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00:00his superpower in this spot you're not going to strike him out you try to strike
00:03him out I think that's a mistake so you got to try to get him on the ground here
00:06if you're Madsen it's not his specialty so again we're pitching several layers
00:10into his style that aren't really his strength and we'll see if he can
00:13execute that I'm gonna change up right here something down action pitch he
00:19doesn't throw very often fastball misses up two balls in a strike oh those bases
00:24on balls four of the seven issued by Pirates
00:28pitching have come across to score today
00:32and as Neil mentions it feels like they're one big hit away from really
00:37blowing this open
00:41big swing and a miss to make it two and two
00:48just a bit of an invisible and he throws slow enough I mean if this was the upper
00:5390s guys would be more selective with respect to just not having it
00:58enough time but it's it's a pitch that looks like guys can barrel it and he just has that late
01:04life when it's upstairs and guys are aggressive
01:12two two two to Bichette off the hands fouled away I'm not even sure how he made contact with that
01:18ball
01:20such a quick trigger
01:23well he lets it track so the idea of like to get beat inside just like that for Bo Bichette
01:28to get beat because he's looking something out over to go right center
01:39took something off that time so the first wrinkle in the at bat to Bichette
01:46yeah it's tough enough to pitch in the big leagues against the best hitters on the planet and when you
01:52don't have weapons of other secondary pitches it makes it just you're threading needles constantly
02:19I don't know what other what other thing is there for Mattson here it's it's been seven heaters he can
02:28get it
02:28took one off pitch number six like wasn't quite as firm
02:32it's wild isn't it yeah
02:35kind of stuff you see in in in high school baseball right now this guy's got a good fastball he
02:40can't hit it he's able to he's able to do it
02:43and he did it very successfully last year Isaac Mattson did but
02:47to your point and to Adam's point when do you when do you decide to if it's getting fouled off
02:53or guys are late when you get off that that fastball and have to you know throw something that's at
02:58least not getting fouled off
03:04the next two two I don't know that Bo is thinking anything but heater here it's almost like he's in
03:10there against the pitching machine well he's fighting the fastball off right he's being short to the baseball
03:15those happen to be inside right so if his approach is middle the field the right center I just find
03:21it amazing that that he doesn't have a wrinkle
03:24throw a little spin here for Mattson
03:32it's amazing this is a 11 pitches 11 meters
03:39so the logic here is Mattson knows he's beating him quote unquote right because he's late he's fighting fighting
03:45you do him a favor at least logically if you throw him a changeup
03:49and he and he doesn't have a slider a curve or something that has spin away
03:54tough to pitch that way
03:56still two and two
04:03well then it goes back to that point
04:05especially in this part of the game you don't want to get beat with your secondary pitches right
04:11look at that you want you want to get if you're going to get beat you want it to be
04:13with your best pitch
04:16so I mean that's what do you think is coming on pitch 12
04:20and a little extra giddy up on that last one
04:25let's get a little closer
04:27we better rub up some new baseballs
04:33on an afternoon where the Mets have seemingly been on base all day
04:39in fact this is plate appearance number 30 for New York here and 16 of the previous 29 have reached
04:47base
04:48the next 2-2
04:50got him
04:52wait a slider
04:54he's got one
04:58through the slider
05:00look at this it didn't do a whole lot but just the speed variation from the 94s
05:06we saw one change up and then here he threw a little wrinkle and both swung at a ball
05:14put it back
05:15when it is hard to believe math that we're looking at this and if he does get this out right
05:19here
05:19it's still only a three-run game that's that's
05:22unbelievable to think about
05:24this game is gone
05:25see if Madsen can pull the rest of the rabbit out of the hat here
05:32bases loaded a run in with two away
05:35Jorge Polanco has singled walked and scored in this one
05:39Mets are four for twelve with runners in scoring position this afternoon
05:45two balls and no strikes
05:49Al you still want to say that pitching is ahead of hitting coming out of spring training
05:53I feel like it today my friend
05:57I'd
05:59it should be
06:00I shouldn't say it should be
06:03this is a little erratic
06:063-0
06:08and nowhere to put Polanco
06:17this is significant to guys I mean if this goes through a full run game
06:22both managers in particular Carlos Mendoza might be able to use his bullpen a little bit differently and obviously I
06:28know it's the first game of the season and you're fully loaded down there
06:31but when you're talking about the first game of the series to even with tomorrow off
06:35you want to make sure that
06:37you know you got your guys in there but a three run game to a four run game going into
06:41the last four innings is is fairly significant
06:44with the bases loaded
06:46the 3 0 4 loses him on four pitches he walked in a run
06:56the eighth walk of the afternoon by Pirates pitching
07:02yeah I mean it doesn't matter what level you're at walks kill pitchers they hurt
07:07teams and you can't defend against it
07:11I mean it's frustrating for certainly the pitcher and the pitching coach
07:14and now Luis Robert Jr.
