"Everyone knows it. Every pitcher in the league knows it. MLB doesn't give a d**n about it" - New York Mets star pitcher rips into the MLB's "bad" baseballs
"I've been hit in the face. I don't want to do that to anyone, ever." - Chris Bassitt
The New York Mets have had a problem this April. It doesn't have to do with their record or their on-field performance. They're off to a record start with 14 wins and just five losses. Their closest division competitor, the Miami Marlins, are 4 1/2 games behind them. But the New York Mets still have a problem and, what's worse, it's beyond their control: Their batters keep getting hit in dangerously high areas, particularly the facial region, by pitches.
Chris Bassitt, one of the New York Mets' star pitchers, vocalized the team's concerns in an interview on Tuesday. "I've been hit in the face [before]," he said. "I don't want to do that to anyone, ever."
New York Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt blames the MLB's "bad" baseballs
Bassitt opened up to reporters about his anger at seeing his teammates go down after getting hit in the face with pitches.
"It's extremely annoying to see your teammates constantly get hit. If you get hit by certain pitches, it is what it is. But to get hit in the head the amount that we're getting hit is unbelievable."
For context, pitchers playing against the Mets have had an abnormally high rate of hitting batters with pitches. In particular, there have been several scary moments where Mets star players have collapsed to the ground after being hit in the head and facial area.
Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt shares his thoughts about why so many players are getting hit in the head
“MLB has a very big problem with the baseballs. They're bad. Everyone knows it. They don't care.”
https://t.co/Nfm8Nu1WF5
"Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt shares his thoughts about why so many players are getting hit in the head. 'MLB has a very big problem with the baseballs. They're bad. Everyone knows it. They don't care.'” - @ Jomboy Media
Earlier this month, Mets slugger Pete Alonso went down after being drilled in the helmet with a rising fastball by Washington Nationals pitcher Mason Thompson. Alonso walked away from the scary moment with nothing more than a busted lip, but the event fuelled the club's frustration.
Pete Alonso was just hit by a pitch in the helmet, and he was hot about it. Appeared to say say some words to Cardinals pitcher Kodi Whitley after the HBP. The Mets' dugout sort-of emptied, but order was quickly restored. https://t.co/T6WfDnSqBg
"Pete Alonso was just hit by a pitch in the helmet, and he was hot about it. Appeared to say say some words to Cardinals pitcher Kodi Whitley after the HBP. The Mets' dugout sort-of emptied, but order was quickly restored." - @ Anthony DiComo
In last night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Alonso was hit in the head again. This time, Buck Showalter and his players were angry. Alonso had a few words for pitcher Kodi Whitley on his way to first. His teammates gathered on the field beside the visitors' dugout to express their unhappiness. As one Twitter user pointed out, the New York Mets have the highest rate of batters hit by pitches this season, and it's not even close.
HIT BY PITCH 2022
4, Pete Alonso (Mets)
4, Starling Marte (Mets)
3, James McCann (Mets)
3, Dominic Smith (Mets)
2, Mark Canha (Mets)
1, Francisco Lindor (Mets)
1, Jeff McNeil (Mets)
0, Pittsburgh Pirates
"HIT BY PITCH 2022 4, Pete Alonso (Mets) 4, Starling Marte (Mets) 3, James McCann (Mets) 3, Dominic Smith (Mets) 2, Mark Canha (Mets) 1, Francisco Lindor (Mets) 1, Jeff McNeil (Mets) 0, Pittsburgh Pirates" - @ Dan Clark Sports
Seventeen Mets batters have been hit already this season. Alonso and Marte alone have combined for a total of eight.
Lots of talk in the Mets' postgame clubhouse about the continued trend of hit batsmen. Chris Bassitt complained about the inconsistency of game balls for pitchers. Starling Marte added that "it has to stop" and if the HBPs continue, "we're going to have to do something about it."
"Lots of talk in the New York Mets' postgame clubhouse about the continued trend of hit batsmen. Chris Bassitt complained about the inconsistency of game balls for pitchers. Starling Marte added that 'it has to stop' and if the HBPs continue, 'we're going to have to do something about it.'" - @ Anthony DiComo
New York Mets skipper Buck Showalter has also had enough of the wild pitches. In an interview on April 8, he made it clear that he was unhappy with his players being hit so frequently.
"I won't make light of it. I'm not happy about it." - Buck Showalter
New York Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo noted that Bassitt isn't the only one in the clubhouse complaining about the high rate of Mets being hit by pitches. He noted that outfielder Starling Marte said they'll "have to do something about it" if the trend continues.
Buck Showalter on Pete Alonso's hit-by-pitch:
"Somebody's gotta have some sexy lips for a couple of days" 😂
Buck also adds that he's "not happy" about multiple Mets being hit https://t.co/pImnmJy3BA
"Buck Showalter on Pete Alonso's hit-by-pitch: "Somebody's gotta have some sexy lips for a couple of days" Buck also adds that he's "not happy" about multiple Mets being hit" - @ SNY
Starting pitcher Chris Bassitt has a practical solution to the problem. He doesn't think pitchers are hitting New York Mets batters on purpose. He just thinks the MLB's selection of baseballs to use in games is extremely poor.
“The MLB has a very big problem with the baseballs—they are bad. Everyone knows it. Every pitcher in the league knows it. MLB doesn’t give a damn about it. They don’t care. We have told them our problems with them. They don’t care.”
Bassitt went on to say that the baseballs lack any kind of consistency. Each one has slightly-different grips and seams and marginally-different proportions.
"There is no common ground with the balls. There is nothing the same, outing to outing.”
Baseball is a game of inches, and that's what Bassitt thinks is what keeps causing the hit batters.