Mickey Callaway hits a home run in Mets’ managerial debut
Mets manager Mickey Callaway signs autographs before the Mets' opener against the Cardinals at Citi Field. Credit: Newsday / Alejandra Villa
Here’s hoping you had as good a day as Mickey Callaway did on Thursday.
The rookie manager picked up his first win as the Mets beat the Cardinals, 9-4, on Opening Day at Citi Field. Callaway’s lineup decisions — some of them unconventional — led directly to the Mets’ offensive success.
A day earlier, Callaway said he was really looking forward to taking the lineup card out to home plate before the opener. And why not? It was the first one the former Indians pitching coach had filled out in a game that counted since he was the head coach of Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas, in 2008.
Callaway’s college squad went 19-37. Hopefully for his sake the Mets will do a little better in 2018. Thursday was a nearly perfect start. Here’s how Callaway’s key lineup decisions fared on Day 1:
- Brandon Nimmo leadoff: Until Michael Conforto’s return (perhaps as early as April 5), Nimmo will bat first against righties. The excitable outfielder continued his fine play from last August and September by getting on base four times (hit by pitch, walk, two singles) in five plate appearances and scoring two runs. And Nimmo sprinting to first base after an HBP or walk continues to be a delight to behold.
- Yoenis Cespedes second: Batting a team’s best hitter second is pretty common now. Why? Cespedes (2-for-5, three RBIs) came up in a pair of two-out RBI situations and delivered a two-run single in the second and a run-scoring single in the Mets’ five-run fifth. If Cespedes was in the No. 3 hole, he may not have gotten to bat in either inning.
“Cespedes came up to bat a lot of times with runners on,” Callaway said. “And that’s what we want. Now, that’s not always going to happen. I think the main thing is that we want Cespedes to take as many at-bats as possible this year. I can’t guarantee he’s always going to hit second, but it worked out.”
- Noah Syndergaard eighth: Few things elicit more conversation than when managers bat the pitcher eighth. The tactic came up aces in the fifth when Syndergaard dropped down a one-out sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third and Amed Rosario (2-for-4, two RBIs) followed with a two-run single.
“As far as Rosario, I think it takes the pressure off him batting behind the pitcher,” Callaway said. “He gets to do some damage, too. That was tremendous by him. The kid can hit. The approach has been tremendous.”
- Kevin Plawecki over Travis d’Arnaud: As you probably know by now, Callaway is going to pick his starting catcher based not on the Mets’ pitcher, but the opposing team’s starting pitcher, in this case St. Louis righthander Carlos Martinez. Plawecki, starting his first season opener, went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, an RBI and two runs scored.
- Adrian Gonzalez sixth: Gonzalez’s poor spring training is one reason Callaway moved up Asdrubal Cabrera to cleanup. But Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and an RBI.
- Cabrera fourth: Well, that one didn’t work out so well until Cabrera (0-for-4) walked, took two bases on wild pitches and scored the Mets’ final run in the eighth.
Callaway received a hearty Citi Field welcome when he was introduced during pregame warmups by Howie Rose. In truth, fans would have cheered just as loudly had Rose said, “And here’s the new Mets manager, Anybody But Terry Collins!” But Callaway had to be pleased with the response and the game result just the same.
“It feels great,” Callaway said. “Anytime you win a game, that feels really good. Day off [Friday], prep a little bit for the next game and go from there.”
One other Opening Day oddity: The Mets put up a “Mound Visit” tracker next to the out-of-town scoreboard in leftfield. Under baseball’s new pace of game rules, teams are allowed only six mound visits (other than taking out a pitcher) in a nine-inning game.
On this one, score another win for Callaway and the Mets. The Cardinals used four mound visits. The Mets used none. And the game took just 3:01. Like we said, nearly perfect.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
