Funny guy! Mickey finds humor even during tough times
Mickey Callaway still has a sense of humor.
The Mets entered Monday's game against the Pirates on a six-game losing streak and a season-low 13 games under .500 - all on the heels of being swept by the Dodgers at home.
It had Callaway in a bit of a self-deprecating mood before defending his strategy of starting Sunday's game with a reliever - Jerry Blevins and try to bullpen his way through the rest of what was an 8-7 loss.
“Other than seven homers we did okay,” he said with a slight chuckle. “I think the game plan was to keep us in the game and give us a chance to win when we don't have a starter and those guys definitely did that. We were right there . ... just didn't get the job done.”
Callaway, who in his first year as a MLB manager has presided over the Mets' downward spiral following an 11-1 start, acknowledged that things have been bad but that the biggest thing he's learned is to stay consistent despite how easy it may feel to become angry.
“I was a really terrible player so I've been through this before,” he said with another laugh. “It's easy to do because I value it so much. I think it's important so I try to make sure that as bad as things are going - do I like it? No. I hate losing. More than anybody. I understand it takes more an even keel manner to make sure we get where we want to get as an organization at some point.”
Callaway said that demeanor - which he believes his players have too - is important in the long-run for the team.
“It's not just about today,” he said. “The even keel manner in which all our players - obviously they get frustrated sometimes - but they've done a good job coming to play every day. It's something that is important to us as organization moving forward. Not that, ‘I was just mad today.' That doesn't tend to get you out of slump or get teammates more on board with you or get more buy in with players. It's the day to day grind and doing things the right way that's going to change what we're doing.”
SOME GOOD NEWS
The Mets finally caught a break that wasn't somebody's bone.
An MRI on Brandon Nimmo's right hand came back negative on Monday, showing no break after he was hit by a pitch in the right pinkie finger in Sunday's loss. The team leader in .OPS (.974) is “day to day” while Jose Bautista got the start in right field and Dominic Smith in left against the Pirates.
“As of now, we're day to day. Not going to the disabled list,” Nimmo said. “Whenever I can swing that bat normally then I'll be ready to go again.”
The 25-year-old - who was not wearing any protective gear on his hand - said he would do some hand strengthening exercises and if there is no pain he could begin swinging the bat to see how he feels.
Nimmo had an X-ray on Sunday that came back negative, but with the Mets history of getting worse news following a negative X-ray it was certainly a relief to Nimmo.
“For sure,” Nimmo said. “Yesterday when it hit I wasn't sure. So many little bones in your hands and little things that could happen so this is a huge relief ”
ROSTER MOVE
The Mets recalled RHP Tyler Bashlor from Double-A Binghamton and optioned RHP Chris Flexen to Triple-A Las Vegas. Bashlor had a 2.62 ERA in 20 innings pitched with Binghamton.