MLB Bullets Has Bad Stuff 'Bout The Mets

I think the most underrated baseball book of the 1970s was Chico Escuela's Bad Stuff 'Bout The Mets.

• The defending National League champion New York Mets are off to a 2-5 start. Of course, the New York media understands that the season is still young and seven games is a small sample size. Nah, of course not.
• Anthony McCarron thinks that it's getting late early for the boys of Queens.
• Matt Snyder has nine reasons the Mets are struggling.
• Danny Knobler says the Mets themselves aren't worried. Nor should they be.
• On the other hand, the Orioles are the last undefeated team at 7-0. Richard Justice thinks the team's positive "vibe" is playing a big hand in their hot start.
• Jonah Keri has a more tangible explanation for the Orioles success and some thoughts about whether or not they can keep playing this well all season.
• Grant Brisbee wonders what conclusions we can draw from the Orioles not having lost and the Twins not having won.
• Speaking of the Twins, Miguel Sano gives his side of the story when umpire John Hirschbeck tossed him out of the game. Sounds like another episode of "Umps Behaving Badly."
• Howard Bryant takes the time to argue that the traditional narrative of Robinson as a "saint" detracts from his actual greatness.
• David Ortiz was introduced for his final Opening Day at Fenway Park, and they surprised him with his daughter singing the National Anthem. A touching moment. Many tears were shed, to be sure.
• Ben Lindbergh and Rob Arthur test the hypothesis that older hitters are declining because fastball velocity is increasing. Bottom line is that they don't see it.
• Eno Sarris has an interesting piece about how pitchers are changing the way they use their changeup.
• Tom Verducci has an inside look at how the Blue Jays are using sports science to try to get the most out of their players.
• Jeff Sullivan notes that the Rays have become the most aggressive team in baseball.
• Ken Rosenthal notes the problems that Madison Bumgarner has wearing shoes that fit.
• I don't think that this will come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Cubs game on Monday night, but Jeff Sullivan thinks Brandon Finnegan has what it takes to be a starting pitcher.
• Mike Matheny explains why he lets a statistic (the save) influence how he manages. Glad he's in St. Louis and not Chicago.
• Ken Rosenthal has some notes on the Rangers, including how the Cole Hamels deal is paying dividends and why Bud Selig criticized the team for signing Adrian Beltre, a deal that has turned out to be a bargain.
• Jerry Crasnick profiles the Seager brothers.
• The Dodgers unveiled their new "3-D look" batting helmets.
• In other fashion news, I can't believe anyone in Arizona thought this uniform was a good idea. Actually, I can believe that they thought it was a good idea. It's the Diamondbacks.
• Sam Gardner talks to the high school coach of Trevor Story and gets Story's story back then and now.
• Terence Moore thinks Dusty Baker is the calming influence the Nationals needed.
• Will Leitch remembers Eugenio Velez and uses the occasion to look at which players don't have a hit yet.
• Yankees reliever Nick Rumbelow needs Tommy John surgery.
• But Yankees catcher Brian McCann is OK after getting hit in the toe with a foul ball.
• Things aren't so good for Tigers catcher James McCann who is heading to the DL with an ankle sprain.
• Now it's the part of the show where people fall down. So cue up the "Yakety Sax" music and watch Astros catcher Erik Kratz trip and fall down as he's introduced on Opening Day.
• And as long as the music is still playing, watch former big leaguer Luis Jimenez trip and fall down as he circles the bases after hitting a home run in Korean baseball.
• The Angels beat NBA MVP Stephen Curry at a game of P-I-G.
• And finally, Nori Aoki wanted some cotton candy so much that he liberated some from a vendor with a foul ball down the first base line.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.