You can look at this win in two lights. One, yet another injury with Angel Pagan going down with a bum groin after hitting a double to score the game's first run. Beltran missed the game with a stomach bug that sat him out last night and John Maine pitched six strong innings but left due to a similar stomach bug.
At least Alex Cora is close to coming back, adding some much needed depth to a team that is losing people daily.
You could also look at it from the fact they went 5-of-6 on this past homestand, that we're only .5 back of the Flithies and we've got games at Pittsburgh and the gNats coming up before the season takes a turn towards difficult.
Speaking of which, I think we may have solved one of the most difficult things to deal with when moving to a new city. Yes, I know I moved to the ATL last summer but I wasn't planning on staying in an apartment for the rest of my life.
Maybe after my wife leaves me for a doctor, I start growing my dreads again and spend more weekends just 'veggin out'. But even then, I would still want a house so I wouldn't have anyone bothering me about that consistent crying noise, only occasionally blocked out by random musical selections...
But I digress. That and I won't jinx a good thing until someone signs on the dotted line and the movers are driving away, meaning the Mexicans we hired at the U-Haul hop back into their pick up and drive away with the 12-pack of Modelo and $40 for a day's work well done.
Anyway, Elton John's song goes tomorrow against Ian Snell. Wasn't he gonna be the next big thing? They said the same thing about Zach Grenkie and were wrong for years before now...
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Game 47 - Marlins 7, Mets 3
I could feel bad about this, but it was our No. 5 (Redding) vs. the biggest Fish (Johnson) and Jerry Manuel decided to give David Wright and Gary Sheffield the day off.
Needless to say, it was almost like he was giving it away before it even began. I understand, especially since you need to give guys a break, so...
So let's take joy in the fact that T.I.'s dumb ass is safely locked away in prison tonight.
Let's take joy in the fact that the NBA Finals are set and they don't include the Kobe vs. LeBron matchup that so many business execs where expecting. Anticipating. Nah, let me just say it outright - pushing all their chips to the table and going all in on.
I don't think the Magic will hold a candle, but now I can fully root for Rashard Lewis to go nuts on Lamar Odom, seeing how both players are carbon copies of the other. Except for the fact that Lewis isn't as good as Odom could have been.
Let's take joy in the fact that both New York teams are in first place heading into June. That in a couple of weeks, they'll meet at the Bronx Launch Pad...
And speaking of which, I read an article by Bob Klapish of the Record that truly upset me. Basically, he was saying how the Mets regret making their field a pitcher's park and how their lack of home run numbers could prove fatal. To which I say, shut the hell up.
There was a time when teams put together strings of hits and scored runs. Back then, it would just be another big inning but to do that today would push a pitcher's pitch count up. It would lead to a manager turning to his bullpen early and since the Mets have the best bullpen ERA, that can only be a good thing.
I've always said that I'd prefer back-to-back doubles an a home run anyday. In Citi, if one of those doubles heads to the gap, it's a three-bagger. I hope they don't do a thing, but if enough columnists complain and convince enough rubes without their own minds to complain on WFAN and ESPN New York and any other outlet that would influence the public relations department in Flushing...
I just hope they don't listen. I like the large Citi just the way it is. It will help fly-ball pitchers like John Maine, who can make it a 5-out-of-6 homestand with a quality start today.
Needless to say, it was almost like he was giving it away before it even began. I understand, especially since you need to give guys a break, so...
So let's take joy in the fact that T.I.'s dumb ass is safely locked away in prison tonight.
Let's take joy in the fact that the NBA Finals are set and they don't include the Kobe vs. LeBron matchup that so many business execs where expecting. Anticipating. Nah, let me just say it outright - pushing all their chips to the table and going all in on.
I don't think the Magic will hold a candle, but now I can fully root for Rashard Lewis to go nuts on Lamar Odom, seeing how both players are carbon copies of the other. Except for the fact that Lewis isn't as good as Odom could have been.
Let's take joy in the fact that both New York teams are in first place heading into June. That in a couple of weeks, they'll meet at the Bronx Launch Pad...
And speaking of which, I read an article by Bob Klapish of the Record that truly upset me. Basically, he was saying how the Mets regret making their field a pitcher's park and how their lack of home run numbers could prove fatal. To which I say, shut the hell up.
There was a time when teams put together strings of hits and scored runs. Back then, it would just be another big inning but to do that today would push a pitcher's pitch count up. It would lead to a manager turning to his bullpen early and since the Mets have the best bullpen ERA, that can only be a good thing.
I've always said that I'd prefer back-to-back doubles an a home run anyday. In Citi, if one of those doubles heads to the gap, it's a three-bagger. I hope they don't do a thing, but if enough columnists complain and convince enough rubes without their own minds to complain on WFAN and ESPN New York and any other outlet that would influence the public relations department in Flushing...
I just hope they don't listen. I like the large Citi just the way it is. It will help fly-ball pitchers like John Maine, who can make it a 5-out-of-6 homestand with a quality start today.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Game 46 - Mets 2, Marlins 1 (11 innings)
This is a hoops head conversation had on FreeDarko Presents: The Disciples of Clyde website that I thought I would bring here for a slight change of pace.
I made this point (or a similar one) to Mr. Filo a few months back - That the NBA had become a pick-and-roll league with little else. Let's see what you NBA-heads think when it comes from one of your own, namely Page 2's Bill Simmons...
In response, my resident NBA expert Dan-O said:
To which I replied...
It makes it predictable and leads me to wonder how teams seem to play like they don't know what's coming. And it's also a likely result of players coming from various places, whether that's straight from high school, only one year of college or Europe.
It seems unless you have a core of a team together for a couple of years, the coaches can't teach these players an offense that doesn't eventually become pick and roll. Was it like this in the 80s? Early to mid 90s with Riley's Knicks and Rudy's Rockets?
Maybe that's in part because NBA coaches are at the whim of the players paid millions by the owners. In college, the coach is king and therefore can institute different offenses sets.
I'll always watch the playoffs because I'm a sports fan, but it's gonna take something really special for me to pay attention to the regular season.
As for the Mets, someone please tell Brian Schinder to stay in Buffalo or accept his outright release. Omir Santos is my catcher, plain and simple.
That's exactly what Mr. David Wright needs to do, keep things plain and simple. AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BASES LOADED AND ONLY ONE OUT.
Maybe he's nervous, realizing the full magnitude of the NYC pressure. Almost like he was getting a pass early on and now, it's showed up full force. I mean, I can't knock the guy really cuz he's batting over .300 with RISP. But it's the increased strikeouts and coming up young in the big, clutch situations.
If I really wanted to research, I could check out his numbers this year in Late and Close at-bats but I don't have a connect at the Elias Sports Bureau.
Yet.
Maybe after Tim Redding outduels somebody this afternoon, coming off the heels of Pelfrey going 7.1 strong tonight, someone will give me the link inside.
I made this point (or a similar one) to Mr. Filo a few months back - That the NBA had become a pick-and-roll league with little else. Let's see what you NBA-heads think when it comes from one of your own, namely Page 2's Bill Simmons...
"Today's games should be easier to call because they're more predictable. Teams run the same play five or six straight times down the stretch. For Cleveland, it's the high screen with Ilguaskas and James. For Boston, it's the high post play with Pierce. For the Lakers, it's the "Let's run the triangle for 42 minutes, then we'll just clear out for Kobe for the last six" offense. For Denver, it's either a high screen for Chauncey or a clear-out for Carmelo. Only the Magic (God bless them) seem interested in playing a style that doesn't revolve around the same guy hoisting3s or barrelling toward the basket again and again."
In response, my resident NBA expert Dan-O said:
The NBA plays a lot of pick and roll. But it’s not the same exact pick and roll. It’s multiple variations of the pick and roll.
It doesn’t make it any less watchable for me. You?
To which I replied...
It makes it predictable and leads me to wonder how teams seem to play like they don't know what's coming. And it's also a likely result of players coming from various places, whether that's straight from high school, only one year of college or Europe.
It seems unless you have a core of a team together for a couple of years, the coaches can't teach these players an offense that doesn't eventually become pick and roll. Was it like this in the 80s? Early to mid 90s with Riley's Knicks and Rudy's Rockets?
Maybe that's in part because NBA coaches are at the whim of the players paid millions by the owners. In college, the coach is king and therefore can institute different offenses sets.
I'll always watch the playoffs because I'm a sports fan, but it's gonna take something really special for me to pay attention to the regular season.
As for the Mets, someone please tell Brian Schinder to stay in Buffalo or accept his outright release. Omir Santos is my catcher, plain and simple.
That's exactly what Mr. David Wright needs to do, keep things plain and simple. AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BASES LOADED AND ONLY ONE OUT.
Maybe he's nervous, realizing the full magnitude of the NYC pressure. Almost like he was getting a pass early on and now, it's showed up full force. I mean, I can't knock the guy really cuz he's batting over .300 with RISP. But it's the increased strikeouts and coming up young in the big, clutch situations.
If I really wanted to research, I could check out his numbers this year in Late and Close at-bats but I don't have a connect at the Elias Sports Bureau.
Yet.
Maybe after Tim Redding outduels somebody this afternoon, coming off the heels of Pelfrey going 7.1 strong tonight, someone will give me the link inside.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Game 45 - Mets 7, Nationals 3
Another quick blast cuz I'm at work...
Well, we're finally winning Santana starts despite his performance. After going all out against the Red Sox in the last start, it stands to reason he would be a little off on this one. Thankfully the offense bailed him out and he gutted through...
The minute I finally drop Daniel Murphy from my fantasy team (Don't ask. I really, really really needed a left fielder and he was the best one available), of course that's the day he wakes up and knocks in 5 RBIs.
This is the big series before we face Philly in June. The Fish always leave their stink on this team and this time must be different. They'll get 2-3-4, but it's gotta start with Mike Pelfrey tonight.
Well, we're finally winning Santana starts despite his performance. After going all out against the Red Sox in the last start, it stands to reason he would be a little off on this one. Thankfully the offense bailed him out and he gutted through...
The minute I finally drop Daniel Murphy from my fantasy team (Don't ask. I really, really really needed a left fielder and he was the best one available), of course that's the day he wakes up and knocks in 5 RBIs.
This is the big series before we face Philly in June. The Fish always leave their stink on this team and this time must be different. They'll get 2-3-4, but it's gotta start with Mike Pelfrey tonight.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Game 44 - Mets 6, Nationals 1
Of course, since I thought we would lose with Livan on the mound, he goes out and throws a complete game...
Picture that.
So the walking wounded that is the Mets has forced the hand of Omar to add Fernando Martinez to the roster. It's funny, they talked about it on Baseball Tonight. They sub-slugged the segment "The ReplaceMets" and were talking about Martinez while they showed Ramon Martinez and Angel Pagan. Ha!
It's like Nike and Vitamin Water placing all their money on a Kobe vs. LeBron Final, not hedging their bet with something for Dwight Howard or Carmelo.
You would think after Reebok's Dan vs. Dave diaster in 1992, advertisers would think twice before doing something like that again. How funny are those puppet commercials gonna be if the Pepsi Center is rocking after Rashard Lewis misses another three?
I was gonna talk about the death of hip hop, how it's a musical genre that actually alienates its listener as they get older. I've spoke with two of my friends in the past 48 hours. Both got on the bus early, listening to classics like Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Ice Cube pre-Hollywood and A Tribe Called Quest. Yes, the golden era of the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Like the nation, they stayed with it through the 1990s but have faded and there's no one to bring them back. Each have basically stated that they see no need to search out/listen to or look for new hip hop.
Example - LX called and said "Did you know there's a new Method Man/Redman - Blackout 2 album out." My answer - "Yeah and even if it came out a year after the first one, it would have sounded tired. There's no need to listen to it."
Example 2 - Sini called and said "Have you heard the new Eminem?" My answer - "Yeah and even if you enjoy his lyrical skill, its not enough. He's talking about the same things and still has jokes on Christopher Reeve."
I'm in Atlanta, so I don't know what it's like nationwide but was I the only one celebrating the fact that T.I. went to jail today? I mean, the guy threw a concert on Friday as "His Last Show".
Maybe if he didn't feel the need to live the same "money, guns and drugs" life that raps about and acted like any "boss", meaning he let his underlings handle his light work and keep his name out of the feds mouth, he wouldn't have to worry about spending a year and a day in the pen.
I feel no sympathy for him at all and yet, this is the top voice in the game right now. If not him, think about the fact that Jay-Z (who left Def Jam for whatever reason), Nas and Busta Rhymes are still considered the best in the game, (along with Little Wayne). That's a similar list from a decade ago (except for Little Wayne). There's no new blood, no new sound worth listening to and it's the same crap you heard before.