07:19Adam not that you had endured feelings like this often in your long major league career but take us inside
07:25what's going through Isaac Madsen's mind right now
07:28well he battled so hard with Bichette there
07:31you know pitch after pitch after pitch
07:33and he finally gets through him so you exhale a little bit and you know I think there was a
07:38little bit of sharpness lost
07:39to Polanco right now he's just talking to himself you got to have good self-talk in this moment pull
07:43it out of yourself
07:44come on you're one pitch away stay with it that's that's that's what you got to have going on in
07:48your head right now
07:50no parachute nobody up behind him
07:53and it's a ball to strike to Luis Robert Jr.
07:59on opening day 2026 the Pirates have matched their high walk total from all of 2025
08:08with eight
08:13little excuse me
08:14oh no
08:17and everybody's safe
08:24you know what they tell you guys you put balls in play
08:28it doesn't matter sometimes
08:30balls find space
08:32balls get kicked
08:33and in this instance
08:35we get one off the just off the edge of Madsen's glove it looks like
08:39and Spencer Horowitz not a hundred percent sure what to do
08:44and Luis Robert runs just well enough to beat this out
08:46I mean it really was in no man's land there
08:49as a pitcher you're taught immediately ground ball right side go to first
08:55just didn't get the glove on it
08:59but I
09:01you're right because it's indicative of what we've been watching this afternoon with the Mets approach
09:08spoiling pitchers pitches
09:10getting the pitcher to throw it in the zone
09:12really fighting
09:14and I see really like a middle gap to gap approach from many of these Mets hitters
09:19saw Justin Lawrence up in the bullpen for the Pirates a moment ago
09:23base is still loaded another run in
09:25it's a five run game
09:27and this is the second time that the Mets have sent nine batters to the plate in an inning
09:34it's a five run game
09:34on in today's modern day of baseball
09:36how many times does a team score nine runs and does not have one
09:39home run in those nine nine runs
09:42it's very very rare
09:47two balls and no strikes to Brett Beatty
09:52they got to get somebody up
09:53it looks like Justin Lawrence is just starting to get going in the Pirates go back
10:01this has been one of those death by a thousand paper cuts innings for the Pirates
10:07Mets have gone station to station all inning
10:13there are some people for whom good enough is never good enough
10:17they ruffle feathers
10:19push boundaries
10:20they are high performers
10:22and high performers choose
10:24Sage high performance finance software
10:29three run rally for the Mets
10:31and it's happened with three walks
10:35two ground ball singles
10:37one well hit ball
10:39one line drive base hit
10:41that was the guy that struck it Francisco Alvarez
10:47it really has been right
10:49when you got to pitch a staff that has pitched themselves into trouble with all the walks
10:54while there's been a contact a lot of it
10:57hasn't really been smashed
11:01so two balls and no strikes to Beatty after the mound visit
11:10the mound
11:11Beatty sitting on a three RBI afternoon
11:14high fly ball slicing and left
11:17Reynolds is there
11:19and the inning comes to an end
11:21not before three more for New York
11:23at batter up odds
11:25for Marcelo Zuna
11:27Ryan O'Hearn
11:28and Jared Triolo
11:34and that group will be digging in against a new Mets pitcher
11:38as new Mets Tobias Meyers takes over
11:40with a five run lead in the top of the sixth inning
11:45and for Meyers you're going to see mainly foreseam cutter slider split usage from him
11:50tick up in the split against the lefties and a tick up in the slider against the righties
11:57and a ball and a strike on Marcelo Zuna who's 0 for 2 so far today
12:04Tobias Meyers acquired from Milwaukee along with Freddie Peralta
12:09who's done after five innings of his Mets debut today
12:15in fact now we can close the book on both starters
12:19and as you can tell a little better opener for Freddie than it was for Paul skeins today
12:27and as you can tell a little more
12:28Ozuna with a high infield pop
12:32indoor backpedaling for the first down of the inning
12:40so now it's a five run game
12:42and you've got a guy capable of giving you some length out of the New York bullpen Adam
12:47how does the five run lead change anything if at all
12:51for this group of Mets pitchers
12:54well if you're in the game with the five run lead your job is to make the off the opposition
12:58earn everything they get
12:59so you just pound the strike zone
13:01you don't try to hit corners
13:03you just go right into Francisco Alvarez chest protector
13:06and make them earn everything they get
13:07you know don't give them any freebies here that's it
13:09if it was you would you be throwing your slider
13:12that's a dumb question
13:13well we know the answer
13:16there were some days that's the only thing I could throw over the plate
13:18so yes
13:22I could throw over the plate
13:23counts two balls and no strikes to Ryan O'Hearn
13:29Al is a starter did you ever have days like that I mean Adam could live on his slider
