Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from September 21, 2008

You Are Aware...

Those who know what "The Penske File" is will appreciate our take on Jerry Manuel's comment after Thursday's Mets win: "I really feel like we're about to take off..." What we think he's going to say, probably sometime in the next 24 hours is... "I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression. What is was going to say was I really feel like we're about to take off...for the rest of the winter. We expended so much energy getting through the first 145 games, we had nothing left for the last 17. You saw the last of what was left on Thursday. Oh, and our board of directors ..."

'Shea'ing Alive

As per usual, thanks to Baseball-Reference.com for the ability to dig out some of these nuggets * Walk-off win #356 was the Mets 8th walk-off win of the season, their first since a 5-4 win over the Braves on August 21. * It was the Mets first walk-off win against the Cubs since last May 17 when Carlos Delgado capped a 5-run rally with a 2-run single in a 6-5 win. * Carlos Beltran got his 4th Mets walk-off hit, the first that wasn't a home run. Beltran's last walk-off single came April 13, 2000 for the Royals against the Orioles. * The win came 4 years to the day of another Mets walk-off win against the Cubs. On September 25, 2004, with the Cubs fighting for a playoff spot, Victor Diaz hit a game-tying three-run home run with two outs in the ninth, and Craig Brazell hit a walk-off home run in the 11th to hand the Cubs a crushing, 4-3 loss. * The Mets also had walk-off wins on September 25, 1971 (Bob Aspromonte 15th-inning single), September 25 1984 (Rusty Staub home run), Septem

Why DID He Swing???

I remember, going home from Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS thinking (and likely verbalizing) that the Mets were going to pay the price for Carlos Beltran taking strike three to end their season, for a long time. You can summarize the last two seasons of frustration and angst in that one at-bat by David Wright, with a runner on third and nobody out, with the score tied in the bottom of the ninth inning. Too overanxious to make up for the mistakes of two years ago, Wright made the mistake of swinging on 3-0, and then struck out on a 3-2 pitch that was barely closer to the plate than that of the premier of Bermuda a couple days ago (yes, I'm reusing that line). The Cubs didn't want to face Wright. They were content with the idea of letting either Carlos Delgado or Beltran beat them, and Wright should have known better than to do what he did. There is no one better on the Mets in walk-off situations than David Wright, but his overzealousness on Wednesday, as well as some abysmal at-bats b

Gardner's Gaffe

Yesterday we wrote about Merkle's Boner in regards to its lessons in how not to walk-off. Today, in an effort to cheer ourselves up about our current fate, we write about Gardner's Gaffe. I'm referring to Game 4 of the 2000 NLDS, better known as The Bobby Jones Game , which would rank among my all-time favorite events attended at Shea (a list is coming, eventually). The Mets had a 2-games-to-1 lead at the time and the momentum pendulum was swinging totally opposite the direction it's in these days. We didn't know in the bottom of the first inning that Jones was going to pitch a one-hit shutout. But we did know it was going to be a good day for the Mets pretty quickly. Giants starter Mark Gardner, a good friend of Jones from their sharing Fresno, California as a home, got the first two Mets out in the home first inning. Gardner then got ahead of Mike Piazza 0-2 and threw a knee-high fastball near the outside corner of the plate. From my TV viewing today, it looks lik

100 Years Ago Today...

Today is the 100th anniversary of Merkle's Boner, otherwise known as the best example of how not to walk-off. Stories on the subject vary, but the basic details were that the Giants and Cubs were playing a key game in New York inthe 1908 pennant race, and the Giants were on the verge of winning. Al Bridwell appeared to single in Moose McCormick with the winning run. However, Fred Merkle, the baserunner on first, did not touch second base, and this was spotted by Johnny Evers. Craziness ensued, with Christy Mathewson attempting to steer Merkle back to second, while Giants pitcher Joe McGinity and Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers wrestled for position. Eventually, with fans having come on to the field, one got ahold of the ball and heaved it into the stands. Eventually police were called in and no decision was rendered as to the status of the game. The next day, the game umpires decided that Merkle was out, and that thus, the game was not over. League officials ruled the game had to

The Fab 45

"After the Florida-Mets afternoon game on Sept. 28, the Mets plan to bring back 45 former players, including Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza for a celebration called Shea Goodbye. Dave Howard, the Mets’ executive vice president for business, said, “We think most of the names that come to mind will be there.” -- New York Times article from earlier this week Couple of things I'm wondering about: a) 45...that's cute. 1 person for each year of Shea Stadium. Did they stop the invites or turn people away (otherwise known as "The Barry Lyons Treatment" from the 1986 celebration two years ago)? Who got the shaft? b) Given the way things have gone, wouldn't it be wiser to hold the ceremonies before the game, rather than after? Here's a scenario. The Mets blow the wild card on the final day of the season, in a fashion similar to their final game in 2007. You think the crowd's gonna be psyched to say farewell to a building that most consider a dump? c) 45 FORMER PLAY