Sunday, October 15, 2006

Spitting The Bit

You are defined by what you do in the postseason.

You are defined by what you do when the chips are down.

You are defined by what you do when you're needed the most.

Webster's wouldn't be able to define Steve Trachsel...it's a family dictionary.

Saturday night was as close to a must win for the Mets as you could get without it being Sunday. Dare I say it was that way for both the Mets and the Cardinals. Jeff Suppan took the mound to try to make sure that the Cardinals don't go into a must-win scenario with Anthony Reyes on the hill. Steve Trachsel, on the other hand, took the mound to prevent Oliver Perez from being the Mets' savior from a 1-3 hole.

What story did Jeff Suppan write? Why, it was a masterpiece of eight scoreless innings.

Trachsel, meanwhile, penned HBO's newest baseball special to be voiced over by Liev Schreiber. It's called "One Inning From Hell".

The documentary ends with Trachsel walking off the mound as a Met for the final time, with a dissolve to him signing a multi-year deal with the Kansas City Royals.

For those of you (and you know who you are) who constantly ask me "Why doesn't Steve Trachsel get any respect?" Game 3 was your answer. Tonight was Steve Trachsel's first real chance at some playoff pressure. What does he do? Well, he gives up yet another 2 run triple by Soul Patch Spiezio, and a home run by the opposing pitcher. Five hits, five walks, five thousand remote controls that have flown across the room and cracked their television monitors...all in one inning. As far as I am concerned, Trachsel is done as a New York Met. I'm done defending him. He gets the benefit of the doubt no more.

And that's win or lose. If the Mets go to Game 7, guess who I'm handing the ball to. I'm handing it to the guy that showed a little heart and a little guts tonight, Darren Oliver. Oliver was rumored to go in Game 5, but now Willie Randolph doesn't have that option anymore thanks to..."One Inning From Hell".

If the Mets get to the 2006 World Series to take on the Tigers...a scenario that I hate to say is seriously in doubt at this hour...then it's "Dave Williams, come on down" in one room, and Tom Berenger as Bear Bryant handing the Malfunction Boy his bus ticket back home in another.

19 comments:

Darth Marc said...

Hi guys,

Just wanted to say hello. Hope all is well.

Love,
Darth Marc

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Steve Trachsel flies small planes around Manhattan in his spare time?

...Too soon? Oh well, he deserves it after tonight's "performance". Sayonara, you gutless peice of trash. I never have & never will understand why so many people have defended this waste of life....

Metstradamus said...

Donn, A little much, don't you think?

Darth Marc said...

Wow....harsh, double harsh....

The Scions of Shea eat their young. And I thought we were the only cannibals in the city...

All the best in Queens, fellas...

Anonymous said...

Sorry boys and girls, just the beer talking....not to mention a side of rage due to tonight's meltdown

Metstradamus said...

Steve Trachsel drives poor souls to drink.

Anonymous said...

Eh, can't say I didn't see this coming. Sure, Trachs had a lotta wins this year, which only goes to cement my opinion that the W is probably the most bogus pitching stat there is. The man generally got lucky, pure and simple; his peripheral stats were in Jason Marquis territory, and were among the worst in the league among guys who were allowed to keep throwing the ball all year...

I mean, I'm sentimental. You were there with us through the bad times, giving us some good years. Why can't you just let us remember you that way?

Goodbye, Steve.

Anonymous said...

I mean, I'm sentimental. You were there with us through the bad times, giving us some good years.

I've always found this mentality to be odd. Teams are bad because their players are bad, not because of some magical hex. The '02-'04 Mets were bad because bums like Trachs were their best players.

I'm not sentimental about Doug Flynn, Pat Zachery, or Frank Taveres. I save my sentimentality for good players on good teams.

Anonymous said...

OK I will play devil's advocate for Trax. No, I will not defend him right now (and I am the first person to admit, I do...but after last night...shyeesh)...

Anyway, in previous years - esp when Mets were horrible - the thought was that Trax was consistent, just didn't get run support. Which was true. The years esp from 2002 - 2004 were stinkers because of bad management, no offense and crapola pitching. Now - he gets mad run support and makes every game interesting? Whatever -

I remember when you posted the article "Little kitty has claws," Damus. I thought - OK I can take it, this guy has a killer instinct, something people were saying the Mets didn't have at the end of the season. If he comes up big in the postseason, we can't say anything about him at all, right?