13:34we remember those days vividly it was that good but as a starter did you ever have a day where
13:38you were a one pitch guy
13:39well if you talk to Mike Piazza he would say yes I threw a lot of cutters and my fastball
13:45my slider became a cutter because of the effort behind it
13:50but it was still the same pitch that's why when I see like splinker and slider and sweeper it's you
13:57know often it's the same pitch it's just effort and how it comes out of your hand and depending upon
14:01who's up scouting report etc
14:04so yes I threw a pitch that it was hard for especially righties to square up and I was relentless
14:11because I didn't give up the plate
14:12so if it meant that I would walk guys Bobby Valentine who was my manager here for many years he
14:18knew it was like Bobby just leave me alone
14:20I'm gonna throw 120 125 pitches and there's a method to this madness but Adam's right in a game like
14:27this
14:29O'Hearn to the opposite field that ball carrying Soto back looking up and that one's gone
14:35big time opposite field pop for Ryan O'Hearn
14:42and off the bat this looked like it didn't have a chance whatsoever and it just kept going
14:48a backside ball nonetheless not easy to do big pop Ryan O'Hearn
14:53tell her how strong he is I'm with you know this ball of course he got barreled
15:00and ends up going 358 feet
15:03maybe seven mile an hour
15:05exit blocks yeah you like that though it makes me laugh every time I do like
15:09I'm putting that in the book is one of my early favorites for this year's home run celebrations
15:15and the new Pirates are cashing in two homers for Brandon Lau
15:18now solo dinger for Ryan O'Hearn back to a full run game
15:22there's a fastball the way he stays on he see the head down
15:27really nice piece of hitting there
15:30he thought he got it as well
15:33what was the FanDuel number on a homer for O'Hearn here
15:37plus eighteen hundred
15:41two balls and no strikes to count to Jared Triolo plus fourteen hundred
15:53out to right center field for Louie Robert two away so not to beat a dead horse here but the
16:01base on balls has been everything
16:03because the Pirates have out homered the Mets three zip
16:08yeah there's there's no doubt about that you look at look at Freddie Peralta's line seven strikeouts and
16:13and no walks and
16:15obviously skeins is only in there for one inning but he had two walks in his first day
16:19or was only out there for one inning
16:20but he still gave up to two walks
16:23it's just a hard way to navigate a ball a ball game and you know you walk a certain amount
16:28guess what you're gonna you definitely are gonna face the meat of the order the fifth time
16:31sometimes even six times how are you gonna win with that recipe it's just very very difficult
16:36four of the eight walks score
16:38yeah I mean it's just it's pitching what it won't I know what happens
16:43you don't as a as a pitcher you don't want to walk the leadoff guy I know it's part of
16:48the game
16:49but eight walks is
16:51it's not
16:53ball and a strike to count to Spencer Horwitz
17:04well for a lineup that didn't hit a ton of homers last year I mean there's a good narrative here
17:10three home runs by the Pirates infield pop handled by Bouchette
17:18in a nine five lead for the Mets we go to the bottom half of any number six and another
17:22pitching change for Pittsburgh
17:24the former Rockies closer who spent much of last season recovering from an elbow injury Justin Lawrence
17:32sidearm guy gets a lot of ground ball sinker slider
17:44face mark is Simeon Carson Benj and Francisco Alvarez feels like we've been
17:49talking up this bottom of the Mets lineup all afternoon because they have been productive
17:55Simeon has singled on a one for three start to the season and his Mets career nothing in one
18:01to the 35 year old vet
18:06you mentioned now he
18:07Justin Lawrence missed a large amount of time last year
18:11and that was a pretty big blow for the Pirates bullpen
18:14guy that came in from Colorado
18:17a leverage guy was pitching mainly in the seventh eighth inning at times
18:22Simeon to center field
18:23and Cruz is there for it for at number one
18:29how about Marcus Simeon batting seventh in this line
18:33this is low as he's hit the lineup since 2019
18:37I watched a lot of Marcus the last few years with the Raiders and I don't think I ever saw
18:43him below fifth
18:45so it tells you a lot about this Mets offense
18:48and to lengthen it to have a
18:51a veteran
18:52hitter in Marcus Simeon to be down at the bottom of this line if it totally lengthen it
18:56Oh Carson Benj with a drive to right field
18:59and that one goes
19:05the rookie has homered in his Mets debut on opening day
19:10and congratulations young man hopefully there's many many more to come
19:21there's not a better moment for somebody
19:24especially an offensive player to hit a home running first at bat
19:45they want a curtain call
19:55look at that smile
19:58because it's true of any fan base but particularly here in New York they love their own home grown kids
20:11opening day your first third big league game pretty good in your home park first hit
20:16I'll tell you another thing he wants to get this onion back
20:18I don't know where it landed
20:20is it retrievable?
