situation it’s not me being negative to hold them to the standard it’s time they Rock to the occasion so lot lot of stuff on that let me start with this expectations do change and I completely agree with you obviously coming into the season we all had very different views on what we thought the Mets were I think most Met fans didn’t think they were a playoff team most people on my radio station didn’t think they were a playoff team that’s okay it’s a prediction it’s Sports most of the time we’re wrong but as a season goes on your expectations begin to change and I would think I don’t care how negative of a Met fan you were and I’m sure there’s a lot of people listening who fit that bill considering where they are now in a playoff spot when you look at the teams they’re competing with St Louis San Diego Arizona when you look at those teams and you look at the Mets and you look at the way they’ve played over the last how many games really the last 36 games games I completely agree I think now as a Met fan the belief is they better make the freaking playoffs and I felt that coming into the season I think in the world we live in any year that doesn’t feature a playoff birth is going to feel like a massive disappointment but I think that’s elevated even more now they’re in a playoff spot go do it so I agree with expectations changing I don’t necess and Dan didn’t say this but he sort of implied this I don’t look at hey if they don’t catch Atlanta it’s a massive disappointment I would be very surprised if they catch Atlanta the fact that they’re within Striking Distance the fact that they do have those four games against the Braves coming up it’s actually not the second series back from the break it’s the third series back from the break the Mets will play the Marlins for four it’s a wraparound series Friday Saturday Sunday Monday two games against the Yankees the second portion of the subway series and then they play Atlanta for four I don’t think catching the Braves is a must it’d be nice I mean gez Wild Card series at City Field sign me up even if it didn’t work out that well two years ago it’s making the playoffs that’s the bar Wild Card 2 wild card three doesn’t freaking M it’s making the playoffs and I definitely agree with that assessment that that’s the new bar is it on Brandon immo and Francisco Lindor I don’t think it’s squarely on them but yeah they’re best players they had All-Star first halfes right Lindor is the $300 million man that never changes he’s always going to have high expectations but I think the other guy that has high expectations is Pete Alonzo Pete did not have a great first half his numbers are pedestrian that’s basically what they are right now 19 home runs 51 RB’s a 24ish batting average 250ish batting average it’s not great and most of his hits have just not been that impactful I’d be the first to tell you that so if we’re making a list on guys that need to perform big that guys that you need big second halfes from of course the All Stars this should be all stars are going to have high bars but I would also put that on Pete Alonzo as well I would definitely say that let’s hear from Nick Nick writes it sounds like Starling Marte isn’t close to being back with that the case they need to do something with the Outfield you cannot have Tyrone Taylor or DJ Stewart in there every day getting an outfielder has now become a priority approaching the deadline they should add a bat in the Outfield absolutely I completely agree they should replace DJ Stewart for now Jeff mcneel plays every day in right field that’s what I would do for now I think you also have the option of looking down at Brett batty and asking a very fair question and I’m going to ask this question because I had a guy I should find the email pissed at me for continuing to bring up Brett batty at second base I think he called me a name and said Evan you’re stupid why do you keep bringing up Brett batty at second base I bring up Brett batty at second base because he’s playing second base like Brett batty is not doing it every single day but he’s doing it a lot I was checking the kind of the game locks to see how often is he playing it it’s like once every three or four days so so my question because I don’t know the answer is how many times does he have to play second base and what do they need to say or see from him at second base before they say you know what he’s hitting a triple A we we know we can hit or at least we think we could hit at the major league level there are at bats for him let him play second base now that also blocks Jose glacius but look I think a glacius for now with this roster and the way he’s been hitting should play every day I don’t think it’s crazy to think that there’s going to be a time in the next month where we’re not GNA want to see him play every day at second base so my question around batty is they obviously are continuing the experiment he’s continuing to play out there at what point do they have the confidence to call him up and kind of get him into this routine of getting his Bat in the lineup by sticking him at second base I think the stat well first of all I think the guy might have called you a [ __ ] if I’m correct was that what the the the nickname was the guy yeah may have been a [ __ ] I have to find we have a lot of emails so I lose it sometimes my so but I think I might have to agree with this guy since Brett