After a fast start to the season the New York Mets are . . . reverting to their historical state of Metsian Goodness.
They just got underway against the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon. The batting order was supposed to be Brandon Nimmo leading off, Wilmer Flores batting second and Asdrubal Cabrera batting third. That’s the lineup that got announced publicly and which was put up on the scoreboard. Got it? Good.
The problem: it turns out that the version of the lineup card the Mets turned in to the umpires just before the game had it wrong. It had Cabrera second and Flores third. Note: the lineup you give to the umpires is the one that controls in the game.
So, the first inning starts. Nimmo strikes out looking, Flores strikes out swinging and Asdrubal Cabrera hits a ground rule double. At that point Reds manager Jim Riggleman walks out to alert the umps of the Mets’ mistake. Per the rules, that means the next batter -- Jay Bruce -- was automatically called out, with the scoring being groundout to catcher. With that, the Mets’ first inning threat was ended.
For the record, Mets first base coach Ruben Amaro Jr. was the one who turned the lineup card in. No word who handed it to him, but I’m sure Mickey Callaway will say so after the game.
You don’t see many major league teams bat out of order. The Brewers did it in 2016. The Giants did it back in 2013. Beyond that I can’t remember. Heck, I can’t remember it ever happening in Little League and Babe Ruth games I used to play in.
Go Mets.
The @Mets batted out of order in the top of the first.
— Cut4 (@Cut4) May 9, 2018
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