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00:00it's offense so now Marcelo Zuna he represents the tying run here early on
00:07five three New York and a strike starts OZUNO he was a strikeout victim in the
00:13first guy who does not swing the bat very often his swing percentage last year
00:19of under 40 percent seventh lowest in baseball picks his spots has a real good
00:25idea the zone lays off that when it's one and one
00:34two homers for Brandon Lau and his first two at-bats as a pirate
00:44that's out to right center field Robert got a brilliant jump and makes a fine
00:49catch to prevent any further damage
00:53Brandon Lau's second of the afternoon however has made it a two-run game
01:03highlights and push notifications just for you download the MLB app the number one
01:08app for live baseball back with Al Leiter and Neil Walker Matt Vaskersion in New
01:14York Brandon Lau one of the stars through the first three innings of this game
01:19Derrick Lee had a two homer game in his Pirates debut back in 2011 all these Neil
01:25Walker teammates are getting love here today you were also there for the last
01:29time a bucko hit two homers on opening day your former mate Garrett Jones did it in 2010
01:352010 that's right
01:41so a 5 3 lead for the Mets as they bat in the bottom half of any number three
01:46and
01:47Brett Beatty turns on one to foul it off nothing and two to Beatty leading things
01:51off
01:52followed by Semien and Ben
01:57the Pirates are hoping that Johan Ramirez can get at least seven outs
02:01he did a nice job
02:03coming in there and softening the
02:07that tough first inning
02:09limited the damage there
02:11the second inning I know they're hoping he can get three more outs and pass this
02:14thing to another guy down that bullpen
02:20just tuning in Paul Skeens was removed after two thirds of an inning
02:26there was no injury concern but the wheels kind of came off on a five run first
02:35ball and two strikes the counts of Brett Beatty de-aging today on opening day
02:40as we mentioned earlier took a lot of reps at first base and in the outfield in the spring
02:53still the ball and two strikes
02:56I really like Brett Beatty 18 home runs last year now trying to find a way to get him
03:03in the game obviously the VADH first or outfield
03:08I'd see him growing a lot maturity wise last couple years
03:17he has the hit tool
03:21it's just a matter of you know how how do they want to use it
03:25not not exactly a quote unquote DH only type of guy obviously
03:32can really be an X factor hitting six today
03:36so many changes to both sides from last year's opening day lineup
03:42for the Mets Beatty of course an incumbent to returnee
03:46but as you mentioned he'll probably use a little differently this year
03:50with additions around him guys like Simeon in particular
03:55Bichette
03:55Bichette
03:56very different infield for the Mets in 2026
04:04Bono's infield
04:06be fine at third base
04:11and a full count now to Brett Beatty leading things off in the third
04:19the question is always asked what's sharper coming out of spring training
04:23which side of the scorecard is sharper the pitching side of the hitting side
04:27pitching
04:31I would agree with that
04:36capital one venture X card you earn unlimited double miles on everything you buy
04:41and turn all of your purchases into extraordinary trips
04:44capital one what's in your wallet
04:49well eight runs on eight hits so far we're not even out of the third
04:52I don't know that I would agree with you in terms of our little game
04:55I got today so far but I know what you're saying
04:58here's Marcus Simeon now for a second time
05:02we also probably didn't think it was going to be 70 degrees here today
05:05that's true
05:07I mean look guys with the way they train to get ready for spring training
05:12pitchers it used to be when I first got up to the big leagues with the Yankees
05:15Whitey Ford I asked him he used to come to camp but Billy Bart was my manager
05:19and I said wait what did you do to prepare
05:22oh hot shot
05:25knocked Ramirez on the glove hand and he throws it away at first
05:28Simeon on his way to second
05:37well that's always scary as a pitcher depending upon your delivery and follow through
05:42but look to me Ramirez was squared up at home he saw it
05:45it comes out quickly you're only 54 feet away with your stride and extension
05:49he does have a wild finish hit him on the heel of the glove
05:52I thought he had a shot here but Simeon busted
05:56and then just threw it away he did have a shot actually if he made a good throw to first
06:00he would have been out
06:04so Whitey Ford guys and I said what'd you do
06:08he goes are you kidding out he goes I dusted my glove off when we got to spring training
06:12could you imagine that now
06:12and I say this Manny because guys are just
06:15they're throwing in November
06:17guys don't even stop throwing
06:20so like I'm not saying they're perfect but
06:22you know their first day there's pitching coaches in Florida and Arizona
06:26the guys are throwing 98 like stop slow down
06:30and then how many hitters you Neil you're from Pittsburgh like to hit Nicole
06:34no very few
06:36I remember my dad telling me
06:38who pitched in the
06:40in the 70s and mostly in Montreal that
06:43he sold Seagram's gin in the offseason
06:45yep
06:47wow
06:47extra scratch big league ball player
06:50to Al's point he wouldn't touch a ball until
06:53you know mid-January
06:55I think Neil for folks that are unaware of your
06:58deep ties to the Pirates
07:00I think it's a story worth telling the fact that
07:02you're a Pittsburgh guy
07:04your dad played for the Pirates
07:06I mean
07:07I'm standing next to Yinzer royalty here
07:10I don't know about that but we do bleed black and black and gold to some capacity
07:15but I also spent two years here in New York with the Mets and enjoyed my time very very much
07:19here
07:20and had Carlos Mendoza as a as an infield coach and on the other side of town in the Bronx
