This Week in Schadenfreude

In the seventh inning of tonights Marlins-Mets game, the Marlins had a runner on second with two outs and the pitcher's spot coming up to bat. Fredi Gonzalez sent up Ross Gload to pinch hit, and then the Mets did something inexplicable: they intentionally walked Gload to get to Chris Coglan, he of the .309 batting average and 47 hits in August. At that moment, Ted and I had the following exchange on gChat (edited for spelling and grammar, of course):

Dave: Why would the Mets intentionally walk Ross Gload to get to Coghlan, the hottest non-Hanley hitter in the lineup?

Ted: It was the last dumb thing on the Mets' checklist of things to accomplish this year.

Dave: Well put.
Ted: Like a scavenger hunt.
Dave: They walk Gload to get to Coghlan, who singles, then they have to face Johnson and Hanley, who both single. Why are they so scared of Gload?

Ted: Well he has been extraordinarily good as a pinch hitter, but I'd rather to pitch to a .300 pinch hitter than a .300 everyday guy.

The Marlins scored three runs that inning, all because the Mets refused to pitch to Ross Gload, who is hitting .264 this year. As Bill Simmons would say, these are your 2009 Mets! And the Marlins went on to win 13-4, sweeping the Mets in their final trip to Citi Field this year. Not as nice as beating the Mets on the final day of the season to knock them out of the playoffs (twice!), but it will do for now.


Image via Meet the Mess store