Sharp-eyed observers might have noticed the lack of a recap of last night’s game. I was there, and I saw nothing worthy of recapping (and I had good seats, too: see above.) Thus shall it be. A word for Griffin Canning, the Mets pitcher who suffered what appeared to be a near-Sorokalike injury in the third inning last night. I was at Citi Field for Soroka’s debut and there are few injuries that have affected me more as I watch him continue to struggle to fashion a major league career. I have heard nothing of a prognosis for Canning, but not even Met fans deserve it if it’s anything like Soroka’s injury.
The Philadelphia Phillies return to Atlanta for their last trip there this season. The Braves will find themselves in Philadelphia for one more series in late August. The Phillies are in second place, barely, behind the Mets, who would not be in first but for our pitiful performances the last two nights. We are playing somewhat better (although a fair portion of our two wins in Queens can be attributed to Metsing), but are at best still in spoiler mode… so let’s go spoil something.
I didn’t even realize Canning got hurt. Just casually glanced at the box. I hope the kid recovers. This team is so hard to watch. After almost 4 decades of fandom, even during the down years, this team will probably end up being the one I watched the least. I’ll jump on the bandwagon if they get red hot, but I expect lots of up and down and struggling to get much about .500 if we get there. And that makes sense because we’re about half of a team.
Last night, my wife and I were on the couch watching the Braves as usual. But as they flailed, and as Grant Holmes grimaced at having given up a sac fly to break the scoreless tie, we looked at each other and decided to put on a movie.
Michael Harris is not a major leaguer right now – he’s struggling worse than Orlando Arcia when Nick Allen Wally Pipped him. And Austin Riley is hitting like Adam LaRoche on a cold streak. I don’t think last year was Seitzer’s fault, and I don’t think this year is Hyers’s fault, exactly. But as far as my lyin’ eyes can see, this ain’t working.
$30 million in payroll going to Riley and Harris this season…
Anyways.
Harris can’t continue to fail this badly and still keep a roster spot. This isn’t about winning in 2025 — he is under long-term control. You’ve got to try to do something for his own good. If you need a defender in CF, bring Kelenic back. There’s not going to be an offensive dropoff and he’s going to be nontendered in November anyways.
All of this.
I will add the fact that Michael Harris II looks marginally more lost in person than he looks on television, and I wouldn’t have thought that possible.
Great teams are made “up the middle,” as they say. Without commenting on defense (which has been pretty good) we have OPS from our center fielder and shortstop that are not of even marginal major league caliber at the moment. (And Harris has now fallen behind Allen.) And Murphy and Albies are hovering around (offensive) replacement territory. Drake has been fine.
I tell you what – despite all of Harris’ troubles on the field, he seems to be the most marketable player on the team, if watching all the in-game commercials means anything.
Just about every break has Harris smiling and giving away trucks and all.
I seem to recall that Francoeur was on most commercials and it seemed like that made it more difficult to send him down and try to fix him, so I wonder if that’s part of the issue. But at this point, SDP’s right, Kelenic isn’t worse offensively (maybe not much better), and while he’s not Money Mike in CF, he’s not terrible. Bat him 8 or 9 and go to work on fixing Harris, for his sake and for the sake of the org’s investment.
Alex Verdugo being in the lineup just isn’t serious.
Funny thing when I check the scores about 9 PM I grumble “oh here we go—Braves scoreless through 5” and then I see it’s a rain delay and I grumble “oh brother, 5 more scoreless innings ahead of us”
9:35pm first pitch. These guys landed at 2:10am this morning. I hope they drank their Red Bull. Gonna be a long night.
Please DO NOT fix the camera that purports to show the “strike zone.”
Elder sometimes has 1st inning troubles, but 14 strikes in 31 pitches is ridiculous.
A team with this many voids in the lineup and with Elder and Fuentes comprising 40 percent of its rotation has no chance. Don’t delude yourselves. Sellers.
The fact that this team is considered a “contender” is a damning reflection of the expanded playoff system.
Fans sat through a 2:20 rain delay for this.
Elder has gone back to being garbage since that Giants game.
Waiter, what’s this fly doing in my soup?
Quiet, sir. Everybody’s going to want one.
At least it isn’t another 1-run game