No Worries
This happens to be our 300th post. Here's a link to the first column. Since I've started the blog, I've been rejected for a 10hr/week job as an editorial assistant in the sports department of the Syracuse Post-Standard and have been offered a grand total of zero book deals. However, I did complete a 45 page masters research paper called "American Anglophobia in the Interwar Period: Tension between Two World Powers." If you want to read about why some Americans hated Great Britain between the two World Wars, let me know and I'll email you the paper. I dunno, I think its interesting.
What I wanted to write about today is the New York Mets, the team that I followed longer than any other. Their lead shrank to 1 1/2 games over the Phillies last night. They've matched their season high with a 5-game losing streak. And Mike Pelfrey (2-7, 5.23) takes the mound tonight as the Mets try to avoid getting swept by the pesky Nationals.
I'm not worried. This is the best team in the National League and it will win the division when its all said and done. With a different roster, but the same season trajectory, I'd be in a panic. For instance, if the Mets had traded rosters with the inexperienced Brewers then led the division all year only to see the lead diminish to 1 1/2 games on September 19, that would be cause for alarm.
But again, this is the best team in the NL, with great chemistry and a fantastic coach who continues to be pushing the right buttons, even if things don't quite work out. Last night with only one out left the Mets managed to cut the lead to one and put runners on first and third before Ruben Gotay struck out to end the game. On the face of it, that sounds bad for Gotay, but in fact he had a great at-bat against the underrated Chad Cordero. Gotay was the right pinch hitter in that situation.
Two innings before, one of the best pinch hitters in the majors also came to the plate with a chance to do some damage. Marlon Anderson struck out, too. It was the right call by Willie, but it didn't work out.
Meanwhile, Shawn Green is hitting. Jeff "I'm thrilled for one last shot at a World Series before I retire" Conine contributed off the bench. Endy "The Catch" Chavez went 3 for 3. Reyes is fine. Davey is awesome. Luis Castillo continues to make Omar Minaya look like a genius. Milledge is clicking. Alou has a 22-game hitting streak and, hopefully, a quad that's feeling OK. Delgado is about to return.
Before last nights game the team had a players only meeting for forty minutes. Presumably, the 4 errors they had given up on Monday was a hot topic. Last night they scored 8 runs, out-hit the Nationals and had the winning run on base in the ninth. And they committed zero errors. They didn't get the win, but they didn't play like crap either. Here's a quote from the AP story:
"Ninety-nine percent of the time, we win this game," New York third baseman David Wright said. "We take a lot of positives from this. We played extremely well defensively. It was one of the best games of the season offensively."
Last night's loss rests on John Maine. I love what Maine has given the Mets this year, and he's going to have a solid career, but the kid is clearly tired. The home run to Ronnie Belliard was a pitch that stayed up. If El Duque wasn't out for the regular season at least, I would have liked to see Willie take the ball from John last night then watch cameras follow John out to his car, away from the stadium and into his living room where he throws on a pair of sweatpants, grabs a beer and settles in to watch the rest of the Mets season and rejuvenate for next year.
The Phillies are shaky and erratic, as evidenced by the way they tanked after sweeping the Mets a few weeks ago. Their best pitcher, Cole Hamels, looked iffy over 3 innings in his first outing in a month. The rest of their rotation looks a lot less pretty than it did in March. When Burrell is hitting, that lineup is horrifying, but he's cooled down: no HRs or RBIs in his last 8 games. Last night in the late innings, with the Mets trailing, (I am) Keith Hernandez confidently predicted that the Phillies would fade away and not even take the wild card. I agree. I wouldn't want to face them in the playoffs, but I don't think they'll make it that far.
Speaking of the wild card, I didn't even address that safety net because I don't feel like it will come into play. If the Phillies take the lead in the NL East, check back with me. Until then, I'm not worried.
What I wanted to write about today is the New York Mets, the team that I followed longer than any other. Their lead shrank to 1 1/2 games over the Phillies last night. They've matched their season high with a 5-game losing streak. And Mike Pelfrey (2-7, 5.23) takes the mound tonight as the Mets try to avoid getting swept by the pesky Nationals.
I'm not worried. This is the best team in the National League and it will win the division when its all said and done. With a different roster, but the same season trajectory, I'd be in a panic. For instance, if the Mets had traded rosters with the inexperienced Brewers then led the division all year only to see the lead diminish to 1 1/2 games on September 19, that would be cause for alarm.
But again, this is the best team in the NL, with great chemistry and a fantastic coach who continues to be pushing the right buttons, even if things don't quite work out. Last night with only one out left the Mets managed to cut the lead to one and put runners on first and third before Ruben Gotay struck out to end the game. On the face of it, that sounds bad for Gotay, but in fact he had a great at-bat against the underrated Chad Cordero. Gotay was the right pinch hitter in that situation.
Two innings before, one of the best pinch hitters in the majors also came to the plate with a chance to do some damage. Marlon Anderson struck out, too. It was the right call by Willie, but it didn't work out.
Meanwhile, Shawn Green is hitting. Jeff "I'm thrilled for one last shot at a World Series before I retire" Conine contributed off the bench. Endy "The Catch" Chavez went 3 for 3. Reyes is fine. Davey is awesome. Luis Castillo continues to make Omar Minaya look like a genius. Milledge is clicking. Alou has a 22-game hitting streak and, hopefully, a quad that's feeling OK. Delgado is about to return.
Before last nights game the team had a players only meeting for forty minutes. Presumably, the 4 errors they had given up on Monday was a hot topic. Last night they scored 8 runs, out-hit the Nationals and had the winning run on base in the ninth. And they committed zero errors. They didn't get the win, but they didn't play like crap either. Here's a quote from the AP story:
"Ninety-nine percent of the time, we win this game," New York third baseman David Wright said. "We take a lot of positives from this. We played extremely well defensively. It was one of the best games of the season offensively."
Last night's loss rests on John Maine. I love what Maine has given the Mets this year, and he's going to have a solid career, but the kid is clearly tired. The home run to Ronnie Belliard was a pitch that stayed up. If El Duque wasn't out for the regular season at least, I would have liked to see Willie take the ball from John last night then watch cameras follow John out to his car, away from the stadium and into his living room where he throws on a pair of sweatpants, grabs a beer and settles in to watch the rest of the Mets season and rejuvenate for next year.
The Phillies are shaky and erratic, as evidenced by the way they tanked after sweeping the Mets a few weeks ago. Their best pitcher, Cole Hamels, looked iffy over 3 innings in his first outing in a month. The rest of their rotation looks a lot less pretty than it did in March. When Burrell is hitting, that lineup is horrifying, but he's cooled down: no HRs or RBIs in his last 8 games. Last night in the late innings, with the Mets trailing, (I am) Keith Hernandez confidently predicted that the Phillies would fade away and not even take the wild card. I agree. I wouldn't want to face them in the playoffs, but I don't think they'll make it that far.
Speaking of the wild card, I didn't even address that safety net because I don't feel like it will come into play. If the Phillies take the lead in the NL East, check back with me. Until then, I'm not worried.
Labels: New York Mets
posted by Prof. A at 10:06 AM
1 Comments:
Have you ever considered posting your columns to www.sportingo.com or something like that?
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