As blogs and message boards have become more prevalent, and journalists and sports personalities on SNY and WFAN have become even more desperate to make a name for themselves by being more outlandish and ultra-reactionary, I've simply started analyzing baseball by myself. It's really pretty simple. The team that wins has more runs than the other at the end of the game. When a team has lots of injuries, it hinders their chances. When that team is missing multiple key players from the starting lineup, bullpen and starting rotation, those chances suffer more. When the two aforementioned malady's are compounded by the fact that the Manager of that team doesn't think before he makes in-game decisions, well then you've got a pretty big problem.
I don't need to read the Daily News (even though Adam Rubin is the most level-headed beat writer around) or listen to Mike Francesa or watch SNY to know what's going on with the Mets. I don't need the opinion of people who don't follow the Mets as religiously as I do. While I don't doubt their intellect or their credentials, I do doubt the reasoning behind their statements and wonder if they really believe what they're bellowing. I don't need to be told that the Mets are in big trouble if their injured players don't get better. I don't need to be told that the Mets "lack heart" when they've shown more of it over the first 2 and a half months of this season then they did in all of 2007 or 2008. Most of all, I won't read articles or listen to people who suggest breaking up "the core" of this ballclub.
The only thing I care about is the current state of the Mets, and what's on the horizon. Yes, the Mets are only a game over .500 at 34-33. Yes, they've dropped 4 series in a row. Yes, they're dealing with a brutal schedule. However, as I see it, barring any more crippling injuries, the Mets are in great shape. Who do they owe that to? None other than the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies lost Brad Lidge a few weeks ago (he was pitching terribly anyway) and Raul Ibanez a few days ago. They've been a lot healthier than the Mets, but they've done nothing to separate themselves.
Because of the Phillies' refusal to be even close to respectable over the last few weeks, the Mets are only two games out of first. Now, realize that the Mets have played this season with the following injury problems:
Billy Wagner - Out since the season began, on target for an August return.
JJ Putz - Pitched hurt, and is now out until at least August.
Oliver Perez - On the DL for the last 2 months with a bruised ego and injured knee. His return seems imminent.
John Maine - Pitched hurt, and has now missed the last few weeks with shoulder stiffness. His return seems imminent.
Carlos Delgado - Out since May after undergoing hip surgery. On target for an August return.
Jose Reyes - Out since May 20th with a torn tendon in his hammy. Like Walter from the movie "The Burbs," no one knows where the hell he is...
Ryan Church - Missed a month with a hamstring injury.
Carlos Beltran - Has been playing with a bone bruise behind his knee.
Gary Sheffield - Like Beltran, has been playing with an injured knee.
....Now, that injury list isn't an excuse, but I think it's safe to say that this team will fare better once that list slowly starts to become shorter.
If the Mets can get through the next 3 weeks, where they play stiff competition non-stop, while getting guys back along the way, then we can fairly start to judge this team. If someone told you at the beginning of the season that on June 22nd, the Mets would be without their setup man, two fifths of their starting rotation, their leadoff hitter and their cleanup hitter, but be two games out of first, would you have believed them? If the Mets can get healthy, there is a National League East Title out there for the taking. Be patient...
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The 2009 Playoff Preview : April 14th Edition
With the 2009 Major League Baseball Season now over, I present Rational Mets Musings' 2009 Playoff Preview. I'm a tad surprised about which teams survived the 7 or 8 game grind (depending on the unbalanced schedule), but these matchups are intriguing and should be classic.
American League-
Kansas City @ Toronto
Baltimore @ Seattle
National League-
Florida @ St. Louis
Atlanta @ San Diego
.......First, try to get over the fact that the Red Sox (Beckett was never the same after the brawl), Rays (year after effect), Yankees (CC ate too many burgers and Wang retired after 2 bad starts), Angels (Torii Hunter forgot how to play CF), Phillies (Lidge blew too many saves), Mets, (Reyes didn't hit any triples this year) Cubs (Piniella threw a base in disgust and broke Rich Harden's arm) and Dodgers (Torre didn't utilize the bullpen enough) will all be watching the 2nd season from home. Now, Rational Mets Musings' LCS and World Series Picks:
LCS-
Kansas City OVER Baltimore
San Diego OVER Florida
World Series-
San Diego over Kansas City
......................................................And now, we return to reality............................................................
