Mets

Mets: Details of GM Zack Scott’s arrest emerge

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New York Mets

At around 4:15 am on Tuesday, police officers arrested New York Mets’ acting general manager Zack Scott, who fell asleep at the wheel of his vehicle and refused to take a breathalyzer, according to the police in White Plains, N.Y. (link to the New York Times story here).

The Mets have already placed the executive on administrative leave. He was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated. According to Capt. James Spencer of the White Plains Police Department, “an officer spotted Scott asleep at the wheel of a 2018 Toyota Highlander at the intersection of Fisher and South Lexington Avenues on Tuesday. Spencer said Scott, 44, refused to take a breathalyzer test but failed a field sobriety test.”

The Mets’ GM was booked and later released, per Spencer.

On Thursday morning, the executive pleaded not guilty to a first-offense D.W.I. charge.

The Mets expressed their disappointment with the events. “We are surprised and deeply disappointed to learn this morning about an alleged D.U.I. involving Zack Scott,” they said.

“We take this matter very seriously. Zack will not be traveling with the team for our upcoming road trip while we learn more and determine next steps,” they stated.

A rough year for Mets’ executives

Per the New York Times, Scott was attending a fund raising event by Mets’ owner Steve Cohen. A team official said the gathering was done by 9:00 pm, and he was found asleep in his car several hours later.

The Mets have had to endure several scandals this season. First, Jared Porter, hired to be the general manager in late 2020, was dismissed after it was revealed he sent unsolicited messages and pictures to a female back in 2016.

Then, former Mets’ manager Mickey Callaway was suspended for sexual harassment allegations by several women in a period spanning five years.

Most recently, Mets’ player started a rift with fans over the constant booing due to bad performance.

Mets Game Preview (9/2/21) vs. Miami Marlins (55-78)

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mets, pete alonso

After torrential rains across the east coast postponed Wednesday’s game, the New York Mets and Miami Marlins will play the final game of their series today. Over the last 24 hours, the Mets had to deal with another off-the-field issue as acting GM Zach Scott was arrested on a DWI on Tuesday morning. The first pitch from Citi Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Less than a month after Scott calls out the team for failing to produce and keep themselves healthy, Scott was found sleeping in his car at 4:17 A.M. after a night of drinking. After the whole thumbs-down fiasco, the team has another incident they will need to put behind them. Luckily they have been very resilient, winning four in a row. It has called them to move within five games of the first-place Atlanta Braves.

The Marlins are coming off a rough doubleheader loss, and the bullpen desperately needed the day off. Jesus Aguilar has been the only consistent bat to worry about in the Marlins lineup. He leads the NL with 92 RBIs to go along with 22 homers and 23 doubles.

Pitching Matchup

Carlos Carrasco gets the start for the Mets and has started to pitch to expectations over his last couple of starts. In his last outing against the San Francisco Giants, Carrasco went seven innings allowing two runs and recorded seven strikeouts. After stumbling in the first inning, Carrasco did not allow a run for the rest of his start.

The Marlins have not announced a starter as of 1:30 p.m. ET.

Mets Make It Four Consecutive Wins With 3-1 Victory Over Marlins

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mets, tijuana walker

The New York Mets have quickly turned those thumbs upside down with a doubleheader sweep of the Miami Marlins. For the first time in a while, they played with a lead and never relinquished it for a 3-1 win and their fourth consecutive victory.

Trevor Williams earned the spot start in the seven-inning game and gave the Mets more than they could have asked. Williams pitched 4.1 innings allowing just one unearned run with four strikeouts. Things got dicey for the Mets in the fifth when Jesus Aguilar‘s RBI double made it a 3-1 game with runners on second and third.

Working Around Danger

Aaron Loup relieved Williams and gave up a walk to load the bases with one out. Like Loup has done all season, he pulled a rabbit out of his hat to get out of the jam unscathed. In the sixth, Seth Lugo danced around danger, striking out two to get out of a first and second, no-out situation. Edwin Diaz continued his dominance with a light, 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal the deal.

The Mets offense saved all their scoring for the third inning against MLB The Show legend Edward Cabrera. Michael Conforto followed up his walk-off hit with a two-run homer which flew into the Coca-Cola Corner. Jeff McNeil drove in the third run with a double, scoring Javier Baez all the way from first base just like he did to win game one.

