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Your 2019 New York Mets: We did it again.
“Hey Mets fans, we did it again.” -JD Davis [New York Post]
Them the rules.
“You hit a walk-off, your shirt’s coming off.” -Pete Alonso [New York Post]
Aww.
“I’ll probably keep [the ripped jersey]. It’s my first walk-off. It’s pretty special to me.” -JD Davis [New York Post]
Really would love a deep dive by Eno Sarris on J.D. Davis’s approach to hitter preparation.
“[Brad Hand’s] slider’s devastating. Once you start getting a little pull-happy like I was doing, you start spinning off and you start rolling over to [the left side of the infield]. So I just got in my two-strike approach and told myself, ‘If I’m gonna go down looking, I’m gonna go down on that fastball in, just because of what it’s doing. It’s setting me up. Because if I swing at that, I’m gonna chase that slider. So I just got ready and once I got to 3-2, it’s that old adage -- stick with what got you there. So I stuck with my two-strike approach, fouled some tough pitches off, and ended up getting one that was a little more middle over the plate.” -J.D. Davis [MLB]
I know J.D. Davis loves to eat tape, but I’d really be interested in the other young Mets hitters’ approach.
“Everyone has their own method of madness when it comes to hitting, but [Davis’] done a tremendous job for us. He’s an incredible worker, he’s always locked in, and whatever opportunities he gets, he always stays the same. He’s the same J.D., no matter what, because he’s so even-keeled, he’s able to come up clutch in big spots like he has this year.” -Pete Alonso [MLB]
This Week in Nitpicks: Hand threw four fastballs to Davis in his nine-pitch walk-off at-bat.
“[Davis’] prepared, that’s the bottom line. Any other hitter that’s probably not as prepared was going to be thinking this guy is going to throw me a fastball at some point. I’m sure J.D. did his homework and said, ‘You know what, this guy is going to live and die with his slider because it’s his best pitch. So, once he gets one out and over the plate doesn’t get one in, I’m going to hammer it,’ and he did.” -Mickey Callaway [New York Post]
Maybe have J.D. Davis watch video on you instead and give you his thoughts.
“I felt off mechanically, but that was the past two starts. I think we’ll try to figure something out, just watch some video and see if I can notice anything and just work off of that.” -Zack Wheeler [New York Post]
Always fun when a player gets to play for their childhood team.
“[Brad Brach on going to Game 3 of the 2015 World Series with his brothers and his wife.] I have never been to a World Series game before. I wanted to see what it was like and what all the excitement was about. It was great going and not really having to pay close attention to the game and just talk to the people around us.” -Brad Brach [The Athletic]
‘Going well’ is one way of putting it.
“My confidence has been at an all-time high. I didn’t start the season this great, but now it’s been going well.” -Amed Rosario [New York Daily News]
Wouldn’t be a 2019 TWIMQ if Pete Alonso didn’t use the word ‘awesome’ in a quote.
“I think all of us kind of fed off of Amed today. He’s been smoking hot in the second half. The way he set the table was awesome. From the first pitch of the game, he set the tone today. If he doesn’t get five hits, I don’t know if we are as productive all the way through the lineup. He was a hell of a spark plug today.” -Pete Alonso [New York Daily News]
It’s hard enough suddenly working closely with a new co-worker in a generic office environment, can’t imagine what it’s like as a battery.
“I feel like me and Wilson [Ramos] are going to start getting in a good groove here. We are starting to get pretty familiar with each other. I am just looking forward to the next start because I think I truly am going to get better and better each one.” -Marcus Stroman [New York Post]
Is Noah Syndergaard pretty good at sweating?
“I battled the elements. I don’t know what it is about humidity, but was sweating like a greased pig out there. I’m pretty good at sweating.” -Noah Syndergaard [MLB]
Mickey, after Friday night’s loss to the Royals, was...right?
“[The Royals] threw the ball well. Their starter was outstanding. It’s over. We have to come out [Saturday] and put ourselves in a position where we can win the series. Tough loss, but we’ll put it behind us.” -Mickey Callaway [MLB]
Baseball in 2019.
“It seems like everybody is hunting fastball. They can hit the slider, but it’ll get some soft contact if I make a good pitch with it.” -Jacob deGrom [MLB]
Not only were we denied a grand slam, we were denied Alonso miming a home run.