It's incredible how every year, people react to the first week of baseball as if it's the last. The 1986 Mets started 2-3, the 1998 Yankees started 0-3. Those teams ended up doing OK. The last few losses for the Mets have been disgusting. Not because the team lacked fire, or because the bullpen failed, or because they didn't score, or because the starting pitching crashed and burned. None of that happened. They lost one game because an inexperienced Left Fielder dropped a fly ball in the sun, and another because an experienced Right Fielder dropped a fly ball and a pitcher flinched. If Murphy catches that ball, and Felciano doesn't flinch, the Mets are 5-2, not 3-4. They'd be on their way to the Canyon of Heroes instead of the Pit of Doom.
It could be worse. The Mets could've lost 15-5 last night in Tampa.
American League-
Kansas City @ Toronto
Baltimore @ Seattle
National League-
Florida @ St. Louis
Atlanta @ San Diego
.......First, try to get over the fact that the Red Sox (Beckett was never the same after the brawl), Rays (year after effect), Yankees (CC ate too many burgers and Wang retired after 2 bad starts), Angels (Torii Hunter forgot how to play CF), Phillies (Lidge blew too many saves), Mets, (Reyes didn't hit any triples this year) Cubs (Piniella threw a base in disgust and broke Rich Harden's arm) and Dodgers (Torre didn't utilize the bullpen enough) will all be watching the 2nd season from home. Now, Rational Mets Musings' LCS and World Series Picks:
LCS-
Kansas City OVER Baltimore
San Diego OVER Florida
World Series-
San Diego over Kansas City
......................................................And now, we return to reality............................................................
It's incredible how every year, people react to the first week of baseball as if it's the last. The 1986 Mets started 2-3, the 1998 Yankees started 0-3. Those teams ended up doing OK. The last few losses for the Mets have been disgusting. Not because the team lacked fire, or because the bullpen failed, or because they didn't score, or because the starting pitching crashed and burned. None of that happened. They lost one game because an inexperienced Left Fielder dropped a fly ball in the sun, and another because an experienced Right Fielder dropped a fly ball and a pitcher flinched. If Murphy catches that ball, and Felciano doesn't flinch, the Mets are 5-2, not 3-4. They'd be on their way to the Canyon of Heroes instead of the Pit of Doom.
It could be worse. The Mets could've lost 15-5 last night in Tampa.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
We'll Miss You Shea
My Grandfather was born in 1913, about two months after Ebbets Field opened. He died in 2008, about two months before Shea Stadium closed. Over the 95 years he spent on this Earth, he had many passions. He was the most loyal man I ever knew. He was fiercely devoted to his family and his friends, and his greatest love was for the game of baseball. The man was a walking baseball encyclopedia. He saw all the greats play. From Babe Ruth to Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider to Tom Seaver.
He fell in love with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and they broke his heart when they left for Los Angeles after the 1957 season. His heart broke a little more when Ebbets Field was brought crashing down by a baseball shaped wrecking ball a few years later. In 1962, the Mets arrived, and my Grandfather's passion began anew. If it wasn't for him, I would probably still be a Mets fan. I would've probably set foot in Shea tons of times. But he taught me how to be a die hard. He showed me why the game of baseball was so important. Through his loyalty to the Mets, I learned how to be loyal - both to my baseball team and to the friends and family that I loved.
While Citi Field was being built, my Grandfather would say every once in a while how he didn't think he'd be around to see Opening Day in the new ballpark. We'd laugh it off, since we all thought he was invincible. But like every one of us, he wasn't invincible. The night before he passed away, when he was struggling for every breath, he said one last unprovoked thing to me. He lifted his head slightly and whispered "How'd the Mets do?" It was the last thing he ever asked me.
After I watched the final piece of Shea Stadium tumble to the ground today, there were a lot of things running through my mind. I thought of my Grandfather imparting his knowledge of the game to me, thought of my Father bringing me to Shea starting in 1986 when I was 3 years old, and I thought about all of the memories that the magnificent ballpark had given to me.
My story is one of millions. Mets fans are extra special. The vast majority are descendants of old Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants fans who lost their teams, but never lost their love for National League Baseball. Mets fans deal with agony, sit through sunny days and rainy nights. We're full of hope. It's the reason why mid-April games at Shea in the rain with 12,000 people in attendance sounded like there were 120,000 there. Those 12,000 were all die hards, and they were there to scream their heads off.
