Mets Walk-Offs And Minutiae

The NHL returned to business on Wednesday night with the opening of the 2005-06 season after the sport suffered through an ugly one-year absence. I've had an odd relationship with hockey, which has fluctuated between my second and fourth-favorite sports, usually depending on how good the Rangers, a franchise with a history more tormented than the Mets, were. I also covered the sport at the minor-league level for almost three full seasons during my tenure as a sportswriter in New Jersey. Hockey is a challenging sport to write about because the action happens so fast that it's hard to describe with accuracy and with flair (particularly without benefit of full-fledged instant replay in the minors), but I feel like I did a decent job on the beat, particularly in covering the human-interest angles (Human-interest is an issue with hockey ,in that there aren't a lot of interested humans, at least in the United States, but that's another topic for another day.) So I'll take...

We're working on our reminiscences of Mets postseason walk-off wins and promise to share some stories next week, but for now we stick with a topic that's garnered a little attention this week. So a former Mets nemesis, Jim Leyland is back in the dugout again, taking over the Tigers after a six-season hiatus. He says he's ready to withstand the day-to-day grind and hopes to bring prominence back to the city of Detroit, where it has long been absent, in the form of a championship like the one he won for the Marlins in 1997. We'll see how he does after a few walk-off losses, like some of those he had managing against the Mets. I always thought of Leyland as the picture of managerial misery in his stints with the Pirates, Marlins and Rockies. He always looked pretty unhappy his face drained of pleasure from a few too many thousand cigarettes. This was someone far too stressed from something that's supposed to be a fun game. I also thought of him as a worthy foe and a pr...

Continuing our "Didja ever notice?" series on Game 6 of the 1986 World Series "A little roller up along first...behind the bag!!! It gets through Buckner!!! Here comes Knight and the Mets win it!!!... ... ... If one picture is worth a thousand words, than you have seen about a million words...but more than that, you have seen an absolutely bizarre finish to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The Mets are not only alive, they are well, and they will play the Red Sox in Game 7 tomorrow. Let's go down on the field in this madhouse, to Marv Albert." That's what NBC broadcaster Vin Scully had to say in describing the final play of the baseball game that took place at Shea Stadium on October 25, 1986. In the space in which there are ellipsis (between the words "Mets win it" and "If one picture," there is a gap, one that lasted three minutes and 23 seconds. In that time, viewers watched the magic of television, as all sorts of fascinating images f...

With the playoffs beginning Tuesday, I thought I'd share my favorite postseason walk-off story from 2004. It's good to know that I'm a positive influence on the young people of America. It was about a year ago that I had to make a long drive to upstate New York for work purposes, meaning that I wouldn't get to watch that day's playoff action. I was significantly curious about the results, so I have the afternoon game that Friday, Game 3 of the 2004 ALDS between the Red Sox and Angels, my closest auditory attention. As day became night and the game stretched out, thanks to Vladimir Guerrero's game-tying grand slam, I ran into an issue of significance. I was hungry. I was well-fortified by an early lunch, but having left later than expected, I was also eager to get to my hotel room. My stomach battled by brain for a good half hour as this game remained even through the eighth, ninth, and into the 10th. There was a sign on the turnpike for an upcoming stop at whic...

For those curious regarding Monday's managerial maneuverings, it's as easy as 1-2-3 to tie them in to Mets walk-offs... The Mets only had one walk-off win against Dodgers manager Jim Tracy (the team and former skipper mutually parted ways on Monday). It was a 6-5 triumph on May 20, 2001, decided on a hit by Tsuyoshi Shinjo. The Mets had two walk-off wins against Tigers teams managed by Alan Trammell (fired on Monday). Mike Cameron did the honors on both days, with a game-winning homer and a game-winning single on June 18 and 19, 2004. The Mets had three walk-off wins against Marlins skipper Jack McKeon (announced his retirement on Sunday), all coming, as previously mentioned, during the 2005 season. Also noteworthy on Trammell from a walk-off perspective, tying things back to the Mets: On October 3, 1987 (18 years prior to his firing), he had a walk-off single (one that should have been ruled an error on shortstop Manny Lee) in the 12th inning of a 3-2 Tigers win against the Bl...