07:26in 2018 so still a lot of ties to not just Pittsburgh but the Mets organization as well
07:35well
07:35balling two strikes to the rookie Carson bench
07:45we got the receipts right here
07:49yeah
07:49and he was fantastic and the biggest thing he was he was the infield coach there was you know I
07:54was playing three different positions I was playing first second and third over there and he was responsible for keeping
08:00me sharp and making sure that we were checking the boxes and being in a good place
08:06usually when CeCe Sabathia pitch I would play third base he got a lot of balls on the left side
08:10of the infield
08:10usually when you know a right-hander pitched
08:14I'd slide over to first base and play the tiny bit of second base
08:19still the ball and two strikes to the twenty three year old rookie Carson bench
08:25got him second time he has struck out in his many at bats in his major league debut
08:34well through the minors he's been bat the ball I know it's only been a couple years out of Oklahoma
08:38State
08:40got a kind of
08:42interesting finish right choppy front arm
08:47emphasizes you know staying through the baseball
08:51usually you see guys when they have that sort of way out front finish you see the only one handed
08:56finish
08:56it's pretty rare that somebody has that sort of mobility to
09:00to finish a swing that way
09:03so now the catcher Francisco Alvarez hit by a pitch in his first at bat
09:06one hundred second with two out in a two run game
09:12Alvarez missed opening day last year
09:18he was on the injured list with a hand injury slowed him down last season
09:22so much optimism for his twenty twenty five
09:26he had revised his swing
09:28and people were looking for a lot of power from him
09:32those expectations are still there in twenty twenty six
09:36and as Carlos Mendoza told us before the game
09:38it's all about just keeping him healthy
09:48ball and a strike trying to pick up Simeon from second
09:52and a high fly ball
09:54Reynolds with the glasses on
09:57to retire the side
10:00still five three bats
10:07Carlos we've never seen Paul schemes look like that before from your vantage point what was the biggest reason why
10:12you guys were able to throw five runs
10:14yeah we did a lot of a lot of good things that in
10:16started off with Lindor walking
10:19then Soto singling but Lindor putting pressure and going first to third there that was huge then
10:25no panicking to strike approach from Bo
10:27sack fly that Louis Robert at bat was an unbelievable at bat
10:32and for him to be able to lay off that 3-2 breaking ball sets up the table for Brett
10:37Beatty
10:37who helped gets a hole of one and clears the bases but
10:40he was just
10:41grinding that bats
10:43getting him in the zone staying aggressive with pitches that we can do damage and
10:46and we did that
10:48so all that in it
10:49thanks Carlos
10:50what was that again?
10:51all that inning
10:51yes
10:51definitely
10:54but thanks. Yeah that five run first is the big pop the big storyline here
10:59Brandon Lau has countered nicely with two homers in his Pirates debut today
11:05and we have a lot of canvas left all this in just three innings of baseball
11:10so with one away after the Ryan O'Hearn ground ball Jared Triolo bats against Freddie Peralta
11:19So, you take Lau out of the lineup, and Freddie's carving him up today.
11:26Yeah, such a good view.
11:28I didn't realize how much Freddie Peralta throws across his body.
11:32Kind of Jake Arrieta-esque for you Cub fans back in the day.
11:36And that's what makes him so difficult, because we're watching 93, 94, 95,
11:41and you say, okay, in this day and age, it's not plus-plus.
11:43But his deception is exceptional, because he hides the baseball.
11:49It's hard to pick it up.
11:56Durable.
11:58This is his third consecutive opening day start, and oddly, all of them have come in New York.
12:07A couple of years ago as a brewer here, last year as a brewer at Yankee Stadium,
12:12and a fine play by Francisco Lindor to get Triolo.
12:15Very nice from Francisco Lindor.
12:20Quick transfer.
12:26On your right, Matty, again, you subtract Brandon Lau.
12:33And Freddie Peralta's been as smooth and under control as he's gotten outside of that,
12:39the first two hitters of the first inning.
12:42Five strikeouts since then.
12:45There's Spencer Horwitz, grounded out in his first at-bat.
12:48That was kind of an abbreviated season for Spencer in Pittsburgh last year.
12:54Right wrist injury cost him some time.
12:58Two balls and no strikes.
13:08Well, the Mets are hopeful with the likes of Freddie Peralta and some of the new arms
13:14that they will not come anywhere close to the Major League record they set last year
13:19for pitchers used in a season.
13:2146.
13:25High fly ball slicing to Soto.
13:28No problems in left field.
13:30And a one, two, three, fourth for Freddie Peralta.
13:33MLB.
13:37And on opening day, debuts abound.
13:40And it wasn't just Brandon Lau that came from the Tampa Bay Rays
13:45in that notable three-team swap in the winter
13:49because this man, Mason Montgomery, also came aboard making his Pirates debut this afternoon.
13:55Oh, and you're going to see some triple digits from this guy.
13:57The thing for me with him is that strike one.
14:01Get yourself into pitchers' counts because he's got the put-away stuff,
14:05as you see with the upper 90s fastball.
14:08And the heavy 87-mile-an-hour curveball.
14:12That's got slider speed to it, but that break is definitely a curveball characteristics.
14:19He gets the top of the order here in the fourth, Lindor, Soto, and Bichette.
14:23And it would seem, as the Bucs are already on their third pitcher, Adam,
14:28that we might be seeing Johnny Holstaff here on opening day.
14:31Yeah, you know, you have everything scripted out in spring training,
14:33and then, you know, baseball game breaks out on opening day.
14:38You know, it never ceases to amaze.
14:39You know, you go out all optimistic.
14:41Let's get off to a good start.
14:43I can recall getting walked off on opening day one year in Milwaukee.