No matter how old I was, whenever I passed Shea Stadium on the highway - whether it was in the dead of winter or the middle of the summer - I'd stare at it as I passed by, and then crane my neck until it was out of view. I loved everything about it. It wasn't much from the outside, but the inside was a different story. I ran up the ramps, and always had to sit in my seat and take it all in before I went for food. I loved the smell of the beer and hot dogs, the smell of charcoal burning outside the park.
Shea would engulf me. The scoreboard in right field was enormous, the four seating levels were bright and full of life. The field seemed like something out of a dream. Even though the team on the field didn't always live up to expectations, a trip to the ballpark always did. As people get older, they tend to sit at home and watch their big screens. Going to the game is a hassle for them. For me, and millions of other Mets fans, going to Shea was a way of life.
I was there in the summer of 1986, but my Father had to bring me home because the sun was burning the hell out of me. I remember begging to go to the ballpark in September of 1993, when I was 9, and I ended up seeing Sid Fernandez's last game as a Met. I was there during the down years after that, still cheering my head off. I was at Shea for Benny's blast in the NLDS, Bobby Jones' 1 hitter, Cliff Floyd's walkoff homer after Marlon Anderson's inside the parker. I was at Shea when the Mets clinched the NL East in 2006, and I was sitting in the Upper Deck between third base and left field when Endy Chavez made that catch in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. It's my fondest memory of the place. It's the loudest I ever heard Shea, and the Upper Deck was swaying so ridiculously that my father thought it might give out. I told him I'd go down with it if it did, and I meant it.
The Mets lost that game, and they haven't been back to the Playoffs since. But no matter what happens on the field, the die hard fans remain. We're there for all of the wins and sit through downpours and 10-1 thrashings by cellar dwellers. We stay because we love the game and the Mets, and we stay because we have hope. We have hope that our team will win it all this year. We stay loyal to this team because we can't imagine our lives without them.
My Grandfather will never set foot in Citi Field. He won't watch Opening Day from his favorite chair, and he won't be there to talk to me about the game when it's over. Even though he isn't here, he lives on in me. Beyond baseball, he taught me how to be a man. He showed me how to speak with actions, not words. When Shea came down this morning at 11:21, I thought of him. When I go to my first game at Citi Field, I'll silently thank him for being the person who made me love this game and this team so much.
He fell in love with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and they broke his heart when they left for Los Angeles after the 1957 season. His heart broke a little more when Ebbets Field was brought crashing down by a baseball shaped wrecking ball a few years later. In 1962, the Mets arrived, and my Grandfather's passion began anew. If it wasn't for him, I would probably still be a Mets fan. I would've probably set foot in Shea tons of times. But he taught me how to be a die hard. He showed me why the game of baseball was so important. Through his loyalty to the Mets, I learned how to be loyal - both to my baseball team and to the friends and family that I loved.
While Citi Field was being built, my Grandfather would say every once in a while how he didn't think he'd be around to see Opening Day in the new ballpark. We'd laugh it off, since we all thought he was invincible. But like every one of us, he wasn't invincible. The night before he passed away, when he was struggling for every breath, he said one last unprovoked thing to me. He lifted his head slightly and whispered "How'd the Mets do?" It was the last thing he ever asked me.
After I watched the final piece of Shea Stadium tumble to the ground today, there were a lot of things running through my mind. I thought of my Grandfather imparting his knowledge of the game to me, thought of my Father bringing me to Shea starting in 1986 when I was 3 years old, and I thought about all of the memories that the magnificent ballpark had given to me.
My story is one of millions. Mets fans are extra special. The vast majority are descendants of old Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants fans who lost their teams, but never lost their love for National League Baseball. Mets fans deal with agony, sit through sunny days and rainy nights. We're full of hope. It's the reason why mid-April games at Shea in the rain with 12,000 people in attendance sounded like there were 120,000 there. Those 12,000 were all die hards, and they were there to scream their heads off.
No matter how old I was, whenever I passed Shea Stadium on the highway - whether it was in the dead of winter or the middle of the summer - I'd stare at it as I passed by, and then crane my neck until it was out of view. I loved everything about it. It wasn't much from the outside, but the inside was a different story. I ran up the ramps, and always had to sit in my seat and take it all in before I went for food. I loved the smell of the beer and hot dogs, the smell of charcoal burning outside the park.
Shea would engulf me. The scoreboard in right field was enormous, the four seating levels were bright and full of life. The field seemed like something out of a dream. Even though the team on the field didn't always live up to expectations, a trip to the ballpark always did. As people get older, they tend to sit at home and watch their big screens. Going to the game is a hassle for them. For me, and millions of other Mets fans, going to Shea was a way of life.
