This blog will likely be going on hiatus, either until Thursday night or Friday morning, though there is the slight possibility of a posting (particularly if the Mets get a walk-off win) while I attend to some company business on the West Coast. In the meantime, I don't have a lot of time to write, so I'll just say...
That while the Yankees were busy scoring 21 runs, the Mets were busy celebrating a 21st anniversary, of an extraordinarily bizarre game that typified and foreshadowed the 1986 season.
For those too young to remember the greatness of July 22, 1986 (I was 11...I watched), it bore a resemblance or two to the game you watched between the Mets and Dodgers Sunday. Such as...
* Instead of Matt Kemp charging in to drop a potential game-ending fly ball (yes, there was one out, but I had visions of a 9-2 double play), you had Dave Parker drifting back to muff a potential final out off the bat of Keith (absent from the booth, darn) Hernandez.
* People playing out of position, only then it was Gary Carter at third base and pitcher's Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco rotating in the outfield instead of Shawn Green looking like a pitcher playing first base.
* Remember how Paul Lo Duca was miffed about a strike call during his last turn at bat. Imagine someone that fiery throwing a couple punches, and you'd have had the famous brawl between Ray Knight and Eric Davis.
* As for unlikely heroes, the Mets had the key batter of that 1986 triumph, Howard Johnson (3-run HR in the 14th) advising the key batter of this one. Welcome to the hit club, Chip Ambres. Your ticket back to New Orleans should be handed to you by Mr. Alou on Tuesday. (gonna have to check out how many 1-hit Mets had a game-winner for their only hit, other than Ross Jones).
* Oh and for a little drama, we get a repeat of John Franco (the pitcher when Parker dropped the fly ball) of Barry Bonds (oh, is he in the news?) from the 2000 NLDS Game 2 with that Wagner/Nomar matchup. That's another story for another time, but my reaction to that one is similar to that which I had 21 years ago, and that which I had today: What an "Amazing" win!
That while the Yankees were busy scoring 21 runs, the Mets were busy celebrating a 21st anniversary, of an extraordinarily bizarre game that typified and foreshadowed the 1986 season.
For those too young to remember the greatness of July 22, 1986 (I was 11...I watched), it bore a resemblance or two to the game you watched between the Mets and Dodgers Sunday. Such as...
* Instead of Matt Kemp charging in to drop a potential game-ending fly ball (yes, there was one out, but I had visions of a 9-2 double play), you had Dave Parker drifting back to muff a potential final out off the bat of Keith (absent from the booth, darn) Hernandez.
* People playing out of position, only then it was Gary Carter at third base and pitcher's Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco rotating in the outfield instead of Shawn Green looking like a pitcher playing first base.
* Remember how Paul Lo Duca was miffed about a strike call during his last turn at bat. Imagine someone that fiery throwing a couple punches, and you'd have had the famous brawl between Ray Knight and Eric Davis.
* As for unlikely heroes, the Mets had the key batter of that 1986 triumph, Howard Johnson (3-run HR in the 14th) advising the key batter of this one. Welcome to the hit club, Chip Ambres. Your ticket back to New Orleans should be handed to you by Mr. Alou on Tuesday. (gonna have to check out how many 1-hit Mets had a game-winner for their only hit, other than Ross Jones).
* Oh and for a little drama, we get a repeat of John Franco (the pitcher when Parker dropped the fly ball) of Barry Bonds (oh, is he in the news?) from the 2000 NLDS Game 2 with that Wagner/Nomar matchup. That's another story for another time, but my reaction to that one is similar to that which I had 21 years ago, and that which I had today: What an "Amazing" win!
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