The Mets had eight walk-off wins, matching their 2004 total. The breakdown was as follows 5 walk-off singles 2 walk-off home runs 1 walk-off walk 6 extra-inning walk-offs The grand tally is now at 330* documented walk-offs, a total that includes postseason, in Mets history. The * is in place for two reasons, one of which I'll explain at another time, and the other because I have no verification that the tally is 100% accurate. By my count, I have written about, in some form, 89 of those 330 games, so we still have a long ways to go... Let us review the Mets year in walk-offs. April 13 vs Astros : Jose Reyes singled off the gloves of both pitcher Dan Wheeler and shortstop Adam Everett, allowing Victor Diaz to race home from second with the winning run, after a weak throw home by Astros second baseman Chris Burke. This was the second game of a three-game sweep of the Astros in the Mets first homestand of the season. Game summary: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250413121 April ...

I know some people were wondering if I'd maintain this blog once the season ends. The answer is that I will. Here's the tentative plan. I will post a couple of pieces next week. One is a Mets walk-off year in review. Another is a reminiscence about a non-Mets walk-off moment from the 2004 Division Series that I enjoyed. I will probably post a couple of times a week during the playoffs, perhaps relating current events to Mets events of the past (probably will do something on Mets postseason walk-off home runs). It is highly unlikely that I will post during the World Series, as work beckons. Perhaps I will file a "Didja ever notice?" piece (about 1986 WS Game 6) or two away to run during that time. I'd guess that during the winter months, I'll post an average of twice a week. I have some stories I want to tell. I may try to track down some Mets walk-off alums. I may delve into a few non-Mets walk-offs, if you'll indulge. If the Mets make a big free agent sig...

For those of you who missed it earlier this seson, here's a link to a post I did regarding a Mike Piazza walk-off home run from 2001. Wanted to make sure some of you saw it, as it completes my review of Piazza's walk-off home runs as a Met, to this point. http://metswalkoffs.blogspot.com/2005/07/clairvoyance-prognostication-and-walk.html

Mike Piazza broke Carlton Fisk's home run record for catchers on May 5, 2004. On May 6, 2004, Mike Piazza hit what was probably, barring what would be some pretty neat circumstances these next few days, his last walk-off home run as a New York Met. Guess which one we're going to talk about? That home run put Piazza into a tie for most walk-off home runs in Mets history with four, a mark he shares with Kevin McReynolds, Chris Jones, Cleon Jones. (I guess you could say that keeping up with the Jones' was an issue for Piazza in more ways than one (Chipper and Andruw being his primary foes)). This is one of those lists that Piazza belongs on, and deserves to stay on, to aid in the argument of his being the most clutch hitter in Mets history (we can list Keith Hernandez as 1a if you like), which is another discussion entirely, one that perhaps we'll take on when Piazza signs this offseason with the Angels, Orioles, or Rangers. Anyhow, on this night, the Mets and Giants got i...

For those who linked from Metsblog.com, you can visit the rest of this site by clicking here Mike Piazza has made it a regular habit during his Mets career to go on these torrid hot streaks during which he delivers big hits in bunches and is impossible to get out. These runs take on several different forms but the best part about them is the oomph they provide for the rest of the team. The Mets have wasted some of Piazza's big hits, but they rarely waste one of Piazza's mega runs. There's the half-long version, which looks something like this .351 BA 18 HR 63 RBI .656 SLG Pct .430 OBP There's the month-long version, which looks something like this .375 BA 9 HR 20 RBI .750 SLG Pct .462 OBP And there's the week-long version, which resmembles something akin to this .500 BA 4 HR 9 RBI 1.292 SLG Pct .571 OBP The first set of numbers are his after the All-Star Break in 1998. The second set comes from May, 2000. The last group is the one to which we refer today, as it come...