I was there in the summer of 1986, but my Father had to bring me home because the sun was burning the hell out of me. I remember begging to go to the ballpark in September of 1993, when I was 9, and I ended up seeing Sid Fernandez's last game as a Met. I was there during the down years after that, still cheering my head off. I was at Shea for Benny's blast in the NLDS, Bobby Jones' 1 hitter, Cliff Floyd's walkoff homer after Marlon Anderson's inside the parker. I was at Shea when the Mets clinched the NL East in 2006, and I was sitting in the Upper Deck between third base and left field when Endy Chavez made that catch in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. It's my fondest memory of the place. It's the loudest I ever heard Shea, and the Upper Deck was swaying so ridiculously that my father thought it might give out. I told him I'd go down with it if it did, and I meant it.
The Mets lost that game, and they haven't been back to the Playoffs since. But no matter what happens on the field, the die hard fans remain. We're there for all of the wins and sit through downpours and 10-1 thrashings by cellar dwellers. We stay because we love the game and the Mets, and we stay because we have hope. We have hope that our team will win it all this year. We stay loyal to this team because we can't imagine our lives without them.
My Grandfather will never set foot in Citi Field. He won't watch Opening Day from his favorite chair, and he won't be there to talk to me about the game when it's over. Even though he isn't here, he lives on in me. Beyond baseball, he taught me how to be a man. He showed me how to speak with actions, not words. When Shea came down this morning at 11:21, I thought of him. When I go to my first game at Citi Field, I'll silently thank him for being the person who made me love this game and this team so much.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
3 Out in The Loss Column with 79 Games to Go
With 79 games remaining in the 2008 regular season, the Mets are still fighting themselves - both on the field and in the clubhouse. But as their less than stellar play has continued, the Phillies have gotten worse. The Marlins are finally coming back to Earth, and the Braves are being overcome by their myriad of injuries (some expected and some not).
Injuries are not an excuse. With or without their starting outfielders, a member of their starting rotation and their setup man, the Mets should still be several games better than they are. As of now, they aren't. Save for their miserable 2 game funk against Seattle, the Mets have either won or split each one of their series over the last 2 1/2 weeks. As I've already noted, injuries aren't an excuse. The team should've been able to withstand the offensive dropoff by relying on their starters. But Oliver Perez hasn't been reliable, and Pedro Martinez was tipping his changeup the last few games. With those two right, things should begin to fall into place.
The return of Ryan Church has given the team immediate benefits. Believe it or not, Moises Alou is slated to come back this weekend at Philadelphia (he homered last night in a rehab game). IF, and this is a huge IF Moises Alou gets off the plane unscathed in Philadelphia, doesn't slip in the shower, and doesn't pull a hammy putting his pants on, this team will be whole for the first time all year come this Friday.
Remember this: When the season began, Alou was out. Duaner was still rehabbing, and Pedro was lost almost immediately. Castro was out. Beltran was coming off knee surgery. By the time Duaner came back, Alou was gone again (and Pedro was still out). When Pedro came back, Church was out and then Alou got hurt again. When Church came back, it came out that Pedro had been tipping his pitches - meaning he had only been back in name, not presence. Come this Friday in Philadelphia - when the Mets are hopefully somewhere between 1 and 3 games back in the loss column, the whole team will be together for the first time this season.
Instead of running out a lineup that consists of a corner outfield that includes some combination of Nick Evans, Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley, Andy Phillips and Endy Chavz (still love you Endy), the outfield will be Alou, Beltran and Church. We all screamed because of the Mets' offensive inconsistencies, but no one could've really expected a team with a 5 through 9 that was like swiss cheese to become an offensive juggernaut.
The much maligned bullpen looks to be something more than average. Billy Wagner had a rough week, but has otherwise been as dominant as ever. Duaner Sanchez has shaken off the rust, has his ERA in the 3's, and is again filthy in the 8th inning. Joe Smith has so far avoided a swoon. Pedro Feliciano still walks too many for my liking, but is death to lefties. Aaron Heilman even looks like a productive member of the pen again.
Say what you want about Johan Santana, but the man has an ERA that's sitting at 3.00. As has been repeated here ad nauseum, he is a notorious second half pitcher. One would think that he's starting to get used to the team and the city, and that he's beginning to learn the tendencies of NL hitters and the NL style. Watch for him to be utter filth in the second half. John Maine needs to last longer in games, but is right around where we expected him to be. Mike Pelfrey is progressing (lowering his WHIP and BAA each month), and has become more of a sure thing with each start. Oliver Perez has revamped his delivery, and Pedro will hopefully stop tipping his change.