Rock doesn't do that to its faithful, does it? If you liked Aerosmith in the 70s with Dream On and Walk This Way, Janie's Got A Gun wasn't that far of a reach. Early Metallica fans still listen to and like their new stuff. Same can't be said for Dave Matthews Band, but all my examples can't be perfect.
Well, that's my musical rant for the day. Santana goes tomorrow for the series sweep against the gNats and then the Fish come to town. That's the big series to really worry about with all these injuries.
Picture that.
So the walking wounded that is the Mets has forced the hand of Omar to add Fernando Martinez to the roster. It's funny, they talked about it on Baseball Tonight. They sub-slugged the segment "The ReplaceMets" and were talking about Martinez while they showed Ramon Martinez and Angel Pagan. Ha!
It's like Nike and Vitamin Water placing all their money on a Kobe vs. LeBron Final, not hedging their bet with something for Dwight Howard or Carmelo.
You would think after Reebok's Dan vs. Dave diaster in 1992, advertisers would think twice before doing something like that again. How funny are those puppet commercials gonna be if the Pepsi Center is rocking after Rashard Lewis misses another three?
I was gonna talk about the death of hip hop, how it's a musical genre that actually alienates its listener as they get older. I've spoke with two of my friends in the past 48 hours. Both got on the bus early, listening to classics like Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Ice Cube pre-Hollywood and A Tribe Called Quest. Yes, the golden era of the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Like the nation, they stayed with it through the 1990s but have faded and there's no one to bring them back. Each have basically stated that they see no need to search out/listen to or look for new hip hop.
Example - LX called and said "Did you know there's a new Method Man/Redman - Blackout 2 album out." My answer - "Yeah and even if it came out a year after the first one, it would have sounded tired. There's no need to listen to it."
Example 2 - Sini called and said "Have you heard the new Eminem?" My answer - "Yeah and even if you enjoy his lyrical skill, its not enough. He's talking about the same things and still has jokes on Christopher Reeve."
I'm in Atlanta, so I don't know what it's like nationwide but was I the only one celebrating the fact that T.I. went to jail today? I mean, the guy threw a concert on Friday as "His Last Show".
Maybe if he didn't feel the need to live the same "money, guns and drugs" life that raps about and acted like any "boss", meaning he let his underlings handle his light work and keep his name out of the feds mouth, he wouldn't have to worry about spending a year and a day in the pen.
I feel no sympathy for him at all and yet, this is the top voice in the game right now. If not him, think about the fact that Jay-Z (who left Def Jam for whatever reason), Nas and Busta Rhymes are still considered the best in the game, (along with Little Wayne). That's a similar list from a decade ago (except for Little Wayne). There's no new blood, no new sound worth listening to and it's the same crap you heard before.
Rock doesn't do that to its faithful, does it? If you liked Aerosmith in the 70s with Dream On and Walk This Way, Janie's Got A Gun wasn't that far of a reach. Early Metallica fans still listen to and like their new stuff. Same can't be said for Dave Matthews Band, but all my examples can't be perfect.
Well, that's my musical rant for the day. Santana goes tomorrow for the series sweep against the gNats and then the Fish come to town. That's the big series to really worry about with all these injuries.
Game 43 - Mets 5, Nationals 2
I'll make this quick since I fell asleep with the baby on the couch and couldn't write this last night...
Biggest thing is Frankie coming on and getting the save, showing that the back spasm scare from the weekend was much ado about nothing...Hopefully.
Nice to see Putz enter in the seventh and get the ball to Frankie.
Also happy to see this offense do something with all the pieces missing. I expect Carlos Beltran to slide off his pace a touch since he wasn't even supposed to play yesterday but clearly can't take a day off.
Livan Hernandez must be going tonight because I feel like we might lose...
Biggest thing is Frankie coming on and getting the save, showing that the back spasm scare from the weekend was much ado about nothing...Hopefully.
Nice to see Putz enter in the seventh and get the ball to Frankie.
Also happy to see this offense do something with all the pieces missing. I expect Carlos Beltran to slide off his pace a touch since he wasn't even supposed to play yesterday but clearly can't take a day off.
Livan Hernandez must be going tonight because I feel like we might lose...
Monday, May 25, 2009
Game 42 - Red Sox 12, Mets 5
I'll speak nothing of this game, chalking it up to the law of order correcting itself. To Tim Redding making his second start of the year and running out of gas in the fifth inning and to asking too much of an offense to battle back two games in a row.
Speaking of which, the main concern should be in the trainer's room and what will become of it. The Reyes injury is the biggest blow, clearly seen by the fact Ramon Martinez is the starting short stop for the forseeable future.
Now the fact that we don't have anyone better ready to fill in a short is a touch scary. Then again, Reyes is 25/26 and your backup, Alex Cora, wasn't supposed to go out at the same time. Reese Havens (A), Jose Coronado and Ruben Tejada (AA) is what's next at the position...
But despite the injury, you have to believe the team is planning on either moving them to another position (2B) or moving them in a deal for a much-needed arm for the postseason run. While Tejada (he was the name I was trying to remember the other day who showed a little something in spring training) may be able to field at the major league level, he's a .250 batter in AA. I'd hate to see what he would do at the Big League level.
So Martinez must be the answer and I don't know if you really want to trade. Rather grin and bear it, put Reyes on the DL and hope that the offense can thrive on the fact we'll face Washington and Florida at home before heading to Pittsburgh and DC.
In fact, if they put Reyes on the DL retro to yesterday, he'll be off in time for the series in Philly before we haed to the launch pad in the Bronx.
Church is likely headed to the DL with a hammy, which is whatever since we need Sheffield's bat in the lineup and Jeremy Reed can patrol decent enough. Daniel Murphy is the answer at 1st base, not because he's a better infielder than outfielder, although that's the easy answer. It's because the organization made a commitment and I hope they see it through.
The kid can hit at the major league level. That's clear to me and while he's not skilled or wearing a helmet in the field like Jon Olerud, he could be a contact 1st baseman with a good enough glove.
As for K-Rod, I just hope his back is feeling much, much better. It's a blessing that Omar got two closers, but I want Frankie back in his role and healthy.
We're 1.5 games back of the Flithies in the East. We just finished about as tough a road trip as this team will have until...
Well, looking at it now this might be about as tough is it's gonna get. They're might be tougher stretches with teams like Philly, Atlanta and the Cubs bunched in at the same time. But in each case, one of those series will be at Citi.
Hope the good times start rolling tonight with John Maine against the gNats.
----------------
Now playing: Ken Drews and Dan Filowitz - Episode #56: The Tarence Kinsey Report
via FoxyTunes
Speaking of which, the main concern should be in the trainer's room and what will become of it. The Reyes injury is the biggest blow, clearly seen by the fact Ramon Martinez is the starting short stop for the forseeable future.
Now the fact that we don't have anyone better ready to fill in a short is a touch scary. Then again, Reyes is 25/26 and your backup, Alex Cora, wasn't supposed to go out at the same time. Reese Havens (A), Jose Coronado and Ruben Tejada (AA) is what's next at the position...
But despite the injury, you have to believe the team is planning on either moving them to another position (2B) or moving them in a deal for a much-needed arm for the postseason run. While Tejada (he was the name I was trying to remember the other day who showed a little something in spring training) may be able to field at the major league level, he's a .250 batter in AA. I'd hate to see what he would do at the Big League level.
So Martinez must be the answer and I don't know if you really want to trade. Rather grin and bear it, put Reyes on the DL and hope that the offense can thrive on the fact we'll face Washington and Florida at home before heading to Pittsburgh and DC.
In fact, if they put Reyes on the DL retro to yesterday, he'll be off in time for the series in Philly before we haed to the launch pad in the Bronx.
Church is likely headed to the DL with a hammy, which is whatever since we need Sheffield's bat in the lineup and Jeremy Reed can patrol decent enough. Daniel Murphy is the answer at 1st base, not because he's a better infielder than outfielder, although that's the easy answer. It's because the organization made a commitment and I hope they see it through.
The kid can hit at the major league level. That's clear to me and while he's not skilled or wearing a helmet in the field like Jon Olerud, he could be a contact 1st baseman with a good enough glove.
As for K-Rod, I just hope his back is feeling much, much better. It's a blessing that Omar got two closers, but I want Frankie back in his role and healthy.
We're 1.5 games back of the Flithies in the East. We just finished about as tough a road trip as this team will have until...
Well, looking at it now this might be about as tough is it's gonna get. They're might be tougher stretches with teams like Philly, Atlanta and the Cubs bunched in at the same time. But in each case, one of those series will be at Citi.
Hope the good times start rolling tonight with John Maine against the gNats.
----------------
Now playing: Ken Drews and Dan Filowitz - Episode #56: The Tarence Kinsey Report
via FoxyTunes
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Game 41 - Mets 3, Red Sox 2
I'm going to have a lasting memory of this game for months to come.
My friend Sini actually attended this game, thanks to the fact he has a share of season tickets at Fenway Park with him family. He called me beforehand to rub in the fact he would be attending, knowing that the best I would do is watch on my computer or listen on my XM.
Needless to say, I'm sure he and Rizzo (Not from the Jerky Boys, but our friend's last name) were three sheets to the wind and having a blast watching a pitcher's duel between Beckett and Pelfrey that started 2-1 after a frame and stayed that way.
I was having a tough time checking up on GameCast, watching the Mets give away scoring opportunities like a 1st and 3rd with one out and the great Ramon Martinez unable to put the bat on the ball.
The same could be said for the top of the ninth when Sheffield walks. It's the responsibility of the next batter to get that tying run up one base. Whether it's with a sac bunt or fly or whatever, that's your job.
So Wright striking out and Jemery Reed following suit had me feeling the game was in the tank. A feeling I'm sure Sini had as well. So when Omir Santos went long ball on the first pitch he saw...
Needless to say, I had asked him to take a picture for me. He did after that blast with a big thumbs down and I think you can guess that's the pic that will pop up anytime he calls so I'll have visual evidence of this come-from-behind win.
10-game road trip in 11 days. I think if you 5-5 and win two of the three series, that's a decent trip. Of course, if Redding can be lights out and we sweep on Sunday that's all the better.
My friend Sini actually attended this game, thanks to the fact he has a share of season tickets at Fenway Park with him family. He called me beforehand to rub in the fact he would be attending, knowing that the best I would do is watch on my computer or listen on my XM.
Needless to say, I'm sure he and Rizzo (Not from the Jerky Boys, but our friend's last name) were three sheets to the wind and having a blast watching a pitcher's duel between Beckett and Pelfrey that started 2-1 after a frame and stayed that way.
I was having a tough time checking up on GameCast, watching the Mets give away scoring opportunities like a 1st and 3rd with one out and the great Ramon Martinez unable to put the bat on the ball.
The same could be said for the top of the ninth when Sheffield walks. It's the responsibility of the next batter to get that tying run up one base. Whether it's with a sac bunt or fly or whatever, that's your job.
So Wright striking out and Jemery Reed following suit had me feeling the game was in the tank. A feeling I'm sure Sini had as well. So when Omir Santos went long ball on the first pitch he saw...
Needless to say, I had asked him to take a picture for me. He did after that blast with a big thumbs down and I think you can guess that's the pic that will pop up anytime he calls so I'll have visual evidence of this come-from-behind win.
10-game road trip in 11 days. I think if you 5-5 and win two of the three series, that's a decent trip. Of course, if Redding can be lights out and we sweep on Sunday that's all the better.
Game 40 - Mets 5, Red Sox 3
I'm not one for excuses, but when you're down to Ramon Martinez, a 37-year old journeyman infielder to play shortstop because your organization is fresh out of anything else worth a damn...
And he comes up with an RBI single because when you're out two of your five core players, you're gonna need a lot of singles bunched together to get it done.
Can't say much about Johan, this is what we come to expect and Parnell and K-Rod closing the door to end a four-game losing streak. By the way, that was three losses against the best team in the league in their park, where they happen to have the best home record in the league. But I don't like to make excuses.
As for my team not having a better backup SS in the minors than Martinez, I think we do but they're not major league ready. The same can't be said for 1st base with Delgado out until August. Our best backup is probably Daniel Murphy and if he can't pick it, Nick Evans is playing the position in either Buffalo or Binginton right now.
And I'll say this - If we can steal another game at Fenway and finish this road trip with a 5-5 record, it would be a great thing. It's not like we were playing Colorado, Pittsburgh and the Washington Generals, I mean Nationals.
On a lighter note, I took Friday off and took my 8-year old daughter to see Hannah Montana The Movie. It was as bad as to be expected, but as an old man leering at the screen I know a lot of guys who would be drooling over her if her name was 17-year old Jill Maine. Not me, however, cuz I've got a thing against bad teeth. Regardless how white Disney money makes them (and she pulled in 25 million last year), they're crooked enough to keep her out of my fantasies at night.