20:21yeah
20:23he's in the bullpen
20:24got a little spinning slider middle of the plate
20:31a strike to Alvarez to make it one and two
20:37Cosmo Matsui the first Mets player to hit an opening day homer in his debut
20:43in a very short list
20:45that Benj adds his name to
20:50and off a slider nonetheless
20:56you know with his two hands on the bat but level through man
21:01congratulations
21:10Adam what are they going to do to that baseball down there?
21:13I mean the relievers can be
21:17crafty types
21:19yeah I'm sure long time bullpen catcher Dave Racinello is on the case
21:23he's going to go find it
21:24make sure he gets to the authenticator and then they'll present it to Carson after the game
21:29Alvarez follows up with a bomb
21:32oh my goodness
21:33top take
21:35Santa Maria
21:36he's going to go
21:37he's going to go
21:41he's going to go
21:45we talked to
21:46Carlos Mendoza before the game and he
21:49feels like
21:50Alvarez is a
21:51a guy that
21:53has the potential to be an X factor for this
21:55this team to see him hitting ninth today in this order
21:58but he just said boy the power is just so
22:01so big from this guy
22:03and if he can stay healthy
22:04he could be a guy that just does a ton of damage
22:07toward the bottom of this next order
22:10yeah it's a hundred percent bit of health issue with him
22:13he gets a fastball middle up
22:18crushed it
22:20429 feet
22:26I'm not sure what's happening around the league and other opening day venues
22:30but I would
22:32stand a reasonable guess as to say that's the farthest hit baseball of the year so far
22:40man
22:45and eleven five lead after the second back-to-back homers
22:52second deck
22:54that's a middle up out over
23:01the Mets opening day record for runs is twelve
23:06and they did that in 1994 at Wrigley Field
23:11getting awfully close here this afternoon
23:16scoring nine runs through five innings without a home run
23:21back to back
23:26Lindor with a chopper
23:28Gonzalez with a nifty play to get him
23:31two away
23:36you mentioned this early Neil after the quick exit by Paul Skeens after two-thirds of an inning
23:41how are you going to cover the remainder of this game
23:43I mean I get it everybody's fresh it's opening day
23:46but it's a challenge
23:51as I said it's even with with an off day tomorrow you you don't want to see your relievers on
23:56day one of the season throw
23:57thirty-plus pitches if you if you don't have to even if they're going to think about a little bit
24:02Juan Soto with one that's going to stay in the ballpark for O'Hearn
24:07but back-to-back homers including a rookie going deep for the first time
24:12have given the Mets their largest lead of the afternoon
24:19hit the turnstiles quite yet because the Mets lineup might not be done
24:23they have been loud this afternoon 11 runs on 11 hits
24:28and a six-run lead for Tobias Meyers to continue in relief
24:36they're still loving on the rookie
24:40Crescent Benz with a homer
24:44so Nick Gonzalez leading things off in the Pirates half of the seventh
24:51Gonzalez Davis and Cruz
25:12Tobias Meyers entered in the sixth
25:16misses high to Gonzalez two and two
25:18Wow I think I'm gonna I'm gonna challenge that one
25:34the first one swing and a miss by Gonzalez and Alvarez will finish with the throw to first there's one
25:38away
25:45opening day on NBC is brought to you by progressive insurance a grand slam for your budget and by Corona
25:52la playa awaits
25:54look at this
25:55some vintage out lighter opening day oh two
26:00had a big start against these buckos
26:06one half smash fielded by Bichette
26:12I know that you Al were very aware of the place in history that you may have occupied starting an
26:18opening day for the Mets with Tom Seavers record ironclad
26:24Bichette making a good play here for round number two
26:27got to be a special honor you start on opening day
26:30yeah no no doubt
26:31look I played for four teams got a chance to win a couple World Series one in Toronto one in
26:36Florida
26:37World Series here 2000 with us the Yanks I grew up a Mets fan
26:40and you know you know how that is you have teams you play for but so to pitch an opening
26:46day for the team you rooted for
26:49at Shea Stadium at the time
26:52yeah special
26:55O'Neal Cruz with the chopper
26:57Simeon has it and it's a very quick one two three seventh author by Tobias Myers
27:03up and stretching in Flushing Queens
27:08Mets with a big lead at home and will stay right here for the singing of God bless America
27:32please welcome
27:35N.Y.P.D. Detective
27:37Brianna Fernandez
27:41God bless America
27:46man that I love
27:50stand beside her
27:53and guide her
27:55through the night with the light from above
27:59from the mountains
28:02to the
28:04to the
28:06to the
28:06to the
28:07like
28:09God
28:11God bless America
28:15my
28:16home sweet
28:20score big on authentic gear at MLB shop.com
28:24from official jerseys and memorabilia to hats and hoodies we've got the season covered scan the QR code or visit
28:30MLB shop.com the official source of the
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28:38Gregory Soto the new pitcher for Pittsburgh a former Met on the mound on opening day here wearing visitors colors
28:45last year in New York 70 appearances his number was called often and the R.A. just over four and
28:52he inherits a six run deficit trying to keep it that way to give the Pirates at least a puncher's
28:57chance shattered back there out to left field it's handled by Reynolds
29:02and Bo Bichette is retired on the first pitch in the last of the seventh
29:07he
29:08well considering the at-bats that he's had today with all the foul balls
29:12he got some sawed off
29:16he's
29:20he's
29:21he's
29:21he's
29:21he's
29:21he's seen in this game today
29:22this five of
29:23that's
29:23I'll say
29:2528
29:38he's
29:39he's
29:46he's
29:50here in the
29:51the
29:52he's
29:53he's
29:55he's
29:56he's
29:56he's
29:56I mean, we've gone seven-plus innings without even talking about Pete Alonzo,
29:59wildly popular player, elite home run hitter.
