Good pitching, no hitting, how many teams have you said that about over all the years of your life? Almost none of them win when it counts. The Mets did everything they could in San Francisco to be that team. That they won the 4th game with the Giants was a gift from the worst umpire in the game.
It sure made for good entertainment. I was mesmerized. Once again the Mets pitched great. Johan Santana made it interesting though, getting into trouble and then pitching his way out. He went a full 8 for our Mets and gave up just 1 run. But the Mets only got 3 and the closer gave one away again.
The closer was, and is, K-Rod of course. But then he got the win for the boys in their ugly gray road uniforms. K-Rod is nothing if not lucky. After the Giants banged him around to tie the game in the ninth, here came the winning run around third, there we saw him cross the plate before the tag, but Mr. Cuzzi didn’t see it that way. He said the runner was out. So the game stayed tied.
Then, wonder of wonders, Jason Bay gets another hit and Ike Davis does what he always does, which is drive home the run. So they take the lead, K-Rod gets in a little trouble again in the tenth but then strikes out the last and worst hitter on the Giants (which is hard to be), and the Mets got off the hook.
The Mets can’t hit good pitching, and that’s what the Giants had. And the team they’re playing on the field isn’t the strongest. Not that it ever really was. Having no Jose Reyes doesn’t help. But the bottom of the lineup doesn’t scare anybody, Francoeur, Blanco and Tejada yesterday, and somebody called Justin Turner batted second. (And managed to score a run).
So if Bay and Wright don’t produce, then there’s Ike Davis and Pagan. Trouble is, of all those guys, Bay has done the least. I’m rooting for him, God knows we need to, and he did get three hits yesterday, but they were Jason Bay type hits, singles and stuff. It’s good that he can run fast. He gets respect from opposing pitchers but that’s all. A lot of times, Bay has looked happy to walk.
But the Giants have good pitching, really good pitching, especially if you can’t get to their middle relief, which the Mets did yesterday only. The rest of the time, it was Zito and Lincecum and Cain, making their very decent number 4 starter, Anibal Sanchez, look puny.
The Mets won’t run into that kind of pitching very often but every team has got some good ones. This west coast swing isn’t easy either, I’m sure, with Arizona and LA on the agenda after having opened the swing in that city by the bay.
But they’ll be facing tougher lineups than they saw in San Francisco. The Dodgers especially can be dangerous, but the Cards, with Pujols and Holliday, come back to CitiField for three after that. So I fully expect the pitching performances to go South a bit. But then they would have to. The Mets pitching has been terrific. Niese and Dickey have balanced out, and then some, Maine and Perez.
They have to start hitting though and the pitching has to stay good. They’ll probably try Perez again, crazy Ollie can always come back, and maybe pitch better than has Takahashi for the last month. The Mets would appear to need a fifth starter, if Takahashi can’t pick it up.
I don’t really expect the Mets to pick anybody up either, not anybody you’ve heard of. I’m sure we’ll see Perez again. I think Minaya is probably on the hook to win with what he has. At the very least, he’s working with a short rope. So I don’t really expect a big story in that direction, ie pitching.
The Mets have come up short though in their last 3 series against the cream of the league, Cinci (surprisingly), Atlanta and San Francisco. If the pitching is there, the hitting isn’t. If they manage to hit, the pitching falls down.
I think they’re just not good enough. At full strength, they’re a heck of a lot fun to watch though, and they could go on a run. If Reyes comes back strong, and Castillo can solidify that lineup a little bit, the defense is tough, the pitching is very pesky and that manager isn’t as bad as everybody seems to think.
Manuel was questioned for taking Santana out in the ninth. Not me, there was no reason to push him when he had already thrown 117 or so. Manuel knows the race is a long one. It was K-Rod who messed up and K-Rod who would be lucky enough to save the day….if not the game itself.
Manuel is juggling a lot of pins. Many times, things work out. Like using Bobby Parnell. Bobby Parnell’s been good since his return, much better than anybody could have expected. He’s the eighth inning guy lately (and one time the ninth) and not perpetual Pedro. But the relief staff is not deep right now, a fact that hasn’t even hurt them lately, not with good starting pitching and Bobby Parnell.
Manuel always is thinking long run. He won’t put himself or his team out of it. But he can only play with what he’s got on that bench. And although you love to see the Tejadas and Carters and Turners, especially when they play well, as Turner did yesterday, they’re not exactly Jason Kubel, y’know.
But there’s a reason we’re seeing all these new people, people we’ve never heard of. They’re obviously restricting any big expenditures. There have already been some bad ones.
But the Mets will keep things interesting. Jerry will juggle these guys and Omar will find something cheap to plug the gaps. They have to.
Showing posts with label Bay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bay. Show all posts
Monday, July 19, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The Mets and Everything Else
I just can’t focus on baseball anymore. I don’t know what it is. Well, yeah, actually I do. The Mets are playing in the worst stadium in the world out in Puerto Rico against the Marlins and everybody on the team seemed as if they were sleeping.
It’s not just that the Mets lost. It was how they lost. Reyes actually mishandled a ground ball on that awful artificial turf, J. R. Dickey’s knuckler wasn’t knuckling in the high heat and humidity, and, wonder of wonders, Jason Bay actually hit a homer. That was when I was sure I was in the bizarro world.
Anyway, it didn’t feel like a major league game, it didn’t look like a major league game, and it smelled like something very distasteful, except to dogs, who of course will eat anything and usually leave whatever’s left on my lawn.
Two more of these and I’ll begin throwing up.
Truth be told, I’m getting a little concerned. When Santana doesn’t pitch like Santana, there’s every reason to worry. When Angel Pagan isn’t playing, I fret a little more. And the fellow playing second base concerns me a little (Tejada).
But then I remember we’re still not into the break, and, all things considered, if you had told me the Mets would be in contention at the break back in May, I would’ve been thrilled. Those were really the dog days of Gary Matthews and Mike Jacobs, John Maine and Ollie Perez, Reyes batting third, and Omar and Manuel worrying big-time.
Everything they’ve done since those meager times has worked. Ike Davis, Takahashi (who pitches tonight), Jonathan Niese, Reyes back leading off, and all is Wright with the world, heh-heh.
So why worry? Enjoy and try to forget about the soccer for a while.
Watching Japan and Paraguay take it into overtime, or extra time to be exact, I’m thinking it might be more exciting to get on my roof and remove the disgusting wet leaves from behind the chimney. After watching just about every game, or pieces of every game, I’ve come to one conclusion…soccer’s fun to watch if either team has any real strikers.