My real fantasy, sadly, is getting a chance to somehow enjoy tonight's matchup between Mike Pelfrey and Josh Beckett at 7:10 pm. Just don't see it happening, but we'll see. Fairy tales do come true, it could happen to you...
----------------
Now playing: Ken Drews and Dan Filowitz - Episode #56: The Tarence Kinsey Report
via FoxyTunes
And he comes up with an RBI single because when you're out two of your five core players, you're gonna need a lot of singles bunched together to get it done.
Can't say much about Johan, this is what we come to expect and Parnell and K-Rod closing the door to end a four-game losing streak. By the way, that was three losses against the best team in the league in their park, where they happen to have the best home record in the league. But I don't like to make excuses.
As for my team not having a better backup SS in the minors than Martinez, I think we do but they're not major league ready. The same can't be said for 1st base with Delgado out until August. Our best backup is probably Daniel Murphy and if he can't pick it, Nick Evans is playing the position in either Buffalo or Binginton right now.
And I'll say this - If we can steal another game at Fenway and finish this road trip with a 5-5 record, it would be a great thing. It's not like we were playing Colorado, Pittsburgh and the Washington Generals, I mean Nationals.
On a lighter note, I took Friday off and took my 8-year old daughter to see Hannah Montana The Movie. It was as bad as to be expected, but as an old man leering at the screen I know a lot of guys who would be drooling over her if her name was 17-year old Jill Maine. Not me, however, cuz I've got a thing against bad teeth. Regardless how white Disney money makes them (and she pulled in 25 million last year), they're crooked enough to keep her out of my fantasies at night.
My real fantasy, sadly, is getting a chance to somehow enjoy tonight's matchup between Mike Pelfrey and Josh Beckett at 7:10 pm. Just don't see it happening, but we'll see. Fairy tales do come true, it could happen to you...
----------------
Now playing: Ken Drews and Dan Filowitz - Episode #56: The Tarence Kinsey Report
via FoxyTunes
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Fusing on a cross-country flight
While my Mets travel from a three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, where they scored the mighty total of SIX runs, to the eventual raping at the hands of the Red Sox, meaning there is a long list of old college friends ready to call and rub it in...
I will take this time to comment on a couple of entertainment issues at hand.
For starters, I illegally downloaded Eminem's newest album, Relaspe. I have always believed that the white boy from Detroit is an extremely talented rapper. Lyrically speaking, he is easily in a top 25 all-time conversation and in an era where Solider Boy Tell Em' is considered a top artist in his field, Em is like Bob Gibson vs. Bob The Builder...
But the problem with Relaspe is just that. He's already rapped about pretty much everything he can rap about. He's done his childhood, him mom and her drug problems, the price of fame ("Say I Am" is one of my favorite tracks) and of course making up randomness about whatever MTV and the pop scene considers hot at the time.
The big thing with this album is one track "Bagpipes from Bagdad" where he talks about Mariah Carey. I was excited to listen to this, just to see what he said. Not anything he hasn't said before about somebody else. In fact, I would be more outraged about the track he's got that talks about kidnapping and raping/killing Lindsey Lohan or Brittney Spears. And the fact that I just said those two should let you know the deal with this album.
I've listened to it. I laughed at some of the references. I don't want to hear the track about someone being raped by their stepfather, not that it was distrubing but it just wasn't that good. I mean, it's funny. The ongoing skit with Interscope Records exec say it best. The first one has Paul upset that he took four years to come out with something, then makes fun of the fact the album is likely about drugs and his sad rich pathetic life, then he pulls a gun and tells him to get out of his office. The next is a phone call questioning the album's content, like the stepfather rape song. It's about the same way the listener feels.
The production doesn't help much. Whether the beat is bumping is lost, at least to me. Looking back, maybe Em peaked with his second album, The Marshall Mathers Album. The third album is OK too, but then there's 8 Mile and while the movie is average at best, his freestyles in it are crazy. After that, it's a downhill spiral.
Needless to say, I won't be listening to this album again.
Unfortunately, I won't be watching a couple of TV shows that I actually like in the fall...
I'll preface this by saying that as a father to two kids under 10, I'm at home on weeknights pretty much seven nights a week. That means my wife and I watch a lot of TV. On Mondays, we both watch The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Heroes. Tuesday nights, she watches American Idol and I would go in our bedroom and watch Reaper.
It was a show about a guy who learns he's the son of the Devil and now must become the collector of lost souls. It was funny, it was interesting and original and since it's on a backward network that expects too much from a show against one of the top rated shows in the nation, it will air it's final episode on Tuesday.
On Wednesdays, Faye would watch the Idol recap and I would watch Life. It was a basic cop series with a twist. The main character was a street cop who was arrested for a crime he didn't commit. After 12 years, he was released and given a huge amount of money and his wish - to become a detective. This was the backdrop behind your basic hour-long cop show.
I used to watch My Name Is Earl on Thursdays and NBC canceled them, however it seems they may have a second life as Fox and ABC are looking to pick it up according to my wife who looks into this a lot more than I do.
On Fridays I would be home because it's hard to find someone to watch an 8-year old and a 20 month old, so we would watch TV. This is a television grave yard, so for anyone to expect any rating from a Friday slot is just stupid. Sad to say the CW expected Everybody Hates Chris and The Game to produce here and since it didn't, they're now gone.
For any Buffy fans, the creator Joss Weadon has a new show called The Dollhouse. It's very interesting and I can't really explain it so look it up.
Long story short, Fox originally bought 13 episodes and instead of buying a full season (22 episodes), they just kept it alive with another 13 episode purchase.
Oh by the way, they didn't even air all 13 that they bought of the first season, but that's another story. So the point of all this is I'm looking at this as a blessing. It means that I'll be watching less TV in the fall and hopefully spend more time with my kids and their education.
I'm getting a great education about the college basketball world listening to your new Clyde podcast. Take a listen if you can.
I'm gonna take a listen to the Mets/Red Sox game tomorrow cuz it's the best game you'll see from this crappy team. Santana vs. Dice-K in Fenway. Doesn't get much better than that.
I will take this time to comment on a couple of entertainment issues at hand.
For starters, I illegally downloaded Eminem's newest album, Relaspe. I have always believed that the white boy from Detroit is an extremely talented rapper. Lyrically speaking, he is easily in a top 25 all-time conversation and in an era where Solider Boy Tell Em' is considered a top artist in his field, Em is like Bob Gibson vs. Bob The Builder...
But the problem with Relaspe is just that. He's already rapped about pretty much everything he can rap about. He's done his childhood, him mom and her drug problems, the price of fame ("Say I Am" is one of my favorite tracks) and of course making up randomness about whatever MTV and the pop scene considers hot at the time.
The big thing with this album is one track "Bagpipes from Bagdad" where he talks about Mariah Carey. I was excited to listen to this, just to see what he said. Not anything he hasn't said before about somebody else. In fact, I would be more outraged about the track he's got that talks about kidnapping and raping/killing Lindsey Lohan or Brittney Spears. And the fact that I just said those two should let you know the deal with this album.
I've listened to it. I laughed at some of the references. I don't want to hear the track about someone being raped by their stepfather, not that it was distrubing but it just wasn't that good. I mean, it's funny. The ongoing skit with Interscope Records exec say it best. The first one has Paul upset that he took four years to come out with something, then makes fun of the fact the album is likely about drugs and his sad rich pathetic life, then he pulls a gun and tells him to get out of his office. The next is a phone call questioning the album's content, like the stepfather rape song. It's about the same way the listener feels.
The production doesn't help much. Whether the beat is bumping is lost, at least to me. Looking back, maybe Em peaked with his second album, The Marshall Mathers Album. The third album is OK too, but then there's 8 Mile and while the movie is average at best, his freestyles in it are crazy. After that, it's a downhill spiral.
Needless to say, I won't be listening to this album again.
Unfortunately, I won't be watching a couple of TV shows that I actually like in the fall...
I'll preface this by saying that as a father to two kids under 10, I'm at home on weeknights pretty much seven nights a week. That means my wife and I watch a lot of TV. On Mondays, we both watch The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Heroes. Tuesday nights, she watches American Idol and I would go in our bedroom and watch Reaper.
It was a show about a guy who learns he's the son of the Devil and now must become the collector of lost souls. It was funny, it was interesting and original and since it's on a backward network that expects too much from a show against one of the top rated shows in the nation, it will air it's final episode on Tuesday.
On Wednesdays, Faye would watch the Idol recap and I would watch Life. It was a basic cop series with a twist. The main character was a street cop who was arrested for a crime he didn't commit. After 12 years, he was released and given a huge amount of money and his wish - to become a detective. This was the backdrop behind your basic hour-long cop show.
I used to watch My Name Is Earl on Thursdays and NBC canceled them, however it seems they may have a second life as Fox and ABC are looking to pick it up according to my wife who looks into this a lot more than I do.
On Fridays I would be home because it's hard to find someone to watch an 8-year old and a 20 month old, so we would watch TV. This is a television grave yard, so for anyone to expect any rating from a Friday slot is just stupid. Sad to say the CW expected Everybody Hates Chris and The Game to produce here and since it didn't, they're now gone.
For any Buffy fans, the creator Joss Weadon has a new show called The Dollhouse. It's very interesting and I can't really explain it so look it up.
Long story short, Fox originally bought 13 episodes and instead of buying a full season (22 episodes), they just kept it alive with another 13 episode purchase.
Oh by the way, they didn't even air all 13 that they bought of the first season, but that's another story. So the point of all this is I'm looking at this as a blessing. It means that I'll be watching less TV in the fall and hopefully spend more time with my kids and their education.
I'm getting a great education about the college basketball world listening to your new Clyde podcast. Take a listen if you can.
I'm gonna take a listen to the Mets/Red Sox game tomorrow cuz it's the best game you'll see from this crappy team. Santana vs. Dice-K in Fenway. Doesn't get much better than that.
Kris Joins Dan On FreeDarko Presents: The Disciples of Clyde NBA Podcast
Yes, Kris DeBlasio joins Dan Filowitz for a Teaneck-heavy episode of the podcast.
Check it out:
On The Disciples of Clyde site
On the FreeDarko site
In iTunes
Enjoy!
Check it out:
On The Disciples of Clyde site
On the FreeDarko site
In iTunes
Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Game 39 - Dodgers 5, Mets 3
The bats have gone back to sleep. When I looked at the schedule and saw this long West Coast trip, this is what I thought would happen. Not necessary the bats going dead, but finding ways to lose games that could be won.
Then again, I would love to say John Maine had a good start but then he gave up a three-run homer to Casey Blake. Number 8 hitter Casey Blake...
I'm going to fix my girls breakfast and hope that Livan Hernandez can outduel Jeff Weaver in a battle of old pitchers whose best days are long behind them.
Then again, I would love to say John Maine had a good start but then he gave up a three-run homer to Casey Blake. Number 8 hitter Casey Blake...
I'm going to fix my girls breakfast and hope that Livan Hernandez can outduel Jeff Weaver in a battle of old pitchers whose best days are long behind them.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Game 38 - Dodgers 3, Mets 2 (11 innings)
I don't have much time since I'm doing this at work and unlike most Americans, I don't have a terminal in front of me...
I won't even speak about the five errors. FIVE ERRORS, what in blue blazes is going on when a pro team makes five errors and still only loses by one in extra innings?
Good start by Tim Redding. If he can pitch this well, it would really solidify the back end of the rotation. With Maine and Pelfrey pitching well, it would give Oliver Perez as much time as needed to get healthy.
FIVE ERRORS. Really? Five.
It was good to see (on Gamecast) that Sheffield came up with a clutch hit in the eighth to tie the game at 2-2. With Delgado out indefinetely (See until we feel we need him after the 6 to 8 weeks it takes to come back. I figure 10 to 12 is more realistic), that preseason signing doesnt' seem that bad. He can fill that role and worse case scenario, he moves to play first. He's done that at one point in his career, hasn't he?
I would need to check, something I'll do when I get home from work, but this team hasn't had an offday in a long time. Meaning Carlos Beltran and David Wright have pretty much been busting thier asses for a bit. As much as Jerry Manuel gets beaten up for rotating the outfield, catcher and second base, he's pretty much left Wright and Beltran alone. Maybe they need a break.
To hit the west coast and play seven games straight, I would be happy with a 3-4 trip. 4-3 would be nice and all that will take is one win in the next two games. I'll worry about the final three games of this trip, to my old stomping grounds in Boston, when we get to them.
I think we've got Maine tonight. I stayed up with the computer in my lap, wasting time and checking the score. I don't know if I'll want to do that 2 nights in a row but we'll see.
I won't even speak about the five errors. FIVE ERRORS, what in blue blazes is going on when a pro team makes five errors and still only loses by one in extra innings?
