Was Reyes Out at the Plate?

Here we go again. The Matt Holliday Question resurfaces. After 12 long innings of quiet baseball, the Mets made some noise in the bottom of the frame, with Jose Reyes smacking a double off of Tom Gordon, and was knocked in Angel Pagan, who we think is the child of parents from rival biker gangs. But was Reyes tagged out by Chris Coste at the plate after a laser of a throw from Jason Werth in center? Here's some video of the play, the second replay being the most telling, but it still isn't definitive.

Meech has some great overhead stills, and he calls bullshit on the whole deal. (When I went to B&C this morning, I was hoping to see some mockery of that pale Myth Busters-looking fan who was in every frame behind right-handed hitters—the guy with the red beard, and bald head he later covered with a ridiculous hat. Mets fans.) A look on the bright side, after the jump.

OK so the Phils lost to the Mets, dropping 2 of 3 at Shea. They still spoiled the last opener at that shitbox and showed the Mets (and let's face it, us) that they're going to make some noise this year. That was as close to a series split as you can get in a 3-game matchup, and the Phils were without Jimmy Rollins for the last two games.

Adam Eaton continued his great play against the Mets (5-0), but didn't get the run support he needed. That support will come when things warm up, but this is a totally different team if Eaton can continue to pitch anywhere near this well. Tom Gordon was on the hill for the game-winning run, but if it weren't a 12-inning game, he wouldn't have had to throw two innings. In his first inning, the 11th, Gordon struck out the first two hitters and got the third to fly out. The bullpen overall pitched very well, with solid frames from Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Rudy Seanez, and JC Romero (who pitched out of a jam).

Ryan Howard drove a ball deep to center, and Pedro Feliz hit his first homer as a Phillie. Eric Bruntlett didn't commit an error. Cole Hamels plays well even on his off-days. And the Flyers and Caps start their playoff series tonight.

Comments

[ill]

shitty end result of the game, and the worst part is the fact that Mets fans are going to thrive on those 2 wins and say we are whinny and making excuses when saying Jimmy wasn't in and Reyes never touched home.

I like your brightside view though, the season is still young. I haven't looked at Beerleaguer, but i am sure they are lining up at the bridge or bashing Charlie in some way.

[Zack]

"Eric Bruntlett didn't commit an error."

Unless you count the inability to place a bunt in fair territory 3 consecutive times an error. Which I do.

[Matt P.]

Yeah most people don't count those. He's a disappointment, but only if you have high expectations from an emergency utility player. I groaned over those bunt attempts, but after he showed he was nowhere near able to pull it off on the first two pitches, they should have lifted the sign for the third.

[NastyEmu]

If Bruntlett gets a bunt down, this game never goes to the 12th.

[Pete D]

CLEARLY OUT. By the way, has any one noticed Jon "I won't go to the bullpen" Lieber just pitched 7 innings of relief for the Cubs in their Pirates series? Big series for the Phils here.

[theKrisheim]

one of the real issues with the team right now is victorino.

i liked that manuel pulled him last night, guy has been killing us in the # 2 hole and for the last two games at leadoff.

this guy has a great off the field story, but this year he is killing us with his inability to do anything at the plate. his defense has been good, great in the mets series, but he is not an every day player.

i wouldnt be surprised to see him dropped in the order when rollins is 100% healthy again.

[gootman]

It was a close call, can't argue with the ump too much. Great job by Coste of blocking the plate though(eff you Barajas).

[Gaze]

When a game ends after 11pm, you can't help but think maybe the umpire just wanted to go home... No sporting event should be ended on such a questionable call.

[themajor]

I agree the real issue is victorino right now, defensively he is everday player but at the plate so far he is sucking the big one. He reminds me a little of doug glanville minus the ivy league education. I think he needs to spend some time in the cages cause he just isn't seeing the ball.

[Adam]

Eric Bruntlett shouldn't smile for weeks. He is a utility player. It is his job, as the teams utility infeilder, to do the fundamental things right. Number one on that list being sacrafice bunting. If i was a backup infeilder, i would make sure i was the best GD bunter on the team. That is how utility players contribute. He also should play solid D. Which he did not. I see no reason for the Phils to keep this guy in the Dugout. They can certainly find another utility player, who actually can do utility player things.

[Bryan]

how do Met fans stand listening to all of the noise pollution at Shea? Between the planes, crappy intro music, everybody clap yo hands, and the other garbage that they blare between every pitch? It's so freaking irritating! Rick Roll was a step up.

[Joe Manning]

All sports should be refereed by robots with lasers.

[Jonn]

Ok ok ok, let's look at this practically. Agreed, I think he was out at the plate, but if you let the game go twelve innings and allow a man one 2nd, what do you expect? The Phillies lost this game, not bad officiating. And as far as Bruntlett getting the brunt of the blame (sorry, it was too easy) let's not label his career by two really crappy games he had back to back. It's still April, let's settle down folks.

[Pete D]

I do agree, Victorino sucks right now. But his range in CF has been impressive early.

[Tony]

"He's a disappointment, but only if you have high expectations from an emergency utility player"

Being able to bunt is not a high expectation of a utility player.

[Matt P.]

@Tony, but being able to bunt with 100% success is. It's not like it's June and he's missed 14 of them. I don't mind if you want to get caught up on bashing the Phils in April, I totally understand the tendency to do so. I'm just not that worried about what Eric Bruntlett does over a 2-game span.

[Tony (the original)]

at other tony, yes it was bad that he couldnt get the bunt down, but i was more upset with the way handled that bases loaded situation and even more upset with the way victorino handled the same spot

[mike]

@matt p. those two games bruntlett cost the phillies could cost them the playoffs. how many times in recent years have they barely missed the playoffs? it may not seem important now but come the end of september i'm sure they'll need those games cause God knows their shitty bullpen will blow a lot more.

[Matt P.]

If you honestly think it was Bruntlett that cost them the games, and not the guys paid to be in the starting lineup who aren't producing like they should, then there's nothing else I can tell ya. Every team in the league has to deal with injury replacements, and it's not always going to go well.