14:46So I'm familiar with the feeling that Paul's feeling
14:48and, you know, just the general randomness of this game so far.
14:55Lead-off walk.
14:58And it's the second time in only four innings
15:00that the lead-off hitter has been walked by Pirate Pitching.
15:03So Lindor aboard.
15:08For Montgomery's only fastball slider, only a two-pitch guy,
15:1358% fastball usage to the lefties, 70% usage to the righties.
15:18As I mentioned, got to get strike one.
15:22Soto up there, hacking.
15:27If you're thinking about the lefty-lefty matchup here,
15:31know that Juan Soto has 310 hits against lefties.
15:37Tied for the second most by any lefty hitter
15:42in the last couple of years.
15:48Yeah, Soto's approach.
15:49It's so impressive.
15:51Without question, as far as his damage,
15:55his ability to hit the ball out of any ballpark,
15:57and then you talk about grinding at-bats
16:00and taking his walks and getting his pitch.
16:05It's as good as any.
16:07And it's such a simple approach.
16:09When you watch the movements, it's minimal.
16:12But he's still able to generate so much power
16:15and spray the ball around the yard.
16:18And to your point, not just off of right-handers,
16:20but both right-handers and left-handers alike.
16:25When you look at the numbers he put up
16:27at the end of the year,
16:29it's amazing that he accomplished all that he did
16:32considering he sleptwalked through the entire month of April.
16:36He wasn't himself at all.
16:39He didn't hit his first home run in this ballpark
16:43as it met last year until May 1st.
16:45I mean, April was washed,
16:47and he's still finished with huge numbers.
16:50I know you can't do this,
16:52but you extrapolate just an average month.
16:55Was he third in MVP?
16:57Second, third?
16:59What that would have looked like pushing up on Ohtani.
17:03Let's face it, though.
17:04As long as Ohtani is doing both sides of the scorecard,
17:07it's going to be tough to knock him off the MLB throne.
17:10Yeah, he has to have a bad year
17:12to not handicap him as a preseason favorite every year.
17:17I've always felt, given being healthy the entire year
17:21as an offensive player,
17:23or at least my experience was,
17:24I was going to have two not good months.
17:27I was going to have two good months,
17:28and I was going to have two months
17:29that were right at those numbers.
17:32But somebody like Juan Soto,
17:34those one percenters, I call them,
17:35the rules don't apply to guys like that.
17:37They could have one really bad month
17:39and the next month have a career month.
17:41I'm glad you said that
17:43because the MVP Cy Young guys,
17:46they don't think that way, right?
17:47I mean, you have to have this stuff,
17:48you have to have the mindset,
17:49you have to have the belief,
17:50and also the results.
17:53I'll say this quickly.
17:54I was in the minor leagues with the Yankees.
17:55Joe Altabelli was an old manager with the Orioles,
17:57and he said exactly what you just said.
17:59You have five months, essentially.
18:01You're going to have two good ones,
18:03two bad ones,
18:04and what do you do with that third one?
18:06You get five,
18:07you get basically five starts a month, right,
18:09if you extrapolate it over six months.
18:11But it actually gives the ease
18:13of somebody who is maybe not great
18:17to not panic over a bad month.
18:21Full count to Juan Soto,
18:22three balls and two strikes,
18:23runner at first with nobody out,
18:25a little check-in for Lindor.
18:27Speaking of,
18:28the four-time MVP,
18:29Shoei Otani,
18:30and the world champion,
18:32Los Angeles Dodgers.
18:33They open their season later tonight
18:35on NBC at home with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
18:38They'll get their World Series rings
18:40and a lot of fanfare at Chavez Ravine
18:43later on tonight.
18:45There's Paul Fortesoto.
18:46Back-to-back walks for Montgomery.
18:49It doesn't matter how hard Mason Montgomery throws,
18:52this is a bugaboo for any pitcher,
18:55certainly pitching coach and manager.
18:56Throw strikes,
18:58make them put it in play,
19:00down by a couple.
19:02Try to keep keep the team close to get an opportunity later in the game.
19:10That's the fifth walk by Pirate pitching so far this afternoon.
19:15Another chance for Bo Bichette.
19:16That's the fifth walk by Pirate pitching.
19:25And Lindor walks to open the inning.
19:28Soto walks something he did a lot of last year.
19:30In fact,
19:31nobody drew more bases on balls
19:33than Juan Soto in 2025.
19:36How about the lead?
19:36He's got off a first base.
19:38He's halfway to second.
19:39He's shut up there ripping.
19:40And it's 0-2.
19:59And three pitches take care of Bo Bichette.
20:01One away from Montgomery.
20:04And there you go.
20:05You see the power
20:06and the stuff that Mason Montgomery has
20:08as he walks the first two batters of this inning.
20:10But quickly gets ahead of Bo Bichette.
20:12And he's not swinging at that pitch if it's 2-1.
20:15He's not swinging at that pitch if it's 3-1.
20:16But you got him on tilt a little bit right there
20:18with the 0-2 count just trying to protect
20:21and execute the pitch where he wants it.
20:26So now the switch hitter Jorge Polanco
20:28in from the right side
20:29where he had a lot of success last year
20:32against lefty pitching an OPS of almost 900.
20:37Lindor and Soto aboard with now one away
20:39after the strikeout.
20:49Yeah, to your point, Matty,
20:52he seems to be where Spencer Horwitz is.
20:55And Soto's taken as far as he can.
20:57There's not going to be a back pick, I don't think.
20:59They don't do much of that anymore.
