As long as the Mets are going to lose, they might as well lose in a way that makes Met fans more comfortable. When the Mets lose because of bad starting pitching, or a lack of hitting with runners in alleged scoring position, it's frustrating because we, as Met fans, are not used to that. We're freaking out like animals that know a storm is coming ... we're under the bed snapping at people when they're trying to give us food.But when the Mets lose because the bullpen blows a Johan Santana start ... well, we've grown quite accustomed to that. We sleep like babies, which means we wake up screaming every two hours but again, it's comfortable and familiar like an old blanket or our softball mitt. I can deal with that. I'm used to that.
I will say that as a first guess, I had the thought of walking Cody Ross with first base open to pitch to Alfredo Amezaga. Ross is a Keebler Elf, but he's a dangerous hitter. Maybe Snoop didn't want to put too many men on base ... maybe he felt that throwing four intentional balls after throwing a bunch of unintentional balls (losing Jorge Cantu after going 1-2 on him was deadly) wasn't the best way to get J.J. Putz back on track. I don't know, but I would have thought about walking Ross.
But I can't get crazy over that because Putz made his own bed today with the walks (an alternate title to today's entry would be "Thunderstunk", but I'll save that for a later blown save ... especially after I just found out that a derivative has been used today ... boy that would have been embarrassing) and deserved to lose. But I would like to ask this of Snoop: Why in the world would you bother pinch hitting Omir Santos, your other catcher, for Fluff Castro with the bases loaded and two down in the ninth? You had Fluff in mothballs for three days, he gets two hits today, and with the bases loaded you sit him down? Wasn't Castro a guy who was considered to have enough pop in his bat where you would carry three catchers so Fluff could come off the bench? And now you're pinch hitting your other catcher for him in a situation where a base hit might only bring home one run? Then you've burned your catchers for extra innings.
It was redundant overmanaging if you ask me ... and I'm sure it was done in deference to Snoop's man-crush on Santos. But Snoop's testing the cult factor. You know that going to the well again for some bases-loaded magic so soon after Santos' grannie on Monday was tempting fate. It's like when Richie Cunningham was the hero for his basketball team one week, and then he was expected to do it again in the championship game after he became "Lucious Legs" and he missed the free throw? Remember that episode? You knew he wasn't going to be the hero two games in a row, just like you knew that Omir Santos wasn't going to get a pie in the face twice in the same series. Manuel tried to be too cute on that one.
Perhaps he offered Santos a Life Saver after the game.
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Random fact: The Mets are now 0-2 in their last two Weather Education Days, hosted by Mr. G and WPIX. This clearly means that it's time to stop this promotion. Wanna learn about the weather? Stick your head out the window.
Instead for you kids, it'll be Mets Chant Education Day, hosted by me. Lesson one: It's Lets-Go-Mets-(pause)-Lets-Go-Mets-(pause)-Lets-Go-Mets-(pause). Not: Let's-Go-Me-ets-(clap, clap, clapclapclap)-Let's-Go-Me-ets-(clap, clap, clapclapclap)-Let's-Go-Me-ets-(clap, clap, clapclapclap).
Because it's all about the kids.
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By the way, because I know you're all curious ... Shake Shack? Aarrgrhrghrghrgrhgrhrghrgrh (drools). Burgers are heaven on a bun. Fries are excellent, and the black and white shake is quite tasty. The line takes 25 minutes (I timed it), but hey, get there early. I myself am glad I finally had the patience to wait in line.
But here's another take on Citi Field from Steve Somers ... and modified by a commenter you all know as "Metmaster". Wonder what you think (what you are about to read is the modification):
"Listening to Steve Somers on the FAN, I have come to the same conclusion re: Citi Field. He suggests that the Mets as a team might not like their new digs. I wholeheartedly agree. Generally good for the fan experience, but a bad fit for this Mets team. It is a place for line drive, slap hitters. Whitey Herzog would love it. The Mets are big swingers and the park is a grave yard for them. A couple of Marlins, according to Somers, commented before the game that the place is beautiful, but they would not want to play 81 games there. In their mania to make it Ebbets Field II the Wilpons created a hostile theme park for their team. They will never sign another power hitting free agent. Could April have been any worse?!"Interesting. What this means of course is that Ryan Church and Bobby Parnell will be traded for Juan Pierre so he can play right, and Willie McGee, who is only a year older than Julio Franco, will return to baseball so he can play left field. It's inevitable.