Otherwise, it’s watching grass grow. As excited as I was to see the U.S. team do so well, they were lucky to score , pouncing on rebounds more often than not. They had teamwork, no doubt, they played hard, but the closest thing they had to a striker, Altidore, just never seemed to get anything done. He could run, he could jump, he could spin, he could do everything but look like a striker.
If he were a wide receiver in football, he’d be Braylon Edwards, a guy who can do all those great athletic things, but catching the ball is not usually one of them.
And soccer needs to take advantage of technology. Either use instant replay on goal chances or get refs who can see, or who don’t cheat. They’re worse than the MLB umps behind the plate if that’s even remotely possible. The officiating in FIFA’s premiere event has been horrendous, costing the U.S. at least two goals and practically eliminating England from the tournament.
Watching the Dodgers play the Yankees the other night, Jonathan Broxton, the great Dodgers closer, got no strike calls on the corners while Mariano Rivera struck a Dodger out on a ball at least a foot outside. It’s disgusting really. The only reason there isn’t more of an outcry is that the baseball season is so long. And they say the calls tend to even out. I say….not always.
At least Wimbledon’s been exciting. I’ve been half watching those matches and it’s nice to have a changing of the guard, which seems to be happening to a large extent, especially on the women’s side. Venus Williams just lost to an unknown with great legs named Pironkova and Clijsters just lost too. And I’m watching now a great match between a Kanepi and Kvitova.
Of course, Serena’s still in there so I’ll be sure to NOT watch the final. Watching her match against Sharapova, it was kind of amusing to see her waste one of her hateful , baleful stares at the umpire for what she perceived as a bad line call, only then to realize that she could challenge if she so desired, which she of course did not. If only she were half as classy as her sister Venus…..
Japan and Paraguay are in a shootout as this is written. I wonder if the umps can screw this up. Paraguay scores on their first attempt. (This is pretty cool). Endo now scores for Japan. Paraguay goes up 2-1…just barely. Japan ties it. So far the shots have been great. Paraguay scores once again as the goalie guesses wrong. Now Japan misses, hitting the bar. Things look bleak for Japan. Paraguay hits again. Japan has to put this next one in and does, right down the middle as he fakes the goalie out. Now Paraguay calmly puts their last shot into the net. Cool finish for sure.
On the LeBron front, the Nets just dumped Xi, thank God, and increased their number under the cap so they can grab two premium free agents. If you think they have any chance of landing LeBron, you’re really an optimist, and really nuts.
I still think King James will wind up in Chicago. And good riddance. I can’t imagine what brand of team basketball would ever be played with a James on the team. I know one thing. Whoever gets him better have a center. If not, they won’t be getting past LA.
But soccer, tennis, basketball and football are only background music, especially prior to the Fourth Of July. I’ll just feel better when the Amazin’s are back in the good ol’ USA and back in a real live major-league stadium, if not the friendly confines of CitiField.
And a nice pick-me-up for the dog days of August would be a big, live-armed pitcher.
It’s not just that the Mets lost. It was how they lost. Reyes actually mishandled a ground ball on that awful artificial turf, J. R. Dickey’s knuckler wasn’t knuckling in the high heat and humidity, and, wonder of wonders, Jason Bay actually hit a homer. That was when I was sure I was in the bizarro world.
Anyway, it didn’t feel like a major league game, it didn’t look like a major league game, and it smelled like something very distasteful, except to dogs, who of course will eat anything and usually leave whatever’s left on my lawn.
Two more of these and I’ll begin throwing up.
Truth be told, I’m getting a little concerned. When Santana doesn’t pitch like Santana, there’s every reason to worry. When Angel Pagan isn’t playing, I fret a little more. And the fellow playing second base concerns me a little (Tejada).
But then I remember we’re still not into the break, and, all things considered, if you had told me the Mets would be in contention at the break back in May, I would’ve been thrilled. Those were really the dog days of Gary Matthews and Mike Jacobs, John Maine and Ollie Perez, Reyes batting third, and Omar and Manuel worrying big-time.
Everything they’ve done since those meager times has worked. Ike Davis, Takahashi (who pitches tonight), Jonathan Niese, Reyes back leading off, and all is Wright with the world, heh-heh.
So why worry? Enjoy and try to forget about the soccer for a while.
Watching Japan and Paraguay take it into overtime, or extra time to be exact, I’m thinking it might be more exciting to get on my roof and remove the disgusting wet leaves from behind the chimney. After watching just about every game, or pieces of every game, I’ve come to one conclusion…soccer’s fun to watch if either team has any real strikers.
Otherwise, it’s watching grass grow. As excited as I was to see the U.S. team do so well, they were lucky to score , pouncing on rebounds more often than not. They had teamwork, no doubt, they played hard, but the closest thing they had to a striker, Altidore, just never seemed to get anything done. He could run, he could jump, he could spin, he could do everything but look like a striker.
If he were a wide receiver in football, he’d be Braylon Edwards, a guy who can do all those great athletic things, but catching the ball is not usually one of them.
And soccer needs to take advantage of technology. Either use instant replay on goal chances or get refs who can see, or who don’t cheat. They’re worse than the MLB umps behind the plate if that’s even remotely possible. The officiating in FIFA’s premiere event has been horrendous, costing the U.S. at least two goals and practically eliminating England from the tournament.
Watching the Dodgers play the Yankees the other night, Jonathan Broxton, the great Dodgers closer, got no strike calls on the corners while Mariano Rivera struck a Dodger out on a ball at least a foot outside. It’s disgusting really. The only reason there isn’t more of an outcry is that the baseball season is so long. And they say the calls tend to even out. I say….not always.
At least Wimbledon’s been exciting. I’ve been half watching those matches and it’s nice to have a changing of the guard, which seems to be happening to a large extent, especially on the women’s side. Venus Williams just lost to an unknown with great legs named Pironkova and Clijsters just lost too. And I’m watching now a great match between a Kanepi and Kvitova.
Of course, Serena’s still in there so I’ll be sure to NOT watch the final. Watching her match against Sharapova, it was kind of amusing to see her waste one of her hateful , baleful stares at the umpire for what she perceived as a bad line call, only then to realize that she could challenge if she so desired, which she of course did not. If only she were half as classy as her sister Venus…..