21:01So he's just playing off of his lead runner,
21:04watching him.
21:05But the fundamentals of that
21:08is that if there is a gapper,
21:10he's putting himself in position to score for first
21:14by having an aggressive lead
21:16and then an aggressive secondary.
21:17Or beat out a ball that may be in the sixth hole
21:19that ranges Jared Triolo to his right.
21:23You see that all the time,
21:24a bang-bang play,
21:24and you think to yourself
21:25as a base runner and first base,
21:27coaches say it all the time,
21:28how was my secondary lead?
21:29How was my primary lead?
21:32All those things are attention-to-detail type of stuff
21:35that can help you win in the margins.
21:381-0 to Polanco.
21:40A ball and a strike.
21:41Boy, I don't know if they do it anymore,
21:43but I think of the backfields and spring training
21:45of all of the pick plays.
21:46And I had Bobby Valentine here
21:48and Robin Ventura, my old third baseman.
21:50We used to make fun,
21:51because Bobby would have like nine bunt plays
21:53and picks and back picks,
21:55and it was hilarious.
21:56But, you know, right here,
21:58you've got to free out the first base there.
22:00He just did a tiny point.
22:02Two balls and a strike.
22:13Luis Robert Jr. waiting on deck.
22:16Leeds getting even bigger for Soto.
22:19That's into the gap in left center field.
22:21And Cruz ranging to his right
22:23to make the catch this time.
22:26And everybody returns.
22:27A fine running catch by O'Neal Cruz.
22:31Yeah, he looked like he got a much better jump
22:32on this ball than the couple he got earlier in this game.
22:37We talked to Don Kelly.
22:38That was one thing he made note of
22:40was O'Neal Cruz going to his right
22:42toward that left center field gap.
22:44You see him shading the sun right there.
22:46Still doesn't have shades on,
22:47but shading the sun.
22:49Block it.
22:50Get to a spot
22:51and hunker down.
22:52Does that bother you?
22:53I mean, as a pitcher,
22:54I would be bothered by that.
22:56You've got sun shining behind home.
22:58But maybe guys don't...
23:01Do they not use sunglasses?
23:03I, at least for myself,
23:05I always wore them.
23:07I always wore them.
23:08I mean, if the sun was blocked
23:09by the clouds,
23:10I'd put them off
23:11and put them on my hat.
23:12As you see, Ryan O'Hara has some on.
23:14Ryan Reynolds has some on.
23:15It is personal preference,
23:17but, again,
23:18I think that
23:20if something happens,
23:21you better have a pretty good answer,
23:22right?
23:23Better have an answer
23:23why something like that happened.
23:26That's where I'm at.
23:27He doesn't want to wear them?
23:28No big deal.
23:29But when something happens
23:31with the sun,
23:32you better have a pretty good answer
23:33of why you didn't want to wear them.
23:35Ball and two strikes
23:36on Luis Robert Jr.
23:39I'm sure that there's
23:40an Oakley rep or two
23:41that have tried
23:43to hand him a pair
23:44in spring training.
23:46They don't use the flips anymore.
23:51The box of flips in there,
23:53it's very rare.
23:54Very rare you see guys use it,
23:55but very useful.
24:01Ball and two strikes
24:02off to Luis Robert Jr.
24:03batting with two out
24:04and two on
24:04in a two-run game,
24:06last of the fourth.
24:12And that's in through
24:14the 5.5 hole.
24:16Around third is Lindor.
24:18It throws off line.
24:19And the Mets are on the board
24:21in the fourth.
24:22It's 6-3, New York.
24:26Luis Robert Jr.
24:27with a key at bat
24:29in that first inning
24:30to extend that
24:31in what was just a walk
24:33but a 10-plus pitch walk.
24:35And now,
24:36one of the hardest things
24:37to do in baseball
24:37as a hitter,
24:38two-strike,
24:39two-out hitting.
24:41Well, all he saw
24:42with curveballs
24:43from Montgomery,
24:44that one fastball
24:46sat on it,
24:47got good wood on it.
24:48Nice, strong throw.
24:50Good play from Kevin Davis.
24:52That was the kick
24:53to the Mets dugout.
24:57How about the day
24:58the new Mets are having
24:59on opening day?
25:01I think David Stearns
25:03and company are pleased
25:04so far in this very short
25:06sample size.
25:08About four innings of baseball
25:10this season have been played.
25:11Marcus Simeon's two for two
25:13with an RBI.
25:14Luis Robert Jr.
25:16has an RBI single.
25:17He had a 10-pitch walk.
25:19Bo Bichette has an RBI
25:21and a sack fly.
25:21Jorge Polanco's one for two
25:23with a walk.
25:24New guys contributing
25:26in a three-run lead.
25:28And it's their approach, Matt.
25:30It's not only the success
25:31and what's going on
25:32in the scoreboard,
25:33and I know that's what
25:33wins games and gets you paid,
25:35but they're,
25:36these are really impressive
25:38at-bats.
25:38Grinding.
25:39Grinding.
25:40Grinding.
25:41Old-school type of
25:42up and down the line,
25:43a pass the baton,
25:44don't chase,
25:46use the whole field,
25:47or see it at all
25:48through the first
25:49three and two-thirds
25:50innings from this
25:51New York Mets squad.
25:54Two balls and a strike
25:55a count to Brett Beatty.
26:00Three of the five walks
26:01that have been issued
26:02by the Pirates have come
26:03around to score.
26:06Ninety-nine mile an hour
26:08heater misses.
26:08It's three and one.
26:22Four count.