batty has stopped playing every day uh and then got sent down basically I think it was May 28th or May 29th officially when uh Vientos took over the Mets are 27 and 12 you want to bring Brett batty up here for what well I just told you because they they have they have a hole in their lineup like right now the hole in their lineup is who’s getting the at bats that Starling Marte lost or Starling Marte would have gotten by playing right field right now the best choice is acius as the the answer with Jeff mcneel playing right field but Jeff mcneel is still not a guy despite him getting the RBI double on Sunday that were all like begging to see every day so it’s finding who should get those at bats and while Brett batty can’t play right field there are ways where Brett batty can get some of those appats if he’s able to play second base capish no I I I get that idea I get the philosophy but he can’t hit in the major so we don’t know we don’t know that yet you I’ve witnessed him enough to see that he can’t adjust he’s too nervous I mean he’s he made a point of it saying saying that he I think it was it last year he felt the pressure he was a little uncomfortable like he right now is not fit for this role why put him back in there because he’s probably despite all of that and despite the fact that you may be right he’ll never hit in the major leagues because offensively he’s a better option than DJ Stewart that’s why oh oh well but nobody’s disagreeing with that well then what then when you ask why would he want why wouldn’t you want him up here that’s why is he better than DJ Stewart that’s the guy he’d be replacing but why not go get better why not go make a trade that that should be what they’re doing obviously I prefer that I mean just Winker is added to this roster great but until they do that until that happens which may not occur right up until July 30th that’s better for the roster look they’re going to come back on 15 16 July 19th okay there’s still a week and a half before the trade that I agree with you that right now it’s add two more relievers to specifically a lefty and then just anybody who can get people out and then go get an outfielder I’m with you on that but until then Brett batty should be on this roster over DJ Stewart but it won’t happen until they have some level of confidence that he can play second base at the major league level and clearly they don’t because they haven’t made the call yet I don’t disagree about the DJ Stewart Factor but that guy I think is gonna be on this roster until the trade deadline and then they’re gonna cut him I think that’s what’s gonna happen you may be right Richard writes what’s wrong with JD Martinez ever since the episode with his shoes he’s looked lost at the plate where’s the professional hitter he may be hurt I mean remember that episode with the shoes also kind of led to him having like a foot issue he missed one game and then he came back so it could be two things I hope he’s not hurt but could also just simply be he’s slumping and we saw that that last appat on Sunday he’s just not in a great groove right now and they’re gonna need to get him going David writes great job with the podcast guys appreciate you guys putting in the time so with Starling Marte coming back eventually the Mets need that fourth or fifth outfielder we’re talking about it right now hopefully a lefty not named DJ Stewart I do not want Brett batting he’s with you Hof I’d rather him stay in the miners developing we also need a relief pitcher I got the perfect deal I’d call the Toronto Blue Jays and try to get a package for Chad green and Dalton varo varo is a good outfielder that could be a third catcher with some pop green is a proven reliever I don’t think it would cost the boatload but yes we’re going to have to give up something because of the control maybe like I mentioned a guy like Brett batty and Kevin PDA but I don’t think you would have to give any of your top prospects what do you guys think of that uh well first of all Chad green a guy who can pitch in New York we already know that a guy who’s pitched pretty well out of the Toronto Blue Jay Bullpen this season I think he’s essentially become their closer because of the injury to Jordan Romano so Chad green by the way here are his numbers I wanted to pull them up 219 erra 24 Innings um his FIP is very high which is a little concerning that maybe he’s pitching to some very very good luck he’s got 23 strikeouts in 24 Innings nine WS he has allowed five home runs which is a lot but look sometimes you just have to say is he better than what they currently have and the answer is yes so number one Chad green certainly would be a nice fit out of the bullpen and they’re going nowhere the Toronto Blue Jays Dalton varo is having a terrible season he’s also under team control not making a lot of money for a couple of years and remember when the Blue Jays acquired Dalton VAR show a couple of years ago they gave up a lot they gave up lorda goral they gave up gab Moreno the catcher so I don’t know even with them having a bad year with him having team control until 2027 with him having a down year with him still only being 27 28 years old I’m not sure they trade him but even if they did which I wouldn’t be stunned about they’re probably GNA want a big return I would disagree that that would be a cheap return think about it 28 years old three years of control he not