I'm interrupting this Mike Piazza tribute just briefly here to reflect on the similarities between these last two Mets games against the Phillies, and two contests of a similar nature against the 2004 Cubs. To briefly refresh the memory, the Mets wrecked the Cubs postseason chances last season with two rather bizarre wins. In the first, they rallied from a three-run late-inning deficit with a rookie (Craig Brazell) striking the decisive blow (a walk-off home run, no less). In the second, they won a torture-filled 3-2 game against an ace pitcher (Kerry Wood) and their opponent failed to cash in on numerous scoring opportunities. The Cubs were riding a wave of momentum entering the series, but fell apart immediately afterward and failed to make the postseason. In 2005, the Mets wrecked (perhaps) the Phillies postseason chances with two rather bizarre wins. In the first, they rallied from a three-run, late-inning deficit with a rookie (Mike Jacobs) striking the decisive blow. In the s...

I can remember a game from my disastrous final season of Little League in which we trailed by 10 runs or so in the final inning. With two outs, I was on deck,with a runner on third and two outs. The opposing pitcher threw one that was slightly askew, but our baserunner wasn't quick enough scampering down the line, and was thrown out at the plate to end the game. It wasn't a smart play at the time, but our team wasn't exactly known for it's baseball intellect. It isn't so much the ridiculousness of the play I remember, but the reaction on the face of the batter to what happened. "Man," he said to his mom and dad. "They didn't even give me a chance to hit." It would be about a dozen years later that I'd see that look again, only this time, it came from a New York Met. There was no doubt that the Mets were going to win the 162nd game of the 1999 season to either win the wild card, or set up a one game playoff against the Cincinnati Reds. Wel...

Mike Piazza's first walk-off home run as a Met came on April 28, 1999. Piazza was in the midst of a rough stretch. A knee injury sidelined him for two weeks and when he came back, he didn't look too good. He had one hit in his first 13 at-bats coming off the disabled list and left seven runners on base in an ugly performance against the Padres the day before. Trevor Hoffman, aka "Hell's Bells" (for the theme song they play when he enters a home game), turned out to be the cure for what ailed him. The Padres entered this game against the Mets having won 181 consecutive games when leading after eight innings, and they carried a 3-2 lead into the final frame after tallying twice in the eighth inning against Armando Benitez. That, in what turned out to become a familiar pattern, spoiled a good start by Al Leiter, who allowed just one run through the first seven frames. Anyhow, John Olerud led off the ninth inning with a single, setting the stage for Piazza to face Hof...

This likely being the final week of Mike Piazza's Mets career, we'll take the time to pay tribute to his walk-off accomplishments. That comes tomorrow (aka Tuesday). Today we have some fun. I share a trait with Mike Piazza. I walk faster than I run. In second grade, I peaked speed-wise. I ran the anchor leg in class relay races, often against our speedsters, Leon Johnson and Daniel Caraballo. I won a few. I lost most of the time. It was all downhill from there. When Mike Piazza runs, he runs hard. I grant him that and applaud the effort every time he grounds to short. The problem is that at his fastest, he runs at the speed of a second-grader. It is one of his two primary flaws (the inability to throw out basestealers being his other foible). I think Mookie Wilson could reach second base on a ground ball single down the line before Mike Piazza would reach first. Keep in mind that Mookie is approaching 50 years of age. If we're going to toast Mike Piazza this week, than we m...

Today we ponder the question: If a walk-off occurs and no one is there to see it, does it really happen? That's kind of how I felt watching the ninth inning of Thursday's loss to the Marlins, in a game in which the attendance wasn't announced because it wouldn't jive with the reality of the paltry crowd at Shea Stadium. In the original Summer of False Hope that was 1980, the crowds dwindled significantly at the conclusion of the season. The finish to the campaign was miserable and heading into the final series against Pittsburgh, the Flushing 9 had won just 8 of their last 43 games. This was in the day in which crowds were counted by turnstile clicks rather than tickets sold, so the tally was only 1,787 on September 29, an all-time Shea Stadium low that stood until the next day when 1,754 made it through the gates. Particularly poor weather, the kind more typical than that seen at Shea Stadium this September, didn't help matters much. Anyhow, there was still basebal...

