Lindor Powers Mets To Win Big Series Versus Blue Jays | MMO Weekly 2024 Ep 93

[Music] hello and welcome to episode 93 of MMO weekly as always by chitty cheese cheese steak Manzo joined by MMO writer writer Christian deblock Christian thanks so much for taking the time man thanks for having me man looking forward to it yeah same here L uh huge series series way capped off with uh Francisco L home run in the ninth to break up to break up a hitter um started off a huge ninth inning for the for the Mesley um who now now will remain a game up on the Braves uh as of now teams M the three teams bra or three Mi Braves Padres Padre's um all off tonight too so there's going to be no movement um but obviously huge series series win here Frandor continues to be to be an MVP starting pitching as usual as usual to that but just want to get your reactions here from this uh this series win in toron Toronto here yeah at this stage of the Season every series is critical uh the Blue Jays gave us some help over the weekend um taking a win on Saturday against Atlanta and then uh proved to be a difficult opponent this week um pitched pretty well but to the Mets credit they battled especially um in the series finale and of course the most important player on the Mets uh came through in the biggest moment probably the season to date and uh against one of the hottest pitchers by the way um hadit a had a huge home run in the ninth inning so um probably a series that the Mets uh you know wish that it wasn't as difficult as it was but um Blue Jays you know having a difficult season um still playing good baseball down the stretch Mets found a way and at this stage of the season if you can win every series that's the biggest thing so thankfully the Mets did that and uh they should be feeling good about themselves going into Philly yeah and you know like you said they probably wish it was it was easier going into Toronto but but teams like that look to play spoiler now now so them have to understand just you know step up as they can you can't play down can't play down to you and I think they may have done that a little bit bit kind of Series win is a series win um um I'm scuffling a little bit um the last couple week or l or so but really obviously obviously yesterday turn the on um continues continues to defense obviously seems to be the captain and the Heart of the team I just don't know what else this guy guy can really do to winp or anything because if it wasn't for him nowhere near where they are right now I think he's the MVP um it's hard to argue against Otani especially when you consider he's probably going to wind up having 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases but there's something about playing defense at a premium position and and being a leader of a a team that's gone on a remarkable run uh and he's also the vocal leader uh in the media so I mean you could say so many different good things about Lindor and it's hard to tell anyone why he is in the MVP um because it's it's just the how the definition is he's doing it on the field off the field I I he is a blessing for every Mets fan uh too many times he has put this team on his back this year and he deserves the MVP yeah um you know hopefully continu September um it's probably the only way he'll he'll you know really be able to win it and the m going have to make the play too so he'll have to keep doing that that um I'm Filly after this but it feels like in general like in General's going to come down to going to Atlanta that second last series of the year I'm sure that that that's just how it has to be want to make the postseason they got to Vanquish the Braves the Braves but yeah you know really hard hard for and great pitching again you know again you know I want to talk a little about Migel and Peterson I'll kind of let you do that that but just you know again more solid start starting pitch um guys stepping up stepping up Peter having a tremendous year um you know want to get your thoughts on what continues to be more more and more Mets regularly pitching the seven the seventh inning here yeah I mean Tyler Mill to start uh has kind of come out of nowhere uh to help this penet race um really strong start in Chicago he's did it again um this week against Toronto it's it's pretty impressive what he's done um because again for most of the season it's been come up from Triple A not so good go back down try to make some adjustments but really nothing came of it and now it seems like he's found something he's been more in control of his counts he's been more aggressive in the zone um so I've been very impressed by Migel um in recent weeks Peterson's been one of the stories of the Season uh for us I think um again a guy who has been up and down throughout his career he's had some good moments not so good moments but I mean he's fantastic um this season I know this week wasn't great for him against Toronto but I mean at some point he was gonna have a blip and now the question will be can he refind it again um in his next start and that's going to be a critical one um sure so I I'm I'm very impressed by those two um of course Mani has been um another name that you know you know said early in the season he was dealing with the walks in ability to get into the sixth or seventh inning and now he's just a regular in the seventh inning um so the Mets would not be where they are without manah in particular because you know they were at points where who knows what you were going to get from the starting pitching and now you have a guy they can rely on uh every fifth day to get you you know seven strong Innings keep the team in the game so manah has been fantastic on top of what you've provided from Peterson and of course recently with Miguel yeah right Francis is into the eighth inning inning uh or EXC ninth inning with the