Throughout all of the drama and the fans B.S. from the last 48 hours, the Mets have a four-game winning streak. If the Atlanta Braves lose, they will be 5.5 games out of first place as the calendar flips to September. It may not be an easy deficit to overcome, but it looks way more doable than where they were last week. Wednesday’s game has already been postponed, and both teams will play a single-admission doubleheader on Thursday.

Mets’ owner Steve Cohen: Player ‘hit the third rail’ with thumbs-down at fans, ‘it is unacceptable’

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New York Mets

By now, the baseball world saw the latest controversy surrounding the New York Mets. Fans have been booing players for quite some time now, especially as of late since they are 8-19 in the month of August.

Players, understandably, are frustrated by everything related to the 2021 season: their own performance, and the way fans have been reacting to it. However, some of the team’s stars such as Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez made thumbs down gestures that were, as they revealed after the game, directed to fans.

Basically, Baez said that since fans booed them when they weren’t producing, they were going to “boo” (using the thumbs down sign) the fans when they produced.

Mets’ owner Steve Cohen went to Twitter last night, after the incident took place, to weigh in on the subject. He playfully wrote: “I miss the days when the biggest controversy was the black jerseys.”

The Mets’ owner hopes the players can ‘learn from this’

He did talk about the issue with Joel Sherman of the New York Post. “These are young guys and sometimes we forget they are on a public stage and can make mistakes,” Cohen told The Post by phone. “They hit the third rail, though, by messing with fans. And it is unacceptable. Hopefully, this is a teaching moment and they will learn from this.”

Mets’ president Sandy Alderson also issued a statement after the whole controversy took place on Sunday, condemning the players’ decision to ‘criticize’ fans.

“The Mets will not tolerate any player gesture that is unprofessional in its meaning or is directed in a negative way toward our fans,” Alderson said. “I will be meeting with our players and staff to convey this message directly.”

The Mets held the first place in the NL East for months, but since Jacob deGrom and Lindor hit the injured list in July, they have been playing poorly. They are now third in the division.

The Mets are a mess: Players and fans go to silent war over constant booing and poor results

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The New York Mets keep making headlines for the wrong reasons. During Sunday’s victory against the Philadelphia Phillies, Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez, and Kevin Pillar used a thumbs down celebration every time they made a good play.

Most people thought, at first, that it was a joke, like the 2017 Yankees. But after the game, Baez talked to the media and made a baffling revelation: “[It’s] to let [fans] know when we don’t have success we are going to get booed, so they are going to get booed when we have success.”

Even if it’s understandable that players are frustrated by the lack of results and by hearing constant boos from their own fans, it’s certainly surprising that they decided to start a silent war with Mets’ fans. It’s not an ideal situation, especially for Lindor, who will be in New York for at least 10 more years unless he is traded.

The Mets are 8-19 in August and relinquished the first place of the NL East division, one that they held for months, a few weeks ago. They are currently in a very delicate situation, and making the playoffs is a pipe dream at this point.

The Mets released a controversial statement

Mets’ president Sandy Alderson released a statement on Sunday night condemning the thumbs down sign.

Here is his message:

“In a post-game press conference today, Javy Baez stated that his “thumbs down” gesture during the game was a message to fans who recently have booed him and other players for poor performance. These comments, and any gestures by him or other players with a similar intent, are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“Mets fans are understandably frustrated over the team’s recent performance. The players and the organization are equally frustrated, but fans at Citi Field have every right to express their own disappointment. Booing is every fan’s right.

“The Mets will not tolerate any player gesture that is unprofessional in its meaning or is directed in a negative way toward our fans. I will be meeting with our players and staff to convey this message directly.

“Mets fans are loyal, passionate, knowledgeable and more than willing to express themselves. We love them for every one of these qualities.”

Tensions are boiling in New York.

Mets retire Jerry Koosman’s number 36: ‘I don’t know if I deserve it’

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Simeon Woods-Richardson

The New York Mets are having a disastrous second half and are quickly falling out of playoff contention. That doesn’t mean, however, that they can’t honor their legends, such as former pitcher Jerry Koosman.

Before Saturday’s game, the Mets retired Koosman’s number 36 in a heartfelt ceremony in Citi Field. It was a very special day for a beloved member of the “Miracle Mets,” one who was a very important piece in the 1969 World Series, the first one won by the franchise.