26:25And it's not an ordinary
26:27number seven hitter that's
26:28waiting on deck.
26:30And a three-time All-Star due
26:31up next and licking his chops
26:34for a potential bases loaded
26:36situation.
26:36That's Marcus Simeon.
26:42And a cold strike three
26:43taken by Beatty.
26:45One more of the Mets fourth,
26:46however,
26:47at six to three New York.
26:49Baseball,
26:49that's what makes it so beautiful.
26:51You know,
26:51it's never over until it's over.
26:52I think somebody said that.
26:53And this is what it's all about.
26:55This is what it's all worth
26:57sweating for.
26:59Legendary manager Davey Johnson
27:01passed away this past fall.
27:03Still,
27:03the Mets all-time leader
27:05in managerial victories.
27:08Skippering that
27:08notable 86 team
27:11to the win over Boston.
27:12And Davey being recognized
27:14with a patch
27:16that the Mets will wear all season.
27:2086 team still remembered
27:21so fondly
27:22as Nick Gonzalez
27:24dumps a base hit into right.
27:25And Ahmed is standing by
27:27with a notable member
27:28from that squad.
27:29Mookie Wilson,
27:3040 years ago,
27:32World Series champion.
27:34Does it seem like 40 years?
27:35Can you believe it?
27:37No,
27:38it doesn't seem like 40.
27:39It's like yesterday.
27:40So when you watch this team
27:42and, of course,
27:42a lot of new faces this year.
27:45Any similarities?
27:46It's early.
27:46But any similarities
27:47with some of the guys
27:48who have been here
27:49with the team that you were on
27:5040 years ago?
27:51No,
27:52you know,
27:53it's opening day.
27:54Every day is exciting.
27:55And I do feel that part of it.
27:57So,
27:58but as far as similarities,
27:59I don't think there's any similarities.
28:01Not yet.
28:01Double down the line.
28:03So,
28:03it looks like this is going to score a run, Matt.
28:06Indeed.
28:06Action on back-to-back pitches.
28:08Ahmed,
28:09a single by Nick Gonzalez
28:10and Henry Davis
28:11with an RBI double.
28:13And it cuts the Pirates' deficit
28:15back down to two.
28:20Of note,
28:21Bo Bichette's off that line
28:22a pretty good amount.
28:24Henry Davis just sneaks that one pass there.
28:25And
28:26it's perfectly placed down.
28:28A lot of times,
28:28you see those balls
28:28get down in the corner
28:29and they bounce off.
28:30That one just kind of nestled
28:31down in that corner.
28:31And that was the difference
28:32between
28:33it being second and third
28:34and nobody out
28:35and Nick Gonzalez scoring
28:36all the way from first base.
28:37All right.
28:38So,
28:38runner on second here,
28:39Mookie,
28:39before I let you go,
28:40I got to ask you,
28:41I just heard about this.
28:43Bobblehead.
28:43In May,
28:44May 12th,
28:45Mookie Wilson bobblehead.
28:46Have you seen it at all?
28:48Yes,
28:49I've seen it.
28:49Oh, you have?
28:50I've seen it.
28:51I thought I saw it
28:52a couple weeks ago.
28:54And interesting.
28:55It's different.
28:56It's different.
28:57Do you get final approval?
28:59Yes.
28:59Okay.
29:00All right.
29:00All right.
29:01TBD.
29:01We'll see that, Matt.
29:02Yeah.
29:03I'm in a very qualified
29:04sounding answer
29:05from Mookie.
29:05I'm not sure
29:06he's signed off
29:07completely on the final look.
29:09I can't wait to see
29:10what this thing is.
29:11Is the answer
29:11interesting
29:12ever really
29:13describe anything?
29:16Go anyway
29:17over that.
29:20An opportunity
29:20for O'Neal Cruz
29:21now representing
29:22the tying run.
29:25One comes back
29:26to start the inning
29:26and Cruz with a swing
29:28and a miss falls
29:28behind a ball
29:29and two strikes.
29:30Well,
29:30this is a notable part
29:31of the game, guys.
29:32Top of the fifth inning.
29:33You've got an opportunity
29:33here to move a runner
29:34with the meat of the order
29:35coming up.
29:37Pirates are not going away
29:39and the Mets haven't
29:39pushed this thing
29:40to, you know,
29:42a four-five run game.
29:43You want to have
29:44a quality at bat
29:44right here
29:45and try to get the job
29:45done and move this runner.
29:52And maybe even stack up
29:54some more traffic
29:55in front of the guy
29:56who has been the biggest
29:58problem for the Mets today
29:59and that's Brandon Lau
30:00sitting on a two-homer
30:02afternoon.
30:05And it's two balls
30:06and two strikes.
30:10Lau left Tampa Bay
30:12number three on their
30:14all-time home run list.
30:19Oh, look out.
30:22Flying projectile.
30:26Big fella lost
30:27the shillelagh on that pass.
30:30The old emergency
30:31hat right there.
30:32Trying to protect.
30:34He's trying to speed up.
30:37Don't worry.
30:38There's an out there.
30:46Let's see how pretty Peralta
30:47approaches this right here
30:48after, as you mentioned,
30:50two home runs
30:52to Lau.
30:54And this is third at bat.
30:55So you attack him?
30:58First pitch is fouled away.
31:01Well, Brandon Lau,
31:02the first player to homer
31:03in his first two at-bats
31:05with a new team
31:05since Daniel Nava
31:07with the Phillies
31:07in 2017.
31:09A fence scraper
31:10in the first
31:10and a no-doubter
31:12in the third.