Japan and Paraguay are in a shootout as this is written. I wonder if the umps can screw this up. Paraguay scores on their first attempt. (This is pretty cool). Endo now scores for Japan. Paraguay goes up 2-1…just barely. Japan ties it. So far the shots have been great. Paraguay scores once again as the goalie guesses wrong. Now Japan misses, hitting the bar. Things look bleak for Japan. Paraguay hits again. Japan has to put this next one in and does, right down the middle as he fakes the goalie out. Now Paraguay calmly puts their last shot into the net. Cool finish for sure.
On the LeBron front, the Nets just dumped Xi, thank God, and increased their number under the cap so they can grab two premium free agents. If you think they have any chance of landing LeBron, you’re really an optimist, and really nuts.
I still think King James will wind up in Chicago. And good riddance. I can’t imagine what brand of team basketball would ever be played with a James on the team. I know one thing. Whoever gets him better have a center. If not, they won’t be getting past LA.
But soccer, tennis, basketball and football are only background music, especially prior to the Fourth Of July. I’ll just feel better when the Amazin’s are back in the good ol’ USA and back in a real live major-league stadium, if not the friendly confines of CitiField.
And a nice pick-me-up for the dog days of August would be a big, live-armed pitcher.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Jason Bay, Tampa Bay, Rangers and Giants
It’s been a passing strange baseball season so far and strangest of all might be in Citi Field where starters surprise and big hitters utterly collapse at just the wrong moments. But if you like baseball, you’re getting your money’s worth from teams like Texas and San Francisco.
One has to wonder if our totally clueless cleanup hitter, Jason Bay, will ever get his act together. In fact, his at-bats are so horrible, one has to wonder if he ever takes batting practice. Although I fully expected streakiness when the Mets acquired him, I don’t think I fully appreciated how bad those plate appearances would look. And they feel worse than they look, being that there are always men on base when he comes to the plate.
The Mets could’ve swept the Reds if Bay were only mediocre. They’ve gotten good pitching, the rest of the lineup has been doing more than its share, and then Bay just totally kills them. It’s very frustrating, to say the least. The only interesting thing about a Bay at-bat is whether or not he’ll get the bat on the ball at all. He misses most pitches by such a wide margin that a foul tip becomes some wondrous event.
Jerry Manuel keeps talking about his history. He’s right, of course, but that doesn’t mean he should keep that number four spot in the order when he hasn’t a prayer of doing anything even remotely good. I mean….he’s been making Gary Matthews look good.
Maybe it’s the four spot that’s the problem. Looking back at his Boston and Pittsburgh years, he batted mostly in the fifth spot. But even then he had long streaks of futility to go with long streaks of wonderful productivity. We haven’t seen one of those streaks yet. I wonder if we ever will.
I had hoped Omar would have gone after Holliday in free agency. The Mets preferred Bay, supposedly based on his defense and speed. And it’s true, he does play a nice left field, and he does manage to not get doubled up on many of his DP grounders. Most of his paltry RBI total has come from fly balls or weak grounders.
Maybe Bay needs glasses or contact lenses. He’s late on just about everything. Okay, that’s enough. I can’t even stand my own whining. If he doesn’t ever hit….fine. That’ll at least spell the end of Omar for good. We’ll see less of the Matthews’s and Tatis’s of the world year after year… all the retreads .
Meanwhile, this baseball season might turn out pretty special. The Rays look great in the AL East and Evan Longoria looks like an MVP. Then Texas is really starting to come on with Josh Hamilton starting to look like an MVP candidate. Seattle’s got a lot of pitching but pitching hasn’t helped the White Sox much.
The NL East has been pretty amazing so far with Washington looking much better, Florida hanging in there and of course, our Metsies and their surprising pitching. The NL Central has the Cards up top, but it looks pretty even below them. The Giants in the West are making the Dodgers look bad.
Biggest story to me is that of the Texas Rangers. It’s an exciting team, with young up-and-comers like Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler. Texas has a good old fella too in Vlad Guerrero, and there was nothing better than watching KC’s usually lockdown closer Joachim Soria get nicked for the tying home run from Hamilton and the game-winner from Vlad. Hamilton’s was a real moonshot too, high in the upper deck in right.
Tampa Bay is great too, if just because they’re scaring the hell out of the Yankees, that self-proclaimed juggernaut of the American League East. The Yanks are great…. just ask them.
But what are we talking about really? Arod is batting .253 with just a pair of homers. Teixeira’s batting .178 with just a pair of dingers of his own. If it weren’t for some surprises in their rotation, like Hughes and Pettite, added to the two you knew would be good, Sabathia and Burnett, the Yanks just might be in trouble. Cano can’t carry them forever and neither can Swisher, although I’d love to see it. If anybody’s going to take them to the World Series again, it should be one or both of those two.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s got it all. Four of their five starters have ERA’s under 3 and the fifth is at 3.15. And in addition to guys you’ve certainly heard of, Upton and Crawford, Longoria and Pena, the Rays can boast of their relatively new rightfielder, Ben Zobrist, who gives them a little bit of everything, including speed and defense.
But, like many baseball fans, there has been no more exciting team than the San Francisco Giants, another team getting good performances from just about everybody. Top of the list goes to Tim Lincecum, of course, but they’ve also got Matt Cain, Barry Zito and Jonathan Sanchez performing like aces. Relief? How about Brian Wilson, whose fastball is almost as amazing as his hairdo.
They’ve been getting some timely hitting too, although their lineup can’t compare with some of those other teams I’ve mentioned. Chief among their batsmen is the redoubtable Pablo Sandoval, a roly-poly type whose fielding at third belies his waistline. He’s like Prince Fielder with more athleticism.
The bad news is that those same Giants are coming to Citi Field this weekend to faceoff against our lovable Metsies. They’ll roll out Jonathan Sanchez tonight against Pelfrey, a matchup that could be a great one. Then on Saturday afternoon, the Mets get a break in a matchup of Santana vs. Todd Wellemeyer, their one starter who doesn’t have great numbers.
The hammer comes down on Sunday though as Lincecum will face Ollie Perez and things could get really ugly. It’s to be hoped that Jason Bay wakes up. Stranger things have already been happening in Major League Baseball.
One has to wonder if our totally clueless cleanup hitter, Jason Bay, will ever get his act together. In fact, his at-bats are so horrible, one has to wonder if he ever takes batting practice. Although I fully expected streakiness when the Mets acquired him, I don’t think I fully appreciated how bad those plate appearances would look. And they feel worse than they look, being that there are always men on base when he comes to the plate.