Good start by Tim Redding. If he can pitch this well, it would really solidify the back end of the rotation. With Maine and Pelfrey pitching well, it would give Oliver Perez as much time as needed to get healthy.
FIVE ERRORS. Really? Five.
It was good to see (on Gamecast) that Sheffield came up with a clutch hit in the eighth to tie the game at 2-2. With Delgado out indefinetely (See until we feel we need him after the 6 to 8 weeks it takes to come back. I figure 10 to 12 is more realistic), that preseason signing doesnt' seem that bad. He can fill that role and worse case scenario, he moves to play first. He's done that at one point in his career, hasn't he?
I would need to check, something I'll do when I get home from work, but this team hasn't had an offday in a long time. Meaning Carlos Beltran and David Wright have pretty much been busting thier asses for a bit. As much as Jerry Manuel gets beaten up for rotating the outfield, catcher and second base, he's pretty much left Wright and Beltran alone. Maybe they need a break.
To hit the west coast and play seven games straight, I would be happy with a 3-4 trip. 4-3 would be nice and all that will take is one win in the next two games. I'll worry about the final three games of this trip, to my old stomping grounds in Boston, when we get to them.
I think we've got Maine tonight. I stayed up with the computer in my lap, wasting time and checking the score. I don't know if I'll want to do that 2 nights in a row but we'll see.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Game 37 - Giants 2, Mets 0
I don't have much time for this since I'm in the middle of writing a story that I'll actually get paid for...
You can't load the bases twice with less than two outs and get nothing from it, especially when the first time you do it it's because the pitcher walked the bases loaded.
But three out of four ain't bad, especially when your losing starter allowed just two runs in six-plus innings with THREE BALKS that should have been four.
Who didn't know the Rockets were going to get smoked like a pack of Kools?
It was sad to see the Celtics go down, but this wasn't the defending champs. Not without Garnett and the great Leon Powe. It may sound like I'm joking, but he's a big part coming off the bench that they didn't have.
Had an interesting text convo with Kris about the Western Conference finals. He's taking the Lakers and I've got the Rich and Creamies. It seems his main reason would be Kobe, a great reason. I'm going to take the team with a far better point guard with something to prove and to root against Kobe. So we've got that going for us...
Tim Redding will make his long awaited debut against the Dodgers Monday night. I'll be lucky if I'm up to listen/watch two innings, so we'll see what I write about tomorrow...
You can't load the bases twice with less than two outs and get nothing from it, especially when the first time you do it it's because the pitcher walked the bases loaded.
But three out of four ain't bad, especially when your losing starter allowed just two runs in six-plus innings with THREE BALKS that should have been four.
Who didn't know the Rockets were going to get smoked like a pack of Kools?
It was sad to see the Celtics go down, but this wasn't the defending champs. Not without Garnett and the great Leon Powe. It may sound like I'm joking, but he's a big part coming off the bench that they didn't have.
Had an interesting text convo with Kris about the Western Conference finals. He's taking the Lakers and I've got the Rich and Creamies. It seems his main reason would be Kobe, a great reason. I'm going to take the team with a far better point guard with something to prove and to root against Kobe. So we've got that going for us...
Tim Redding will make his long awaited debut against the Dodgers Monday night. I'll be lucky if I'm up to listen/watch two innings, so we'll see what I write about tomorrow...
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Game 36 - Mets 9, Giants 6
This is why they don't give Santana any support. You score three for him in the first and he gives it right back. Then you give him three more and he hands that right over as well...
You have to keep primadonna pricey pitchers like that guy under your thumb, make him always think he's pitching for his job otherwise he'll take it for granted and blow your whole season...
OK all jokes aside, it's a good thing they decided to score when the best pitcher in the league decided to have an off-day. He allowed four earned runs in seven innings, upping his ERA to a completely unworthy 1.36. That just won't do...
On a different note, I saw the Wolverine picture tonight. Actually the theatre started to play Hannah Montana and we got a free pass, so I was gonna be OK with the movie regardless since I already used a coupon to knock down that $10 ticket.
I'm not gonna spoil it, but it was closer to X3 than X1 or X2 which is slightly disappointing. But overall I enjoyed the time away from the children.
As for the plot, and I'll try not to give anything away, I must begin with this disclaimer. All the X-Men knowledge I possess is based on the Marvel cartoons taken straight from the comics that were broadcast in the late 80s/early 90s. I watched most to all the reincarations that have come on the airwaves since and will waste a moment or two on Wikapedia to research a fact or two.
I must also give credit to The Boy, who sent me a digital copy of a Wolverine Origins comic years ago and the first five minutes of the film were likely taken from that text. After that...
OK, I can understand one critique I've heard, that there are too many characters and they're not really fleshed out enough for you to get to know them. To Marvel's credit, they don't seem to care. The movie is called Wolverine and that's all you need to know or care about.
The one thing that got to me, however, was the same feeling I had in Spiderman 3. It seemed like they planned that film with the final battle scene in mind. They wanted Spidey and Hobgoblin (or Harry Osborne played by James Franco) to face The Sandman and Venom. Then they worked their way back to get to that scene.
In Wolverine, they seemingly knew they wanted a lot of fight scenes, they knew how they had to make the movie end otherwise the first X-Men movie makes no sense and after that...
I don't really know if there was much thought after that. Let me finish with this. You will be entertained and my best comparison is to Indiana Jones last summer. It was a must-see movie for any Indy fan, but afterwards you were kind of sad. This is the same, but at least you leave with a slightly better feeling.
Hopefully Mike Pelfrey continues to give Mets fans a slightly better feeling with a quality start on National Television tonight against Matt Cain.
You have to keep primadonna pricey pitchers like that guy under your thumb, make him always think he's pitching for his job otherwise he'll take it for granted and blow your whole season...
OK all jokes aside, it's a good thing they decided to score when the best pitcher in the league decided to have an off-day. He allowed four earned runs in seven innings, upping his ERA to a completely unworthy 1.36. That just won't do...
On a different note, I saw the Wolverine picture tonight. Actually the theatre started to play Hannah Montana and we got a free pass, so I was gonna be OK with the movie regardless since I already used a coupon to knock down that $10 ticket.
I'm not gonna spoil it, but it was closer to X3 than X1 or X2 which is slightly disappointing. But overall I enjoyed the time away from the children.
As for the plot, and I'll try not to give anything away, I must begin with this disclaimer. All the X-Men knowledge I possess is based on the Marvel cartoons taken straight from the comics that were broadcast in the late 80s/early 90s. I watched most to all the reincarations that have come on the airwaves since and will waste a moment or two on Wikapedia to research a fact or two.
I must also give credit to The Boy, who sent me a digital copy of a Wolverine Origins comic years ago and the first five minutes of the film were likely taken from that text. After that...
OK, I can understand one critique I've heard, that there are too many characters and they're not really fleshed out enough for you to get to know them. To Marvel's credit, they don't seem to care. The movie is called Wolverine and that's all you need to know or care about.
The one thing that got to me, however, was the same feeling I had in Spiderman 3. It seemed like they planned that film with the final battle scene in mind. They wanted Spidey and Hobgoblin (or Harry Osborne played by James Franco) to face The Sandman and Venom. Then they worked their way back to get to that scene.
In Wolverine, they seemingly knew they wanted a lot of fight scenes, they knew how they had to make the movie end otherwise the first X-Men movie makes no sense and after that...
I don't really know if there was much thought after that. Let me finish with this. You will be entertained and my best comparison is to Indiana Jones last summer. It was a must-see movie for any Indy fan, but afterwards you were kind of sad. This is the same, but at least you leave with a slightly better feeling.
Hopefully Mike Pelfrey continues to give Mets fans a slightly better feeling with a quality start on National Television tonight against Matt Cain.
Game 35 - Mets 8, Giants 6
OK, I'll be completely honest.
When this game started, I was with Faye on the couch. By the time I got to Gamecast, Livan had allowed 5 early runs and Lincecum was on the other side.
I thought nothing of not paying attention.
Luckily enough, when I got up a couple hours later and awoke my sleeping computer the score was suddenly tied at 6-6. Looking over the play by play, Mr. Wright might have finally decided to show up for work.
The 8-6 final score says a couple of things. But I'll wait for this afternoon's FOX Saturday matchup to really decide if we're gonna stay as the hottest team in the league.
Oh, did I just say that? It's games like this that make me worry about those who love to hop on and off the bandwagon. You don't get Yankee fans like that, but more often than not Mets fans love to love the team when they're playing well and bash them to pieces when they struggle.
I read a column by the Daily News' John Harper about how if they miss the playoffs again, they should trade Jose Reyes cuz he'll bring back the most and we won't have to see his bad base running moves.
Why not just trade him to the Padres for Peavy, bring up whoever to finish the season and see if the kid who they drooled over this spring is ready. If not, you can find a serviceable short stop anywhere. Heck, Alex Cora can start there until the kid's ready.
Then, every time you turn on Sportscenter and watch Reyes race around the bases with another triple to the gap, every Mets fan can remember what that was like. It's not like we don't have people to fill that leadoff spot in the lineup.
You know, I was joking at first but now that I say it, it doesn't sound that bad...
OK, Santana vs. Randy Johnson today. Historically, we've raked Randy, especially when he was in Arizona. Wonder what will happen now.
When this game started, I was with Faye on the couch. By the time I got to Gamecast, Livan had allowed 5 early runs and Lincecum was on the other side.
I thought nothing of not paying attention.
Luckily enough, when I got up a couple hours later and awoke my sleeping computer the score was suddenly tied at 6-6. Looking over the play by play, Mr. Wright might have finally decided to show up for work.
The 8-6 final score says a couple of things. But I'll wait for this afternoon's FOX Saturday matchup to really decide if we're gonna stay as the hottest team in the league.
Oh, did I just say that? It's games like this that make me worry about those who love to hop on and off the bandwagon. You don't get Yankee fans like that, but more often than not Mets fans love to love the team when they're playing well and bash them to pieces when they struggle.
I read a column by the Daily News' John Harper about how if they miss the playoffs again, they should trade Jose Reyes cuz he'll bring back the most and we won't have to see his bad base running moves.
Why not just trade him to the Padres for Peavy, bring up whoever to finish the season and see if the kid who they drooled over this spring is ready. If not, you can find a serviceable short stop anywhere. Heck, Alex Cora can start there until the kid's ready.
Then, every time you turn on Sportscenter and watch Reyes race around the bases with another triple to the gap, every Mets fan can remember what that was like. It's not like we don't have people to fill that leadoff spot in the lineup.
You know, I was joking at first but now that I say it, it doesn't sound that bad...
OK, Santana vs. Randy Johnson today. Historically, we've raked Randy, especially when he was in Arizona. Wonder what will happen now.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Game 34 - Mets 7, Giants 4
This will be quick since I couldn't stay up late enough to do this after the game finished. In fact, I went to sleep after Maine pitched his way into the seventh and Stokes got the final out to end the frame.
That means the Mets were up 4-2 when I closed my eyes.
I woke up to see that Bobby Parnell, a rookie who might have pushed his young arm too much with three straight appearances, gave up a couple of runs in the bottom of the eighth but lo and behold...
David Wright's third hit of the game, to go with four stolen bases, put the Mets up and Frankie closed the door with a 7-4 win.
I did run out to "get gas" at 10 pm and heard the first inning, but I don't think I'll be able to do that tonight. And I would love to hear Jon Miller call Livan Hernandez (3-1) vs. reigning Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum (3-1).
Shows you exactly what a pitcher's win-loss record can mean. Absolutely nothing.
That means the Mets were up 4-2 when I closed my eyes.
I woke up to see that Bobby Parnell, a rookie who might have pushed his young arm too much with three straight appearances, gave up a couple of runs in the bottom of the eighth but lo and behold...
David Wright's third hit of the game, to go with four stolen bases, put the Mets up and Frankie closed the door with a 7-4 win.
I did run out to "get gas" at 10 pm and heard the first inning, but I don't think I'll be able to do that tonight. And I would love to hear Jon Miller call Livan Hernandez (3-1) vs. reigning Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum (3-1).
Shows you exactly what a pitcher's win-loss record can mean. Absolutely nothing.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Game 33 - Braves 8, Mets 7 (12 innings)
Although this was a 1 p.m. start and I didn't have to go to work until 2 p.m., I still forgot the game was on. When I turned it on, they were down 4-2.
Moments later, Tatis' grand slam gave them a 6-4 lead. I then pretty much heard the bullpen give the game back and had to work, so I didn't catch Sheffield's game-tying homer.
I did get a chance to tune in in the 12th and saw just how close Jose Reyes came to tying the game and then watched as Beltran chased high heat and Shef watched a wicked curve after seeing nothing but fastballs and a rolling changeup.