31:15Can't help him.
31:21Davis at second
31:22with a run in
31:23and one away.
31:25And a swing
31:26and a miss
31:26puts it behind
31:27to win two.
31:29Pulled the string
31:30on the first pitch
31:30with a changeup
31:31and came back
31:32with a breaking ball.
31:34We've got the 0-2.
31:35He can expand.
31:37Big loud swing
31:38at his pitcher's pitch.
31:48The homers came
31:49on a fastball
31:50and then a curveball
31:51back in the third.
31:55Freddie misses
31:55with a four-seamer
31:56one and two.
31:58It's a pretty small list
31:59of players
32:02that have hit
32:02three homers
32:03on an opening day.
32:05Only four
32:06in the history
32:07of the sport.
32:15Most recently,
32:17Matt Davidson
32:18of the White Sox
32:19in 2018.
32:21The one that I remember
32:22the most
32:23was Carl Tuffy Rhodes.
32:26The 94 Cubs.
32:30And I think
32:31Mets fans
32:31remember it, too.
32:34Doc Gooden
32:35was the opponent.
32:37That one skips.
32:39Two and two now.
32:41The other two,
32:42Demetri Young
32:43with the Tigers
32:44in 05,
32:44and George Bell
32:45was the first
32:46to do it
32:46with the 1988
32:47Toronto Blue Jays.
32:50That's a short list.
32:53Three home runs
32:54in a game
32:55and it's opening day.
32:56Yeah.
32:59You're going home
32:59from the ballpark
33:00on day one pretty happy.
33:03You're already
33:04chalked for player
33:04of the week.
33:08Two balls
33:08and two strikes
33:09from Freddie Peralta.
33:12Who might be
33:13getting close
33:13to the end
33:14here this afternoon.
33:19So from 0 and 2
33:20to a full count
33:20now,
33:21three balls
33:21and two strikes.
33:23Adam,
33:23I feel like
33:23we're going to see
33:24plenty of the Mets
33:25bullpen this afternoon
33:26as well.
33:27Going to have to.
33:28He's grinding
33:29a little bit
33:30through this inning.
33:31He's trying
33:31to be careful
33:32with Lau,
33:32obviously,
33:33with the two homers.
33:34Trying to keep him
33:35away from the
33:36poolside fly ball.
33:37That's the only thing
33:37he wants to do.
33:38So you've got to work
33:39him slow
33:39and to the outside.
33:42Full count pitch.
33:43A little tapper
33:44to the right side
33:44of the infield.
33:46Simeon will gather it in.
33:48Davis to third
33:49on at number two.
33:57Good pitch.
33:58Just soft away
33:59as Adam just alluded to.
34:01You've got a guy
34:02with two homeruns.
34:04I'm pretty certain
34:05that he's thinking
34:05home run again.
34:06But here,
34:06out in front of this
34:07backdoor breaking ball,
34:08throws his hands
34:09just to get the barrel
34:10on the ball.
34:11Trying to find a hole.
34:13Simeon makes
34:14a nice play.
34:15It's a real big at bat
34:16for Peralta and the Mets
34:18because Brian Reynolds,
34:19in addition to being
34:20a two-time All-Star
34:21and leading the Pirates
34:23in hits for five
34:24straight seasons,
34:26has the most hits
34:27of any active player
34:29against Freddie Peralta.
34:33And a base hit here
34:35brings it to a one-run game.
34:56All the former Brewers
34:59playing a role potentially
35:01today for New York.
35:07You know, five-plus innings
35:08was around the number for
35:10Freddie in his final year
35:11in Milwaukee.
35:13He had some help on a nice
35:15block by Alvarez here with a
35:16runner at third.
35:2030 of Peralta's,
35:2233 starts last year
35:24were of five-plus innings.
35:35One-two.
35:40Heavy, heavy off-speed
35:41usage through this inning
35:44for Freddie.
35:45It looks to me like
35:46that swing that Lau got out
35:47on it looked like
35:48he was waiting for
35:50Freddie to possibly pop
35:52with that front-door
35:52fastball.
35:55It does not seem like
35:57he's going to go
35:57in that direction.
35:58Maybe we see one here
35:59up and in.
36:01But he is living
36:03down in the way
36:03with that change-up
36:04and back-door breaking ball.
36:05Yeah, I got my numbers
36:06right here, Neal.
36:0719 pitches this inning.
36:08I've got two of them
36:09being fastballs.
36:10So you're right.
36:132-2.
36:14There's another one.
36:16Boy, he has,
36:17he has really taken
36:18a lot off the velocity
36:19of his breaking ball
36:21here as well.
36:21The two sliders
36:23not as firm
36:24as they were
36:25in the first
36:25and second innings
36:26and then that curveball
36:27I think by design
36:28here was 74 miles
36:30an hour.
36:30Full count now.
36:32Yeah, sometimes
36:32you could pitch
36:33not to mess up.
36:35Like, be aggressive
36:36but looks like
36:37he's trying to miss
36:37miss bats right now.
36:42Nothing but breaking
36:43balls to Reynolds
36:44and Alvarez
36:45wants to chat.
37:01All right, I'll take us
37:02inside that meeting.
37:03Well, I'm going to say
37:04right now, Alvarez,
37:05good meet,
37:06but this is your last pitch.
37:08The game is now becoming,
37:09certainly on lines,
37:116-4, you're up.
37:12But don't pitch defensively
37:15to make or think
37:16what the hitter's
37:17going to do.
37:18What's the right pitch here?