The Mets could’ve swept the Reds if Bay were only mediocre. They’ve gotten good pitching, the rest of the lineup has been doing more than its share, and then Bay just totally kills them. It’s very frustrating, to say the least. The only interesting thing about a Bay at-bat is whether or not he’ll get the bat on the ball at all. He misses most pitches by such a wide margin that a foul tip becomes some wondrous event.
Jerry Manuel keeps talking about his history. He’s right, of course, but that doesn’t mean he should keep that number four spot in the order when he hasn’t a prayer of doing anything even remotely good. I mean….he’s been making Gary Matthews look good.
Maybe it’s the four spot that’s the problem. Looking back at his Boston and Pittsburgh years, he batted mostly in the fifth spot. But even then he had long streaks of futility to go with long streaks of wonderful productivity. We haven’t seen one of those streaks yet. I wonder if we ever will.
I had hoped Omar would have gone after Holliday in free agency. The Mets preferred Bay, supposedly based on his defense and speed. And it’s true, he does play a nice left field, and he does manage to not get doubled up on many of his DP grounders. Most of his paltry RBI total has come from fly balls or weak grounders.
Maybe Bay needs glasses or contact lenses. He’s late on just about everything. Okay, that’s enough. I can’t even stand my own whining. If he doesn’t ever hit….fine. That’ll at least spell the end of Omar for good. We’ll see less of the Matthews’s and Tatis’s of the world year after year… all the retreads .
Meanwhile, this baseball season might turn out pretty special. The Rays look great in the AL East and Evan Longoria looks like an MVP. Then Texas is really starting to come on with Josh Hamilton starting to look like an MVP candidate. Seattle’s got a lot of pitching but pitching hasn’t helped the White Sox much.
The NL East has been pretty amazing so far with Washington looking much better, Florida hanging in there and of course, our Metsies and their surprising pitching. The NL Central has the Cards up top, but it looks pretty even below them. The Giants in the West are making the Dodgers look bad.
Biggest story to me is that of the Texas Rangers. It’s an exciting team, with young up-and-comers like Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler. Texas has a good old fella too in Vlad Guerrero, and there was nothing better than watching KC’s usually lockdown closer Joachim Soria get nicked for the tying home run from Hamilton and the game-winner from Vlad. Hamilton’s was a real moonshot too, high in the upper deck in right.
Tampa Bay is great too, if just because they’re scaring the hell out of the Yankees, that self-proclaimed juggernaut of the American League East. The Yanks are great…. just ask them.
But what are we talking about really? Arod is batting .253 with just a pair of homers. Teixeira’s batting .178 with just a pair of dingers of his own. If it weren’t for some surprises in their rotation, like Hughes and Pettite, added to the two you knew would be good, Sabathia and Burnett, the Yanks just might be in trouble. Cano can’t carry them forever and neither can Swisher, although I’d love to see it. If anybody’s going to take them to the World Series again, it should be one or both of those two.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s got it all. Four of their five starters have ERA’s under 3 and the fifth is at 3.15. And in addition to guys you’ve certainly heard of, Upton and Crawford, Longoria and Pena, the Rays can boast of their relatively new rightfielder, Ben Zobrist, who gives them a little bit of everything, including speed and defense.
But, like many baseball fans, there has been no more exciting team than the San Francisco Giants, another team getting good performances from just about everybody. Top of the list goes to Tim Lincecum, of course, but they’ve also got Matt Cain, Barry Zito and Jonathan Sanchez performing like aces. Relief? How about Brian Wilson, whose fastball is almost as amazing as his hairdo.
They’ve been getting some timely hitting too, although their lineup can’t compare with some of those other teams I’ve mentioned. Chief among their batsmen is the redoubtable Pablo Sandoval, a roly-poly type whose fielding at third belies his waistline. He’s like Prince Fielder with more athleticism.
The bad news is that those same Giants are coming to Citi Field this weekend to faceoff against our lovable Metsies. They’ll roll out Jonathan Sanchez tonight against Pelfrey, a matchup that could be a great one. Then on Saturday afternoon, the Mets get a break in a matchup of Santana vs. Todd Wellemeyer, their one starter who doesn’t have great numbers.
The hammer comes down on Sunday though as Lincecum will face Ollie Perez and things could get really ugly. It’s to be hoped that Jason Bay wakes up. Stranger things have already been happening in Major League Baseball.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Are Maine and Manuel Strangling the Mets?
It’s a quarter to three, yada yada yada yada dee dee dedee dee. It’s a perfect time to write sumthin’, the Yanks are outclassing the Rangers (again), the Mets are coming off a ridiculous win, and I even have the Cubs game going, from WGN. The Cubs are hosting the pitiful Houston Astros but I’m not really sure the Cubs won’t be just as bad. They often are.
The Mets play tonight, of course. And, after using up their entire pitching staff, they’re handing the ball to John Maine, with instructions to go deep into the game. It is with deep trepidation that I visualize this upcoming contest, the totally pissed-off Cardinals against John Maine on a Sunday night.
Of course, I’ve read that Maine is angry, angry at a number of things…himself, his manager, and the cruel world, I’m sure. Imagine the nerve of Mets management to question his role in the starting rotation! Sure! He had a bad spring and a couple of horrible starts thereafter but, gee whiz, three years ago, he won 15 games.
Has John Maine awakened? That’d be really nice to see. Now, please understand, I’ve mutilated John Maine in this column for quite a while now but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish him well. Nobody’d be happier than I’d be if he goes out tonight, throws bullets and violent sinkers the whole night and shuts out those dangerous Redbirds, Pujols and Holliday and Ludwick.
But it’s hard to imagine. The fatal difference between Maine and Perez is that Perez has talent. Maine just has that slow fastball, the dinky breaking stuff and well, that’s it. Perez finally showed what he could do the other night. He pitched into the seventh inning, allowing just one run over that span. He didn’t have his perpetual bad inning. He was just great.
When was the last time John Maine had a good outing? I’m looking it up right now. Omigosh! He pitched 7 innings of 1-run ball as late as October 2nd of 2009! But before that start, he pitched only sparingly and, from the beginning of June to the mid-September, he didn’t pitch at all, a victim of shoulder problems related to off-season surgery he had in 2008.
I’ve watched him pretty closely since then and haven’t seen that pitcher, the one who baffled Houston batters back in October. And, while I have some compassion for a player with a medical problem, I also understand that this is the major leagues. You need some luck and grit to withstand the rigors of a professional career.
If a player doesn’t have either, there are a lot of jobs a guy with a bum shoulder can do….insurance, beer sales and the like. I don’t need to see that guy take the mound every fifth day for the team I’m rooting for to win. If it takes anger to get this young man out of his doldrums, so be it. If even that doesn’t work, I’m sorry but see ya later. Maine’s already made a fortune. He’s listed on the roster as making 3.3 million this year. A lot of folks could live on that.