The season to this point has felt like a climb up a mountain that keeps coming apart, causing the team to lose its footing way too often. There haven't been enough comebacks. There haven't been enough moments that make you jump up and scream out of pure joy. Instead, there has been lots of head-shaking and a great deal of disbelieving half smirks borne out of witnessing one more thing go wrong. Whether it's been a freak injury or a terrible call, a lazy play or a bad hop. Whether it's been a first pitch pop out with the bases loaded, a four pitch walk to the lead off hitter or an inexcusable mental mistake - it's been something.
The thing about Mets fans, is that we're all die-hards. You won't find a Met fan casually watching a game or not being able to name most of the 1991 roster. You won't see us wearing ill fitting hats, sitting in Shea staring off into space while the rest of the stadium is standing up. Sometimes being a fan of this team is destructive. A loss ruins your mood for a few hours, a bad loss ruins your mood for the rest of the night, and a devastating loss ruins your mood right up until first pitch the next night. This isn't healthy, but neither are our other assorted vices.
The next 6 games are huge. I'll be heading down to Philadeplhia on the 5th after shaking off my July 4th hangover, and I hope to roll into the ballpark with the Mets having a chance to tie the Phillies in the loss column or snatch 1st place from them altogether. There are 2 more games against St. Louis and their annoying overachieving team, before the return of Alou and the Independence Day stampede into Philadelphia. For the first time in 2008, the team should be whole on Friday. There should be 40% Mets fans in Philadelphia for this set. Those of you who are thinking about coming down, stop thinking and buy tickets. Come join us as we attempt to take back the Division that belongs to us.
Injuries are not an excuse. With or without their starting outfielders, a member of their starting rotation and their setup man, the Mets should still be several games better than they are. As of now, they aren't. Save for their miserable 2 game funk against Seattle, the Mets have either won or split each one of their series over the last 2 1/2 weeks. As I've already noted, injuries aren't an excuse. The team should've been able to withstand the offensive dropoff by relying on their starters. But Oliver Perez hasn't been reliable, and Pedro Martinez was tipping his changeup the last few games. With those two right, things should begin to fall into place.
The return of Ryan Church has given the team immediate benefits. Believe it or not, Moises Alou is slated to come back this weekend at Philadelphia (he homered last night in a rehab game). IF, and this is a huge IF Moises Alou gets off the plane unscathed in Philadelphia, doesn't slip in the shower, and doesn't pull a hammy putting his pants on, this team will be whole for the first time all year come this Friday.
Remember this: When the season began, Alou was out. Duaner was still rehabbing, and Pedro was lost almost immediately. Castro was out. Beltran was coming off knee surgery. By the time Duaner came back, Alou was gone again (and Pedro was still out). When Pedro came back, Church was out and then Alou got hurt again. When Church came back, it came out that Pedro had been tipping his pitches - meaning he had only been back in name, not presence. Come this Friday in Philadelphia - when the Mets are hopefully somewhere between 1 and 3 games back in the loss column, the whole team will be together for the first time this season.
Instead of running out a lineup that consists of a corner outfield that includes some combination of Nick Evans, Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley, Andy Phillips and Endy Chavz (still love you Endy), the outfield will be Alou, Beltran and Church. We all screamed because of the Mets' offensive inconsistencies, but no one could've really expected a team with a 5 through 9 that was like swiss cheese to become an offensive juggernaut.
The much maligned bullpen looks to be something more than average. Billy Wagner had a rough week, but has otherwise been as dominant as ever. Duaner Sanchez has shaken off the rust, has his ERA in the 3's, and is again filthy in the 8th inning. Joe Smith has so far avoided a swoon. Pedro Feliciano still walks too many for my liking, but is death to lefties. Aaron Heilman even looks like a productive member of the pen again.
Say what you want about Johan Santana, but the man has an ERA that's sitting at 3.00. As has been repeated here ad nauseum, he is a notorious second half pitcher. One would think that he's starting to get used to the team and the city, and that he's beginning to learn the tendencies of NL hitters and the NL style. Watch for him to be utter filth in the second half. John Maine needs to last longer in games, but is right around where we expected him to be. Mike Pelfrey is progressing (lowering his WHIP and BAA each month), and has become more of a sure thing with each start. Oliver Perez has revamped his delivery, and Pedro will hopefully stop tipping his change.
