The Mets grew frustrated that their bats did not wake up until the 8th inning.
In the final inning, frustration turned to a ruling from the MLB Replay Center that “cost us the game,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Pete Alonso was thrown off the bat during Wednesday’s game against the Cubs at Citi Field, resulting in a 1-0 loss to the Cubs. 22,485 fans, one manager and one clubhouse were upset by the league’s interpretation of what constitutes a plate stoppage.
This spring, MLB teams received a memo with photos about the league’s enforcement of base interference.
Mendoza said those notes told catchers they could not step into the at-bat without the ball.
With one run down, and in the ninth inning, with runners on second and third base, Jeff McNeil hit a fly ball into the center field of left field.
Ian Happ caught it and threw it on the line to third baseman Nick Madrigal, who relayed the dart to catcher Miguel Amaya, but replays showed his left foot was on the plate.
Alonso dove head first, and perhaps because the catcher’s cleat was on the plate, his hand hit the dirt and he jumped out before he could touch the plate.
The on-field call was a game-ending double play.
After a lengthy review by the Replay Center, it was determined that Amaya’s “setup was legal” and that Amaya’s move to the bat to receive the throw was not a violation.
“That’s a bull!” Mendoza shouted on the field in audio picked up by SNY.
Mendoza was told by the on-field umpires that the ruling was not theirs and to take it to the league, which he plans to do.
“It was obvious that the player had his left foot over the plate without the ball,” Mendoza said after the Mets (15-15) lost their seventh game in their last 10 games. “I think they made the wrong decision.”
A lot happened in the Mets dugout, including the catcher in the ninth inning.
Omar Narváez recalled the email the league sent him a few months ago and the lessons the Mets have been giving him about setup around the plate.
He was asked if he understood the rules.
“I don’t think I can do it anymore,” Narváez said. “I’ve been practicing like this since spring training, but something happened today that I shouldn’t have done, so I didn’t get a call.”
Coach Mendoza said he would talk to the league, but acknowledged that “the game is over.”
It is no longer allowed to protest a game because the rules were incorrectly applied.
The Mets had no pulse until the eighth inning, when they were inches away from tying the game, or what another replay official called it.
Although Alonso believed he was safe (even without an obstruction call) as he dived for home, replay official Derek Thomas said, “Ultimately, the runner made contact with home plate before the catcher made the tag.” The decision could not be made,” the league said in a statement.
Alonso said of the sentence: “It’s not really my decision,” before delicately speaking about his emotions when he was called up. Damn. ”
During the first eight innings, the Mets may have said “fuck it” multiple times.
Shota Imanaga, who made six starts in the major leagues and had an ERA of 0.78, was held to just three hits and one walk in seven innings.
Alonso became the first Mets baserunner to reach third base in the ninth inning.
On a night when they went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, every chance the Mets had was wasted. In the eighth inning, two runners were on base and Tyron Taylor and Starling Marte struck out twice.
The Mets suffered their third shutout loss of the season, but they have scored four or more points in just one of their past 10 games.
They have averaged 2.6 points per game during this span, and have been particularly bad of late. They went to bat in 26 innings against Cubs pitchers, scoring in just three frames.
Alonso, who has not been able to play in the offensive line, said, “It’s tough, but that’s the major league.” “It can be very difficult. Sometimes their players throw the ball very well.”
And sometimes they do everything they can to score and then watch in anger as the league wipes them out.
“I think the game is a draw,” Mendoza said of what went through his mind while reviewing the match. “When you look at the scoreboard, it’s very obvious. So, yeah, it’s frustrating.”
