Tonight was a game that truly went from the ridiculous to the sublime.The ridiculous? Fireworks during the national anthem...loud and colorful flares that belie the backdrop of the colorless brand of baseball that is accompanying the 2005 New York Mets down the stretch...as they go out with the volume not of fireworks, but of a mouse urinating on a piece of cotton.
The sublime? Pedro Martinez, who's 10 strikeout shutout made us wonder what this night truly could have felt like if there was actually a race at Shea Stadium.
"If every game was like that, I'd go to more baseball games with you." -Mrs. MetstradamusWho can make that happen? Who can take what can seem like a pain inducing experience and not only make it fun, but wrap it up in two hours and four minutes?
Pedro Martinez, who else?
And trust me, the spectre of a pain inducing game wasn't just palpable to the non-baseball fans in the audience, but for the people who've been Met fans for 25+ years. People entered Shea tonight...most of them late...and looking like zombies from the "Thriller" video. Most of these fans were probably wondering what could possibly be next. How were the Braves going to tear the hearts out of the Flushing Faithful tonight? They entered like pigs at the trough...the trough of heartbreak.
Instead, they just got Pedro. They got ten strikeouts, they got a shutout, and they got a victory.
And they got out early...to drink their mojitos and yell "Jumanji!" in celebration of a Mets victory over Atlanta. And hopefully let said mojitos sink in and forget that the rest of September ever happened.
8 comments:
Prior to this year, I would've said the greatest free agent signing (not re-signing as in Piazza's case) in Mets history was Ventura. I'd have to say Pedro is making it close. Robin had a huge impact on and off the field on a team that needed a little extra something to get to the playoffs. His next two years decreased in terms of production and he was traded before his contract ran out.
There's no telling what Pedro Martinez will do through 2008 but no new Met in my now 37 seasons of watching this team has walked onto the stage and just taken over as he has even if the team hasn't followed his lead on the days he doesn't pitch. His second half hasn't been as dazzling as his first half but he remains a joy to behold.
A little context regarding Friday night (and an excuse to talk about my new kitten):
http://mets2005.myblogsite.com/blog/_archives/2005/9/17/1234038.html
Beltran is fighting for third place among free agent signings with Rickey and Tom Hausman. Go Carlos!
Through six this afternoon, the Hate List is shaping up something like this:
1. Marcus "Still Evil" Giles
2. Rob Drake.
3. Jose Offerman.
4. Jeannie Zolasko's wardrobe stylist
5. The Official Scorer (for scoring Jacobs's failed catch in the 1st an error on Wright)
6. Tim McCarver and his new Booth Buddy and All The Material They Have to Get Through Today, So THANK GOD TRACHSEL'S STARTING
Ugh. Getting a little out of control there. A lot of hate today for a game with the season's most beautiful, couldn't have scripted it better moment. And Chipper just got on base.
Throw Jeff Francouer on that list, will ya?
Greg,
That's a scary thought...who WOULD be the third greatest free-agent signing in Mets history? It might be George Foster! (If only because signing him sent a message that the Mets were finally willing to pay top dollar for talent.) I really can't think of anyone else it could be? Maybe it IS Beltran by default!
And as an animal person myself, you never need an excuse to talk about the kitten.
Kyle,
I always take requests for the hate list. Good job.
M'T,
George Foster was actually a trade. We gave up Jim Kern, Alex Trevino and Greg Harris and then we signed Foster to what amounted to a big-bucks extension. I'd say we got robbed.
You can make a case for Cliff Floyd or Rickey Henderson, maybe Lance Johnson as No. 3. None of them had more than one truly good year as Mets though there's hope for Cliff.
Greg,
That's right...it was a trade. I guess I always associate Foster with free agent.
I'm too busy telling the future to get the past right.
Keep Blogging!
i loved this movie! i have watched it like 1,000,000 times
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