So….welcome to a sense of urgency, John Maine. Let’s see what you can do, armed with that anger and not much else to date.
Meanwhile, that 20-inning affair was pretty scary, from the standpoint of future prospects for the Mets. Their hitting was just awful, as bad as their pitching was good. Too many batters take the beautiful meatball pitches for strikes, then flail away at balls thrown in the dirt. I’m talking about Jason Bay, David Wright and Jose Reyes, but the same could be said for many other Mets, all of them really with the exception of Jeff Francoeur.
If it’s Jerry Manuel and Howard Johnson, the hitting coach, who are responsible for this “take” direction, it’s totally misguided for this particular team. These are more free-swingers. Turning free swingers into disciplined batters isn’t that easy. Somebody as smart as Manuel should realize that.
I’ve been against the tide, it seems, with respect to Jerry Manuel. Most Mets fans have had it with him, just based on his record supposedly, but I suspect they really just can’t stand his intellectual bent. And, while I still favor keeping him as manager, I am beginning to have my own doubts about his team’s demeanor in general.
If Manuel is forcing a bunch of free-swingers to show a whole lot of discipline in every at-bat, it is he who must shoulder the blame when that team doesn’t score any runs. When your most valuable acquisition strikes out four times, as Jason Bay did last night, then that is also a reflection of that batter’s direction.
Last year,from the beginning of spring training, Manuel’s thrust was towards his team hitting to the opposite field. David Wright had his poorest season ever, particularly with respect to his power numbers. Wright had just ten homers in 2009, after successive years of having had 27, 26, 30 and 33 homers.
I don’t think it was Citi Field, and I don’t think it was just an accident. I think it was an obsessive direction towards hitting to the opposite field. This year’s obsession seems to have turned towards “good” at-bats, taking pitches, as many as two strikes in certain situations. While the other teams batters get three swings each, our Mets only get one. I’m pretty sure that would affect not just their stats at the plate. That general strangulation could carry over into the field and into the clubhouse.
There are signs of a team malaise, at least at the plate. The Mets are making every opposing pitcher look like Christy Mathewson. It’s not only because they’re not good hitters. It’s getting obvious that even the good hitters are turning bad.
So get off it, Jerry, or Howard, or whoever else may be responsible for this strangling approach to hitting. Too often that first pitch is hittable.
The Mets play tonight, of course. And, after using up their entire pitching staff, they’re handing the ball to John Maine, with instructions to go deep into the game. It is with deep trepidation that I visualize this upcoming contest, the totally pissed-off Cardinals against John Maine on a Sunday night.
Of course, I’ve read that Maine is angry, angry at a number of things…himself, his manager, and the cruel world, I’m sure. Imagine the nerve of Mets management to question his role in the starting rotation! Sure! He had a bad spring and a couple of horrible starts thereafter but, gee whiz, three years ago, he won 15 games.
Has John Maine awakened? That’d be really nice to see. Now, please understand, I’ve mutilated John Maine in this column for quite a while now but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish him well. Nobody’d be happier than I’d be if he goes out tonight, throws bullets and violent sinkers the whole night and shuts out those dangerous Redbirds, Pujols and Holliday and Ludwick.
But it’s hard to imagine. The fatal difference between Maine and Perez is that Perez has talent. Maine just has that slow fastball, the dinky breaking stuff and well, that’s it. Perez finally showed what he could do the other night. He pitched into the seventh inning, allowing just one run over that span. He didn’t have his perpetual bad inning. He was just great.
When was the last time John Maine had a good outing? I’m looking it up right now. Omigosh! He pitched 7 innings of 1-run ball as late as October 2nd of 2009! But before that start, he pitched only sparingly and, from the beginning of June to the mid-September, he didn’t pitch at all, a victim of shoulder problems related to off-season surgery he had in 2008.
I’ve watched him pretty closely since then and haven’t seen that pitcher, the one who baffled Houston batters back in October. And, while I have some compassion for a player with a medical problem, I also understand that this is the major leagues. You need some luck and grit to withstand the rigors of a professional career.
If a player doesn’t have either, there are a lot of jobs a guy with a bum shoulder can do….insurance, beer sales and the like. I don’t need to see that guy take the mound every fifth day for the team I’m rooting for to win. If it takes anger to get this young man out of his doldrums, so be it. If even that doesn’t work, I’m sorry but see ya later. Maine’s already made a fortune. He’s listed on the roster as making 3.3 million this year. A lot of folks could live on that.
So….welcome to a sense of urgency, John Maine. Let’s see what you can do, armed with that anger and not much else to date.
Meanwhile, that 20-inning affair was pretty scary, from the standpoint of future prospects for the Mets. Their hitting was just awful, as bad as their pitching was good. Too many batters take the beautiful meatball pitches for strikes, then flail away at balls thrown in the dirt. I’m talking about Jason Bay, David Wright and Jose Reyes, but the same could be said for many other Mets, all of them really with the exception of Jeff Francoeur.
If it’s Jerry Manuel and Howard Johnson, the hitting coach, who are responsible for this “take” direction, it’s totally misguided for this particular team. These are more free-swingers. Turning free swingers into disciplined batters isn’t that easy. Somebody as smart as Manuel should realize that.
I’ve been against the tide, it seems, with respect to Jerry Manuel. Most Mets fans have had it with him, just based on his record supposedly, but I suspect they really just can’t stand his intellectual bent. And, while I still favor keeping him as manager, I am beginning to have my own doubts about his team’s demeanor in general.
If Manuel is forcing a bunch of free-swingers to show a whole lot of discipline in every at-bat, it is he who must shoulder the blame when that team doesn’t score any runs. When your most valuable acquisition strikes out four times, as Jason Bay did last night, then that is also a reflection of that batter’s direction.
Last year,from the beginning of spring training, Manuel’s thrust was towards his team hitting to the opposite field. David Wright had his poorest season ever, particularly with respect to his power numbers. Wright had just ten homers in 2009, after successive years of having had 27, 26, 30 and 33 homers.
I don’t think it was Citi Field, and I don’t think it was just an accident. I think it was an obsessive direction towards hitting to the opposite field. This year’s obsession seems to have turned towards “good” at-bats, taking pitches, as many as two strikes in certain situations. While the other teams batters get three swings each, our Mets only get one. I’m pretty sure that would affect not just their stats at the plate. That general strangulation could carry over into the field and into the clubhouse.
