Mets manager Mickey Callaway making a boneheaded decision is as natural as the sky being blue and grass being green. During Sunday’s 10-7 loss against the Phillies, Callaway once against caused Mets fans to scratch their heads. Callaway should not be expected to be perfect all the time, but he at least has to make decisions with some sense behind it.
Pulling Thor Early
After Noah Syndergaard gave up four runs over the last three innings he pitched, Callaway pulled him from the game. He only had 78 pitches thrown and could have gotten the Mets through the sixth to leave it up to Justin Wilson and Seth Lugo to get the final nine outs. Instead, Callaway turned to Paul Sewald and Luis Avilan who allowed the Phillies to score three times in the sixth to take the lead. Even a fatigued Syndergaard was a much better option than Sewald and Avilan at this point of the season.
Why did Mickey Callaway take out Noah Syndergaard for a pinch hitter in the fifth?
Why did the Mets intentionally walk Andrew Knapp to get to Bryce Harper?
Why does Maikel Franco own the Mets?
And more within: https://t.co/yIr3IxHl7P
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 9, 2019
Callaway then replaced Justin Wilson with Tyler Bashlor after Wilson had 30 pitches in the seventh. Bashlor allowed a walk then a double to the Mets killer Maikel Franco before Callaway make his biggest head scratching move of the game.
Lack of Understanding From Callaway
Andrew Knapp was due up with runners on second and third while the score was 9-6. The pitchers spot was on deck and Bryce Harper was around the bat rack in the Phillies dugout. Callaway decided to walk Knapp to get to Harper who ended up being walked to bring in a run. Whether Harper was available or not, there was no reason to walk a guy who is hitting under .200 over the last two seasons.
Callaway chose to intentionally walk Knapp to face Harper in hopes of getting one of the Phillies' better relievers out of the game pic.twitter.com/fghYkZWN1A
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 8, 2019
Callaway tried to come up with an excuse for why he decided to walk Knapp, but there simply is not one. He assumed Harper was not available and did not have the confidence to get out a .190 hitter. When he could have made the same move to walk Billy Hamilton to get to an actual pitcher during their extra inning loss against the Braves, he pitched to Hamilton who won the game for the Braves.
His days as a manager are hopefully coming to an end along with his chances to make hypocritical decisions day in and day out. If Callaway was consistent in his decision making, he would survive in New York, but he is too unaware as a manager to keep his job with the Mets.