no hit a and obviously that gets that gets a lot of f ey you know again pitch pitch into like you said you know three hits three hits and R like the walks were up a bit yesterday they had four four of them you know had a problem beginning of the year year hav't son uh last couple months still struck still struck guys seems to still be very confident with this stuff like you so you know it's really it's really interesting to see um you know Peterson was um you know doe for cler whatever you want say um so so you know I agree there think Miguel obviously the last the last couple Starts Here Now is really making the most of it until you can ask for right um couple all that with SE Severino pitch balls he had um you know they you know they be up really nicely for for September I think I saw something the Mets out of the attending teams the hardest remaining schedule schedule um I forget as far as what met what Ming met to but they are number one one um so you know like you know if you're going to want to make postseason you're gonna have to play well well against some some of these teams you know the Braves obviously in first place the division played well the last couple of months couple of months so that's a a series that you think you could hopefully win there and the Braves are the Braves like you know you know they haven't on they have a great year but we know how the Mets all have the Mets over when they go there I said before pretty fitting that PR season's probably going to come to that but um you know they are set up well here that they have obviously they me mentioned they're going to shoting rotation a little bit here in the next series but still be you know should be set up set up nice here to make a run into October and make Tober and make a postseason spot yeah I think this is the Met's best chance of facing this Braves team uh when you consider all the injuries they've had uh I mean you can go through the list aunia Austin Riley's Miss at the moment Aussie Al has missed time Spencer Strider is not available they still have you know weapons uh as we know Chris S is having an unreal season Max Fred is no um you know he's going to be a difficult matchup for the Mets sure and of course as you mentioned this is a place and a team that's caused problems for the Mets late in the year um in recent memory so um we saw these two teams battle it out in 22 for a division title the Mets didn't get it that year this will obviously be for just a wild card spot but I think it's just as important and if the Mets were to get them at any best time per se I think it's right now given how injured Atlanta is at the moment yeah no absolutely you know we'll see what happens but I agree there and what I wanted to just kind of touch on on here from this from this series was obviously obviously Alvarez things off in the nth inning yesterday big home run been struggl late uh you know no no know if it's Health whatever but uh Mendoza had talked talk pregame as far um you know starting Alvarez in a day game or night Game Day game after a night game I should should say um they would start toen in thaten in that spot but felt like had good at bats the last few days and was coming out of it and obviously that that paid that paid off I got to give him and a lot of credit there just kind of want to get your thoughts thoughts on that you know I feel like we're not talking about about it enough enough but probably going to be the manager of the of the year in the next League which is you know obviously Lindor getting Lindor getting all the with the you know MVP what he which he obviously should should but you know this is a rookie manager I think I think really not a lot of expectations for I I don't know if knew about him um within the sport if you you you know weren't New York but um just just got to give give Mendoza credit as far as like not only like not only sticking to the scrip as far as using analytics and and that but also using his eye his feel and obviously he's paid paid awfully well here yeah I I think he's done an unreal job uh and you know to think that this team was 11 games under 500 and yeah Lindor is going to get a lot of the headlines as why this team has turned it around but um calming presence in the Dugout for Mendoza at that point in May was it was prevalent then it's still the same and I I think there's been so many different examples this year where you know maybe he's taken some risks and it hasn't worked out but a lot of the time he's taken risks and it's paid off and again this week a perfect example with Alvarez who you know could wind up being a huge X Factor down the stretch whether or not they make make the playoffs because we know what his Bat is capable of to go along with his defense and his leadership as a catcher I thought that was a great decision um obviously paid off with a a huge home run against a difficult pitcher uh from Toronto so yeah I think that's that's just another example of why Mendoza to me is the the favorite to win manager of the year in the National League because I mean the Mets a few months ago looked like a team that was going to lose 90 plus games and now they could very well make the playoffs and I think he is a huge reason why yeah huge part of it of it give h both a lot of credit OB obviously you know study the ship not no not no P you said when they're at Point at the end of May like 11 games under 50000 um you know sh putting Loring making that change obviously huge change huge change season um so you know a lot of credit seems to listen to his players players seem players seem to really you know has to say it seems it seems to has all the answers postgame really um um protects his players but kind of keeps it how which I like it takes accountability which is great which is great so you about as good of a start you you could