There are signs of a team malaise, at least at the plate. The Mets are making every opposing pitcher look like Christy Mathewson. It’s not only because they’re not good hitters. It’s getting obvious that even the good hitters are turning bad.
So get off it, Jerry, or Howard, or whoever else may be responsible for this strangling approach to hitting. Too often that first pitch is hittable.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Three Words for Mets Panners
In mid-winter every four years, a young man’s mind must surely turn to the thrill of watching the sport of curling….a cold and slick variation, it would seem, of horseshoes or maybe bocce, except for two crazed assistant sliders who accompany this foot-long disk down the ice, somehow magically determining whether the disk will attain its target. Gimme a friggin’ break….and pardon my Latvian.
Latvia, of course, was in the Olympic news as they faced off against their captor Russians in ice-hockey. That thriller could be witnessed on MSNBC also while the regular NBC affiliate carried the ever more popular men’s (using the term very loosely) ice skating. Woo_Hoo!!
And all that nonsense is still more interesting than college basketball and the NBA, where too many teams are chasing too little talent in a star system with not enough stars to go around. And the Knicks might even get Tracy McGrady…about 6 or 7 years late…all in what I’m almost sure will be a thwarted attempt at picking up one of the five or so superstars in the game.
Thank God for baseball. Thank God for the Mets. Thank God for the National League. And damnation to all the rest…the hated Yankees, all Steinbrenner’s money, all Cashman’s Verducci pitch-count crap, the designated hitter rule and finally, all those alleged Mets fans and prognosticators just lambasting Mets management for just about every move they make…or don’t make, as the case may be.
My USA-Today Sports Weekly now informs me in their early-season power rankings that the Mets are the 22nd best team in baseball. I hear on the radio that they’ll finish no better than 4th in their division. What baloney!
How does a team that was a title-contender in 2008, a team that lacked only relief pitching, drop so far in every man’s opinion? Here was a team that picked up that needed relief pitching in 2009 but here also was a team that was then unlucky enough to lose its three biggest stars to injury.
At the same time this Mets team experienced every possible malady known to mankind. They lost one of those relief pitchers very early too. They lost just about every player for significant portions of the season, including their #1 starter, Johan Santana.
And, in order to just get through that stinking 2009, the Mets did some good things. They picked up Jeff Francoeur from the Braves to play right field. Along the way and into 2010, the Mets got arguably the best left-fielder in baseball in Jason Bay. They also picked up two very decent pitchers out of Japan and one Kelvim Escobar who could turn out to be as good as a number two starter, or at the very least, a nice long reliever.
Okay, so they didn’t pick up a second baseman to replace the guy who hit friggin’ .300 and did his job in every conceivable fashion. And they didn’t renew Carlos Delgado, one of those stars who went down in 2009. The one glaring error, but only in retrospect, was the re-signing of Oliver Perez for big big dollars. Failure, thy name was Ollie.
Most of these alleged Mets fans will also point to the failures of Daniel Murphy at first base and do not relish seeing him man the position for 2010 as well. Not me. I think Murphy will improve a great deal over his 2009 season. Most young players do. And he’s got Keith Hernandez in his corner, a hot corner, teaching him the finer points of defense….and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s talking some hitting as well. Keith has never been bashful.
So let’s re-hash and simplify. All those Mets-panners say we’ll get nothing out of either Japanese pitcher, nothing out of Kelvim Escobar, nothing out of Jeff Francoeur, oh, and lest I forget, nothing out of Mike Jacobs, who they acquired for power at first in the event that Murphy continues to do nothing.
Well gee whiz, guys, I think that’s God-awful pessimistic thinking, even for Mets fans. The only real missing piece from 2008 will be Carlos Delgado. Instead of replacing his power at first base, the Mets have added power in left field. And I’m sure every fantasy baseball player in the land would take Jason Bay over Carlos Delgado, any day of the week.
Oh, and Carlos Beltran will probably return in June. He’ll miss April and May for maybe 35 games. That leaves only about 125 in which he’ll play. Chances are he’ll be the old Carlos Beltran, the 5-tool guy who does everything. April and May will belong to Angel Pagan and Gary Matthews Jr., either of whom I’d take over a lot of centerfielders in the game.
So here’s the lineup in June….
1. Ss Jose Reyes – switch - .286 – 100 runs, 50 sb’s
2. 2b Luis Castillo – switch - .292 – 70 runs
3. 3b David Wright – right - .309 – 100 runs, 100 rbi’s
4. Cf Carlos Beltran – switch - .283 – 100 runs, 100 rbi’s
5. Lf Jason Bay – right - .280 – 100 rbi’s
6. 1b Daniel Murphy – left - .275 – 70 rbi’s
7. Rf Jeff Francoeur – right - .271 – 90 rbi’s
8. C Omir Santos – right - .260 – 75 rbi’s
9. P Pitcher
Before Beltran’s return in June, there will be a deficit in left-handed power as Wright, Bay and Francoeur all bat from the right side, which is somewhat problematical unless Pagan bats in the middle of the lineup and really doesn’t hit for power. (Detractors will assert that Francoeur and Wright don’t either).
Catching has also been cast as a problem but I don’t think so. Anyone watching Omir Santos knows that he hit .260, and chipped in 40 rbi’s in only 280 at-bats. I suspect two things…one, that he’ll be even more productive with more at-bats and two, he’ll continue to improve as 2009 was really his first year in the majors. Santos could probably deliver over 80 ribbies in 2010.
Let’s go Mets!
Latvia, of course, was in the Olympic news as they faced off against their captor Russians in ice-hockey. That thriller could be witnessed on MSNBC also while the regular NBC affiliate carried the ever more popular men’s (using the term very loosely) ice skating. Woo_Hoo!!
And all that nonsense is still more interesting than college basketball and the NBA, where too many teams are chasing too little talent in a star system with not enough stars to go around. And the Knicks might even get Tracy McGrady…about 6 or 7 years late…all in what I’m almost sure will be a thwarted attempt at picking up one of the five or so superstars in the game.
Thank God for baseball. Thank God for the Mets. Thank God for the National League. And damnation to all the rest…the hated Yankees, all Steinbrenner’s money, all Cashman’s Verducci pitch-count crap, the designated hitter rule and finally, all those alleged Mets fans and prognosticators just lambasting Mets management for just about every move they make…or don’t make, as the case may be.