Koosman’s in the third number that the Mets retire among players, after Tom Seaver (No. 41) and Mike Piazza (No. 31). Managers Gil Hodges (No. 14) and Casey Stengel (No. 37) also had their numbers retired.

Some of Koosman’s teammates, such as Art Shamsky, Wayne Garrett and Ed Kranepool, were present, as was Piazza.

“I’m thankful that they thought so much of me to retire my number,” Koosman said according to the Mets’ official site. “I know I’m joining a great crew that they had their numbers retired. I don’t know if I deserve it. I guess we are going to get on with it.”

A fantastic career with the Mets

Koosman spent 12 years with the Mets and won 140 games, had a 3.09 ERA and had a 21-win season in ’76.

He reminisced some memories of his playing days and got to enjoy the applauses of Mets’ fans. “A lot of things pop up — different memories. You see something, you have a related story,” Koosman said.

During a 19-year career in MLB, the pitcher also wore the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies’ uniforms. He was elected to a couple of All-Star games and achieved 222 career wins and 2,556 strikeouts.

He is perhaps best remembered for his complete-game victory in Game 5 of the 1969 Series, as he dominated a tough Baltimore Orioles’ lineup en route to the franchise’s first career Fall Classic win.

Rojas Mismanages Pitching Staff and Mets Hit Into Five DPs in 3-2 Loss

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edwin diaz, mets

Absolutely nothing has come easy for the New York Mets over the last two weeks against the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. When things finally did for them, manager Luis Rojas found a way to complicate things once again. The Mets offense also continued their season-long woes by hitting five double plays in the 3-2 loss.

Taijuan Walker cruised through the first six innings of the game, allowing just one hit and run on a Kris Bryant home run. After the Mets gave Walker a lead for the seventh, an error and bloop single set up runners at first and second. Despite having 74 pitches and showing no signs of fatigue, Rojas turned to Aaron Loup, and it backfired instantly. Brandon Crawford jumped all over the first pitch for a double and gave the Giants a 3-2 lead.

Rojas Losing His Touch

The issue is not who Rojas turned to but when he turned to Loup. Walker felt like this was his game to lose and certainly pitched well enough to deserve the opportunity to work out of the mess. This season, Loup has been the Mets’ best reliever, and the move is probably overlooked if he does not have a rare rough outing. He was the right reliever to turn to, but it was definitely the wrong time to pull Walker. The aftermath was visible frustration from Walker on the mound and in the dugout along with “Fire Rojas”.

The Mets had some life in a very bizarre ninth inning, including Brandon Belt dropping a pop-up in foul territory and the Giants’ miscommunication in the outfield leading to a dropped fly ball. It led to runners on first and second with Francisco Lindor at the plate, but he popped up for the second out of the inning. Brandon Nimmo worked a gutsy walk to set up a bases-loaded situation for Pete Alonso. Unfortunately, the disappointment continued as Alonso blooped a fastball into Tommy La Stella‘s glove to end the game.

The offense actually had two hits in seven chances with runners in scoring position, but the five double plays killed the Mets scoring chances. Rojas decision was the exact type of panic move we saw him make last season and the Mickey Callaway regime make as well. This has to be the nail in the coffin for anyone who had hope in the Mets making a run. It would not be surprising if Rojas also lost his job before this weekend’s series.

Carlos Carrasco looks to build on his solid start against the Dodgers as he faces off against Alex Wood. The first pitch for Thursday’s finale is set for 7:10 p.m. ET from Citi Field.

Megill Gets Tagged For Four Homers in Mets 8-0 Loss To Giants

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yankees, New York Mets, Luis Rojas

The New York Mets welcomed the combination of Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez for the first time, but the San Francisco Giants looked at it and laughed. It took just two batters for them to get a lead they would not surrender and cruised to an easy 8-0 victory in game one of their series.

Tylor Megill did not have his good stuff early on, leading to the ugliest start of his young career. He allowed seven runs on 11 hits, including those four homers, and only lasted 3.2 innings. Megill allowed a first-inning homer to Brandon Belt, a 451-foot homer to Mike Yastrzemski in the second inning, and homers to LaMonte Wade and Belt again during the fourth inning.

Throughout the start, Megill looked like he was pitching with a lack of confidence. It showed the most when Megill assumed a ground ball to Pete Alonso would become a base hit. Megill broke towards home plate to back up instead of making a move to cover first base.