Now, after a damn good homestand, we head out west. I can't stand this trip and hope that this is the last time we'll do the SF-LA swing with no off day inbetween.
I'll see what I can do about staying up till 1 p.m. to check a score. I wonder if John Maine caught a flight out to San Fran early Wednesday morning instead of the 6-7 p.m. team flight after the game.
Moments later, Tatis' grand slam gave them a 6-4 lead. I then pretty much heard the bullpen give the game back and had to work, so I didn't catch Sheffield's game-tying homer.
I did get a chance to tune in in the 12th and saw just how close Jose Reyes came to tying the game and then watched as Beltran chased high heat and Shef watched a wicked curve after seeing nothing but fastballs and a rolling changeup.
Now, after a damn good homestand, we head out west. I can't stand this trip and hope that this is the last time we'll do the SF-LA swing with no off day inbetween.
I'll see what I can do about staying up till 1 p.m. to check a score. I wonder if John Maine caught a flight out to San Fran early Wednesday morning instead of the 6-7 p.m. team flight after the game.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Game 32 - Mets 4, Braves 3 (10 innings)
OK, while yesterday's game was one they should have won Tuesday's matchup was one they totally should have lost.
In fact, if my wife was home I would have likely given up hope of a comeback after the Braves go up 3-0. Not that I don't believe, but the way they were swinging the bats was so pathetic that I turned my interest to the Boston-Orlando game and the jumping 20-month old near my legs.
OK, here's a couple of points from the final frames:
- While Citi Field is a pitcher's park and a speedy hitters dream, you can't hit a triple to left-center field. Simple as that and I could have told you that before Jose Reyes was thrown out by "a mile" according to Don Sutton. It's something that he had to learn by getting thrown out, but now that he knows I bet you he'll hold up at second base next time out.
- The best part of the comeback was getting Mike Pelfrey off the hook for the loss. He pitched well and his off-speed pitch (I guess it's a slider) looked a lot better. I was saddened to see him leave on the losing end.
- Bottom of the ninth, Carlos Beltran leads off with a double down the line. David Wright should have only one goal in mind - GET THE RUNNER TO THIRD AT ALL COSTS.
This was the only thing he had to do. As a hitter, you get one swing for yourself and he took it on the first pitch, an uppercut swing that looked like he was aiming for a 5-run homer. Then he worked the count to 3-1 and I'm thinking, "This is a spot where you are either looking for a specific pitch like fastball middle out to drive to right field OR YOU DON'T SWING.
Instead Wright hacks at an inside fastball with an inside out swing that pops the ball to the right side near the tarp and Casey Kotchman makes a good catch to keep Beltran at third. At this point, I didn't really care about the rest of the inning. It's at-bats like this that infuriate me to no ends.
- As for Beltran stealing third base, I go back to the second inning. Wright walked and took off for second base. McCann made a good throw but the reply clearly showed that David got his hand on the base before the tag.
Then Wright tripled and tried to score on a short fly ball to center field. McCann made another great play and Wright made a great slide. The ump got the right call, but that's one that could have gone either way. So needless to say, I'm going to view this as they got two calls and the Mets got one. The biggest one of the game, yes, but just one call.
- Bottom of the 10th with two runners on and the pitcher's spot due up, when Ramon Castro got a bat I resigned to the inning being over. I have no faith in that man with a game in doubt, regardless what he's done. I'm always expecting him to pop up lazily to second base, swinging at a bad pitch on a 2-0 count.
But once he got on and the game was in Beltran's hands, I kind of figured he would finish the job. Granted, there was part of me that expected the game to continue but once he took the first two pitches for balls, it was just about a done deal.
OK, I finally figured out what I'm rooting for in the NBA playoffs - Cleveland vs. Denver in the Finals. I don't want to see the Magic cuz for all 17 of his rebounds, Dwight Howard couldn't grab one in the last 1:25 when his team needed it the most. As great as he is, the only play they have for him is a high screen pick-and-roll. He's still young, but right now he's got no post game and Rashard Lewis and Turkolu aren't that good.
I don't want to see an undermanned, outnumbered Celtics team there although I'm sure they'll give the Cavs all they can handle in the Eastern Conference Finals.
As cute as the Rockets are, I think they know their season is basically over. I mean they had a chance with Yao Ming. But without him, I wouldn't want to see them move on.
And hasn't Kobe and the Lakers basically moved into the role of the team you love to hate. I mean, granted, they are a bunch of pansies. They have no true presence in the post. If you want to argue about Bynum, I'll say that while he can defend due to height and block from the weak side, him and Gasol are neutralized by Nene and Birdman Anderson.
The Lakers have no one to match the intensity of Kenyon Martin, who's been to the Finals with the Nets by the way, and while the Creamy Nougats can't defend against Kobe, the Lake Show has no answer for Chauncey, who's got an NBA Finals MVP trophy sitting of a shelf somewhere.
I would much rather see stories about the 2003 NBA Draft with King James, Melo, D-Wade, Chris Bosh (can you say overrated?), Josh "I'll smoke a dude for $400 Alex" Howard, the legendary Kendrick Perkins, Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa, America's favorite white point guard on an all-black team Steve Blake, Mo Williams with the 47th pick and local favorite Matt Bonner two picks before him.
I would rather see the ongoing argument on PTI when Tony reminds Wilbon that he liked Melo more early on and who's bandwagon is he on now. And the series itself would be more entertaining cuz The Big Z can score in the post and James makes others better unlike Kobe most of the time.
Yeah, it's a nice dream. One that will be ruined when Lamar Odom remembers he's a 6-10 freak of nature with skills beyond compare. That he too was a lottery pick (#4) and was good enough to be seen as the central piece in the trade that sent Shaq to Miami. There's very little on the court that he can't do, like Derrick Coleman but about 25 pounds lighter. If he gets a fire under his ass, it's over man.
If the Mets and John Neise get a fire under their collective ass tomorrow afternoon and put away the Braves, they could end a lot of stupid talk around here. That and stem some of the bad feelings before a long road trip out west with no off days in sight.
In fact, if my wife was home I would have likely given up hope of a comeback after the Braves go up 3-0. Not that I don't believe, but the way they were swinging the bats was so pathetic that I turned my interest to the Boston-Orlando game and the jumping 20-month old near my legs.
OK, here's a couple of points from the final frames:
- While Citi Field is a pitcher's park and a speedy hitters dream, you can't hit a triple to left-center field. Simple as that and I could have told you that before Jose Reyes was thrown out by "a mile" according to Don Sutton. It's something that he had to learn by getting thrown out, but now that he knows I bet you he'll hold up at second base next time out.
- The best part of the comeback was getting Mike Pelfrey off the hook for the loss. He pitched well and his off-speed pitch (I guess it's a slider) looked a lot better. I was saddened to see him leave on the losing end.
- Bottom of the ninth, Carlos Beltran leads off with a double down the line. David Wright should have only one goal in mind - GET THE RUNNER TO THIRD AT ALL COSTS.
This was the only thing he had to do. As a hitter, you get one swing for yourself and he took it on the first pitch, an uppercut swing that looked like he was aiming for a 5-run homer. Then he worked the count to 3-1 and I'm thinking, "This is a spot where you are either looking for a specific pitch like fastball middle out to drive to right field OR YOU DON'T SWING.
Instead Wright hacks at an inside fastball with an inside out swing that pops the ball to the right side near the tarp and Casey Kotchman makes a good catch to keep Beltran at third. At this point, I didn't really care about the rest of the inning. It's at-bats like this that infuriate me to no ends.
- As for Beltran stealing third base, I go back to the second inning. Wright walked and took off for second base. McCann made a good throw but the reply clearly showed that David got his hand on the base before the tag.
Then Wright tripled and tried to score on a short fly ball to center field. McCann made another great play and Wright made a great slide. The ump got the right call, but that's one that could have gone either way. So needless to say, I'm going to view this as they got two calls and the Mets got one. The biggest one of the game, yes, but just one call.
- Bottom of the 10th with two runners on and the pitcher's spot due up, when Ramon Castro got a bat I resigned to the inning being over. I have no faith in that man with a game in doubt, regardless what he's done. I'm always expecting him to pop up lazily to second base, swinging at a bad pitch on a 2-0 count.
But once he got on and the game was in Beltran's hands, I kind of figured he would finish the job. Granted, there was part of me that expected the game to continue but once he took the first two pitches for balls, it was just about a done deal.
OK, I finally figured out what I'm rooting for in the NBA playoffs - Cleveland vs. Denver in the Finals. I don't want to see the Magic cuz for all 17 of his rebounds, Dwight Howard couldn't grab one in the last 1:25 when his team needed it the most. As great as he is, the only play they have for him is a high screen pick-and-roll. He's still young, but right now he's got no post game and Rashard Lewis and Turkolu aren't that good.
I don't want to see an undermanned, outnumbered Celtics team there although I'm sure they'll give the Cavs all they can handle in the Eastern Conference Finals.
As cute as the Rockets are, I think they know their season is basically over. I mean they had a chance with Yao Ming. But without him, I wouldn't want to see them move on.
And hasn't Kobe and the Lakers basically moved into the role of the team you love to hate. I mean, granted, they are a bunch of pansies. They have no true presence in the post. If you want to argue about Bynum, I'll say that while he can defend due to height and block from the weak side, him and Gasol are neutralized by Nene and Birdman Anderson.
The Lakers have no one to match the intensity of Kenyon Martin, who's been to the Finals with the Nets by the way, and while the Creamy Nougats can't defend against Kobe, the Lake Show has no answer for Chauncey, who's got an NBA Finals MVP trophy sitting of a shelf somewhere.
I would much rather see stories about the 2003 NBA Draft with King James, Melo, D-Wade, Chris Bosh (can you say overrated?), Josh "I'll smoke a dude for $400 Alex" Howard, the legendary Kendrick Perkins, Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa, America's favorite white point guard on an all-black team Steve Blake, Mo Williams with the 47th pick and local favorite Matt Bonner two picks before him.
I would rather see the ongoing argument on PTI when Tony reminds Wilbon that he liked Melo more early on and who's bandwagon is he on now. And the series itself would be more entertaining cuz The Big Z can score in the post and James makes others better unlike Kobe most of the time.
Yeah, it's a nice dream. One that will be ruined when Lamar Odom remembers he's a 6-10 freak of nature with skills beyond compare. That he too was a lottery pick (#4) and was good enough to be seen as the central piece in the trade that sent Shaq to Miami. There's very little on the court that he can't do, like Derrick Coleman but about 25 pounds lighter. If he gets a fire under his ass, it's over man.
If the Mets and John Neise get a fire under their collective ass tomorrow afternoon and put away the Braves, they could end a lot of stupid talk around here. That and stem some of the bad feelings before a long road trip out west with no off days in sight.
Game 31 - Braves 8, Mets 3
All good things must come to an end and for certain, all the praise and "Ship is righted" columns and sentiments in the local tabloids will now cease...
But the fact of the matter is a) the bats go to sleep with Santana on the mound, b) his ERA went down despite the loss and c) if David Wright plants his feet and Jose Reyes takes his time, this is a game they likely win...
I would post more, but I'm already late after a long work night and I've got to go to work this morning. I'll have more after tonight's game, which could be the biggest of the homestand.
Mike Pelfrey has pitched well, but Jurgins is a tough lefty who's given us problems before. I really don't want to drop two of three to this Braves team so it makes this game a must-win...
But the fact of the matter is a) the bats go to sleep with Santana on the mound, b) his ERA went down despite the loss and c) if David Wright plants his feet and Jose Reyes takes his time, this is a game they likely win...
I would post more, but I'm already late after a long work night and I've got to go to work this morning. I'll have more after tonight's game, which could be the biggest of the homestand.
Mike Pelfrey has pitched well, but Jurgins is a tough lefty who's given us problems before. I really don't want to drop two of three to this Braves team so it makes this game a must-win...
Monday, May 11, 2009
Game 30 - Mets 8, Pirates 4
I'm not gonna say much, but they have won seven straight.
OK, so I'll make a couple of quick points:
- Six innings and less than three runs is all you can ask for and expect from Livan every fifth day. But if he does it every time out, he'll be well worth whatever they're paying him.
- Who told Big Baby Davis he could drain 18-foot jumpers with ease? I mean, total confidence with his skills and it's not like the Magic didn't have a chance to see film of him doing this against the Bulls in the first round...
- Almost don't want to see Carlos Beltran stay hot. I mean, you can't expect him to stay this hot for the whole season, but then again it's not like he doesn't have the talent...
- OK, so Schnider is down but should be back soon. Castro is out with a bad quad and we're using Omar Santos, who I'm sure that 98 percent of Mets fans couldn't pick out of a lineup on April 15, yet alone three weeks ago when he first put on a major league uniform.