37:22What is the right pitch here?
37:23I would throw a changeup.
37:24He's been leaning on it.
37:25I think he's
37:26comfortable with it.
37:29Yeah!
37:30Dr. Leiter.
37:33To the bottom half
37:35of the fifth
37:35and Mason Montgomery
37:36continues on this
37:38opening day in New York.
37:41The second reliever
37:42used by the Pirates
37:44behind Paul Skeens
37:45who had a short one today.
37:47And it'll be
37:48Simeon, Benj, and Alvarez
37:49here in the fifth.
37:5235-year-old veteran
37:53followed by the
37:5423-year-old rookie
37:56who start ending
37:57number five for New York.
38:00Paul's still in the dugout.
38:01I'll tell you,
38:02thinking about that
38:03first inning,
38:04he's never seen that before,
38:06but he's still out there.
38:08Simeon with a high drive
38:09out to center.
38:12Cruz has it
38:13for route number one.
38:19Well, the 23-year-old rookie
38:21making his Major League
38:22debut this afternoon
38:23on opening day
38:24has struck out
38:25in each of his first
38:26two plate appearances
38:27so far.
38:28He is the youngest player
38:30to start an opening day
38:32for the Mets
38:33since 1979,
38:35and it's a job
38:36that he won
38:37with a fabulous
38:38spring training.
38:40Nothing in one.
38:46Two-way standout
38:47star at Oklahoma State.
38:50One of two
38:51that you could say
38:52that about
38:53on the Mets roster.
38:54Nolan McLean
38:55being the other.
38:58A couple
38:59of Okie State boys there.
39:04You know,
39:05there was some
39:05late intrigue
39:06in Mets camp
39:07as to
39:07who would break
39:09camp with
39:09the big league team.
39:10And the veteran
39:11Mike Talkman
39:12in camp,
39:12he got hurt.
39:14And it kind of paved
39:15the way for Bench.
39:16But, you know,
39:17we asked Carlos Mendoza
39:18about that
39:19before the game.
39:20And we said,
39:21is it fair to say
39:22that Bench may have
39:23won that job anyway?
39:25And he said,
39:25yeah,
39:26it's fair to say that.
39:27May have.
39:28But with Talkman down,
39:30it made it a much
39:30easier choice.
39:36There's going to be
39:36some growing pains.
39:38He was drafted
39:39only a couple
39:39of years ago.
39:41First,
39:41first round pick,
39:4219th pick overall
39:43at Oklahoma State University.
39:45And then last year,
39:46guys,
39:46he started in the
39:47Sally League,
39:48which is a
39:49high A,
39:50went to double A,
39:51and finished up
39:52in Syracuse.
39:53He only had 90 at-bats
39:54at the triple A level.
39:55So there's going to be
39:58some bumps
39:59along the way.
39:59Well,
40:00I'm with you guys
40:00on the interesting
40:01nature of his pass
40:03at the baseball.
40:04The bottom hand
40:04comes off on contact.
40:06It's very unique.
40:07You don't see that
40:08very often.
40:08You don't see this
40:09finish more than anything.
40:11At point of contact,
40:12it's as normal
40:13as anybody else's swing,
40:14but that emphasis
40:16on pushing that through
40:19and finishing your swing
40:20a lot of times
40:21can help you stay
40:22on those off-speed pitches
40:24that are down
40:24and fight off
40:25some pitches up.
40:31working a pretty good
40:32at-bat here.
40:33Something that
40:33Carlos Mendoza
40:34was impressed with
40:35all spring.
40:40On the other side
40:42for the Pittsburgh Pirates,
40:43Connor Griffin,
40:43a guy that they,
40:45you know,
40:46got a lot of the
40:46bats to.
40:47As you see,
40:47Isaac Mattson
40:48getting ready in the
40:48bullpen.
40:50Hoping they can keep
40:51this game right where
40:52it's at for him.
40:54He's behind in the
40:55count and worked a walk.
40:56Cut it back.
40:58Benji's on base
40:58for the first time
40:59in his big league career.
41:01You can see fighting
41:02the kid, right?
41:03He's fouling off.
41:04He's spoiling pitchers'
41:05pitches.
41:06Obviously tracking
41:07the baseball.
41:09At 300 last year,
41:11both in the A,
41:11Double A.
41:14300.
41:15John Kelly making
41:16a pitching change.
41:24Pirates go to the
41:24bullpen.
41:25We'll be right.
41:26Guys,
41:27both the lefties
41:27and righties,
41:29a ton of ride
41:30to the fastball,
41:30not particularly hard,
41:34but gets a lot
41:35of swing and miss
41:36on fastballs up the zone
41:37and a lot of foul balls.
41:41Third trip to the plate
41:42for Francisco Alvarez
41:43this afternoon.
41:44He's been hit by a pitch
41:45and fly to left.
41:47He's got a runner
41:47aboard with one away
41:48and a two-run
41:50New York lead.
41:52Quickly 0 and 2
41:53on Francisco Alvarez.
42:00Mattson had a really nice
42:01year in Pittsburgh
42:03last season.
42:042.03 batting average
42:06against, 44 outings.
42:08Very tough on
42:09right-handed batters.
42:14He's the type of guy
42:17that you're standing
42:18in the batter's box
42:19and you look up
42:19at the mile per hour
42:20and it says 94
42:21but you're thinking to yourself
42:23that felt like 103.
42:25How is this possible?
42:26This ball is just getting on me.
42:27He has a little bit
42:28of a short arm
42:28but the ball just explodes
42:30out of his hand.