New Day, Same Offense

Sammy Long looked the complete opposite against the horrid Mets offense, but then again, what pitcher has not? Long complete 5.1 shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out four. He had the Mets guessing all night with his ability to throw his changeup and slow looping curve at any time. Long even threw a nasty changeup to Baez, making him look like he had never swung a bat before.

The loss was about what you would expect when the best team in baseball plays a team that has barely been better than the Baltimore Orioles this month. On Wednesday, they will try to rebound when Taijuan Walker takes the mound against Johnny Cueto, making his first start off the IL. The first pitch from Citi Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Mets: Jacob deGrom’s return not contingent on team’s playoff chances

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The New York Mets’ season is quickly collapsing, as the team has lost eight of their last ten games and is 61-63 overall. Owner Steve Cohen recently, and publicly, complained about the hitters’ lack of production since the second half started. New York held the first place in the NL East until a couple of weeks ago, but the surging Braves took control of it.

Now, the Mets are a whopping seven games behind Atlanta and two games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The season went south in a hurry for New York, but they are not mathematically dead yet.

One of the main reasons the Mets have been playing poorly is Jacob deGrom’s absence due to injury. The ace has been dealing with right elbow inflammation, and it’s just his latest physical ailment. He also experienced side issues, forearm tightness, and shoulder soreness.

The Mets still want to send him to the mound in 2021

The Mets’ ace was recently placed on the 60-day injured list, but his return this season is still in play, given that it was a procedural move that doesn’t alter his timeline (he is eligible to return in mid-September and probably won’t be ready by then, if at all.)

Additionally, it was reported that DeGrom’s potential return will likely not be contingent on whether the Mets still have a realistic chance to make the playoffs by that time.

“I think we’ll want to get him out there just to see where he’s at,” acting GM Zack Scott told Mike Puma of The New York Post on Aug. 22. The idea is, if the Mets aren’t in playoffs contention by the time deGrom is ready, to remove a potential question mark for his availability in 2022.

He has been shut down with elbow inflammation for a while, and on August 13, the shutdown was extended for two additional weeks after an MRI showed improvement. He will undergo further imaging in late August.

Mets Game Preview (8/22/21) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (78-46)

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The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers play the final game of their four-game weekend series as the Mets look to avoid a sweep. While the weather is ugly on the east coast, the weather in Los Angeles is a typical 72 degrees and sunny. The first pitch from Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. as the Mets finish off their road trip.

The big question surrounding Sunday’s finale is whether Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez will be activated off the IL and immediately inserted into the lineup. As of 2:10 p.m. ET, the Mets have not released their starting lineup, which means both will be game-time decisions. It has been clear the Mets lack energy on the field, and any production from their bats will be welcomed with open arms.

The Dodgers have found ways to be a little bit better than the Mets throughout their season series. Outside of their 14-4 blowout, every game has been a close, down to the wire matchup. The difference is the Dodgers’ ability to wear pitchers down on offense to get clutch hits and their abundance of home runs. The Dodgers have clubbed ten homers against the Mets while the Mets have just four, and Pete Alonso has half.

Pitching Matchup

Marcus Stroman continues his amazing 2021 campaign after his gutsy outing against the San Francisco Giants. Stroman battled through seven innings, allowing three runs, struck out nine, and threw a season-high 114 pitches. He has been the most consistent Mets starter with a 2.84 ERA and leads the team with 139.1 innings pitched. Stroman may not win the Cy Young but is certainly putting himself in a position to earn a few votes.

Former Cy Young winner David Price takes the mound and is back in the starting rotation after starting the season in the bullpen. The change of roles has not deterred Price as he finds ways to put together solid outings. In 31 outings (10 starts), Price has a 3.62 ERA in 59.2 innings pitched. In his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he pitched 4.2 innings and allowed two runs. Price should not last long as he only has two outings of five innings or more and has one outing above 70 pitches.

Matchups To Lookout For

Marcus Stroman vs. Albert Pujols: 5-for-14 (.357), Double, Walk, 2 Strikeouts

David Price vs. Kevin Pillar: 3-for-22 (.136), Double, Home Run, Walk, 8 Strikeouts

David Price vs. Jonathan Villar: 4-for-21 (.190), 4 Strikeouts