having a great season I think we believe he’s better than the numbers he’s actually put up this year or at least slightly because he wasn’t great last year either really was two years ago was that last year in Arizona he also became a fantasy darling because of his catching uh qualifications but the Blue Jays are a good team to look at because of the fact that they are falling out of it it took a few weeks but I think when now you look around baseball you can clearly see the teams that are out of it the teams that are likely to sell the teams and then you could start looking at their roster saying okay this fits that fits that fits this fits uh but it’ll be interesting over the next few weeks to see how aggressive they get in going out there and adding Bullpen help because they need Bullpen help I mean even in the winds you saw it off Friday night even in the winds it’s tedious it’s tough man getting those last six outs like sometimes they’ll get great starting pitching and they’re still desperate to get those six outs out of the bullpen but you know what this is a perfect time of year this is probably as I guess relaxed as I am going into an All-Star break because the Mets have played such great baseball they’re in a wild card spot it’s still a very pleasant surprise and it’s a chance to take a big deep breath before things get very interesting I know I will say this and we’ll do a few Ricos obviously going into the second half of the year including our recap on the best wins of the first half of the season and the worst losses of the first half of the season but going into the second half of the year on Friday night in Miami much like the Colorado series here at City and the Washington series here at City I said they got to do damage they got to beat this team up man they’ve got to take advantage of the fact that they are not playing good teams and they’re doing it in their own building they have got to take advantage of the Marlins because the schedule which the Mets to their credit has taken advantage of playing a lot of mediocre to bad teams it’s about to stiffen in the second half of the Season Miami is your I don’t want to say rest bit but it’s your last chance to kind of feast to kind of eat and so I look at that Series in Miami a team the Mets have not destroyed yet quite this season they’re three and three in the six games against Miami and remember they were very fortunate to win the last game they won the game that really helped kind of put the winning together the game-winning home run that was hit against the Marlins by JD Martinez they have four games against Miami I think they got to win three out of four Mets have not done yet done that yet this season they’ve played four four game serieses and they have split all of them so far this season so priority number one they got to come out of the break and they’ve got to win three against Miami but listen to where this schedule goes after this game against Miami or this series against Miami they got two games against the Yankees who despite their brutal loss to the Orioles on Sunday you have to think they’re wak up and they did win two out of three against the Orioles and they’re right there in the American League East two games at Yankees Stadium I’d be thrilled with a split four games at City Field against Atlanta three games at City Field against Minnesota not an easy home stand then they go on a one two three four City West Mountain Road Trip three in Anaheim against the Angels okay fine crappy team but still three games in California a single game in St Louis remember that game got rained out and that is going to be a freaking playoff game because the Mets and the Cardinals are tied 33 in their season series let me confirm if that’s true two and 0 three uh no actually let me take that back the Mets are up 32 in the season series against St Louis so if they win the game against the Cardinals win the season series if they lose the game against the Cardinals I gotta go to the second tiebreaker I’m not sure then they got three in Colorado that’ll wear out your pitching staff and then three in Seattle against the as of right now first place Seattle Mariners that is a very tough stretch that is a 10 game Road Trip in four different cities after you play the Yankees the Braves and the twins not an easy stretch and that is why these four games against the Miami Marlins coming out of the All-Star break very very important good home stand good first half let it sink in the New York Mets are a playoff team as of right now with a lot of work to do we will take all of your thoughts whether it’s via voicemail or email we will peruse them and we will answer them when we come back in the next couple of days because we got an All-Star break we got time to chill and relax the RICO gmail.com is the email address the number is 725 222 8699 remember during the All-Star break we’ve got our 10 worst losses of the first half of the year and our 10 best wins of the first half of the Year all to look forward to We Appreciate You Listening downloading and being a loyal subscriber of Rico brona we hope you enjoyed this episode of the Ric brono podcast it’s amazing is isn’t it make sure you download it now to keep it on you at all times [Music] [Music]

Mets lose the final game of the 1st half of the season but still finish up in a playoff spot.

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