Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 137 - Mets

Mets 3, Braves 1
Record: 61-76

Al Leiter continued to pitch spectacularly, though somehow the papers attributed this win to his learning that Bruce Springsteen announced he's playing two shows at Shea in early October. Leiter was a spirit in the night, firing at hitters point blank and proving it all night until the Mets reached the promised land. They could look at the pitches but it seemed they better not touch them.

Up-and-comers (maybe) Danny Garcia and Prentice Redman joined the youth movement yesterday, as both recorded their first big league hits. It will be interesting to see which of these youngsters who are excelling in the lame duck season can carry it over to next spring.

Fran Healy and Howie Rose were discussing a quick, unpleasant conversation between Mike Piazza and Braves pitcher Mike Hampton. I guess Hampton said something to Piazza, trying to stir up trouble, but Piazza quelled it with a "Just play baseball." Healy and Rose went on to bring up something from three years ago that wasn't discussed enough when it happened -- if Hampton had plunked a Yankee after Clemens threw the bat at Piazza, warnings would have been issued to both teams and Clemens' inside pitch might have been altered. At the very least, it might have felt like the score was evened. As it happened, Hampton made the decision not to hit a Yank. And as we all know, Clemens pitched well and got a boost from Armando "Seattle Is Almost Far Enough Away" Benitez, and the Yankees won the tone-setting World Series game. Anyway, what happened afterwards was that Hampton bad-mouthed Piazza (from Denver), saying he should have fought Clemens when he threw the bat at him. Implying that Piazza backed down. Ignoring that it would have meant the Mets losing their MVP for not only that game but probably at least one more. Forgetting that if he himself had been tougher, things might have been much better for the team. What a wiener. And Rob Russell loves this guy.