But...it's over, I'm done. Trax is truly a piece of sh*t in the highest form.

Mad props to Cousin Oliver for mopping up his mess. He deserves a LOT of credit if this series goes back to Shea.

Anonymous said...

What is up with all the walks?!? Trachsel was truly awful. The most maddening pitcher to watch, ever.

Let's all hope and pray for a bevy of Met runs today, and 6 decent innings from Ollie.

Anonymous said...

trachsel is good pals with jeff wilpon. hence, his presence...or lack of.

Anonymous said...

Why is Darth Marc spending so much time "enjoying" razzing MET fans? Because "his" team started it's winter and stopped playing, what, a week ago. Ours is still PRIME TIME and has 7 more wins to go. When they play and hopefully win GAME 7 of the current series against the Cards, will Darth Marc be watching HOCKEY? Basketball? Girls Volleyball on ESPN2? Probably 99% of YANKEE fans will be tuned into the QUEENS' BOYS because they play--most of the time--with heart.

something said...

I feel bad for how this turned out for Steve, he's been a good guy for a number of years . . . but he sucked when it mattered tonight.

I want to tear that f'n soul patch off that a-hole's face.

Anonymous said...

Hello All,

I was furious at Willie on Friday for bringing Wagner into a tied game. Wagner cannot bend his mind around this scenario. He is for saves only. So, was I the only one who literally heard the momentum
rushing away from us??
And if I ever felt momentum abandon a team, it was after Wagner lost it on Friday night.
For me, this set the stage for
last night's debacle. Eh, but maybe I rely more on my feelings than facts, as a few ex boyfriends have accused me of...whatever!
I have to agree with Joe, I feel bad for Steve. He's just been around for so long, I kinda have some affection toward him, as maddening and slow as he is sometimes. Yes, he sucked last night...I'm sure he didn't make a conscious choice to suck, but I can't talk badly about any of my guys, no matter what.I love my team, and this has been one of the best seasons I've ever witnessed. I got excited about baseball again, and I didn't think I'd get that feeling back.
So,I'm wiping the slate clean tonight. I'm going to forgive Willie for poor use of the bullpen on Friday night, hope Good Ollie makes an appearance tonight, and not his Evil twin, hope momentum favors our hitters again. The fellas won't go down without a fight, I just know it. Nah, I don't think any of my guys are gutless. I'll never be like a stinkin' Yankee fan, turning on my own team. Never!
That said, I have to get some of my bitterness out. I'd also like to rip that strip of red pubic hair right off Speizio's chin with a Nair cold wax strip and feed it to him.
I'm sick of him, I'm sick of that
Freakazoid Pujols, I'm sick of Rolen's shoulder. I am sick of the whole lot of them in their stupid ass red Raggedy Ann outfits.
Our team needs us tonight. Don't be discouraged. Pray,meditate, send out a positive vibe and point it West. Go Mets!

Anonymous said...

believe.

believe.

BELIEVE!

The Metmaster said...

Steve Trachsel, Saturday night, in one word.....G-U-T-L-E-S-S.

The Metmaster said...

To answer the question from "anonymous", Darth Marc will be tuning in to dodgeball on "The Ocho".

I.M. Forme said...

I had finally calmed down about last night (12 beautiful runs will do that), and then Mr Holihan had to remind me about the wink. I just went ballistic again.

I defy anyone to name a more heartless gutless useless playoff performance by a starter in Major League history. And don't cheat and say the Gambler.

For years I loathed trashy, and never understood why anyone would defend him, unless they thought mediocrity was good enough for our beloved team. I waited patiently for him to leave the organization with the same gusto I waited out ReyRey or McEwing. They eventually leave. I think this performance will obviously convince Omar that Stevie Sucks services should not be retained, but at what cost?

Last night, Steve Trachell tried to kill my baseball team. They survived.

Of course i never want him to pitch in orange and blue again. But even if they for some inanne reason go to him again, I swear they can't make me watch.

Ed in Westchester said...

Can we see this sign in the Locker Room Please:

Dear Steve

You let us and the fans down.

Signed
Your Teammates