This really is the World Series for the Pirates, isn't it?In a desperate attempt to keep the Mets from celebrating on their field, Jim Tracy resorts to the old "lefty by committee" mind trick, going with the immortals Tom Gorzellany for four innings, Shane Youman for three, and Damaso Marte for one and a third. Of course, the Mets were so confused and battered for 25 outs that it was actually the right hander who won the game.
You win this round, sleuth.
One thing that always rocked me to sleep lately is the thought that even though the Mets have a winning record vs. every possible playoff opponent in the National League...setting up another 1988 Dodgers scenario where the Mets ripped them in the regular season yet lost in seven to L.A. when it counted, no current team has a pitcher who holds anywhere close to the amount of talent that Orel Hershiser had in '88. The Dodgers used him as the Mets' kryptonite in games 1, 3, 4 in relief for a save, and the clincher in 7. If Orel's bullpen hadn't let him down, the Dodgers might have won that series in five games...that's how good Orel was.
I fear that if the Mets do indeed go down in the NLDS or the NLCS, it will be because managers Little, Bochy, and LaRussa are currently scouring sandlots, stickball tournaments and little league fields for anyone or anything that throws left handed. Pat Maholm? Tom Gorzellany? Floyd Youmans...I mean, Shane Youman?
(Floyd Youmans left such a legacy that the name became singular through time...apparently.)
And tomorrow it's Zach Duke who's not just a lefty, he's a halfway decent lefty at that.
So the end of this road trip, which is looking more and more like the Philly/St. Louis debacle of '86, here's the main question for you, dear reader.
Do you want the Mets to clinch on Sunday?
Are you now hoping that they wait and wrap it up at Shea on Monday?
If you chose the latter, do you by any chance hold a ticket to Monday's game?
Having had a ticket to September 17th, 1986 (and to this day have the chunk of grass painted with the right field foul line in a Seal-A-Meal packet to prove it) I admit towards the end of that Cardinal series that I was kind of hoping for some continued stumbling so there would be a party at Shea Stadium (although Pete Flynn might have felt differently, I assume.)
So which way are you leaning? And can you lean that way with a clear conscience?
10 comments:
Always love your blog, but I'm surprised you didn't go for the obvious "Ned Flander's Leftorium" reference.
Flanders*
What fun would I be if I went for the obvious? ;)
I do love The Simpsons though. Good call.
If the Mets have so much trouble with lefties, which apparently they do, why does Willie play Cliff and Green in the outfield over the other 2 outfielders he's got who are right-handed? (Endy and Milledge) Regardless, about half of our starting lineup appears to be going through a slump of sorts. In a word, "disappointing"...
I think Willie should rest all the starters for a game. If they clinch with the second string, it gives the starters something to shoot for in the postseason and if they lose a third straight, there's always Shea!
Or the '99 Wild Card clincher against the Reds. Love that game. I'd also like to see them revive the old '69 (The Impossible Dream video, with the enhanced crack of the bat sound effect) and '73 tapes they used to show on Channel 9 during rain delays. Classics.
The guy to platoon is Valentin. Unfortunately, their only right-handed option at second is Woodward. I'm really surprised they didn't even give Alfonzo a shot here - with his post season track record, and his penchant for the dramatic, I would have tried him out for a couple of weeks in September. Maybe they's how Milledge does against lefties after they clinch and use him in a platoon with Green or Floyd.
Hey Legs, I'm with ya!
Best we can do today is listen to the radio broadcast on Gameday Audo,
OR, for $19.95 we can watch it online. MLB.com is offering a "Pennant Package." For 19.95 you can get the rest of Septmeber's games and all the playoff games too.
Not sure what I'll do. Probably just listen to the radio online.
Can't beat a minor league team in a non-pressure ritual???
Fuck this clinch ritual. It's joyless. Unfunny. Pathetic. Weak. Pussy. The Mets "A" team should smack the Pirates like I smack the roaches in my apartment.
Let the fucking Phillies win and the Mets celebrate off the field--it's all farce; let some righties start for the Mets--the "A" team failed to give Randolph the time to assess bench personnel--twice. (Against a team that got a guy doubled off of first on a routine fly to Beltran). Let the "B" team give the front office permission to UPS at $5 bucks a ticket my playoff seats already.
Reyes' situational running and pathetic bunting...Wright's impotence...Valentine (OH that A-Rod popup!) and Green's skeleton-lenghted slump...
I don't wanna see a Joe "Joker" Randa orgasm again today.
And the lil' chockers now fucked up my 1pm NFL game.
It would be awesome to see them clinch at Shea...but I like the fact that it will be 20 years today since 1986...I think that is a great omen...
Lets Go Mets!!!!!!
The Norfolk Tides will likely serve the O's or the Nats next year. Ugh.
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=111088&ran=111706
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