Delgado is hitting for power, but he's still at about .250. Jose Reyes had dropped below .300 and David Wright is striking out like he's been imitating Ryan Howard's swing. While Daniel Murphy is batting over. 300, he's not hitting for power and despite a torrid start, Ryan Church has cooled off considerably.
What's my point? I know it's just the Pirates, but it was the Braves and Flithies before that. My point is no one is peaking right now except for Beltran, so maybe there is reason for hope for this team.
But all I need to remember is after this Braves series, we get a seven-game reality check on the West Coast. I'm not looking past Atlanta, but if we can go 3-4 on the Left Coast I'll be happy.
I'll be happy to tell you that I'm gonna search for a way to listen to Monday's game with Santana vs. Lowe. I won't be able to watch it cuz I'll be at work on a 2 pm to 11 pm shift.
Sucks to be me.
OK, so I'll make a couple of quick points:
- Six innings and less than three runs is all you can ask for and expect from Livan every fifth day. But if he does it every time out, he'll be well worth whatever they're paying him.
- Who told Big Baby Davis he could drain 18-foot jumpers with ease? I mean, total confidence with his skills and it's not like the Magic didn't have a chance to see film of him doing this against the Bulls in the first round...
- Almost don't want to see Carlos Beltran stay hot. I mean, you can't expect him to stay this hot for the whole season, but then again it's not like he doesn't have the talent...
- OK, so Schnider is down but should be back soon. Castro is out with a bad quad and we're using Omar Santos, who I'm sure that 98 percent of Mets fans couldn't pick out of a lineup on April 15, yet alone three weeks ago when he first put on a major league uniform.
Delgado is hitting for power, but he's still at about .250. Jose Reyes had dropped below .300 and David Wright is striking out like he's been imitating Ryan Howard's swing. While Daniel Murphy is batting over. 300, he's not hitting for power and despite a torrid start, Ryan Church has cooled off considerably.
What's my point? I know it's just the Pirates, but it was the Braves and Flithies before that. My point is no one is peaking right now except for Beltran, so maybe there is reason for hope for this team.
But all I need to remember is after this Braves series, we get a seven-game reality check on the West Coast. I'm not looking past Atlanta, but if we can go 3-4 on the Left Coast I'll be happy.
I'll be happy to tell you that I'm gonna search for a way to listen to Monday's game with Santana vs. Lowe. I won't be able to watch it cuz I'll be at work on a 2 pm to 11 pm shift.
Sucks to be me.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Game 29 - Mets 10, Pirates 1
Let me start with this word of advice. No matter what anyone tells you, don't get married.
I'll paraphrase one of my favorite jokes from Louis C.K.
Now we have a kid and I realize that I could have left whenever I wanted. I could have just packed my bags and walked out before the kid.
I'm in that same boat and it's like the Perfect Storm every 28 days.
OK, back to baseball.
I guess there's not much to say. What's that? I could talk about the fact that John Maine has allowed just seven hits in his last three starts. Those were against Florida, Atlanta and Pittsburgh, but lets not forget that two of those three opponents are in division games.
This will always marvel me because he's really only got two pitches and they're both the same thing - fastball. I haven't talked with him, but he throws a two seam that tops out at 94-95 MPH and a four-seam that rises at about the same speed.
It's not like he's got great control with either pitch. I mean, he's much better than Oli Perez, but he did just walk six men and he's always seemed to struggle at times with his location.
Lately, like in the last 365 days, he's tried to add a changeup (thanks, Johan) and a slider but neither pitch is anything to write home about. I've said this before, but if it was a video game his two fast balls would be B-B+ pitches and his offspeed stuff would be closer to a D...
And that's being really kind with the D.
As for the offense, they pounded out 17 hits which would fill me with pride if we hadn't led the league in batting average since the season began. I guess I should be pleased with David Wright and Jose Reyes each having two-out RBIs, but I saved the best for last...
With the Braves' win this afternoon, I'm now writing about the first place New York Mets. Let's hope that Livan Hernandez can pitch with that knowledge Sunday afternoon.
I'll paraphrase one of my favorite jokes from Louis C.K.
Now we have a kid and I realize that I could have left whenever I wanted. I could have just packed my bags and walked out before the kid.
I'm in that same boat and it's like the Perfect Storm every 28 days.
OK, back to baseball.
I guess there's not much to say. What's that? I could talk about the fact that John Maine has allowed just seven hits in his last three starts. Those were against Florida, Atlanta and Pittsburgh, but lets not forget that two of those three opponents are in division games.
This will always marvel me because he's really only got two pitches and they're both the same thing - fastball. I haven't talked with him, but he throws a two seam that tops out at 94-95 MPH and a four-seam that rises at about the same speed.
It's not like he's got great control with either pitch. I mean, he's much better than Oli Perez, but he did just walk six men and he's always seemed to struggle at times with his location.
Lately, like in the last 365 days, he's tried to add a changeup (thanks, Johan) and a slider but neither pitch is anything to write home about. I've said this before, but if it was a video game his two fast balls would be B-B+ pitches and his offspeed stuff would be closer to a D...
And that's being really kind with the D.
As for the offense, they pounded out 17 hits which would fill me with pride if we hadn't led the league in batting average since the season began. I guess I should be pleased with David Wright and Jose Reyes each having two-out RBIs, but I saved the best for last...
With the Braves' win this afternoon, I'm now writing about the first place New York Mets. Let's hope that Livan Hernandez can pitch with that knowledge Sunday afternoon.
Game 28 - Mets 7, Pirates 3
I didn't catch much of this game. A glimpse here on Gamecast while watching the kids. A glimpse there preparing my small surprise for my wife for Mother's Day.
Then again, it was the Pirates. Reading over the columns and stories Saturday morning, it's clear that the NY Media is focused on A-Rod and the Yankees which is great news for Mets fans.
It means they're not paying good attention to the win streak (five straight wins and 7 of their last 10), to Oli in the pen and to the various slumps on my team (Ryan Church and Jose Reyes to name a few).
They've barely noticed that we're only 1/2 game out of first behind the Flithies, who we've beaten 3 of the four times we've seen them...
Instead, I get to catch a touch of hearing supposed Mets fans on various media outlets on my XM joking about how Omar is fortunate we didn't spend the money on Manny and how Daniel Murphy, who is batting .311 by the way, might need some steroids for his defense...
I'm eventually gonna get on the radio with someone and ask if they consider greenies to be performance enhancing drugs and if so, does that taint the entire era prior to the cocaine epidemic of the 1980s?
Speaking of questions, my church question was answered by someone who wants me to call, which I can understand. But then again, if I wanted to call or had the time or the like, wouldn't I have done that before?
Or maybe this is the first step towards something, something like...
Something like another quality start by John Maine this afternoon against the Pirates.
Then again, it was the Pirates. Reading over the columns and stories Saturday morning, it's clear that the NY Media is focused on A-Rod and the Yankees which is great news for Mets fans.
It means they're not paying good attention to the win streak (five straight wins and 7 of their last 10), to Oli in the pen and to the various slumps on my team (Ryan Church and Jose Reyes to name a few).
They've barely noticed that we're only 1/2 game out of first behind the Flithies, who we've beaten 3 of the four times we've seen them...
Instead, I get to catch a touch of hearing supposed Mets fans on various media outlets on my XM joking about how Omar is fortunate we didn't spend the money on Manny and how Daniel Murphy, who is batting .311 by the way, might need some steroids for his defense...
I'm eventually gonna get on the radio with someone and ask if they consider greenies to be performance enhancing drugs and if so, does that taint the entire era prior to the cocaine epidemic of the 1980s?
Speaking of questions, my church question was answered by someone who wants me to call, which I can understand. But then again, if I wanted to call or had the time or the like, wouldn't I have done that before?
Or maybe this is the first step towards something, something like...
Something like another quality start by John Maine this afternoon against the Pirates.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Game 27 - Mets 7, Phillies 5
So the Mets scored four runs in the first with back to back two-run homers by the same two guys that did it a couple days ago in Atlanta.
While the Flithies might come back and win, I'll take this time to quickly run past my Manny moment.
I was walking into the partition portion/office part of the warehouse I work at and my area supervisor was saying how he was so happy that someone he doesn't like finally got caught with drugs.
He's a out-of-state Yankee fan, meaning he grew up in the Mountain time zone before they had the Rockies and picked the Yankees to root for as opposed to the Braves, Cubs or Cardinals.
Long story short, he was happy to hear that Manny was out for 50 games for steriods use. I was not. I wasn't shocked, per say but I was certainly surprised. I didn't think that the Baby Bull needed roids to get it done...
I'm a little disappointed overall, but this is the era we live in. Let's be real, when Mike Schmit admitted that if juice was around when he was playing, he would have done it. While greenies may not be as powerful as steroids, it is pretty performance enhancing since it turns a sluggish hitter into a aware active batter.
How that isn't considered performance enhancing I don't know. And if you consider that to be exactly what it is, then doesn't that mean all the hitters from baseball's "Golden Era" of the 50s through the 70s would be just as guilty?
I think the bigger thing is more to do with all the writers that didn't see this coming, that didn't care to dig deeper into what was in Mark McGwire's locker or to question why the union fought so hard to keep drug testing out.
They're the ones making the most noise and egging on those silly idiots who want to blame the commissioner. How this is Bud Selig's fault is beyond me since he never had the power or public backing to force this issue any earlier than he did.
Anyway, back to the game.
This is the second Mike Pelfrey start that I can think of that his teammates have given him a lead to work with. In return, he rewarded them with seven innings and only one walk.
Think rookie Johnie Niese can pull something similar Friday against the Pirates? Let's find out...
While the Flithies might come back and win, I'll take this time to quickly run past my Manny moment.
I was walking into the partition portion/office part of the warehouse I work at and my area supervisor was saying how he was so happy that someone he doesn't like finally got caught with drugs.
He's a out-of-state Yankee fan, meaning he grew up in the Mountain time zone before they had the Rockies and picked the Yankees to root for as opposed to the Braves, Cubs or Cardinals.
Long story short, he was happy to hear that Manny was out for 50 games for steriods use. I was not. I wasn't shocked, per say but I was certainly surprised. I didn't think that the Baby Bull needed roids to get it done...
I'm a little disappointed overall, but this is the era we live in. Let's be real, when Mike Schmit admitted that if juice was around when he was playing, he would have done it. While greenies may not be as powerful as steroids, it is pretty performance enhancing since it turns a sluggish hitter into a aware active batter.
How that isn't considered performance enhancing I don't know. And if you consider that to be exactly what it is, then doesn't that mean all the hitters from baseball's "Golden Era" of the 50s through the 70s would be just as guilty?
I think the bigger thing is more to do with all the writers that didn't see this coming, that didn't care to dig deeper into what was in Mark McGwire's locker or to question why the union fought so hard to keep drug testing out.
They're the ones making the most noise and egging on those silly idiots who want to blame the commissioner. How this is Bud Selig's fault is beyond me since he never had the power or public backing to force this issue any earlier than he did.
Anyway, back to the game.
This is the second Mike Pelfrey start that I can think of that his teammates have given him a lead to work with. In return, he rewarded them with seven innings and only one walk.
Think rookie Johnie Niese can pull something similar Friday against the Pirates? Let's find out...
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Game 26 - Mets 1, Phillies 0
Before it gets lost in all the crap that "the media" and "the tabloids" fling in a general direction, let's not forget this.
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5, all against NL East competition.
OK, now we can bash their collective play and ponder on another game where the offense went dead with their best pitcher on the mound.
It's like the bats all figure with Johan on the mound, they only need one or two runs and that will be enough. What it will be is enough to earn Santana the Cy Young hands down.
He should have won it last year, but the lack of 20 wins to go with his league-leading strikeout numbers, innings pitched and a 2.53 ERA (lower than Lincecum and Brandon Webb , who finished second).
But the way the run scored was a laugher with a hobbled Delgado scoring from first on a bad thrown by Pedro Felix and Jason Werth deciding to triple clutch before throwing a strike home from the right field corner that would have had Carlos out by a country mile if thrown earlier...
Classic.
I still haven't received a reply from the church, but I did get horrible service at a Domino's and sent a nasty email after calling the local number and getting the manager's answering machine. The big problem with that is since it was the manager that ignored me and left my pizza sitting on the hot plate while she complained to her friend on the phone, it didn't make sense to complain to her and expect something to get done.
Well, Pelfrey goes tomorrow and a win would get us percentage points behind the Flithies for first place, a place you would think we couldn't inhabit with all the crap you hear and read about. I know this team is flawed, but so is everybody else.
Closing with Oli, I think this article by Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News pretty much says what I was thinking, but adds quotes from the parties involved. For those of you who don't want to jump to the link, here's the main point.
