Carlos Mendoza on Mets responding to adversity in win over Yankees
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza admitted the clubhouse was shaken by the injury to Clay Holmes on Friday night but proud of their response in Saturday's 6-3 win. Mendoza praised the work of the bullpen, especially Luke Weaver's performance in the seventh inning when he escaped from a bases loaded no-out jam. He also praised Mark Vientos' three-RBI night that enabled the Mets to stretch their lead.
Video Transcript
Carlos, you guys were able to piece this one together.
What were you most pleased with?
I mean, just the whole, whole effort, from the whole team.
You know, offensively getting the timely hit, but the pitching staff obviously.
the bullpen especially, after, Peterson, for Brooksy to come in there with two guys on one out, getting out of that situation.
Going back out there, then, you know, a couple of plays that, didn't go our way, and then for Weaf, like Weaf was unbelievable there.
Like, I'm not surprised by it, I've seen that before, but he was pretty fired up.
You could tell right away the way he was attacking Rosario there.
He gets the first one and you, you got a pretty good idea that he's going to get that, the job done.
And then not only he's able to get the, you know, out of the bases loaded, nobody out, but then for him to go back out and get three more outs, was huge.
So for me, obviously the bullpen, but overall I thought we played, we played a pretty good game.
How much more fun is it to watch one of your players do that, just contextually knowing that he's facing his former team?
I mean, there's always that extra edge, you know?
But we've seen it with him, you know.
Regardless whether you're playing against your former team or not, he knows the situation, he knows the game's on the line, and that's what make him who he is.
you know, he wants to be in those situation.
He's not gonna back down from anyone.
He's gonna go out there and he's gonna go right after people, and we saw that today.
Tony?
Just before all that happens, I mean, Benj drops the ball, you've got the weird bunt that sort of goes over the mound.
Just what's going through your mind at that point when you're trying to figure out how to get nine more outs?
Yeah, look, exactly, but at the same time, like, that's the game right there.
You're trying I- it's a completely different inning.
You know, if, if we catch that ball in right field, you know, it's, you know, the hit by pitch, but then it's a different al bat, at bat, left on left with Jazz there.
but look, you know, I'm glad that guys were able to pick other guys up, and that's what it's all about, you know?
Like, you don't make a play, I got you, I pick you up, and we did that today.
So, we found a way, and that's what matters.
Chelsea?
There were times earlier this year where Mark Vientos looked kind of lost at the plate, and now he's been producing runs for you guys, obviously out of the cleanup spot.
Like, what do you think turned for him that's allowed him to do this?
Confidence.
he knows he's in the lineup.
He knows he's playing every day.
he knows he's hitting cleanup.
and he just kinda getting settled there.
he doesn't have to worry about whether he's going to be in the lineup or not, whether he has to get two or three hits, in order for him to be there again, which is the competition, you know?
Like, you gotta earn it.
And, he's done that obviously, and we need him.
It was good to see him, you know, getting that, that double down the line, but just continue to have good at bats, you know, throughout.
So, we need him.
Ron?
When you say that, you could see right away Luke was fired up, was it his pitches and his stuff or the look in his eyes?
Well, I mean, it's hard for me to tell from the dugout, right?
But it just, the body language there, right?
and just I mean, I think he hit 98. it's just how, the, the way the ball was coming out, he was attacking, and then executing, the way he mixed his pitches.
Like, he wasn't afraid to use the fastball, but then he used the changeup when he needed to.
and that shows you right there that he's on.
Peter?
Oh, yeah.
and then just to build off that, what did you see from Devin Williams tonight?
what we've been seeing the past, a lot of the last outings.
he comes in, you know, he's attacking, but he's not afraid to use the fastball.
The changeup, obviously we know that he's going to use that pitch.
but yet I like the fact that that three two, you know, he was able to elevate the fastball to get Bellinger.
But overall, like, using his pitches, attacking, executing, it is good to see that.
Joe?
Two things if possible.
I know it's a strikeout, but I wonder what you thought of Torrens at bat.
It's a 10 pitch at bat there, and then, like, Rodon kind of fell apart a little bit after it.
Yeah, I mean, it, it was, It's something that when you look at the box score, it's oh-four, but the fact that as a team we kind of drove the pitch count up, but that Torrens at bat, you know, was, I don't know.
I mean, you look at what, what happened next, and he was We went from two out, nobody on base to being able to, you know, not only get his pitch, pitch count up, but being able to score there, you know, on a wild pitch.
so yeah, I think not only Louis, but overall I thought we took some good at bats off Rodon.
The other thing is you, you seemed really down last night.
You seem really down today.
I wonder what a game and a win means for you and the team after what happened.
I think it means a lot to everyone in here.
especially, I said it before the game, we felt it last night.
last night was, was, tough for all of us in there in the clubhouse.
But, we came back today and there was a better understanding of the situation, and also the reality is that we still got a job to do.
and we got 26 big league players that are more than capable to turn this thing around, even though we've been facing a lot of adversity.
So to go out there and play a game like that and get the job done is, it's just, it's fun to watch and it's good to see it from the boys.
Gary.
Carlos, going back to work and accounts for a second, Carson threw I think 26 pitches tonight.
Does that trickle down to every, to everybody else, and how impressive is that?
I know you expect that out of him and his skill set, but to see that from a player in his first week as leadoff hitter.
Grinding out at bats, that's what it's all about.
And when we're doing that, you know, we, we wanna put ourself in, in, you know, in situations where we're gonna be able to score runs.
and it starts at the top with Carson.
Feel like he's settling nicely, at the top too.
and you know, that's, that's what it comes down to, you know?
Like working at bats, passing the baton, trusting the, the next guy, putting the ball in play when we need to, doing damage.
And Carson, when you look at the past, I don't know how many, how many games now, but he's, he's in a good place right now.
In the back.
What did he feel about Boone's challenge when AJ stole second base?
And also a second question, following up yesterday's press conference, did you have a conversation about who's gonna fill in Clay Holmes' starting spot in the rotation?
We don't know who's going to fill that spot.
We gotta get through tomorrow.
there's a lot of names on the table, where we're gonna go with a bullpen game, where we're gonna go with a starter.
You know, there's so many ways we could go here, but we won't know until probably tomorrow after the game.
We'll see where we are bullpen wise, how we're looking for the next day.
so yeah, there's a lot to discuss.
and as far as the challenge goes, yeah, we knew that he came off, but you know, for me, you know, I saw Volpe with a whole foot in front of the base.
Like, it should've been obstruction.
But one- once you, they don't call it right there, you, you're not gonna get that call.
So we knew he came off, after that, so.
Michelle?
how did you think Peterson fared?
I thought he was good.
I thought he was good.
you know, he gave us a chance.
he made pitches when he needed to.
I like the way he mixed all of his pitches.
I like the I, I thought the slider was good, the sinker, the way he used the four-seam, the breaking ball when he needed to.
I thought overall, he did a very good job for us.
