Let's Talk About Pete, Bay-bee

(Firstly, Happy Passover to my Jewish brethren, and a Happy Easter to all reading who celebrate.)

Though the 800-pound gorilla in the room is Jacob deGrom's elbow, I will address this more once we have info after the MRI. Clearly not the headline we wanted to see yesterday afternoon, but we're almost numb to headlines of this nature at this point so let's all take a breath, hope for the best (try not to expect the worst) and focus on the recent win at hand.

I don't want to talk about Jason Vargas, who was serviceable albeit not very trusted to give quality longevity, as he was taken out after 4 innings of work.

I do want to talk about Robinson Cano, who I believe was the offensive star of this game but was overshadowed, like last Thursday in Atlanta in the case of Amed Rosario, by one swing, which we'll get to shortly. Cano showed off why Brodie Van Wagenen wasn't hesitant to accept that contract in the trade with Seattle focused on closer Edwin Diaz. That sweet swing was on full display as Cano collected 3 hits, scoring once and driving one in as well, getting his average up to .218 in the early part of this season. He was driving the ball soundly and thoroughly, which hopefully are good signs of great things to come.

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
Photo via washingtonpost.com

Once more, however, Pete Alonso, who collected 2 hits and scored twice in 4 turns at bat, is all anyone is talking about. He hit yet another straight-away center field home run, this time onto the grass in Busch Stadium in St. Louis. What is so impressive is the way he went down to get it and drove the barrel so far through the ball, I'm amazed it even survived to make its way out there. When a ballplayer can drive the ball from spots on the plate as you'll see below. That is a hard thing to formulate a pitching plan against.

That's RIDICULOUS strength. How in the hell, with such a swing, did he get ANY power behind that?! It is the type of swing that cuts the gap, or falls in for a single. NOT a straight-away center field 432 footer!

Color me massively impressed by what we have seen so far from this rookie sensation. He will have to continue to work as hard as he has to adjust to whatever the league throws his way, but the signs all point to him not being just an April wonder. Keep powering through, Polar Bear.

Meanwhile, the Mets struggled to keep the lead as wide as it was initially, but they hung on, with runners on the corners, no less, in the bottom of the 9th to pull out a much-needed 1-run 5-4 victory. It is always sweet to beat Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina (who was the last out) and those red-bird Cards (and I had started the day actually seeing a real-live cardinal in far-north Jersey. I had worried it was a bad omen like the other day but maybe it was actually a good omen after all...gotta win the series first, though.)

And MASSIVE props to Jeff McNeil, who just keeps impressing more and more at 3rd base. Also, he always seems to be even sharper with his defense at the most crucial moments of these games. Keep collecting those acorns, Squirrel.

BEAT. THOSE. RED. BIRDS.

LET'S. GO. METS.

On the WBC Semi-Finals & Another Opening Day Mets Legacy - The First Batter, The First Out

It was a fun ride for The Kingdom of the Netherlands, but alas, The Dominicans were too much this time for the Dutch, who ousted DR in the 1st round of 2009. The game was tight for a while, but the Dutch could never respond offensively after grabbing a 1st inning run without the benefit of a hit. After the Dominicans scored 4 runs in the middle innings, it only felt like a matter of time before the bullpen would lock it down.

And Tony Peña made quite the last minute move putting Toronto Blue Jays farmhand Moises Sierra into left field.




Now, they take on a Puerto Rican team who seems determined as ever, with that guy named Yadier, and an Angel Pagan who apparently needed to leave the Mets to become a Champion-caliber player who keeps making iconic catches in San Francisco's Center Field.

They also caught a Japanese team who suddenly lost their overly-preached fundamentals at a crucial part of the game.



A Caribbean Championship game is set up.

Tonight at 8PM EST in San Francisco, MLB Network will broadcast the final game of the 2013 World Baseball Classic: a single-elimination game that will crown either The Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico baseball champions of the World.

These games have not disappointed, and I don't see tonight's win-or-go-home game being any different.

Tune in all.


Today's Mets Legacy Photo brings us back to only a year ago.

GET. SOME. GREEN. FIELD.
LET'S. GO. METS.

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