30:04And the new guys have stepped right in.
30:06In fact, six of the Mets' 11 runs have been driven in by guys making their Mets debuts today.
30:12And we asked Carlos Mendoza directly about that.
30:15You know, do you feel like with the subtraction of Nimmo and especially Pete Alonzo,
30:21the power that he brought, how are you going to replace that?
30:27And they said, you know, we're going to do it with a little bit lengthier lineup.
30:33We may not necessarily hit, you know, quite as many home runs or slug quite as much,
30:40but we're going to give quality at-bats up and down the lineup day in and day out.
30:46Here is one of the new guys, Luis Robert Jr., who's been very productive this afternoon,
30:51a pair of RBI singles, a walk, and a run scored.
30:55And everything he said, as it refers to that, has come true in this first game.
31:00Yeah.
31:01I mean, you've got your hands full with Paul Skeens on opening day.
31:04These guys grinded it out, sent ten batters to the plate in the first inning.
31:12Chance for a seven-pitch inning here for Gregory Soto.
31:20Well, this is just a snapshot of what we're talking about with the length of the lineup
31:25and professional bats and, you know, taking pitches and fouling balls off.
31:30I think they've seen 140-ish pitches, 150.
31:37So, if this is what the Mets of 2026 is about, to pass the baton, get a good pitch,
31:44and think center of the field, it's going to be a good year.
31:47About an eight-pitch inning for Gregory Soto.
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32:06And later on tonight on NBC,
32:09you can see Earl Hershizer's bobblehead against Louis Gonzalez's bobblehead.
32:14Dodgers Diamondbacks as the Dodgers open their World Championship defense
32:18with a ring ceremony.
32:20Again, that all coming up later on tonight on NBC Live from Los Angeles.
32:24Brandon Lau sitting on a two-homer debut as a pirate.
32:29Unfortunately for his side, it comes in a six-run, eighth-inning deficit.
32:34Top of the eighth for Lau, Reynolds, and Ozuna.
32:47He's got two balls and a strike.
32:49As we talked about, there have been four players
32:51who have struck for three homer games on opening day.
33:02And allowed likely not to add his name to that list
33:05on a very nice play by Jorge Polanco, staying with a hot shot.
33:09These are the balls right here.
33:11We mentioned Polanco hasn't spent a ton of time over their first base.
33:14You've got to go through these balls.
33:15You've got to go through these type of balls
33:18in order to understand whether you go after them.
33:20Do you try to just body it up?
33:22Do you just try to do anything you can to knock it down?
33:24You have so much time on that right side of the infield
33:27that you just want to make sure, if nothing else,
33:30you do everything you can to knock it down
33:32and give yourself a chance getting out on these hard balls like that.
33:36There's Brian Reynolds now.
33:40Adam, it feels like we might be seeing Tobias Myers
33:43to take us home here today.
33:45Is that the sense you're getting down there?
33:47Yeah, that would be quite all right with the rest of the relievers.
33:50We used to call this landing the plane.
33:52So go out there and finish this thing out, big fella.
33:56Starting his third inning work here in relief
33:59of Freddy Peralta, who went five in his Mets debut.
34:02The Milwaukee connection on opening day for the Mets.
34:07Tobias, last year with the Brewers, 22 games, he had six starts.
34:12So this would be kind of his role, whether it's up by a few or down by a few.