My USA-Today Sports Weekly now informs me in their early-season power rankings that the Mets are the 22nd best team in baseball. I hear on the radio that they’ll finish no better than 4th in their division. What baloney!
How does a team that was a title-contender in 2008, a team that lacked only relief pitching, drop so far in every man’s opinion? Here was a team that picked up that needed relief pitching in 2009 but here also was a team that was then unlucky enough to lose its three biggest stars to injury.
At the same time this Mets team experienced every possible malady known to mankind. They lost one of those relief pitchers very early too. They lost just about every player for significant portions of the season, including their #1 starter, Johan Santana.
And, in order to just get through that stinking 2009, the Mets did some good things. They picked up Jeff Francoeur from the Braves to play right field. Along the way and into 2010, the Mets got arguably the best left-fielder in baseball in Jason Bay. They also picked up two very decent pitchers out of Japan and one Kelvim Escobar who could turn out to be as good as a number two starter, or at the very least, a nice long reliever.
Okay, so they didn’t pick up a second baseman to replace the guy who hit friggin’ .300 and did his job in every conceivable fashion. And they didn’t renew Carlos Delgado, one of those stars who went down in 2009. The one glaring error, but only in retrospect, was the re-signing of Oliver Perez for big big dollars. Failure, thy name was Ollie.
Most of these alleged Mets fans will also point to the failures of Daniel Murphy at first base and do not relish seeing him man the position for 2010 as well. Not me. I think Murphy will improve a great deal over his 2009 season. Most young players do. And he’s got Keith Hernandez in his corner, a hot corner, teaching him the finer points of defense….and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s talking some hitting as well. Keith has never been bashful.
So let’s re-hash and simplify. All those Mets-panners say we’ll get nothing out of either Japanese pitcher, nothing out of Kelvim Escobar, nothing out of Jeff Francoeur, oh, and lest I forget, nothing out of Mike Jacobs, who they acquired for power at first in the event that Murphy continues to do nothing.
Well gee whiz, guys, I think that’s God-awful pessimistic thinking, even for Mets fans. The only real missing piece from 2008 will be Carlos Delgado. Instead of replacing his power at first base, the Mets have added power in left field. And I’m sure every fantasy baseball player in the land would take Jason Bay over Carlos Delgado, any day of the week.
Oh, and Carlos Beltran will probably return in June. He’ll miss April and May for maybe 35 games. That leaves only about 125 in which he’ll play. Chances are he’ll be the old Carlos Beltran, the 5-tool guy who does everything. April and May will belong to Angel Pagan and Gary Matthews Jr., either of whom I’d take over a lot of centerfielders in the game.
So here’s the lineup in June….
1. Ss Jose Reyes – switch - .286 – 100 runs, 50 sb’s
2. 2b Luis Castillo – switch - .292 – 70 runs
3. 3b David Wright – right - .309 – 100 runs, 100 rbi’s
4. Cf Carlos Beltran – switch - .283 – 100 runs, 100 rbi’s
5. Lf Jason Bay – right - .280 – 100 rbi’s
6. 1b Daniel Murphy – left - .275 – 70 rbi’s
7. Rf Jeff Francoeur – right - .271 – 90 rbi’s
8. C Omir Santos – right - .260 – 75 rbi’s
9. P Pitcher
Before Beltran’s return in June, there will be a deficit in left-handed power as Wright, Bay and Francoeur all bat from the right side, which is somewhat problematical unless Pagan bats in the middle of the lineup and really doesn’t hit for power. (Detractors will assert that Francoeur and Wright don’t either).
Catching has also been cast as a problem but I don’t think so. Anyone watching Omir Santos knows that he hit .260, and chipped in 40 rbi’s in only 280 at-bats. I suspect two things…one, that he’ll be even more productive with more at-bats and two, he’ll continue to improve as 2009 was really his first year in the majors. Santos could probably deliver over 80 ribbies in 2010.
Let’s go Mets!
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Gods of Baseball
Yeah, I had hoped the Mets could get a few more good starts from Livan Hernandez but it wasn’t to be. Before that, I had hoped that Jonathan Niese might be a nice addition to the pitching staff. More recently, I’d hoped for all kinds of things from these Mets but it’s all starting to wear kind of thin.
The baseball gods have abandoned the Mets. Well, that’s not entirely true. Abandonment would imply some neutrality to their situation. What we have here is some active dislike. Surely, random chance would not account for the myriad of misfortunes surrounding this accursed team in 2009.
These latest injuries, Castillo twisting his ankle on a dugout step, Niese totally pulling a tendon from a bone, can’t really affect a Mets fan anymore. We’re out of it. We know we have no chance. So stop already, demons, or whoever you are, you must have accomplished your mission by now.
It’s not even just the players and fans who’ve suffered. The hellcats have managed to get the management too. In one week, Bernazard and Minaya suffered embarrassment that usually takes a few months or even years to accumulate.
For Mets fans, what had been a pleasant trip for several years, a fantasy cruise, has become a nightmare. To borrow from the movie Sahara, what had been the good ship Lollipop has become “a ghost ship, a death ship.”
I’ve been searching for silver linings all season. And, boy oh boy, have I had every opportunity! We’ve certainly had a good look at the minor league system. And we’ve seen some imaginative deals for players, some pretty good players at bargain basement prices, Sheffield for just 400K and Francoeur for very little, really!
There may be some problems that needed uncovering too. Beltran has intimated his injury was not treated right and there certainly have been a preponderance of hamstring injuries, Reyes (again), Niese, Sheffield and, well, what’s the use really of belaboring all this. I’m willing at this point to call everything “acts of God,” or, because I really don’t think God cares too much about major league baseball, “acts of the baseball gods.”
Maybe if I could take some solace in the fact that the Yankees are doing well, I’d feel better. They pounded the Red Sox this night, finally, after eight beatings, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they turned this whole thing around the other way. I mean, really, the Red Sox are all banged up too, and who knows whether the gods will favor them with their malicious intentions.
Jason Bay, who was killing the ball for much of the season and was arguably the best Red Sox player this year, was out, Dice K was out, Big Papi has become Big Poopie, and they had Youkilis playing left field. Oh, and did I mention their starting pitcher is 42 years old? Yeah, I know it’s John Smoltz but just saying….
Joba walked 7 batters in five innings and the Red Sox scored all of four runs. There’s more to this than meets the eye, even given Joba’s penchant for making great pitches in bad situations.
Yeah, they have their ace, Josh Beckett, going tomorrow but I just have this feeling that it won’t appreciably help their situation. The Yanks have Burnett going, which is to say definitely not chopped liver. Then they have Sabathia going, and then Pettitte and things aren’t looking that rosy for the Red Sox, y’know?