The season to this point has felt like a climb up a mountain that keeps coming apart, causing the team to lose its footing way too often. There haven't been enough comebacks. There haven't been enough moments that make you jump up and scream out of pure joy. Instead, there has been lots of head-shaking and a great deal of disbelieving half smirks borne out of witnessing one more thing go wrong. Whether it's been a freak injury or a terrible call, a lazy play or a bad hop. Whether it's been a first pitch pop out with the bases loaded, a four pitch walk to the lead off hitter or an inexcusable mental mistake - it's been something.
The thing about Mets fans, is that we're all die-hards. You won't find a Met fan casually watching a game or not being able to name most of the 1991 roster. You won't see us wearing ill fitting hats, sitting in Shea staring off into space while the rest of the stadium is standing up. Sometimes being a fan of this team is destructive. A loss ruins your mood for a few hours, a bad loss ruins your mood for the rest of the night, and a devastating loss ruins your mood right up until first pitch the next night. This isn't healthy, but neither are our other assorted vices.
The next 6 games are huge. I'll be heading down to Philadeplhia on the 5th after shaking off my July 4th hangover, and I hope to roll into the ballpark with the Mets having a chance to tie the Phillies in the loss column or snatch 1st place from them altogether. There are 2 more games against St. Louis and their annoying overachieving team, before the return of Alou and the Independence Day stampede into Philadelphia. For the first time in 2008, the team should be whole on Friday. There should be 40% Mets fans in Philadelphia for this set. Those of you who are thinking about coming down, stop thinking and buy tickets. Come join us as we attempt to take back the Division that belongs to us.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Amazing
Tonight was special. In the bottom of the 5th when Oliver Perez started melting down, I changed the channel because it was too brutal to watch. I expected to turn back and see the Mets down 5 or 6 to 3. But the Angels had only plated 3 runs. Ollie had melted down, but he hadn't completely evaporated like that silver dude at the end of Terminator 2.
Back in 2005, I attended the Marlon Anderson/Cliff Floyd game against the Angels at Shea. For those who don't remember, Marlon hit an inside the parker off K-Rod to tie up it, before the Mets fell behind again. In the next half inning, Cliffy had 2 strikes on him before hitting a walkoff. It was the greatest Mets game I ever attended in person. That game was in the back of my mind as the Mets' bullpen kept the Angels off the board through the bottom of the 8th. Frankie Rodriguez is a freak of nature, but I sensed that the Mets had a chance.
With 1 out, Reyes swung at some offspeed stuff in the dirt, but was still able to Ray Knight one over the second baseman's head and advance to 2nd on a pitch in the dirt. Then Wright came through. Then Easley gave us a moment right out of early 2007, before all the negativity started to set in. As Wagner trotted it and proceeded to set down the Angels in order, I kept muttering to myself: "Come on Billy, please God (and I don't even go to Church), one more, please."
When Torii Hunter swung through strike 3 for the 3rd out, I screamed and started clapping like a maniac. I then sat back for a second before uttering one word...
Amazing.
I didn't say it because I was thinking of the Mets' nickname. It just came out. It came out because that's exactly what this win was, and I said it because I still feel that it is exactly what this season can be.
Ollie bent, but didn't completely break.
Reyes responded to Manuel, in a big way.
The bullpen was lights out.
Jose hung in there in the 9th.
David brought him in.
Damion sent us home.
Along the way, David Wright made an absolutely ridiculous barehanded play on a soft chopper up the line, followed by an off balance throw to nab Kendrick to lead off the 9th.
Earlier today on WFAN, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo was bellowing to all who could hear that Shea Stadium would be empty in a few weeks. That if the Mets didn't turn it around (and he kept repeating that they were soft, had no fight), Shea would be a ghost town. I just smiled while he was saying it, smiled as the rest of the media kept taking shits all over the Mets all day.
After the biggest win of the year, the Mets now sit FOUR games behind the Phillies in the loss column. Through this storm, they took 2 out of 3 from the Texas Rangers, who had the best offense in basball. They went to Anaheim, and took 2 out of 3 from the Angels, who lead their Division. The joy of tonight can go straight to hell in the thin air of Colorado, but I don't think it will. For the first time this season, I'm not waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Back in 2005, I attended the Marlon Anderson/Cliff Floyd game against the Angels at Shea. For those who don't remember, Marlon hit an inside the parker off K-Rod to tie up it, before the Mets fell behind again. In the next half inning, Cliffy had 2 strikes on him before hitting a walkoff. It was the greatest Mets game I ever attended in person. That game was in the back of my mind as the Mets' bullpen kept the Angels off the board through the bottom of the 8th. Frankie Rodriguez is a freak of nature, but I sensed that the Mets had a chance.
