Your 2024 New York Mets: It’s baseball.
“Anytime we get the lead late in the game … you definitely think you’re going to hold off, but you know, it happens. It is what it is. It’s baseball.” -J.D. Martinez [MLB]
Not sure which loss to the Angels or Rockies Nimmo was referencing.
“We were always just one swing away.” -Brandon Nimmo [MLB]
Hope Ben Joyce got word of this compliment from J.D.
“It was hard. I’ve never seen a fastball like that. For me, personally, that was the fastest fastball I’ve ever faced. Kudos to [Joyce] man, he throws hard and goes right at you. He’s not sitting there, flipping stuff. It’s power-power. Let’s go. I put some respect on him because of that.” -J.D. Martinez [MLB]
With his OPS+ up to 128, Pete Alonso’s next contract continues to absolutely fascinate me.
“I mean, I’m on pace for close to 40 homers. I’m an All-Star, or I was an All-Star this year. So to beat myself up or be frustrated, it’s really no use. And I’m really excited for the end of the year where we get to play winning baseball.” -Pete Alonso [MLB]
“Home runs can be happy accidents. Just the result of swinging and capitalizing on a good pitch, hitting it hard to the big part of the field.” -Pete Alonso [MLB]
“I just felt it, and I knew I got it. I didn’t really know how far it was going to go. I was like, ‘Oh, wow.’ That’s definitely one of my best bolts.” -Pete Alonso [MLB]
“[Alonso’s] been hot, cold at times but I’ve been saying it for a long time: He can carry a team for quite a bit, too. We saw it today. Two balls, he hit them pretty far. And that’s who it is.” -Carlos Mendoza [MLB]
Weirdly happy for David Peterson.
“It was fun to finally do it. I’ve missed it every time before this, so it was fun to finally go out there and pitch here. Always good to have friends and family in the stands.” -David Peterson [MLB]
Tyler Zuber’s reaction to being traded/wanted.
“Are you sure? Are you sure you’re talking about me?” -Tyler Zuber [New York Times]
Really worth the full read of a great piece by Will Sammon.
“I was a couple days away from calling it quits. I was very upset with baseball. After I was released, it all kind of just exploded in my face. I was over baseball. Forget baseball. I was like, ‘This game stinks. My kids will never play. I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through. This is miserable.’ I remember not wanting to even watch another game of baseball and almost deleting the MLB app.” -Tyler Zuber [New York Times]
“I had one of those come-to-Jesus moments. I got to thinking that I invested all this money into getting back, had the surgery and I’ve put in so much blood, sweat and tears to try to get back. I told myself, after a month or two, if it’s not happening, if I’m not doing well financially, then at least I am going out on my terms and not someone else’s.” -Tyler Zuber [New York Times]
“It was the greatest blessing that happened to me. Going to Indy ball made me love the game of baseball again.” -Tyler Zuber [New York Times]
Weekly reminder that being a ballplayer is such a weird job.
“It’s been crazy — definitely been crazy but I am here to do a job.” -Paul Blackburn [New York Post]
“I’m not thrilled about [the makeup game], but it’s a business at the end of the day and they have got to make their money.” -J.D. Martinez [New York Post]
From a personnel standpoint, is Carlos Mendoza a sneaky good manager?
“I came in and saw [Blackburn] and shook his hand, and said, ‘Go be yourself big boy, I will talk to you after the game,’” -Carlos Mendoza [New York Post]
“The game called on Tyrone to step up in that situation. Mendy looks like a genius in that. I think he picked the right guy for the job in that given situation.” -Harrison Bader [New York Post]
Mendoza on if Lindor is good...
“That’s what good players, good hitters do.” -Carlos Mendoza [New York Post]
...concurrently, SNY showed footage of Alvarez doing some catching drills prior to the game yesterday. Lindor ended up joining him; taking part in, obviously, unrelated catcher drills, chatting Alvarez up, just having fun. So no surprise, new teammate Paul Blackburn immediately recognized Lindor as a leader.
“I just think [Lindor’s] a professional hitter, really. He’s a guy that drives the ball. He’s a guy that puts together really good at-bats, a guy that gets down the line, a guy that can run on you. The defense is unbelievable. And then just kind of the leader he is in here — we have multiple leaders that I’ve kind of noticed in my week here.” -Paul Blackburn [MLB]
This Week in Mets Tweets
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) August 5, 2024“I want to win and I trust [Mendoza] to run out the best lineup,” Alonso said of getting moved down to fifth, adding Mendoza talked to him and he was all for it.
“I’m on pace for 40 HRs and I was an all star this year, so to beat myself or get frustrated, there’s really no use.”
— Jarrett Seidler (@jaseidler) August 9, 2024
AA Comment of the Week
“[In the Colorado series preview] Pete can take a big step to actually getting on pace for forty homers these next three games. No pressure, polar bear” -John_MP