Everything’s right with the Bombers these days. Phil Hughes filled their gaping 8th inning hole and then there’s Mariano for the ninth. Even Sergio Mitre is looking good to me. A lot of things that could have gone badly for these damned Yankees is going right.
Wasn’t Matsui a question mark? Not anymore. How about Posada? He’s just fine, thank you. Damon? He’s having an incredible year. Cano is playing out of his mind, at the plate and especially in the field.
He’s been getting to every ball and it doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s to his left or to his right. He just makes it look more impressive when the ball is hit to his right side so he can make that incredible throw he’s developed back to Teixeira. They’ve been calling it a Jeter move but it’s really not. Jeter jumps high in the air, spins and throws, all of which takes some time. Cano just whips the ball over his left shoulder in one motion. It’s really unbelievable, especially for a guy who seemed to be loafing for much of 2008.
It’s looking a lot like a Yankees year. But it’ll take some convincing for me to believe these matters are being decided on the field and not in the heavens. And, yeah, I know, people make their own luck. Gimme a break, okay.
If people make their own luck, why do we have Murphy at first base, Cora at second, and Berroa at shortstop? And the unlikely combo of Tatis, Pagan and Francoeur manning the outfield? The only remaining regular is Wright at third, and I’m kind of afraid to even point that out.
This could’ve been, should’ve been, the Mets year. They had it all but relief pitching. Minaya finally picked up two of the best relievers out there in K-Rod and Sean Green and it should have been all over but the shoutin’.
No, this isn’t a case of people making their own luck. This is just too weird. Have you noticed that it rained all through June and July and it’s been about 10 degrees cooler? And there’s been hardly any sunspot activity? And, wonder of wonders, Bill Clinton got those two reporters out of North Korea? And, well, the President is Barack Obama?
Okay, maybe I’m overdoing it but I’ve just about had it. When the Yankees start having good luck too, on top of their incredible resources, the fates seem to be just piling on. Or is it those baseball gods?
The baseball gods have abandoned the Mets. Well, that’s not entirely true. Abandonment would imply some neutrality to their situation. What we have here is some active dislike. Surely, random chance would not account for the myriad of misfortunes surrounding this accursed team in 2009.
These latest injuries, Castillo twisting his ankle on a dugout step, Niese totally pulling a tendon from a bone, can’t really affect a Mets fan anymore. We’re out of it. We know we have no chance. So stop already, demons, or whoever you are, you must have accomplished your mission by now.
It’s not even just the players and fans who’ve suffered. The hellcats have managed to get the management too. In one week, Bernazard and Minaya suffered embarrassment that usually takes a few months or even years to accumulate.
For Mets fans, what had been a pleasant trip for several years, a fantasy cruise, has become a nightmare. To borrow from the movie Sahara, what had been the good ship Lollipop has become “a ghost ship, a death ship.”
I’ve been searching for silver linings all season. And, boy oh boy, have I had every opportunity! We’ve certainly had a good look at the minor league system. And we’ve seen some imaginative deals for players, some pretty good players at bargain basement prices, Sheffield for just 400K and Francoeur for very little, really!
There may be some problems that needed uncovering too. Beltran has intimated his injury was not treated right and there certainly have been a preponderance of hamstring injuries, Reyes (again), Niese, Sheffield and, well, what’s the use really of belaboring all this. I’m willing at this point to call everything “acts of God,” or, because I really don’t think God cares too much about major league baseball, “acts of the baseball gods.”
Maybe if I could take some solace in the fact that the Yankees are doing well, I’d feel better. They pounded the Red Sox this night, finally, after eight beatings, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they turned this whole thing around the other way. I mean, really, the Red Sox are all banged up too, and who knows whether the gods will favor them with their malicious intentions.
Jason Bay, who was killing the ball for much of the season and was arguably the best Red Sox player this year, was out, Dice K was out, Big Papi has become Big Poopie, and they had Youkilis playing left field. Oh, and did I mention their starting pitcher is 42 years old? Yeah, I know it’s John Smoltz but just saying….
Joba walked 7 batters in five innings and the Red Sox scored all of four runs. There’s more to this than meets the eye, even given Joba’s penchant for making great pitches in bad situations.
Yeah, they have their ace, Josh Beckett, going tomorrow but I just have this feeling that it won’t appreciably help their situation. The Yanks have Burnett going, which is to say definitely not chopped liver. Then they have Sabathia going, and then Pettitte and things aren’t looking that rosy for the Red Sox, y’know?
Everything’s right with the Bombers these days. Phil Hughes filled their gaping 8th inning hole and then there’s Mariano for the ninth. Even Sergio Mitre is looking good to me. A lot of things that could have gone badly for these damned Yankees is going right.
Wasn’t Matsui a question mark? Not anymore. How about Posada? He’s just fine, thank you. Damon? He’s having an incredible year. Cano is playing out of his mind, at the plate and especially in the field.
He’s been getting to every ball and it doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s to his left or to his right. He just makes it look more impressive when the ball is hit to his right side so he can make that incredible throw he’s developed back to Teixeira. They’ve been calling it a Jeter move but it’s really not. Jeter jumps high in the air, spins and throws, all of which takes some time. Cano just whips the ball over his left shoulder in one motion. It’s really unbelievable, especially for a guy who seemed to be loafing for much of 2008.
It’s looking a lot like a Yankees year. But it’ll take some convincing for me to believe these matters are being decided on the field and not in the heavens. And, yeah, I know, people make their own luck. Gimme a break, okay.
If people make their own luck, why do we have Murphy at first base, Cora at second, and Berroa at shortstop? And the unlikely combo of Tatis, Pagan and Francoeur manning the outfield? The only remaining regular is Wright at third, and I’m kind of afraid to even point that out.
This could’ve been, should’ve been, the Mets year. They had it all but relief pitching. Minaya finally picked up two of the best relievers out there in K-Rod and Sean Green and it should have been all over but the shoutin’.
No, this isn’t a case of people making their own luck. This is just too weird. Have you noticed that it rained all through June and July and it’s been about 10 degrees cooler? And there’s been hardly any sunspot activity? And, wonder of wonders, Bill Clinton got those two reporters out of North Korea? And, well, the President is Barack Obama?
Okay, maybe I’m overdoing it but I’ve just about had it. When the Yankees start having good luck too, on top of their incredible resources, the fates seem to be just piling on. Or is it those baseball gods?
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