Game 84 - Mets
Mets 6, Astros 2
Record: 47-37
I wasn't able to enjoy the same easy-breathing laugher that Rob did last night, but hey -- beggars can't be choosers, and for the last few days I've been groveling in a most unbecoming way. John Maine did it again, serving as the salve to a series of painful wounds for the Mets, both literal and figurative. He went seven very strong innings, only marred by a little bit of trouble that Joe Smith subsequently embellished a little.
Meanwhile, the offense came to play. Jose Reyes re-affirmed his status as the true tone-setter with a leadoff triple, and the bats seemed to key off his opening statement. Ramon Castro had three hits and looked great, Ricky Ledee had two and looked lucky, and Carlos Delgado even went 4-for-4 -- taking his average up to a gaudy .242 apex. Carlos Beltran somehow hit a slicing liner into the left-field seats (of this softball park) after looking utterly lost for four at-bats, and Wags shut the door in a non-save opp.
Tonight Pelf, who's been doing a spot-on Anthony Young impression of late, looks to finally notch a win as the Mets try to solve the magic of Wandy Rodriguez. Optimism isn't overflowing, but . . . you know . . . maybe they can win?
And then this lovely snippet arrives: "Carlos Gomez fractured a small bone in his left wrist on a sixth-inning check swing Wednesday and was headed for surgery Thursday to remove a portion of the bone." Ugh. I myself fractured a small bone in my left wrist a while back and needed surgery. I'm sure Gomez will be more diligent about the rehab, but for me it was a nightmare. Neat!
So here comes David Newhan. And the crowd goes wild, just as they did for Dave Williams and Jason Vargas before him. I actually can't wait until Lastings Milledge makes it back. Until then, the parade of New Orleans Zephyrs into understudy roles for maimed Mets isn't going to raise expectations or even a little buzz.
I find myself feeling a little Met malaise today. I think it has to do with the Rockies series and how it unplugged the notion that, after Philly, we were back on track. Like a few of the players and the team as a whole, I am limping into the Break. Look for me to be back to my chipper self next week. Well, depending on how things go this weekend.
I need a beer.
how the hell does jimmy rollins not make the all-star game?
ReplyDeleteAnd it wasn't even Hanley Ramirez that edged him out... interesting year for snubs.
ReplyDeleteFrom Rob Neyer:
ReplyDelete"Trouble in Firstplaceland, as Carlos Gomez and Bill Hall both are out for a long stretch, Gomez with a fractured hamate and Hall with a severe ankle injury. Funny thing about Gomez: The reviewers have been raving, but the guy's got a .636 OPS. The Mets would almost have to try to find a replacement who hits as poorly as Gomez."
Not sure if that makes me feel better or not.
Rob Neyer is having a great day...his favorite whipping boy Neifi Perez just got busted for uppers.
ReplyDeleteI started reading through an article he linked to on his blog -- it debunked a theory that strikeout pitchers (like Scott Kazmir) cannot, by their nature, stay in games long enough. Neyer adored it; to me, it felt like homework in high school math.
ReplyDeletethird try, blogger. I'd so love to make a comment on this fine blog.
ReplyDeletenice use of the word "sic."
ReplyDeletei stole from you guys the other day. See if you can find it.
Nice, IMFM. Being quoted like that reinforces how miserable the Mets were...
ReplyDeleteAnd did you ever get any love from Alyssa Milano?
no love whatsoever, even though i too have hairy arms. i guess mentioning that to her might have killed the spark.
ReplyDeleteand by the way, where is "Firstplace land"?
It's Rob Neyer's vision of utopia, where everyone wears flannels and speaks in maths, where baseball isn't played so much as calculated and where Joe Morgan is never, ever allowed entrance.
ReplyDeleteIt's on the campus of MIT.