34:20Another ground ball chance for Kulaka.
34:23Remember, it was a couple of years ago in the postseason,
34:26that series that Pete Alonzo kind of tore the hearts of Brewers fans out
34:32with the homer against Devin Williams,
34:33that Tobias Myers had an unbelievable outing against the Mets.
34:38So there's familiarity there.
34:40And let's face it, David Stearns with his Rolodex of Milwaukee players
34:45that he drafted and developed,
34:46it's not an accident that there are so many ex-Brewers here with the Mets.
34:54I think you see that a lot with executives,
34:58knowing that they came from another organization.
35:00They know their talent.
35:02They know their A-ball talent.
35:02Right through the farm system.
35:04I'm not surprised that he pulled the trigger
35:07from some of the Brewer guys.
35:10I went to the case of Marcelo Zuna,
35:13who's hitless in his Pirates debut today.
35:29I thought somebody was going to touch the cap on that one.
35:32Instead, it's one and two.
35:35As we talked about earlier,
35:36Zuna's leading play.
35:39Loss, right.
35:41Last year.
36:03I've learned a lot about that.
36:10I think it makes his life take a fight role and I think it also looks good.
36:10They take a long run and it's a big, no big job.
36:15I think it's a big run and it's a big, no big job,
36:28I think it has to take that role.
36:30I think it could be a big person,
36:30it talked about theplus and aço,
36:32there'd be Ricky Henderson type stolen base totals it didn't happen
36:38the league adjust right you talk about all these rule changes the the non
36:42shifting and the size of the bases you know the pitch clock all these things
36:47that have been implemented over the course of the last four or five years
36:50and the thing that I keep coming back to is like these guys will adjust to it
36:57it may take a short period of time but they live with it and you figure it out
37:03high fly ball into shallow right from first is Polanco responsible for all three
37:08outs in the inning and it's still an eleven to five the Mets took their at-bats
37:13in the bottom half of the first trailing and they were undeterred Brett Beatty struck
37:18for a three run triple the big blow all schemes would not last much longer gone
37:24after just two-thirds of an inning two misplays in center certainly didn't
37:28help his case wheels came off early and the pirates have had a hard time putting
37:34them back on since the Pirates bullpen you got to give them credit as you see
37:38between the second and in that fifth inning they gave him a chance to stay in
37:42that game the Pirates put on a couple runs but just weren't able to put it back to a
37:46place where they could be much more competitive and you mentioned the
37:49walks over the course of this game has just been much too significant as we see
37:54Dennis Santana enter this game second former Met used out of the Pirates
37:59bullpen this afternoon following Johan Ramirez who was the first reliever used by
38:05Don Kelly
38:09and if you didn't watch the game in that first inning you know the box score is
38:14definitely deceiving with the two-thirds innings fiber and runs for all schemes
38:20there's a couple of miscues out there in center field with O'Neal Cruz that cost him
38:25and he's still out there you know that's uh you don't see that a whole lot folks guy had a
38:32rough
38:32outing and usually go up into the clubhouse and watch from there still in the dugout
38:38all right that that resonates for me from a standpoint of leadership right we talked about
38:47Paul Skeen's coming into this year Mitch Keller and some of these guys that are quote-unquote veterans
38:51now and you know Paul Skeen's still super young and as you see Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler
38:57on the right hand there these this is setting an example for these guys this is this is the way
39:02Pirates baseball in order to get to that next level and get over the hump and get back into
39:07the playoffs you need to have everybody pulling the same direction you have to have everybody on the
39:11same page in moments like this even though they seem insignificant that shows me how much leadership
39:16skills Paul Paul Skeen's has can I hit you on Bubba Chandler real quick since you brought him up
39:21and we saw a shot of him on the bench there there are those that have seen him throw
39:26that think he has just as good if not better stuff than Paul Skeen's
39:31the arsenal is obviously not not similar the velocities with the fastball the slider is a wipeout
39:37slider we've seen him develop a little bit more of something moving away from second base
39:42from left-handed hitters his stuff is very very good
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40:06one gun base is empty now for Marcus Simeon and while we're talking about young Pirates with exciting futures and
40:14it might be difficult to think about in the six-run episode on opening day
40:18one of the big storylines in Bradenton and Pirates camp was that of Connor Griffin 19 year old rookie phenom
40:25who did not break camp with the team hit a bunch of early homers in Springsteen.
