Happy 87th Birthday to Yogi Berra, if you haven’t read Harvey Araton’s book Driving Mr. Yogi, you should it’s a terrific read
Nothing pisses off a fan base more than a blown save that cost their team a win. As we witnessed in Miami last night, the Met s again unleashed their version of “5 O’clock Lightning” coming from behind again to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead as Mike Baxter has channeled his inner Smokey Burgess to become a potent late inning pinch hitter, drove in two runs with a double while batting for the offensively challenge Mike Nickeas.
I listened to latter part of this game in the car, enjoying the duo of Howie Rose and his partner Josh Lewin, who by the way has become a great listen and has blended in quite nicely with Howie making for such a pleasurable listen that even when I’m home I’ll tune in to hear a few innings, especially today when the game is on FOX, the sound on the TV goes mute and radio is turned up, but I digress.
When Baxter hit that double to score Captain Kirk and Ike to take the lead, the excitement in Howie’s voice was as jubilant a call I’ve heard from the radio booth in a long time. A 5-3 lead with six outs to go and the way the pen has been going it looked like you could start “putting this one in the books” but wait………..
Of all the players in the infield the last guy I’d predict making a crucial late inning error would be Ike Davis, I mean, no matter how awful a batting slump Ike has been in, he never brings that out to the field on defense so his costly error in the 8th that gave the Fish life was a bit of a shocker.
Give hat tips to Bobby Parnell and Tim Brydak who set up the save for Frank Francisco. All Frankie Frisco had to do was get three outs. Instead Greg Dobbs single gave the Fish their 4th walk off win of the year and their 9th win in 10 games.
That’s what makes this Frankie Frisco’ blown save hurt more, the Fish are red hot and here come the “5 O’Clock Lighting” Mets doing their come from behind magic again buoyed by another solid performance by their Ace Johan Santana (after a tough 1st inning Santana was masterful mixing mostly fastballs and slider but not many change ups to keep the Fish in check from innings 2-6 ) and looking to add to their dominant record against the NL East (now 13-6 after last night loss) but instead of killing Francisco maybe we have to credit Dobbs for hitting a pretty good pitch, a 94 mph fastball that was just inside the strike zone.
If we’ve learned anything about the 2012 Mets, this early in the season a loss like last nights doesn’t linger long with them, they’ll turn the page quickly.
I see where Rony Cedeno is at shortstop again today so my question is why is Jordany Valdespin here? If Terry Collins feels Cedeno is his guy until Ruben Tejada gets back that’s fine but if that’s the case maybe keeping Vinny Rottino around would have been the better move and let Valdespin play every day in Buffalo. Rottino has played catcher so with two weak hitting catchers on the roster a guy like Rottino would be valuable.
GET YOUR HAT AND COAT IT’S OPENING DAY!!!!!!
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I’m still trying to figure how the Gary Sheffield signing is this catastrophic moment in Mets history? Sheffield is not coming in here and bogarting a spot in the line up he has to earn it and the one guy who is impacted by Sheffield being here is Ryan Church not Dan Murphy (we covered this already I know) No one shakes their head at the Mets moves more than me but I can’t even fathom Omar Minaya promising anything to Sheffield other than an opportunity to show he can still play. If he can’t then he’s gone, it’s that simple.
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A major tip of the Mets Cap to The Mets Police, for this link to this story on Jerry Koosman and how the Mets started the five man pitching rotation under Rube Walker. The wildest thing about seeing this story about Koos was I was thinking of Koosman last night last night I was watching MLBN and there were previewing the SF Giants and how the Giants are one of the team in baseball that does not forget it’s former players or it’s franchises history. They put up a graphic that showed Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda and Felipe Alou as former Giants who still work for the organization and who are around the current Giants all through spring training and at times during the season. This has been one of my major gripes with Mets management. Even though it’s nice that Sandy Koufax comes to St. Lonesome every spring to talk to the pitchers it would be even better if Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman were there as spring instructors. Same thing with guys like Jerry Grote, Rusty Stub, and Felix Milan. Management is starting to embrace the old Mets some by of course having them in the TV booth (why isn’t there an analyst in the radio booth? Let Howie do the play by play and have John Franco do color commentary? I’m sorry Wayne Hagin does nothing for me. Besides he talks funny) My hope for opening day at $ti Field is that the pre game festivities would include as many former Mets the team could find and have them walk on to the field from the outfield gates and greet the current team.
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As far as prediction for the season go let me do it this way:
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The NL East will be a four team race to start with the Nats looking up at the pack but they will be pains in the ass’s all season. I’m as concerned with the Braves as I am with the Phillies in fact I hope the Phucking Phillis keep up this “look at us we’re beautiful†bullshit celebration of winning the World Series going. Better put the party hats away assholes.
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The NL Central is the Cubs, Cards, Brewers and maybe the Reds. The Astros and Pirates are there to get fat on.
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The consensus in the NL West is that the Dodger and D’Backs will fight it out but DO NOT OVERLOOK THE SF GIANTS. Every year I try to find a team I like to follow as I feel they’re taken for granted and the Giants are that team for me this year
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What makes the AL East so much fun is the Highlanders could win 90 games and not make the post season and yes that’s what I’m rooting for. I still can’t understand why the Tampa Rays get no respect THEY’RE NOT GOING AWAY FOLKS!!!!!! Add in the Old Town Team and this is the best division in baseball. Sorry Jays and O’s fans
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The AL Central is the most competitive division in baseball and any one of the teams here can win the division title, yes even the Royals and Tigers.
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The weakest division in the game is the AL West only the Mariners are on the outside looking in as far as a division crown goes.
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Mets Grrl is in Cincy for opening day and has pics and stories from the town that takes opening day seriously Â