Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 17 - Mets

Mets 6, Marlins 3
Record: 7-10

Tony Clark has now hit as many home runs with the Mets as he hit for the Red Sox all last year, and for a fraction of the price. Not that he won't suck as time wears on, but for now, that's nice to say. Tonight he stepped in in a pinch-hitting role -- and let it be said that he was ice cold, called in at the last possible second -- and jacked a three-run bomb to break a 3-3 tie and win the game. I must admit that I was miserable in the middle innings, watching the Marlins steal base after base (6 total) off Mike Piazza, speculating that when the Mets and Red Sox were both in 3-2 ballgames that it would go great for the Sox and badly for the Mets. Then Art Howe gave the bat to Clark and not Timo Perrez, and everything just worked out. Brilliant, he is.

The other highlight of the night had to be the surprise announcer. After listening to Ralph Kiner, Fran Healy, et al, for most of the season, this night I heard a pair of different voices for the evening. I listened with strange familiarity to one announcer for a while, then honed in on the abrasive, aggressive voice: his royal highness Keith Hernandez. A couple of Keith Classics: "That, folks, is called Ole!" after Luis Castillo waved at one; "I'd hate to see his Strat-o-Matic card!" after Todd Hollandsworth struck out for the 3rd time in a row. He called them like he saw them and was a breath of fresh air, calling out the Mets who needed it most. I hope to hear him call games again soon.