40:30training and there was talk of his not only breaking camp with the major league team but starting on opening
40:36day and the Pirates decided to kind of slow the roll and he's going to get a little bit more
40:41seasoning at the minor league level yeah and I talked a little bit about that but didn't necessarily go into
40:46it with because that was a very polarizing topic of discussion in spring training for the Pirates and what a
40:52what a good challenge here we got challenged Marcus Simeon thought that breaking ball missed
40:59okay and he's going to be wrong the Mets have one challenge left ABS challenge system powered by T-Mobile
41:06and the Mets lose their challenge but we saw Connor Griffin in spring training down in Bradenton get a ton
41:13of a bounce especially early they put him they pushed him a little bit and they just wanted him to
41:19get a little bit more work down in triple-A
41:22kind of a similar story around Carson Bench who did break camp with the major league team and who has
41:28homered in his major league debut this afternoon
41:34yeah what a moment for Carson Bench a little slider middle of the plate his first big league home run
41:39his first opening day look at him got a little curtain call
41:44what a moment Dave he will never forget I was in college less than two years ago and what a
41:52draft that 2024 class is turning into and by the way did they get here quickly these days or what
41:58I mean the Mets took him a pick before Toronto took Trey Savage and we saw what he did in
42:04the World Series and such last year when Mets fans will remember Michael Conforto and how quickly his rise came
42:11from the minor leagues to the major leagues in a season
42:13where the Mets went to the world series to it they move quick these days two balls and a strike
42:21the counter bench I get it with pitchers right you go down you got it you have a big league
42:31arm or even a potential front end starter you know the logic it used to be needed for the number
42:38was 400 in his and minors now it's like hey he's got big stuff let's get him up here right
42:42injury etc.
42:43potential and there's ball four turned into a pretty nice line for Carson in his major league debut a couple
42:52of walks Homer
42:57we haven't seen a stolen base attempt today I know this game is a six six run game but it
43:02seems these days in modern day baseball you see teams taking shots no I don't expect to see it here
43:08but I'm just saying
43:09that that four run lead has essentially become like a five it's almost like you're playing in Colorado these days
43:14everywhere you go people are assuming a three run homer is coming around the corner every single
43:19every single time so many steps in the box
43:22wow
43:23stack cast powered by Google Cloud this ball was absolutely
43:26crushed
43:27that's leaving every ballpark
43:30in the world
43:30that's right
43:34even old Forbes field
43:36and Pirates fans well look at you Forbes
43:410 and 2 the count to Francisco Alvarez
43:49hey there he goes
43:50you were onto something Neil no throw down
43:56you know what they used to do something yeah I know exactly what things Alvarez would be get one of
44:01his side
44:05yeah he's got all the tools
44:09are you good with that
44:11like I said it seems like the unwritten rules and in particular that even though you are
44:18I I don't I don't like it I don't like it but
44:23like I said it almost feels like everybody feels like they're playing it in Colorado these days
44:27in the eighth of night getting the five six seven running honestly
44:31Lau has a pop-up nothing comes to the stolen base it's on to the ninth all Mets on opening
44:37day
44:39and Picon
44:42to the ninth in an 11 to 5 lead for the home side on opening day veteran right-hander Luis
44:48Garcia
44:49will try to put the finishing touches on this one
45:07one ball one strike count to Ryan O'Hearn who has homered today
45:14successful Pirates debut
45:20in the ninth inning last chance for Pittsburgh
45:25well the beauty of a 162 game schedule played in the course of 180 days is of course
45:31go get him tomorrow
45:33an old manager
45:35Clint Hurdle
45:38his big thing was
45:40shower well boys shower well when things would not go well
45:44he showered well
45:45move on
45:50big coming out party for Carson Bench
45:58and a base hit into right field for Ryan O'Hearn
46:02how about this one for Bench this one out of the category of
46:05the last switch hitter to win AL MVP being Vita Blue a tricky one for you Al the last Mets
46:16rookie to reach base safely in a major league debut Steven Matz oh
46:24I heard Fita Blue
46:25I heard Fita Blue
46:25I heard Fita Blue three times to reach base safely
46:29and he said Fita Blue
46:30well right the pitcher is the answer to those questions it kind of catches you off guard
46:36first ball swinging is Jared Triola with a gap or into right center field
46:40O'Hearn into third second and third with nobody out to start the night for the Pirates
46:46I don't know if the Pirates are going to climb back in this game this is exactly what they got
46:49to do
46:50take advantage of any mistakes as you see this one sitting over the heart of the plate
46:54Trill and not trying to do too much with this thing split the gap
46:58split the gap and get a little bit to work with here
47:09either you guys a believer in you know even in a loss ending with a couple of runs to get
47:14a worse taste out of your mouth
47:17or is it L and L and L and L's and L okay
47:23I don't know it depends on who's up
47:25I don't think that goes across the board certainly
47:30I think Spencer Horwitz would like to finish the day with a knock
47:34as he's 0 for 3 right now
47:39Adam when you're the last in the end of the bullpen ninth inning six run game
47:43there are a lot of guys that feel like those are hard outings
47:47yeah they can be because you got the big lead here so it's easy to let your guard down
47:51but your job is to keep Devin Williams out of this ball game so you got to keep that in
47:55the back of your mind
47:55and kind of treat it the same even with the big lead
47:59well then two strikes to count to Spencer Horwitz
48:01well then two strikes to count to Spencer Horwitz
48:01well then two strikes the count to Spencer Horwitz
48:04we scarse a 39 year old veteran
48:07in his 14th big league campaign
48:11Split time last year between the Nationals and Angels.