With 1 out, Reyes swung at some offspeed stuff in the dirt, but was still able to Ray Knight one over the second baseman's head and advance to 2nd on a pitch in the dirt. Then Wright came through. Then Easley gave us a moment right out of early 2007, before all the negativity started to set in. As Wagner trotted it and proceeded to set down the Angels in order, I kept muttering to myself: "Come on Billy, please God (and I don't even go to Church), one more, please."
When Torii Hunter swung through strike 3 for the 3rd out, I screamed and started clapping like a maniac. I then sat back for a second before uttering one word...
Amazing.
I didn't say it because I was thinking of the Mets' nickname. It just came out. It came out because that's exactly what this win was, and I said it because I still feel that it is exactly what this season can be.
Ollie bent, but didn't completely break.
Reyes responded to Manuel, in a big way.
The bullpen was lights out.
Jose hung in there in the 9th.
David brought him in.
Damion sent us home.
Along the way, David Wright made an absolutely ridiculous barehanded play on a soft chopper up the line, followed by an off balance throw to nab Kendrick to lead off the 9th.
Earlier today on WFAN, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo was bellowing to all who could hear that Shea Stadium would be empty in a few weeks. That if the Mets didn't turn it around (and he kept repeating that they were soft, had no fight), Shea would be a ghost town. I just smiled while he was saying it, smiled as the rest of the media kept taking shits all over the Mets all day.
After the biggest win of the year, the Mets now sit FOUR games behind the Phillies in the loss column. Through this storm, they took 2 out of 3 from the Texas Rangers, who had the best offense in basball. They went to Anaheim, and took 2 out of 3 from the Angels, who lead their Division. The joy of tonight can go straight to hell in the thin air of Colorado, but I don't think it will. For the first time this season, I'm not waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Axe Has Fallen & The Willie Will Not Rise
I just happened to go to sleep last night with SNY still on. When my dual alarm clocks shook me awake at exactly 6:30 this morning, I instinctively sat up and started to stare at the TV. Out from the paid programming popped Steve Overmyer with breaking news. He was saying that Willie Randolph - along with Peterson and Nieto - had been fired. Was I still dreaming? If so, what a dream! I reached for my phone and saw a new text message. It had come at 5:16 AM and stated "Bye bye Willie...randolph has been fired..."
I was definitely awake. This had definitely gone down. Like everyone else, I was pretty surprised by the timing (both the time of night and that it had happened after a win). My time getting ready for work was spent thinking about this. I had a strong dislike for Willie Randolph the Manager dating back to when he was hired, but I also respected Willie Randolph the man. I wanted him to get fired, and I'm ecstatic that he did, but I do feel bad for him. I genuinely feel bad for the man.
There are other people involved in this who I don't feel bad for at all - the New York media, and some clowns at ESPN. To them, the way the Mets handled this is another sign of their ineptitude, their lack of class, their disregard for human decency. But the media doesn't really give a damn about Randolph the man, they give a damn that the timing of his firing made it impossible for them to get their stories in before deadline. We keep hearing "Oh my God, it was 3AM!!" It wasn't, it was actually 12 AM. We keep hearing "How thoughtless, they did this after that flight to the coast." Whatever.
No matter how the Mets did this, the media would've found a way to bash it. I bet, though, that if the Mets had announced this right after the game (around 1AM New York time), we wouldn't be seeing nearly as much vitriol as we are right now. Why? Because the NY media would've had their 2nd grade reading level drivel typed and printed for the morning papers.
If the Mets had fired Randolph after last season, the New York media's refrain would've been that he was made the scapegoat, the players failed him. The firing was unjust.
If the Mets had fired Randolph after the meeting around Memorial Day, they would've been bashed for not giving him time to turn it around.
If the Mets had fired Randolph on Sunday, they would've been lambasted as anti-dad because it was father's day.
If the Mets had fired Randolph right after the game, they would've been ridiculed for not giving him any time to gather himself before facing the media.
It was the New York media who said that this situation was eating at Randolph, and distracting the players. It was the New York media WHO SAID YESTERDAY that the Mets should either make an immediate decision or come out and announce that Randolph was being given the rest of the season. Well, they made that immediate decision and now all this. To borrow from John Lennon, it's as if the Wilpons have come out and declared that the Mets are more popular than Jesus.
