Admit it. Today is going to be a cold reality for all of us. Today is March 26. It was supposed to be Opening Day of the 2020 Major League Baseball season.
The New York Mets were supposed to be opening their new season at Citi Field under sunny skies with Jacob deGrom on the hill against Max Scherzer and the defending World Series Champion Washington Nationals.
That won’t happen of course. Thanks COVID-19.
And who knows when we will see baseball again? With the Olympics delayed, and the NFL now uncertain about when they will begin their season next fall, nothing is certain right now under these tricky circumstances.
Except this: video games.
Whether you are playing MLB The Show on PS4, or MLB RBI Baseball on Xbox One, you need to feed that craving. You need to satisfy that urge to play and watch some baseball, even if it is in virtual reality.
For me, I whipped out my iPhone and took to the field with MLB 9 Innings 20. Okay, I get it; it’s not MLB the Show, but still, give me a break.
In exhibition play the New York Mets pounded their cross-town rivals the Yankees, 14-0 from Yankee Stadium. That’s right 14-0!!
J.D. Davis powered the Amazins with four hits in six trips to the plate, including two homers and a double. In fact Davis’ solo shot in the top of the second got the party started for the Mets.
It was all Mets from there.
Marcus Stroman did his part on the mound for the Amazin’s, scattering six hits over five-and-a-third innings of work, while striking out six.
Leading 2-0 in bottom of the second, Stroman found himself in trouble when Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres both singled. Stroman managed to get Gary Sanchez to fly out deep to left on a ball that he just missed knocking out of the park. Next Stroman struck out Luke Voit swinging and got Gio Urshela to fly out to right to end the threat.
On the flip side, Mashairo Tanaka did just find for the Yankees. He held the Mets to two runs through five innings of work, but New York broke through in the top of the sixth.
A base hit by Wilson Ramos forced Tanaka out of the game for reliever Chad Green, whom the Mets tattooed. A base hit by Amed Rosario was followed two batters later by back-to-back RBIs by Jed Lowrie (yes, you read right, Jed Lowrie) and Jeff McNeil to make it 4-0 Mets.
Fast-forward to the top of the seventh and the Mets teed off the Yankees bullpen. A lead-off single by Pete Alonso was quickly followed by a thundering double by Michael Conforto. Ramos’ single to center drove in Alonso from third to make it 5-0.
Next, J.D. Davis crushed a 2-1 pitch by Green over the right field stands for a three-run bomb to make it 8-0 Mets. New York would continue to bat around in the seventh, scoring four more runs for an eight run inning to take a 12-0 lead.
Davis finished the day with two homers, a double and four RBI in the win. Robinson Cano (3-for-5) had three RBI, as did Lowrie when went 2-for-4 at the dish. Pete Alonos and Jeff McNeil both went 2-for-6 with runs scored. Michael Conforto went 3-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored. Wilson Ramos 3-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBI. Amed Rosario went 3-for-5 with 3 runs scored.
The Mets as a team finished with 24 hits.
If only this was real. If only we had baseball. So on this opening day, go ahead pull out your iPhone, or dig that Playstation out of the corner of your apartment and start playing. Play all day! It can still be Opening Day for us.
