Casual Diehard

Brian Ferentz Bingo updated cards… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

Adam Ottavino is the first pitcher to record a double-digit save season for both the Mets and Red Sox. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

Editor’s note: My arm is gonna be in a sling for a bit here after the surgery… more writing here as soon as is practical. -Jesse This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

A fun night at the ballpark, right before I had shoulder surgery the next day. As the week draws to a close, I can wiggle my right fingers, but the arm is still numb, so apologies that there’s not a real written accompaniment here. But that’s okay, it’s a podcast, and Lindsey is a great listen! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonu...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

Editor’s note: I had rotator cuff surgery and the feeling I’ve got is “out of it.” —Jesse This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

So, how about that Aaron Rodgers debut? Oof. Getting out of the Mets game and finding out that’s how it went… a strange time. According to data from Stathead , there are 17 non-quarterbacks who have thrown more passes for the Jets than Rodgers’ single attempt before getting hurt. And here they are! 12: Tom Tupa (punter, 1999-2001) 7: Dick Christy (halfback, 1961-63); Brad Smith (wide receiver, 200...

If the Mets’ 2-0 win over the Twins yesterday seemed like a high-wire act as far as shutouts go, that’s because Tylor Megill , Phil Bickford , Trevor Gott , Brooks Raley , and Adam Ottavino combined to pitch a four-hitter whose peripherals have rarely been seen in Major League Baseball. The Twins got a triple by Willi Castro , had stolen bases from Alex Kiriloff and Royce Lewis , drew six walks, a...

This pod has a bit of baseball, a bit of football, and a whole lot of F1 as we play a Press Your Luck style game — just the trivia part, we don’t have big board technology around here. Go read Addy’s interview with John DeMarsico . It’s better than any silliness that would otherwise go here. If you’ve already read it, thank you, enjoy the weekend, and tell a friend to subscribe! This is a public e...

After a fun Week 1 of the college football season, which included a one-point safety in Kansas (we didn’t find out about this until after the show), and Texas-Permian Basin scoring 96 points in sportsmanlike fashion (we did talk about this on the show), we’re playing a game of our own. How does Brian Ferentz Bingo work? Iowa needs to average 25 points a game, and win seven, for their nepo baby off...

With Ronald Acuña Jr. last night becoming the charter member of the 30-60 club (and adding his 62nd stolen base, to boot), a quick look at the most home runs for each round number of stolen bases… * 130: Rickey Henderson , 10-130, 1982 A’s * 120: Henderson, 10-130, 1982 A’s * 110: Henderson, 10-130, 1982 A’s * 100: Henderson, 10-130, 1982 A’s * 90: Harry Stovey , 12-97, 1890 Boston Reds (Players L...

Hey, it’s Jesse. I usually don’t first-person these, since it’s Roger and Andrew’s podcast and I just like to do some notes in the space here… but also, today’s note is especially for the 8-year-old in my house, whose reaction to the Mets winning last night on DJ Stewart getting hit by a pitch was, “has that ever happened before?” “A walkoff hit by pitch?” I replied. “Yeah, it happens sometimes.”...

For reference, our episode in March was… Over before it began. At least we kind of knew all along? Welcome back Colleen to the show, and here is the picture of Mr. and Mrs. Met with the mascots who visited Queens this week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

According to Stathead’s data , last night’s home run by Mark Vientos off Aroldis Chapman was the 98th time in Mets history that they’ve gotten a solo shot with two outs in the ninth inning, and the third time this season. It’s the second time this season that a rookie has saved the Mets from being shut out this way, as Francisco Álvarez also did it on July 5 in Arizona. The difference there was th...

There is one way that the 2023 Mets might outdo the 2022 Mets in a positive way, and that is with their power. Brandon Nimmo hit his 19th home run of the season last night, which puts him one away from giving the Mets four players with 20 or more. When Nimmo next goes deep, he’ll join Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor , both of whom cracked 20-plus last year, as well as Francisco Álvarez , who like...

When Francisco Álvarez was hit by a pitch yesterday to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, Buck Showalter made the move that any manager would, sending in Tim Locastro to run for his catcher, needing him to go 270 feet to win the game. It turned out that Álvarez just could have scored as easily as Locastro did, as DJ Stewart singled, Mark Vientos walked, and Rafael Ortega laced the walkoff si...

Editor’s note: There is no editor’s note today, in the interest of getting this episode posted to your feed at the normal time. Sorry for the mix-up earlier in the week! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com

We’re back for more Vroom Vroom time with Addy, Britt, Jesse, and Lily, getting back into gear after F1’s summer break with an attempt to make an alignment chart for the boys in fast cars. As the discussion of our beloved Ferrari reveals, alignment is really more of a spectrum than trying to find the right box for everyone. Some of those corners are easy to peg, but this allows for some drift — an...

Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo each went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts last night in Georgia, another rough night in a rough season, and another little edit to the Mets’ history books. The list of career three-strikeout games is an interesting one, because it’s one of those things… like… you’ve got to be pretty good to be in the lineup to strike out three times regularly enough to be on the list. S...

Last night was the third straight game in which the Mets got fewer than five innings of work from their starting pitcher, with Tylor Megill exiting the mound in Atlanta having recorded just 14 outs. That was the same number as David Peterson on Monday night, and two more than Carlos Carrasco managed on Sunday in St. Louis. Carrasco has had 10 starts of fewer than five innings this season, matching...

We talked about Pete Alonso in the newsletter the other day , and now here he is with 39 home runs, right there next to Darryl Strawberry’s pair of such seasons. Of course, with more than a month to go, Alonso has his sights set on much larger numbers. We’ll see where he goes from here, to 40 and beyond… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acce...

When Luis Urías hit a grand slam on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, it was the first time that a Red Sox number nine hitter collected a salami in the Bronx, and only the second time ever for the man at the bottom of the Boston order to go deep against the Yanks with the bases loaded. Luis Rivera had done it at Fenway Park on August 31, 1990, and that was it. Overall, the Yankees still have a 4-2 lead...

This is very specific to Pete Alonso and to the Mets, because the 37 home runs that he hit in 2021 are his career-low for a non-pandemic season, and his 35th home run already gave him the Mets record for 35-homer seasons with four, but now he’s also got the Mets record for 37-homer seasons. It’s not just that 37 is the number of homers Alonso hit two years ago, it’s that 37 was the Mets’ team reco...