“Only God knows if it was fair -- I don’t know. Usually, I have a pretty good look at it, but honestly, I had no idea. I just left it up to the replay. I put myself in a mental state that they were going to call it foul. And if they had called it fair, I would have happily taken a fake swing and jogged around the bases.” -Pete Alonso [MLB]
Love the Mets? #LoveTheMets.
“It was classic passing of the torch. Everyone did their job and was an extremely tough out. We were locked in. It’s the fight we’ve talked about all year.” -Pete Alonso [MLB]
Rosario on playing left field for the first time in his career.
“At first, I was a little nervous but I started to loosen up, and once the ball was hit to me, I was pretty comfortable.” -Amed Rosario [MLB]
Important Update: Phil Regan puts up a different quote on the clubhouse bulletin board every day...
“I’ve just picked ’em up through the years.” -Phil Regan [New York Post]
...some examples...
“You learn more from failure than success! Don’t let it stop you!’’ -Phil Regan [New York Post]
“Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best.’’ -Phil Regan [New York Post]
“A mosquito never got a pat on the back until he started to work.’’
...“One day after we hit a home run to win the game, I put up”...
“Yesterday’s home run won’t win today’s game.” -Phil Regan [New York Post]
...“Or when it was real hot I put up”.
“No player ever drowned in his own sweat.” -Phil Regan [New York Post]
‘I’m not trying to turn you into me; I’m trying to turn you into you.’ -Kung Fu Panda 3 [My 15-month-old is super into it at the moment]...
“That’s what I try to tell the kids in the minor leagues, you have to know how you get a hitter out. Not how [Noah] Syndergaard gets someone out, throwing 100 miles per hour or [Edwin] Diaz at 98. You throw 92-93, how do you get them out?’’ -Phil Regan [New York Post]
...Edwin Diaz will not only bring peace to the valley but peace to Phil Regan as well...sorry, sorry, I’ve been watching Kung Fu Panda 1 and 3 like a lot recently.
“More patience. I’m a patient man but I have to have more patience, because the focus is so high. For instance Diaz, there is a lot of pressure on him right now, but we still have to have the patience that when he comes out every day to work and say, ‘Hey, the results are coming.’ And they are. We have to have that patience. We don’t want to wait all year, but I do think we are getting close to it.’’ -Phil Regan [New York Post]
Two Mets are grateful for their recent opportunities, one probably on his way out and one solidifying his spot on the team’s future.
“Yesterday, I had a [bad] game. I had the opportunity to come in today, make the adjustments and help the team win. I think when you’ve got the opportunity out there is when you can do better and make the adjustments.” -Juan Lagares [LoHud]
“I’m grateful for Brodie to bring me over here and just giving me the opportunity. I knew if I got more at-bats, more playing time, a little more exposure, I would get used to big-league pitching and it goes from there.” -J.D. Davis [New York Post]
There are more important things in this world than baseball.
“We are saddened to hear about the passing of Al Jackson, an original Met, who spent 50 years in a New York Mets uniform. He was a pitcher, Major League coach, Minor League pitching coordinator and front-office advisor. It would be impossible to calculate the number of players and staff he touched and influenced during his career. ... Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Nadine, his sons, Reggie and Barry and grandchildren, Wesley and Kyle.” -Mets
Mets Tweets of the Week
Thanks mane!!! Keep doin it this year
— Pete Alonso (@Pete_Alonso20) August 18, 2019
Mickey Callaway said he hasn’t had to talk with Brandon Nimmo about keeping his spirits up amid the injury issues.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) August 16, 2019
“Keep Nimmo’s spirits up?” Callaway said. “I talk to him to keep my spirits up. I just look up pictures on the internet to make myself smile.”
We got some FRINGE for you right here, we call it a SWEEP in NYC. #LFGMhttps://t.co/d2OtJLujaz
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) August 23, 2019
AA Quote of the Week/SiteBot FacePalm of the Week (hattip to Ravi33 for sharing this and adding ‘Personally, I hope that the follow up in a kars4kids reference…’)
Here’s the JD Davis song a listener did on the show yesterday. It’s catching fire @realblack14 is his Twitter handle
— Morning Show with Boomer & Gio (@WFANmornings) August 22, 2019
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