42:31So not to get super nerdy
42:32but I will, Matt.
42:34Get nerdy.
42:35All right.
42:36So there's deception
42:37we talk about
42:38in perceived velocity
42:39but here's a guy
42:40that because he stays close
42:41and he gets good
42:43induced vert
42:43which means the gravity
42:45doesn't take it down as much.
42:46So what a guy sees
42:48that's a shot to right.
42:49Boy, he was on that heater.
42:52So it's the only way
42:54that Mattson can be
42:55as successful
42:56because he throws two pitches
42:57and we're alluding to it right now.
42:59He threw 80% fastballs
43:00and 18-ish percent
43:03change-ups.
43:04This is a nice hitting
43:05right here.
43:06Alvarez stays on it.
43:06Gets a low enough fastball
43:08to stay with it.
43:09Goes to right center.
43:11He's having to make sure
43:12that that ball wasn't caught.
43:16Boy, Alvarez,
43:17his best swing.
43:17If he stays on it
43:19and thinks there's a lot of doubles
43:20and home runs to right center
43:23he's going to put a lot of balls in play.
43:26So now Francisco Lindor
43:28in from the left side
43:29with two runners on.
43:30Adam Adovino,
43:31how do you work this at bat?
43:32This is an interesting matchup.
43:34We talk about
43:35the riding fastball of Mattson.
43:37If he sticks at the top of the zone
43:38he can kind of get above
43:40the slightly scoopy-ish swing
43:41that Lindor has.
43:42But if he misses medium height
43:44or lower
43:45it could get loud here.
43:49One and one.
43:51If I'm here,
43:52if I'm him
43:52I'm probably starting soft
43:54like he just did
43:54a little bit there
43:55and then finishing up
43:56above the zone.
43:57That would be my approach
43:58on the mound here
43:58if I'm Mattson.
44:01Lindor has walked twice.
44:03He scored two runs
44:04this afternoon.
44:07Oh!
44:08Want to add on to that, Adam.
44:09How do you
44:09how as a pitcher
44:11for somebody like Mattson
44:12that's 80
44:13almost 80% fastball
44:15to the lefties and righties
44:15how do you
44:17determine
44:17you know
44:18I do have to throw
44:19something else here
44:20to keep him
44:20keep him honest
44:21but I don't want to get beat
44:22with my second or third best pitch.
44:24Yeah that's a tough question
44:25I think ultimately
44:27he knows that he wants
44:28to get him out
44:28with a fastball up here
44:29but he can't live there
44:30the whole time
44:31because he knows
44:32this is a guy capable
44:32of making that adjustment
44:34and you know
44:35he can change his swing
44:36if he needs to
44:36if he sees enough of that
44:37so you know
44:38the idea
44:39start him soft
44:40to get him off the scent
44:42a little bit
44:42make him think
44:43okay he's not just
44:43going to spam fastballs
44:44at me
44:45and then you go right back
44:45to the lefties
44:47three one
44:48well Adam he tried to do
44:50exactly what you described
44:51he just missed with it
44:52and that ball for loads the
44:55bases another walk by the
44:57Pirates staff this afternoon
44:59that has been a real problem
45:00for Don Kelly
45:02and three walks by Francisco
45:04Lindor himself
45:07not a great recipe for success
45:08and too much traffic and too
45:10many too many big hitters in
45:12this Mets lineup to to change
45:14the game
45:15exponentially with one swing
45:17well you're really playing
45:18with fire when you walk
45:19loaded in front of this
45:20fella
45:21Juan Soto has walked today
45:23seven walks by Pirate
45:24pitching
45:25bases loaded for Soto
45:33there have been two opening
45:35day grand slams
45:36in Mets history
45:42Adam what do you do with this
45:44guy
45:45this is a bad spot for Metson
45:46this is advantage Soto
45:49Soto Soto's got a much flatter
45:50swing than Lindor so that
45:52fastball left plays right into
45:53his hand
45:59he's also not going to expand the
46:01zone so he's going to make
46:02him come to him
46:02see Metson getting a new ball
46:04here
46:05he's got a search
46:06got a search within himself
46:07to make a pitch right here
46:08again this could be very loud
46:20he's got a contact right here
46:20and that's the four RBI hack
46:27well that's the issue with when
46:29you have to pitch pitcher and
46:31this is what Metson is we saw it
46:32with Montgomery Montgomery his
46:34fastball slider and if you don't
46:37have a feel for a secondary pitch
46:39you've become very predictable
46:49and the fire is still hot in the
46:52Mets half of the fifth back to a
46:56three-run New York lead terrific
46:59piece of hitting right here by
47:01Juan Soto look at the hole the
47:03sixth hole right there really
47:04would have been a straight-up ball
47:05the shortstop but obviously not
47:07playing there Jared Triolo we got
47:10to catch a runner from second
47:11base so he's held up at third
47:13move the line and again another
47:16dangerous hitter in Bo Bichette
47:19feels like you're just teetering on
47:20a spot where this thing could get
47:21into a bad situation for the
47:24Pittsburgh Giants
47:24I'm feeling the same thing
47:30Adam you had success against Bo
47:32Bichette your big league career
47:34how does that change things here
47:37well it doesn't me and that's
47:38that are completely different but
47:40I think I would love to know what
47:42Bo would think about it you know
47:43I've known Bo since he was 14 when
47:44his dad was the hitting coach for
47:45us with the Rockies in this spot
47:47though he's gonna make contact
47:49that's that's his superpower in this
47:50spot you're not gonna strike him out
47:52you try to strike him out I think
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