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5, all against NL East competition.
OK, now we can bash their collective play and ponder on another game where the offense went dead with their best pitcher on the mound.
It's like the bats all figure with Johan on the mound, they only need one or two runs and that will be enough. What it will be is enough to earn Santana the Cy Young hands down.
He should have won it last year, but the lack of 20 wins to go with his league-leading strikeout numbers, innings pitched and a 2.53 ERA (lower than Lincecum and Brandon Webb , who finished second).
But the way the run scored was a laugher with a hobbled Delgado scoring from first on a bad thrown by Pedro Felix and Jason Werth deciding to triple clutch before throwing a strike home from the right field corner that would have had Carlos out by a country mile if thrown earlier...
Classic.
I still haven't received a reply from the church, but I did get horrible service at a Domino's and sent a nasty email after calling the local number and getting the manager's answering machine. The big problem with that is since it was the manager that ignored me and left my pizza sitting on the hot plate while she complained to her friend on the phone, it didn't make sense to complain to her and expect something to get done.
Well, Pelfrey goes tomorrow and a win would get us percentage points behind the Flithies for first place, a place you would think we couldn't inhabit with all the crap you hear and read about. I know this team is flawed, but so is everybody else.
Closing with Oli, I think this article by Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News pretty much says what I was thinking, but adds quotes from the parties involved. For those of you who don't want to jump to the link, here's the main point.
The logic: the struggling southpaw would be better served under the tutelage of pitching coach Dan Warthen and his teammates, including mentors such as Johan Santana, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado.
Game 25 - Mets 4, Braves 3
Before the game, it was officially announced that Oli Perez will move to the bullpen, only to be used in late-game situations.
What that means to me is that Oli will be the 25th man on the roster, only to be used in late game situations if the Mets are up or down by about 200 runs. He'll stay up in the majors because to send him down further burdens the AAA pitching coach and a problem of this importance should be handled by the top guy(s).
His knee injury, something that could have been used to put him on the DL, clearly isn't enough of a problem to use that excuse to send him down ala Chein Ming-Wang (Thanks to Kris for the info).
No, Oli is the Big Boys problem and their the ones that will figure him out. I figure he clearly misses his next start, probably a second one and that should get us back from that quick West Coast swing...
Actually, it's gonna take missing about four starts to do that but that's what I see happening.
As for the game, the fact of the matter is the Braves aren't that good. When you're waiting for Garrett Anderson and his steady bat to infuse some much needed pop in your lineup, that's a problem. Mostly because he's good, but oft injured and more of an average hitter than power in my opinion.
I will say this. The Braves are young and if they let Bobby Cox groom this squad with some quality pitching, they'll challenge in a year or two. Just not this year.
Needless to say, this was the Mets in Atlanta. So even with a 2-0 lead headed into the seventh, I was kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop and when Bobby Parnell gave up a two-out single to the great Martin Prada, I was waiting for Escobar to bash a 3-run homer.
He didn't.
When Putz came on with a 2-1 lead and had to face Chipper, I was half-expecting him to launch another bomb into the night like he did yesterday. I mean, that's what he does against us...
But he didn't.
However, when they tacked on two more runs for Frankie to deal with in the ninth I knew the game was over. Even when the Braves got a couple of runners on, I really didn't panic. Mostly cuz Frankie has given me the ability to relax.
And even when Delgado dropped the third out and two runs came home to make the game close, I still wasn't worried and that was with Chipper Jones at the plate with a chance to give the Braves the win with one swing of the bat.
Not nervous at all.
And I'm certainly not nervous coming back to Citi with Johan on the mound against the formidable Chan Ho Park, although I've got to believe they won't throw him against us again.
What that means to me is that Oli will be the 25th man on the roster, only to be used in late game situations if the Mets are up or down by about 200 runs. He'll stay up in the majors because to send him down further burdens the AAA pitching coach and a problem of this importance should be handled by the top guy(s).
His knee injury, something that could have been used to put him on the DL, clearly isn't enough of a problem to use that excuse to send him down ala Chein Ming-Wang (Thanks to Kris for the info).
No, Oli is the Big Boys problem and their the ones that will figure him out. I figure he clearly misses his next start, probably a second one and that should get us back from that quick West Coast swing...
Actually, it's gonna take missing about four starts to do that but that's what I see happening.
As for the game, the fact of the matter is the Braves aren't that good. When you're waiting for Garrett Anderson and his steady bat to infuse some much needed pop in your lineup, that's a problem. Mostly because he's good, but oft injured and more of an average hitter than power in my opinion.
I will say this. The Braves are young and if they let Bobby Cox groom this squad with some quality pitching, they'll challenge in a year or two. Just not this year.
Needless to say, this was the Mets in Atlanta. So even with a 2-0 lead headed into the seventh, I was kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop and when Bobby Parnell gave up a two-out single to the great Martin Prada, I was waiting for Escobar to bash a 3-run homer.
He didn't.
When Putz came on with a 2-1 lead and had to face Chipper, I was half-expecting him to launch another bomb into the night like he did yesterday. I mean, that's what he does against us...
But he didn't.
However, when they tacked on two more runs for Frankie to deal with in the ninth I knew the game was over. Even when the Braves got a couple of runners on, I really didn't panic. Mostly cuz Frankie has given me the ability to relax.
And even when Delgado dropped the third out and two runs came home to make the game close, I still wasn't worried and that was with Chipper Jones at the plate with a chance to give the Braves the win with one swing of the bat.
Not nervous at all.
And I'm certainly not nervous coming back to Citi with Johan on the mound against the formidable Chan Ho Park, although I've got to believe they won't throw him against us again.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Game 24 - Mets 6, Braves 4
I hate games at Turner Field. It's been like our personal...
Well I can't think of a good example cuz I'm torn between tyrping this post and watching Shane O'Mac take on three wrestlers including Randy Orton, who apparently is the reigning WWE champion. Who knew?
Either way, when John Maine loaded the bases I thought we were in trouble. Then he struck out Jordan Schaffer on straight heat under his elbows. Then Javiar Vazquez hit a double play ball but it was slow.
Needless to say, Luis Castillo was taken out at second base and couldn't complete the double play. That allowed two runs to score and the Braves would tack on one more for an early 3-0 lead.
Normally a couple of different things would happen at this point. John Maine, who as a history of struggling and was en route to walking a career high six people. He would normally lose it completely.
The Mets, as a team, would pack it in and fail to realize they were facing Vazquez and it would be another loss to an inferior Braves team.
But not this time. I was able to sneak into my bedroom to watch Chic Caray and Joe Simpson, who are already homers and don't have to hide it anymore on Peachtree TV here in Atlanta, throw up a stat how the Mets haven't come back on anybody and how they've already blown four saves and then Daniel Murphy singled and then Carlos Betran lost one over the center field wall.
I didn't hear the excuse about that and I must admit they did call it correct in the first when Carlos Delgado struck out on an inside fastball that the home plate umpire didn't call for Maine in the next frame.
Either way, when David Wright lost on to left to give the Mets the lead, it was smooth sailing. And then they threw up the stat how they are 9-1 with a lead after six innings this year. And then Parnell went 1-2-3, Putz gave up a long home run to Chipper. OK, Caray called it long but it went about 10-15 feet past the fence.
And it's Chipper, so it was due.
Putz struck out the side and Frankie K improved to 6-for-6 in save opportunities and the game was over just like that.
A good win. Another good start for Maine, who only gave up three hits to go with all those walks. And Beltran continued to be the hottest hitter in the land.
On the God front, I sent a question that basically was composed of the last post with a touch of my history to Victory. When I get a reply back, I'll post it here and hope the conversation continues...
I hope this quality play continues as we end this two-game set with Livan on Tuesday. Then two against the Phillies at Citi, one of which I'll be able to watch on ESPN (something my wife will hate) before three with the Pirates and another three with the Braves. Afer that, Los Mets head west for four at Pac Bell/AT&T/Ma Bell Park in San Fran and three in LA. All without an off day.
Guess I'll be busy.
Well I can't think of a good example cuz I'm torn between tyrping this post and watching Shane O'Mac take on three wrestlers including Randy Orton, who apparently is the reigning WWE champion. Who knew?
Either way, when John Maine loaded the bases I thought we were in trouble. Then he struck out Jordan Schaffer on straight heat under his elbows. Then Javiar Vazquez hit a double play ball but it was slow.
Needless to say, Luis Castillo was taken out at second base and couldn't complete the double play. That allowed two runs to score and the Braves would tack on one more for an early 3-0 lead.
Normally a couple of different things would happen at this point. John Maine, who as a history of struggling and was en route to walking a career high six people. He would normally lose it completely.
The Mets, as a team, would pack it in and fail to realize they were facing Vazquez and it would be another loss to an inferior Braves team.
But not this time. I was able to sneak into my bedroom to watch Chic Caray and Joe Simpson, who are already homers and don't have to hide it anymore on Peachtree TV here in Atlanta, throw up a stat how the Mets haven't come back on anybody and how they've already blown four saves and then Daniel Murphy singled and then Carlos Betran lost one over the center field wall.
I didn't hear the excuse about that and I must admit they did call it correct in the first when Carlos Delgado struck out on an inside fastball that the home plate umpire didn't call for Maine in the next frame.
Either way, when David Wright lost on to left to give the Mets the lead, it was smooth sailing. And then they threw up the stat how they are 9-1 with a lead after six innings this year. And then Parnell went 1-2-3, Putz gave up a long home run to Chipper. OK, Caray called it long but it went about 10-15 feet past the fence.
And it's Chipper, so it was due.
Putz struck out the side and Frankie K improved to 6-for-6 in save opportunities and the game was over just like that.
A good win. Another good start for Maine, who only gave up three hits to go with all those walks. And Beltran continued to be the hottest hitter in the land.
On the God front, I sent a question that basically was composed of the last post with a touch of my history to Victory. When I get a reply back, I'll post it here and hope the conversation continues...
I hope this quality play continues as we end this two-game set with Livan on Tuesday. Then two against the Phillies at Citi, one of which I'll be able to watch on ESPN (something my wife will hate) before three with the Pirates and another three with the Braves. Afer that, Los Mets head west for four at Pac Bell/AT&T/Ma Bell Park in San Fran and three in LA. All without an off day.
Guess I'll be busy.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Rainout ramblings
So they split a two-game series with the defending champs, losing a game they should have won despite the starter not getting out of the fourth inning and walking the opposing 59-year old pitcher...
Speaking of that pitcher, Oli Perez is Oli Perez. I still stick with I would rather overpay him for his talent and youth than overpay for Derek Lowe for four years. If he goes to the minors (and that's a real possibility), then pitches OK for the rest of the season, you might be able to find a taker...
Yes, he's streaky and all that but midway through 2010, he would only have one more year to eat. God forbid he actually turns it around, then he's a bargain at $12 million. I still don't think Lowe and Scott Boras would have taken a four year, $12 million dollar deal. They wanted more cash and that was something Omar and the Wilpons clearly didn't have.
If they did, Daniel Murphy would be in the minors working on his first base skills to take over for Delgado next year and Manny would be wearing out the gaps of Citi Field.
I'll get to watch every one of these upcoming Mets-Braves games since I'm here, so I can complain about something else...
How do i approach this subject? Well, since I've got a readership of two, I'll just put it out there.
I've been attending church every Sunday with my wife and family, which is the first time in my life I've ever done that. Never in Teaneck, certainly not since I moved out and even when we were dating in Mississippi, I found reasons not to spend my Sunday morning/afternoon in church.
But I really wasn't given a choice this time around and I've been thinking. I never considered myself anything more than human. Not a Christian or religious or anything. I believe there is a higher power, but I never really put a name to it.
I haven't read the Bible, but I want to. Which means to say, I haven't dedicated the time to sit down and pound out a couple of pages a night. I say that and realize that I also wanted to read the other holy books but pastor Dennis Rouse had a very interesting sermon last week.
Here's a link to it if you want to watch/listen, but the gist of it is the other faiths have serious faults.
According to Rouse, Islam was founded by Mohammed, a child molester. Although Hindus have reincarnation, something I kinda feel, they also have a caste system. Buddism is all about achieving Nirvana and there's too much yoga and meditation for that to truly make sense.
Then there's all the New Age crap, like scienetology, that make sense to whoever it wants to make sense of it. If that's the case, I could go with George Carlin's Church of Joe Pesci.
Interesting enough, they didn't mention the Jews at all. In fact, Rouse routinely says that we, as Christians, must pray for Isreal and its people. So take that and do with it what you will.
I will continue this more later, but my main question is this: If I accept that Jesus Christ is the one true savior and the only way to reach God, then what happened to all the souls of people, past and present, that didn't have the chance to hear this gospel?