48:16And looking to do just that.
48:19Finish business for the Mets.
48:28Freddy Peralta for five.
48:29Tobias Myers for three.
48:31The Milwaukee connection.
48:32And the Mets are hoping that it's Garcia to the finish line.
48:38Got him.
48:39Good changeup.
48:41Good.
48:42On the string, you mentioned that Garcia's got to the big leagues with the Phillies in 2013.
48:48There's a nice changeup.
48:49Good visual of that.
48:51Great movement on that ball, right?
48:54I'd be remiss to mention, guys, as we talked earlier in the game about the patches that in honor of
48:59David Johnson that the Mets were wearing.
49:00The Pirates, when opening day at home comes next Friday, they're going to be honoring the life and legacy with
49:05the patch of their own of Bill Mazeroski.
49:08So, for anybody that's interested out there, obviously the passing of Bill was hit hard in the baseball community, and
49:16especially in Pittsburgh.
49:18And Pirates will be on the road, as you see right there, all the way through next Wednesday, day off
49:22Thursday.
49:22And then the home opener on Friday in Pittsburgh.
49:33Nothing in one of the counts of Nick Gonzalez.
49:35That's out to right.
49:37Benj on the move.
49:38It's going to split.
49:39He and Robert.
49:39That's going to drive in a pair.
49:46A two-run double for Nick Gonzalez, who's got a multiple-hit opening day line, and it's an 11-7
49:53ballgame.
49:55And as Adam mentioned, the last thing you want in a game like this is to get your closer in
50:02there.
50:02And it looks to me that that Mets bullpen is starting to move around a little bit.
50:06Devin Williams looks to be getting ready out there, as you see.
50:18Adam, is this a stall tactic to get Williams up?
50:22A little bit, and he also needs to reset Kevin, but yeah, a little bit.
50:27Give him a little time.
50:28They're probably one more hit away from having to go to him, so there's not a whole lot more leash
50:34they're going to go with here with Garcia, but yeah, just give him a second there.
50:39All right, so now it's Henry Davis, who has an RBI double on his line today.
50:45He was hot at the end of spring training.
50:54He was hot at the end of spring training, so he played umpire Adrian Johnson pop out and take time
50:57there.
50:59Usually that means pitch clock violation.
51:02No such infraction occurred.
51:04And here we go to Davis with ball one.
51:10And we have a catcher challenge on that pitch.
51:15ABS challenge system powered by T-Mobile, and it was a strike.
51:19It was a strike, and that's still our two challenges.
51:23Call overturned 0 and 1, the count to Henry Davis.
51:38Those things happen in the blink of an eye.
51:41Again, you've got two seconds to issue that challenge.
51:44No help from anybody in the dugout.
51:45Nobody in the video room can give you a sign.
51:48There's just not time for it.
51:50And if the catcher or hitter or pitcher feels like they want to use that challenge, it's got to be
51:56done immediately.
52:030 2 to Davis, a swing and a high fly ball in the left field.
52:08And Ron Soto's there, meaning the Pirates are down to their final out on this opening day.
52:25And Ron Soto's there, but we said it early in the telecast, the Mets opening day, best record in the
52:32sport in openers.
52:35And they're out of the way for making it even better.
52:40O'Neal Cruz, the last line of resistance for the visiting Pirates today.
52:51I thought we were going to see another challenge right there.
52:56Can't take him with you, right?
52:58Yeah, go for it.
53:21One ball and one strike to O'Neal Cruz to one and two.
53:30Well, you've got two fish right there.
53:33You throw it again.
53:34Good chance there's just another split right here.
53:4241,000 plus at Citi Field this afternoon on opening day.
53:48Treated to a big offensive shootout.
53:52The 1-2.
54:12Still a ball and two strikes to O'Neal Cruz.
54:15Garcia's next offering is swung on and missed.
54:17And that'll wrap it up today.
54:24In a little over three hours, Carson Bench, the rookie kid, a big part of the storyline in a New
54:32York Mets opening day victory at home.
54:35Yeah, just relentless offense up and down the lineup throughout the entire game from this Mets, Mets team.
54:42We saw him send 10 guys to the plate.
54:43That's amazing.
54:43And he's just a quickizement with you.
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