hope the Sterns in Mendoza era and that relationship as you could get here yeah yeah it's been uh it's been a great season All Things Considered um this was again supposed to be a year where the Mets were in a transition um and to think that on September 12th the Mets are in a playoff hunt um I I think we're all very appre appreciative of that but um yeah Mendoza has been I mean everything we would have asked for in year one of this uh New Era of the Mets yeah absolutely they got a chance to win 90 games I think if you would have told anybody that in April April or the end of May they were crazy but you know uh one of the best second half will do that for you so credit to them um but you know real quick talking about a lot of poses Alonzo sack fly yesterday to um bring in the The Run um obviously really hasn't turned on at all this year you know a good September and if they make the playoffs playoffs a good can bring his stock right back back up as um I'm just wondering wondering you know feeling if you think Alonzo could maybe he you know he talked about alvare Alvarez being out there you know I feel like if Alonzo can really get last couple weeks you know you know that makes really a tremendous threat I just kind of want to get your thoughts on you know Alonzo here shaping up for the the last couple weeks yeah I think again another huge X Factor for them um we know what he's capable of he's done it for us for years now um this is an elite power bat in the middle of the order who usually is very effective in um big scoring chances this year has been completely different how much of him being a contract year has played a role in that I it's hard to tell I think a lot of us would say it's it's played a huge Factor on him but I mean not only for the Mets but for him uh going into this free agency he needs a big couple weeks just to show the rest of the League what he's made of um in a huge playoff push so Alvarez is a big X Factor Al Alonzo certainly won I would argue Brandon nmo also um another name just because of what he did towards the end of the first half right near the allstar break I mean we were lobbying for him to be an All-Star and ever since it's kind of been a difficult stretch so I think if you're looking for X factors specifically offensively I think the three would be Alvarez Lonzo and and definitely Brandon nmo as well yeah absolutely absolutely and they have to if not all those guys two of those guys one guys because obviously mcneel being being out the of the Year hurts the offense he was having second half I feel kind of flying under the radar with the first first half you know has really come really come around you know the last couple months of the year you know from the second found that power stroke um so someone to pick up that slack because McNeil McNeilly with the struggle in him really kind of uh you know heated and took the pressure over him I would say yeah I mean McNeil's uh turnaround was unexpected I would say it was um you know a lot of frustration for him um in the first half I mean there were many points where fans were asking for Jose glacius every single day sure and um to his credit he stuck with it and the power stroke too was um a pleasant surprise for us uh a lot of power um aggressive early in counts so yeah mcneel uh quietly a huge loss not only because of his Bat but also his versatility defensively just what he can give you second base play in the corners um so yeah I it was it was definitely a big blow to see him go um and hopefully he could be available if the Mets make a run in postseason yeah yeah righta you just hope if if they if they get in you know that the time frame time frame works out that you can come back and what kind what kind of rol you don't know but just to have him available aable would obviously huge help no matter what for them yeah s uh I think a lot of people forget that he's you know a piece of this mix and he made one start this year and looked fantastic against the Braves so um whether it's you know as a a starter or you know potentially an opener um in the final week yep um he has the stuff that could cause problems for whether they're facing the Braves maybe the Brewers in that final weekend um yeah I mean this is so tight of a race that I think potentially getting him for two to three Innings could make the difference in winning a game that gets them over the line so hopefully he can uh make his way back just in time that's a great point right even if it's for a couple Innings that could be really the key season so hopefully like you said saying hopefully hopefully come back it some them whether it's in the end of the regular season or if they make it it's really interesting same thing same thing with we It lines up that um but um but all this year these Mets are like The Goonies they never never say die die so um we should really really keep them to to pick the slack and do what they got to do because they gotta do because I'm doing really now yeah I mean every single time you think this team's done they find a way to bring you back in so I I don't expect anything less over the next two weeks and uh yeah many will say they have the toughest schedule remaining but honestly this is what you want you want to have these big postseason like games going into a playoff Chase because it'll probably prepare you pretty well so um I don't have any concerns about them backing down particularly in Philly and Atlanta it's going to be a fun watch the next couple weeks yeah absolutely gonna be a fun fun couple uh we'll wrap it up there there s uh catch up with everybody after the after the filler how that go um so hopefully the Mets like you said said you know continue this uh this run run through the mon thank than you so much for coming on coming on as always everybody let's go Mets let's go mats [Music]