Sunday, April 08, 2007

Hit It to Shawn!

There was always that one little league kid you stuck in right field because he couldn't catch. Kids, being stupid, never picked up on that when I was young because everybody wanted to be Dave Kingman and pull the ball to left field. Slowly but surely, little leaguers and softball players alike would start learning how to take the ball the other way, and you see these types of players coming up in the majors now. They didn't watch Tom Emanski tapes...they just finally figured out that if you hit the ball the other way, you're going to find the weak link.

Unfortunately for Shawn Green, he was the little leaguer in the field today, as his drop of a Matt Diaz sac fly in the sixth enabled the Braves to score two extra runs as the Mets lost their first of the season 5-3.

Not that Green was totally useless, he did some good things...really! He got three hits including an RBI against lefty Mike Gonzalez in the seventh. But with Lastings Milledge hovering over him (Joe Buck compared him to "The Shadow" today), and growing groups of angry fans with pitchforks and torches marching towards Green's locker, it will be the dropped ball in the outfield with the bases loaded and one man out which will be focused on and scrutinized. (Not that Green was the only defensive choke artist today...Carlos Delgado dropped an Easy...please note the capital "E"...throw from second on the first Braves batter of the game to set up all sorts of mayhem today, and it seemed like Delgado couldn't catch anything coming his way today. )

With Alex Rodriguez hitting a grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning right as the Mets game was starting up, the first thing I thought was "great, now the focus of New York's ire is going to be Green". Once A-Rod starts hitting, the New York papers are going to move to a new goat. What better candidate than Green, who is unpopular to begin with? Now after the drop, I fear that the target on his back only grows.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

'Damus,

Observing the overwhelming tide of Shawn Green backlash in a game-time chatroom, I've got to say I'm really starting to feel for the guy. I actually got a few particularly crazed fans to admit that they'd still bench Green if he's still hitting .350 at the end of the month. Wouldn't stop going on about his "inevitable tail-spin", which I admit is possible, but let's wait for it to happen, at least. I am going to try my best to cheer him loudly at Shea next week.

P.S.: Am I the only one who thought Glavine had no business starting the sixth? Or staying in as runners gradually filled the bases? I grant that the "drop" had a big impact, but it really seemed to me like Willie was asleep at the wheel.

Anonymous said...

willie has a problem with leaving pitchers in too long. oh well, can't win 'em all. craig wilson barely snared green's would-be game tying hit. one of those days.

Anonymous said...

Put me down as a Shawn Green fan -a "Greenie", if you will. The guy can hit. He's patient - perfect for a number 7 hitter. He almost tied the game in the 9th yesterday. He also made a bad error yesterday, but so what? Willie will use defensive replacements in late innings.

Was it just me or did Delgado look like he'd rather be anywhere else yesterday?

Mike said...

Speaking of Wliie, why was LoDuca catching yesterday? Day game after a night game, in the freezing cold. Long season; guy needs a rest once in a while. He's 35.

Green wasn't the only one with the dropsies yesterday (see Delgado, Carlos & Jones, Larry). And he was 6 inches from tying the game in the 9th.

Tough loss; they happen.

Anonymous said...

Why is there a perception that Green is so unpopular? I think its the usual small cadre of idiots with too much free time on their hands that have to be dumping on someone - anyone - in a failed attempt to justify their miserable existance wasting oxygen on this planet. I understand Green is not "Mr. Met" or the Golden Boy but he's no A Rod...;)

And people better stop thinking Milo, or Gomez, or F Mart are some sort of "locks" to play as well as Green...at least this year. Milo and his false swagger don't exactly inspire confidence...

Further, if Golden Boy doesn't steal 2nd y'day in the 9th, Green's liner goes into RF for probably a 2B and maybe 2 RBI. Noone's fault, just didn't work out.

I'd like to see what Milo has got, but I'd agree w/ Willie's approach thusfar...wait for Green to slump and then work him in to mix it up.