metbaseball

Pete Alonso

One of the categories Pete Alonso led the Mets in last season and, hopefully, won't this season, is hitting into double plays. He did that 20 times in 2023, one of four Mets to do it at least 10 times. The other three: Francisco Alvarez (14), Francisco Linder (11), and Brett Bay (10).

Tylor Megill

Anthony DiComo predicts that Tylor Megill will be one of the Mets' starters in 2024. My crystal ball doesn't show that happening, at least not at the start of the season. He finished last season with a 4.70 ERA, and his career ERA is 4.72. High. Plus, last season he tied with Carrasco for giving up the second-most homers on the team — 18. Only Scherzer gave up more, 23. I prefer my starters to keep the ball in the ballpark.

  

Strat-O-Matic Baseball

It's been awhile since I've played a baseball board game, but I recently decided to do so again using the 2006 version of Strat-O-Matic baseball. It is a dice-toss game where you toss three dice to start each at-bat. One die is white; the other two are red. 

The white die's result informs whether you check the batter's or the pitcher's card and which column on that card. The two red dice direct you to a row on the chosen card.

The New York Mets were facing the Washington Nationals; the Mets were the home team. Tom Glavine started for the Mets; Ramón Ortiz was on the mound for the Nats. 

The game did not go as I expected. Glavine was 40 years old and in his 20th MLB season, his fourth as a Met. Despite his age, he completed it with a 15-7 record and a 3.82 ERA. But in my game, he struggled to keep Nats' runners from crossing the plate. 

In the second inning, eight batters challenged Glavine. Though the only hits were three singles, the four runs they helped to score were two more than the Mets got the whole game.

It was a disappointing way to start my 2024 Strat-O-Matic season.