What has really happened here? A millionaire who was given a chance to manage his favorite team has been fired. He had to make a trip to the west coast for the news, but one can argue that it was better for him. Would he have been happier if this happened at Shea, which would've meant an immediate release to the wolves? Did he want it to happen in New York so the media could follow him and surround his home? I don't think he did.
Willie Randolph is a genuinely nice man. He cared, he has impeccable character. Unfortunately, he was never very good at managing. He was never very good at dealing with the media. While he was under the microscope, he made some unfortunate remarks that accused people around the Mets of being racist (The Mets are racist, the same team that is naming their rotunda after Jackie Robinson). I don't know how I missed that one. He accused SNY of making him into his own star of "The Real World: Flushing," by only filming him when he was lifeless or angry. Did I mention he was never very good at managing? It was time for him to go. Again, the timing wasn't the greatest, but what is a good time to get fired? When is it ever fun?
I was definitely awake. This had definitely gone down. Like everyone else, I was pretty surprised by the timing (both the time of night and that it had happened after a win). My time getting ready for work was spent thinking about this. I had a strong dislike for Willie Randolph the Manager dating back to when he was hired, but I also respected Willie Randolph the man. I wanted him to get fired, and I'm ecstatic that he did, but I do feel bad for him. I genuinely feel bad for the man.
There are other people involved in this who I don't feel bad for at all - the New York media, and some clowns at ESPN. To them, the way the Mets handled this is another sign of their ineptitude, their lack of class, their disregard for human decency. But the media doesn't really give a damn about Randolph the man, they give a damn that the timing of his firing made it impossible for them to get their stories in before deadline. We keep hearing "Oh my God, it was 3AM!!" It wasn't, it was actually 12 AM. We keep hearing "How thoughtless, they did this after that flight to the coast." Whatever.
No matter how the Mets did this, the media would've found a way to bash it. I bet, though, that if the Mets had announced this right after the game (around 1AM New York time), we wouldn't be seeing nearly as much vitriol as we are right now. Why? Because the NY media would've had their 2nd grade reading level drivel typed and printed for the morning papers.
If the Mets had fired Randolph after last season, the New York media's refrain would've been that he was made the scapegoat, the players failed him. The firing was unjust.
If the Mets had fired Randolph after the meeting around Memorial Day, they would've been bashed for not giving him time to turn it around.
If the Mets had fired Randolph on Sunday, they would've been lambasted as anti-dad because it was father's day.
If the Mets had fired Randolph right after the game, they would've been ridiculed for not giving him any time to gather himself before facing the media.
It was the New York media who said that this situation was eating at Randolph, and distracting the players. It was the New York media WHO SAID YESTERDAY that the Mets should either make an immediate decision or come out and announce that Randolph was being given the rest of the season. Well, they made that immediate decision and now all this. To borrow from John Lennon, it's as if the Wilpons have come out and declared that the Mets are more popular than Jesus.
What has really happened here? A millionaire who was given a chance to manage his favorite team has been fired. He had to make a trip to the west coast for the news, but one can argue that it was better for him. Would he have been happier if this happened at Shea, which would've meant an immediate release to the wolves? Did he want it to happen in New York so the media could follow him and surround his home? I don't think he did.
Willie Randolph is a genuinely nice man. He cared, he has impeccable character. Unfortunately, he was never very good at managing. He was never very good at dealing with the media. While he was under the microscope, he made some unfortunate remarks that accused people around the Mets of being racist (The Mets are racist, the same team that is naming their rotunda after Jackie Robinson). I don't know how I missed that one. He accused SNY of making him into his own star of "The Real World: Flushing," by only filming him when he was lifeless or angry. Did I mention he was never very good at managing? It was time for him to go. Again, the timing wasn't the greatest, but what is a good time to get fired? When is it ever fun?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Whew...Thank You God
20 seconds ago, it looked like Billy Wagner was on his way to another epic meltdown. I had gone from reclined, to sitting up, to standing. When that rocket came off G. Anderson's bat, I thought it was about to shoot the gap. It breezed into Jose Reyes' glove, and he stepped on 2nd base for the game ending double play. I dropped to a knee on my hardwood floor and punched it 3 times (2 rights and a left, 1st time I've ever punched a floor), before laying flat on the ground and exhaling. Oh, to be a Mets fan.....
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