(blogger wakes up screaming)
5 comments:
it honestly cannot possibly get any worse than yesterday. oh wait, of course it can. we lose 2 of three to the philthies or worse, we get swept. surely, somehow we won't be able to plate any runs against three starting pitchers with era's in the triple digits in a ballpark where you can hock a loogy over the centerfield wall from home plate. and to hell with the old score-a-few-early-and-then-lay-down-and-die trademark mets loss... at this point i expect the unexpected. maybe a krod meltdown or a pivotal carlos beltran error. i know these guys can find new ways to lose! cmon! i know you can do it!!!
If the Mets play less than .500 ball against the Phils and Braves over the next two weeks, start the Jerry watch. The team's awful play, coupled with Manuel's atrocious moves may well doom him. Santos coming in to pinch hit from the bullpen? Got to be the absolute worst move I've seen in this game. Manuel said he was looking to ice Lindstrom? Putting aside that this football/basketball analogy is silly on its face, Lindstrom had walked two to start the inning and just hit Tatis!!!
And his comment that he saw some good things yesterday? A little Williesque if you ask me. Start the Bobby V talk - I would not be surprised at all if he's managing the team by July. Ownership will not tolerate a season of mediocrity in the first year of a new ballpark.
Wright - I don't know what to say anymore. The guy has just killed so many rallies. I now expect a strikeout in any big situation. Did Dave Kingman stay in the clubhouse after the closing ceremonies last year and hide in D Wright's uniform?
The Citifield point? What a load of crap. If any Mets are actually using that as an excuse, they should quit right now. We're now blaming the park?! The opposing teams seem to be hitting them out no problem (see Cantu, Jorge). Delgado, Beltran, Church and Reyes should be salivating at that rightfield porch. It's got all the amenities a professional ballplayer could ever want. Please - let's stop the nonsense.
Maybe the answer is this team, with the sole exception of Santana, has no guts and no fire. Maybe they can't perform in pressure situations. Maybe Wright is a really sensitive guy who can't take the heat. We've seen this now over three years in two separate home parks. Unfortunately, I'll maintain that opinion until this team proves me wrong.
Richard Neer on WFAN did the right thing and destroyed Debits Field last night on his late-night yapfest. It is an awful ballpark, beyond awful. But I wonder why these intrepid WFAN yapsters---with two new stadiums opening this year---have all taken their sweet time to actually show up to the ballparks. Shouldn't they have all checked it out by late March?
I've pretty much resigned myself to just enjoy baseball for the sake of baseball in 2009. I'd like to see the Mets develop as much youth as possible in 2009 and purge the team of nonessential players from the 2007--2008 seasons. Purging Minaya and Manuel wouldn't hurt, either.
The Madoff Scandal may be a long-term blessing. New owners can make it a Mets stadium; push home plate up about 10 feet to improve some of the sightlines and add some foul territory so the players don't all get Ryan Churched; and even out those absurd and unfair fences. $800M and they built a stadium even worse than Shea---beyond belief.
GOOD CALL on the chant. i was near some guys tuesday night (before tuesday night sucked) and they kept chanting off-rhythm and it was driving me nuts. they were otherwise nice and huge and drunk so i just ducked away when i could.
Forget everything else. We have to get that Met chant thing corrected. David Wright can go 0 for May, but if I ever hear Let's-Go-Me-ets-(clap, clap, clapclapclap) I will drag those people from the park by the throat.
What?
If they're kids?
Well, then I can probably grab two at a time and make quicker work of it.
Hitting Santos for Castro was just stupid. Indefensibly stupid move. I'm starting to lose confidence in Manuel as a game manager.
Here's another thing. I would have approached Wright before his AB in the 9th and said, "David, I'm not telling you to bunt. But if you feel you can help this team more right now by bunting, do it. It's up to you." Give him the option, make the decision his, and then back him up no matter the outcome.
Seriously, this "We're not paying him to bunt/he's the man" is bullshit. This is the big leagues. It's about winning games, not hurt feelings. Wright knows he's in a deep slump right now.
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