From ancient African tribes before European invasion and the Greeks, all of whom had their own ways of worship and to explain the mysteries of the world we inhabit, to those now who either aren't able to hear or just haven't.
I watched this show, Last One Standing, on Discovery. They took these six athletes and shipped them around the world to face against remote tribes in real competition (Thanks for the tag line Discovery).
Point is, these people they faced had their own culture that didn't have any Western influence. I'm willing to bet none of them, and they were in Mexico, Brazil, Senegal and the Pacific Rim Islands. I'm willing to bet none of them had been pastored to, none of them had heard the proverbs and prose of the Good Book or learned about the sacrifice of Jesus. What happens to them when they die?
I know that I'm not in that boat. That I have been given the opportunity to declare my belief in the one true Lord. However, I'm a journalist and skeptic at heart. Maybe that's why I've ordered Letters from a Skeptic from my local library. The point is, I would like that question answered before I take the next step.
I hope John Maine takes the next step against the Braves Monday night.
Speaking of that pitcher, Oli Perez is Oli Perez. I still stick with I would rather overpay him for his talent and youth than overpay for Derek Lowe for four years. If he goes to the minors (and that's a real possibility), then pitches OK for the rest of the season, you might be able to find a taker...
Yes, he's streaky and all that but midway through 2010, he would only have one more year to eat. God forbid he actually turns it around, then he's a bargain at $12 million. I still don't think Lowe and Scott Boras would have taken a four year, $12 million dollar deal. They wanted more cash and that was something Omar and the Wilpons clearly didn't have.
If they did, Daniel Murphy would be in the minors working on his first base skills to take over for Delgado next year and Manny would be wearing out the gaps of Citi Field.
I'll get to watch every one of these upcoming Mets-Braves games since I'm here, so I can complain about something else...
How do i approach this subject? Well, since I've got a readership of two, I'll just put it out there.
I've been attending church every Sunday with my wife and family, which is the first time in my life I've ever done that. Never in Teaneck, certainly not since I moved out and even when we were dating in Mississippi, I found reasons not to spend my Sunday morning/afternoon in church.
But I really wasn't given a choice this time around and I've been thinking. I never considered myself anything more than human. Not a Christian or religious or anything. I believe there is a higher power, but I never really put a name to it.
I haven't read the Bible, but I want to. Which means to say, I haven't dedicated the time to sit down and pound out a couple of pages a night. I say that and realize that I also wanted to read the other holy books but pastor Dennis Rouse had a very interesting sermon last week.
Here's a link to it if you want to watch/listen, but the gist of it is the other faiths have serious faults.
According to Rouse, Islam was founded by Mohammed, a child molester. Although Hindus have reincarnation, something I kinda feel, they also have a caste system. Buddism is all about achieving Nirvana and there's too much yoga and meditation for that to truly make sense.
Then there's all the New Age crap, like scienetology, that make sense to whoever it wants to make sense of it. If that's the case, I could go with George Carlin's Church of Joe Pesci.
Interesting enough, they didn't mention the Jews at all. In fact, Rouse routinely says that we, as Christians, must pray for Isreal and its people. So take that and do with it what you will.
I will continue this more later, but my main question is this: If I accept that Jesus Christ is the one true savior and the only way to reach God, then what happened to all the souls of people, past and present, that didn't have the chance to hear this gospel?
From ancient African tribes before European invasion and the Greeks, all of whom had their own ways of worship and to explain the mysteries of the world we inhabit, to those now who either aren't able to hear or just haven't.
I watched this show, Last One Standing, on Discovery. They took these six athletes and shipped them around the world to face against remote tribes in real competition (Thanks for the tag line Discovery).
Point is, these people they faced had their own culture that didn't have any Western influence. I'm willing to bet none of them, and they were in Mexico, Brazil, Senegal and the Pacific Rim Islands. I'm willing to bet none of them had been pastored to, none of them had heard the proverbs and prose of the Good Book or learned about the sacrifice of Jesus. What happens to them when they die?
I know that I'm not in that boat. That I have been given the opportunity to declare my belief in the one true Lord. However, I'm a journalist and skeptic at heart. Maybe that's why I've ordered Letters from a Skeptic from my local library. The point is, I would like that question answered before I take the next step.
I hope John Maine takes the next step against the Braves Monday night.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Game 23 - Phillies 6, Mets 5 (10 innings)
I'm not going to talk about Oli because he needs to take an assignment down (or up) to AAA-Buffalo and work on his mechanics. His biggest problem has always been duplicating the same delivery and watching him today (thankfully the rain delay to the Braves let me watch a couple of innings on Fox), that's why he couldn't throw a strike to PITCHER JAMIE MOYER WITH THE F'IN BASES LOADED!!!
It's a crying shame I'll get back to this basic, basic, basic fundamental of the game.
They did show a touch of heart with their offense, but its clear this team is pushing too hard on the clutch instead of easing into gear. Case in point is Moyer's mastery for a few innings. Guys like Jose Reyes and David Wright are regressing into young hitters just up and not trusting their bat speed to succeed.
Yes, Beltran should have had a better at-bat in the top of the 10th with a runner on third and only one out but I'll have to see the highlight and I'm not going to fuss about one of my hottest and fastest hitters getting doubled up there. It means he had to have hit it pretty hard to go around the horn like that...
No, my anger. My absolute, puss-filled fury and rage is towards Sean Green and walking in the winning run.
Ask Kris. Ask anyone who really knows me and they know one of my darkest moments, one of my biggest pet peeves and it's really simple.
Walking a batter with the bases loaded in the bottom of the final inning on a full count is completely inexcusable. Period. That's it, end of list.
That's why, to this day, I'll always and forever hate Kenny Rogers.
October 19, 1999 - Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.
The Mets, with one of the best defensive infields of all-time (John Olerud, Edgardo Alfonzo, Rey Ordonez and Robin Ventura) lose the first three games of the series, but win game 4 with two in the eighth off Mike Remlinger. Then they take game 5 in the 15th on Ventura's "Grand Slam single".
Al Leiter starts Game 6 on short-day rest and gets rocked for five runs in the first, but under Bobby Valentine my Mets had heart and never quit. They tie the game at 7-7 with four runs off John Smoltz and take a lead that John Franco can't hold.
it would go into extras and of course when they took a lead and handed the ball to Armando Benitez in the 10th, he promptly gave it right back and the game marched into the 11th.
That's where Kenny Rogers, this supposed control pitcher, would give up a double to Gerald Williams. A sac bunt by Bret Boone put him on third and in typical fashion, Rogers was told to intentionally walk the bases loaded.
He did so and then on a 3-2 pitch, the bastard couldn't throw a strike to Andrew Jones. And this wasn't the 51 home run Andrew Jones from 2005. This was the Jones who was such a great CF that you didn't mind the .280 average and 100+ strikeouts.
He couldn't throw him a strike and I'll never forgive him for it. I could argue that lead to Todd Ziele playing 1B for me the next year instead of Steve Phillips resigning Olerud but I've already delayed this post too long.
Long story short, I just have to hope that John Maine can pitch better than Joe Blanton with both teams hoping their respective starter goes deep to help the pen.
It's a crying shame I'll get back to this basic, basic, basic fundamental of the game.
They did show a touch of heart with their offense, but its clear this team is pushing too hard on the clutch instead of easing into gear. Case in point is Moyer's mastery for a few innings. Guys like Jose Reyes and David Wright are regressing into young hitters just up and not trusting their bat speed to succeed.
Yes, Beltran should have had a better at-bat in the top of the 10th with a runner on third and only one out but I'll have to see the highlight and I'm not going to fuss about one of my hottest and fastest hitters getting doubled up there. It means he had to have hit it pretty hard to go around the horn like that...
No, my anger. My absolute, puss-filled fury and rage is towards Sean Green and walking in the winning run.
Ask Kris. Ask anyone who really knows me and they know one of my darkest moments, one of my biggest pet peeves and it's really simple.
Walking a batter with the bases loaded in the bottom of the final inning on a full count is completely inexcusable. Period. That's it, end of list.
That's why, to this day, I'll always and forever hate Kenny Rogers.
October 19, 1999 - Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.
The Mets, with one of the best defensive infields of all-time (John Olerud, Edgardo Alfonzo, Rey Ordonez and Robin Ventura) lose the first three games of the series, but win game 4 with two in the eighth off Mike Remlinger. Then they take game 5 in the 15th on Ventura's "Grand Slam single".
Al Leiter starts Game 6 on short-day rest and gets rocked for five runs in the first, but under Bobby Valentine my Mets had heart and never quit. They tie the game at 7-7 with four runs off John Smoltz and take a lead that John Franco can't hold.
it would go into extras and of course when they took a lead and handed the ball to Armando Benitez in the 10th, he promptly gave it right back and the game marched into the 11th.
That's where Kenny Rogers, this supposed control pitcher, would give up a double to Gerald Williams. A sac bunt by Bret Boone put him on third and in typical fashion, Rogers was told to intentionally walk the bases loaded.
He did so and then on a 3-2 pitch, the bastard couldn't throw a strike to Andrew Jones. And this wasn't the 51 home run Andrew Jones from 2005. This was the Jones who was such a great CF that you didn't mind the .280 average and 100+ strikeouts.
He couldn't throw him a strike and I'll never forgive him for it. I could argue that lead to Todd Ziele playing 1B for me the next year instead of Steve Phillips resigning Olerud but I've already delayed this post too long.
Long story short, I just have to hope that John Maine can pitch better than Joe Blanton with both teams hoping their respective starter goes deep to help the pen.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Game 22 - Mets 7, Phillies 4
This is the type of win against the type of team that can restart a season.
Or it could just be a blip on the radar.
I'm hoping it's the latter.
This is what you wanted to see from all aspects. Despite Jose Reyes not getting a hit, they scored twice in the first inning off Chan Ho Park because 1) It was Chan Ho Park and 2) Daniel Murphy isn't a home run hitter but a pop up to right field that's a can of corn at Citi Field is a home run in that joke of a ball park in Philly.
With a lead, Mike Pelfrey went out and just threw strikes. He did walk four and only make it into the sixth inning, but he didn't pussyfoot around that deep Philthy lineup.
The highlight of the game as far as I'm concerned happened in the second inning. Fernando Tatis singled and Omar Santos (my starting catcher. Sorry Ramon Castro) doubled. That's runners on second and third with the pitcher up.
Pelfrey hit a sac fly that not only scored Tatis, but allowed Santos to move to third. (Yet another reason why he's my starter. Neither Castro nor Schineder would be able to tag up and advance). Then Reyes got up and hit a sac fly that scored Santos. It's all about productive outs and turning a 2-0 game into a 4-0 game.
I'm a little upset with my self that I didn't get a chance to post last night. It was going to be about my favorite sports films and I could give you the short...
What's that? You want it anyway? Well, I did want to write a little something after each one...
I think I'll hold that for another off day. While the rest of the nation watches Oli Perez try to step up in a big game against the ageless Jamie Moyer because of my locale, I'll be forced to watch the Braves and the Astros. I know I complained about this before and I'll do it again.
F'in Braves!
----------------
Now playing: Charlaine Harris 3/9 - Definitely Dead 3 B
via FoxyTunes
Or it could just be a blip on the radar.
I'm hoping it's the latter.
This is what you wanted to see from all aspects. Despite Jose Reyes not getting a hit, they scored twice in the first inning off Chan Ho Park because 1) It was Chan Ho Park and 2) Daniel Murphy isn't a home run hitter but a pop up to right field that's a can of corn at Citi Field is a home run in that joke of a ball park in Philly.
With a lead, Mike Pelfrey went out and just threw strikes. He did walk four and only make it into the sixth inning, but he didn't pussyfoot around that deep Philthy lineup.
The highlight of the game as far as I'm concerned happened in the second inning. Fernando Tatis singled and Omar Santos (my starting catcher. Sorry Ramon Castro) doubled. That's runners on second and third with the pitcher up.
Pelfrey hit a sac fly that not only scored Tatis, but allowed Santos to move to third. (Yet another reason why he's my starter. Neither Castro nor Schineder would be able to tag up and advance). Then Reyes got up and hit a sac fly that scored Santos. It's all about productive outs and turning a 2-0 game into a 4-0 game.
I'm a little upset with my self that I didn't get a chance to post last night. It was going to be about my favorite sports films and I could give you the short...
What's that? You want it anyway? Well, I did want to write a little something after each one...
I think I'll hold that for another off day. While the rest of the nation watches Oli Perez try to step up in a big game against the ageless Jamie Moyer because of my locale, I'll be forced to watch the Braves and the Astros. I know I complained about this before and I'll do it again.
F'in Braves!
----------------
Now playing: Charlaine Harris 3/9 - Definitely Dead 3 B
via FoxyTunes
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