ST. LOUIS — For the second time in two and a half weeks, Pete Alonso was back in the Mets lineup and playing first base the day after getting hit on the helmet by a pitch.
Alonso passed concussion protocol on Tuesday after a Kodi Whitley changeup cracked his helmet in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 3-0 win over the Cardinals. Alonso took first base following the hit by pitch, but he was fired up and jawed at the Cardinals after getting beaned for the second time in 19 games this season.
Manager Buck Showalter — who has said over and over that, at some point, it doesn’t matter if these hit-by-pitches are intentional or not — does not want his pitchers retaliating by drilling the opposing team. The skipper indicated the best revenge is winning.
“There’s a lot of emotion flying around. Stop, think this through,” Showalter said before Wednesday’s 10-5 loss to the Cardinals — which included a brawl after Mets reliever Yoan Lopez sent a fastball up and in by Nolan Arenado’s face half an inning after J.D. Davis was hit by a pitch.
“There’s a lot of ways to show your toughness other than reciprocating hitting somebody else in the head,” he continued — Showalter also maintained that stance after Wednesday’s game, saying Lopez’s pitch was not intentional. “Then all of a sudden somebody’s career is over and somebody’s laying there with blood coming out of their ears. How do you really feel? Was it worth it? No, it was kind of stupid. But there’s a lot of frustration.”
Showalter added: “I asked somebody today, have you been hit by a 96 mph fastball in the neck? It’s painful, and it’s also scary. You’re trying to make a living out of trying to get to these pitches that you got less than a second to react to.”
Mets players, particularly pitcher Chris Bassitt, were emotional after Tuesday’s win about all the hit-by-pitches. The Amazin’s entered Wednesday leading the league in getting drilled with 18, seven more than any other team. Bassitt and catcher James McCann called out MLB on Tuesday for failing on multiple levels to address gripping issues on the ball.
Showalter and GM Billy Eppler spoke to the league on Wednesday morning, the manager said. Showalter was satisfied with MLB’s receptiveness toward the dangerous issue, one that could go from bad to worse in seconds in terms of injury.
“The problem, too, is [MLB] can’t just say, all right, let’s do this,” Showalter said. “They have to go through the players’ union. They have to go through the owners. It’s not just an easy, snap-your-finger thing.”
But players believe there is a quick solution, one that could be solved in-season rather than waiting until the winter or another five years until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. McCann suggested placing a pine tar rag near the back of the mound, next to the rosin bag. Former Mets pitcher and current SNY broadcaster Ron Darling suggested keeping the ball in play once it falls in the dirt or the grass, because then it becomes tackier.
Showalter reminded his pitchers that they are allowed to carry a wet rag in their back pocket to help them grip the ball. But that’s not exactly an ideal solution on cold, chilly nights like the ones at Busch Stadium this week. The rosin bag behind the mound requires a bit of perspiration to be used effectively, which is why pitchers can be seen taking their caps off and running their fingers through their hair for sweat.
Last year, MLB cracked down on pitchers using sticky substances on balls in an effort to lower spin rates, which was impacting players’ ability to hit the ball and thus decreasing offensive production. Some substances, like Spider Tack, were proven to effectively increase velocity for pitchers. But sticky substances also helped pitchers grip the ball, and without it, some are struggling with their command.
“Let’s face it, the problem is that the pitchers went too far one way,” Showalter said. “And the question is whether we as an industry have gone too far the other way. … It’s so easy to sit around and complain about things. What’s the solution? That’s more what I’m interested in. Obviously, there’s an issue. But what’s the solution? I’m all ears.”
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