All Rhodes Lead to Walk-Offs

You can see why the Marlins thought it wise to pick up Arthur Rhodes by looking at the Mets hitters who have struggled against him.

Carlos Delgado- .167 BA, 5 hits, 8 strikeouts
Damion Easley- .188 BA (3 for 16)
Fernando Tatis- 0 for 4
David Wright- 0 for 4

But there is one Met who has some success against Rhodes and he figures to be key to any Mets-Marlins matchup the rest of the way.

Carlos Beltran is 4-for-10 in his career against Rhodes and among his successes is a walk-off home run.

Sure it was awhile ago, July 20, 2003, but it was still significant. The Royals, believe it or not, were in first place at the time, and so were the Mariners. Kansas City had been going pretty good all season, good enough that blowing a 5-0 seventh inning lead didn't faze them. And facing Rhodes in the 10th inning, even behind in the count, 0-2, didn't bother Beltran, who crushed his first career walk-off home run, a deep drive to left center field that appeared to tick off the glove of none other than future Met Mike Cameron.

Since then, Rhodes has had the better of the matchup, striking out Beltran each of the last three times they've faced each other. But we'd take our chances with this matchup, if the season should come down to it, that final weekend at Shea.

True Metodes know...The last batter against whom Rhodes allowed a walk-off home run is also a former Met, and a former Royal- Alberto Castillo, on April 19, 2005.

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