Donn Clendenon's timing for big hits was one of his best traits as a New York Met. Clendenon died a few days ago, after a long battle with leukemia, at age 70. He is best remembered for his play during the 1969 season as a valuable midseason acquisition who starred during the World Series upset of the Baltimore Orioles. In the fifth and deciding game, his home run, with the Mets trailing, 3-0, helped the Mets rally to a victory and a world championship. The next season, Clendenon was terrific, driving in a club-record 97 runs. His skills eroded quickly however and the 1971 season turned out to be his last as a Met. The slump that marked the end of Clendenon's run of success began in May and carried over the course of a month. In the midst of a 2-for-36 funk, he ended up benched, used as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement, which was his role on June 19, 1971 when the Mets hosted the Phillies on Helmet Day. The thought that this would be a pitchers duel between Tom Seaver a...

Ibid. See previous post. OK, I've awakened and I still like that line, which is borrowed from a story about the "Boston Massacre" series between the Yankees and Red Sox in 1978. The Miggy Poo reference in the headline is a play on a nickname given by Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas when reliever Mitch Williams (aka "Mitchy Poo") got a walk-off hit at 4 am a few years back. Many Mets fans think of Miguel Cairo as "Miggy Poop" for his late-season struggles, but perhaps the expectations raised when the Mets won the first seven games in which he started, were just too great. As for original content, I can tell you that... After Wednesday's triumph, the Mets now have eight walk-off wins this season, matching their 2004 total. The Mets had walk-off hits in back-to-back games for the first time since...June 18 and 19 2004 when Mike Cameron beat the Tigers on back-to-back days. It's the first time they've had back-to-back walk-off wins in Septembe...

There wasn't much of a race for the NL East flag through the summer of 1976 because the Philadelphia Phillies pulled away from the competition with ease. By the last week of August, their lead over second place Pittsburgh had stretched to 15 1/2 games. This would be a coast to the finish, much like it was supposed to be for the 2005 White Sox in the AL Central. Not quite. Things weren't so hunky-dory in Philadelphia after the Phillies dropped 14 of 17, including two of three to the Mets. Some of the losses were quite torturous, like back-to-back 1-0 defeats and a 15-inning loss to the Reds in which the Phillies couldn't close out leads in the ninth or 13th innings. Meanwhile the Pirates got red-hot, much like the Cleveland Indians have this season. They won 15 of 17 games, including a three-game sweep of the floundering Phillies. On the morning of September 13, Pittsburgh was within a very reasonable four games, with 21 to play, including a couple shortly against Philadelph...

September 20 marks the 32nd anniversary of one of the most famous walk-off wins in Mets history. During the 1973 pennant race, the turning point came in a Mets-Pirates game at Shea Stadium. As I was not born until 16 months afterwards, I didn't feel I could do the game justice by rewriting the details. So I've brought in a guestwriter today. Barry Federovitch is a sportswriter/copy editor at the Trenton Times. This game has a special meaning for him, and I'll let him explain... Thirty-two years later, Met Nation is beaten down. Another September of Atlanta supremacy, of Yankee backpages. Another fall without the postseason, of autumn fades and bullpen implosions. How long must it go on? Whose soul was sold and for what to suffer this fate? They are called Amazin's, but what does that mean? Is it a joke for a tortured fandom? Static-filled WFAN programs fill depressed nights and then we remember when those Met flags on the pole were earned. They were not just pennants, b...

Part IV of a continuing series on Game 6 of the 1986 World Series I went to work for my dad at a baseball card show on Sunday, October 26, 1986, and since we had to get up early to head to New Jersey, I didn't get to go through the newspaper as thoroughly as I would. Nowadays, if there's a big baseball event, I like to read about it from as many different perspectives as possible. That wasn't something that was as easily accessible back then as it is today, with the magic of the internet allowing the ability to surf a dozen newspapers within a few minutes. Thankfully now, we have the capability to flash back, and when I was given the opportunity to test a newspaper database a few years ago, I checked its thoroughness by compiling the different stories written about Game 6 of the World Series. The cool thing about going through the various pieces is how clever some of the writing could be, particularly at such a late hour with deadline pressures looming in many cities. What ...