Friday, April 18, 2008

Road Trippin'

I assume, because I can't tell you from first hand knowledge, that this isn't the kind of game you would have wanted to watch while on a drug trip.

Without the benefit of controlled substances that alter your mind, it was trippy enough drifting out of a fifteen minute long sleep hearing Gary Cohen yell about a long David Wright drive to center field, and then exclaim "The Mets win the game!" only to find out that it was only a dopey commercial for SNY. Then to see Damion Easley lead off the 14th with a chopping single to the left side while thinking it was a flashback to the 12th when Easley led off that inning with a single that looked exactly the same, and then realizing that it was actually the fourteenth, that was enough to make me see colors while turning my hand back and forth.

But when Joel Hanrahan sent Easley to second on a wild pitch, then to third on a throwing error, then struck out Ryan Church for the second out, then walk Wright and Carlos Delgado to force the Mets to use Brian Schneider ... their last position player off the bench ... while only thinking to warm up Scott Schoeneweis at the moment that Delgado was walked (way to think ahead), then have the whole delicious scenario of seeing the Mets fly blind for a couple of innings only to have Hanrahan throw another wild pitch and call the whole thing moot anyway?

You mind as well have put me in the Heavy Metal movie trailer at that point. I was all tripped out at that point without the benefit of drugs. It was just weird.

Sure, you say extra inning wins are fun. Sure they are. But not heading into the Philly series with Filthy having pitched two straight days, Joe Smith having pitched two straight days, Schoeneweis having warmed up 28 times in six innings, and Aaron Heilman having pitched four straight scoreless outings, which means he's overdue for a meltdown.

No seriously, good job Aaron. I fail to give him credit when he deserves it. And Aaron deserves it. Now don't make me look like a moron and implode against the Phillies.

(Now watch him do it just to spite me.)

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Nelson Figueroa, who had his second superb outing in a row (seven K's in seven innings, along with seven brides for seven brothers) further distancing himself from fifth starter experiments gone horribly wrong. Speaking of which, Jose Lima just got released by the Kia Tigers in Korea. Does it mean his career is over? Or does it mean there's a rotation spot in New Orleans waiting for him? Only time will tell.

On to Philly. The Amtrak food service car is now open ... enjoy.

9 comments:

MetFanMac said...

Just imagine how Rockies fans feel... they've just been treated to a TWENTY-TWO inning game!!!

trivia: former met glendon rusch was both losing pitcher and last batter

Unknown said...

Excellent blog.

Anonymous said...

I would think Sanchez, Sosa and maybe Smith are unavailable tonight.

Would love to see Santana pitch a 2 hitter tonight . . .

And if Utley continues to crowd the plate, someone's gotta pick a good moment to hit him . . . intentionally.

Metstradamus said...

Mac,

Would you believe I stayed up and watched the whole thing?

Rusch deserved a better fate ... the deciding run was unearned. They should still be playing.

katherine said...

Metstradamus, I disagree with your contention that Willie erred in waiting to warm up Schoeneweis.

Don't you see, he tricked Manny?

At the time, Gary said when Schneider came out onto the on deck circle, I'm paraphrasing, "It's a decoy, because if Schneider were really going to hit, Manny would certainly pitch to Delgado." That is EXACTLY what Willie wanted Manny to think. The delay in having Schoeneweis warm up is what caused Manny to walk the bases loaded. If Schoeneweis had been seen to be warming up in the bullpen earlier, do you think Manny would have made the same decision to walk both Wright and Delgado? No way. And Willie knows that all those intentional walks are terrible for young pitchers with control problems.

Yay Willie!! I think he's great.

Metstradamus said...

That's an interesting theory, but I don't think it made a difference. Even if Schoeneweis was warming, walking Wright and Delgado still gets the pitchers spot up. If Schneider bats, the last position batter is burned. If Sosa bats for himself, more than likely the inning is over. Acta would have been a dope to tempt fate and pitch to Wright or Delgado when the pitchers spot was staring him in the face.

I could see Schoeneweis not getting up until the last minute because he was already warmed up from before though.

MP said...

Never have you been more prescient. I bet you didn't think it would be Greg Dobbs though.

Anonymous said...

define "implode". I'm referencing the 8th inning of the Friday night game of course.

Gonzo said...

Congrats Mets fans. Round 1 goes to you. I was salivating when Johan was removed from the game. Needless to say, so was Greg Dobbs. Awesome game tonight. two outta 3 is yours for the taking, with Moyer on the hill tomorrow. Good luck.