New York Mets are showing more fire off the field than on it

It looks like things are heating up with the New York Mets this past weekend. Unfortunately, the fire was more off the field than on.

The indirect anger of a blown game at Wrigley Field can be felt not only in the clubhouse but with the Amazins’ fans, New York City, and New York Mets fans throughout social media. Post after post and tweet after tweet can be read saying how Mets manager, Mickey Callaway, managed to let another game slip away from his hands as the Chicago Cubs come from behind to defeat the Mets 5-3. Sadly, it is not the first time.

Mets ace, Jacob deGrom was back to his old Cy Young-winning ways dominating the Cubs in 6 innings, striking out 9, walking none, and lowering his era down to 3.25. But in Camp Callaway, should this be the topic of discussion at all workplaces in New York the next day?

How about the fact that Pete Alonso belted his 27th home run of the year surpassing the Mets all-time rookie home run record held by Darryl Strawberry for 39 years? Alonso also has a legitimate shot at catching Mark McGwire MLB record of 33 home runs by the All-Star break.

What about talking about Met backup catcher, Tomas Nido, belting a home run, playing exceptional defense, and throwing out Javier Baez attempting to steal second base?

No. the topic of discussion the next morning is why Callaway kept Seth Lugo in relief of deGrom and pitched multiple innings for two days in a row. You can see that his breaking balls were beginning to hang. Robert Gsellman was warming up and ready to go in. Closer, Edwin Diaz, was prepared to get more than three outs, as Callaway stated earlier he would begin to do.

But in typical Callaway form, Lugo was stretched more than he could handle and with runners on first and second, Baez belts a home run over the right field ivy wall. That was the way the game plan was set. Lugo would face Baez no matter what. But can we even leave it at that? Not in this episode of “Camp Callaway”.

After the loss, the post-game questioning and second-guessing became a bit much for Mickey to handle, mainly targeting Newsday beat reporter, Tim Healey, who apparently set off Callaway with a “see you tomorrow” comment that set Mickey off accusing Healey of sarcasm and began cursing him out and telling a Met PR official to get this bleep out of the clubhouse.

Then you have Jason Vargas threatening to knock the bleep off, Bro at Healey while charging him, only to be held back by Carlos Gomez and Noah Syndergaard.

Very classy on the Mets manager and 5th spot starter to harass and threaten a reporter for doing his job. One finger on Healey and Vargas better get a legal counselor.

Some will say reporters can be hemorrhoids. Maybe so, but they are doing their job and asking the same questions we are asking.

I can understand Callaway’s frustration, but if you are going to be angry, look in the mirror first. How many times is Mickey unable to adjust to the game situation because they already had a game plan and he is incapable of making adjustments to win a ballgame or two?

Analytics is a beautiful thing, but humans and decisions still play the game of baseball need to be made based on feel sometimes. Even if a guy like Brooks Pounder comes in and gives up the home run, it still would not be as bad as what we witnessed today.

So I will say this, there are hundreds of managers in social media, I included, that can sit back and second-guess all day long. That’s what fans do.

But the manager is the guy that is going to take the heat when he is so rigid that he can’t adjust to game situations. And then be so angry he takes it out on the media. Well Mickey, welcome to New York City. Gathering together to sing Kumbaya may work where you came from, but not this market.

“Camp Callaway” is slowing throwing water on the campfire, and singing kumbaya is not cutting it anymore. Be prepared to turn in your whistle and have a new camp counselor direct this team.