LOCK UP THE WOMEN & CHILDREN, FOLKS . . .
Just a few brief thoughts on the Mets, and their journey of destruction through the National League:
1. Beltran's Bruise: Yes, bruise, or so I read today. "Contusion." "X-rays negative."
Whewwwwwwwwwwww.
Ok, now I can say it: What a catch!
2. Wrighting the Ship: Uh-huh. Over his last 7 games: 12-for-23, with 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 2 SB, 0 CS, 6 Runs scored. Oh, and 14 RBI. 522/577/957.
Yeah, I know he did this in Citizens Bank, Coors, and Minutemaid, but you take what you can get.
(And by the way, Citizens Bank, Coors, and Minutemaid??? What is this, a shopping list? Mom's description of her morning chores? Welcome to Major League Baseball, Version 0.6!)
3. My Maine Man: 51 K, 19 BB in 68 IP. That's what you wanna see.
12 HRs is a lot, but this whole staff gives up the long ball. I'm serious: 152 HR in 1213+ IP. Duque: 12 in 85 1/3. Trachs: 23 in 146 1/3. Pedro: 17 in 122. Only Glavine, with 20 HRs in 165 2/3 keeps the ball in the yard at all.
But Maine manages to keep baserunner off (1.03 WHIP), so the damange is mitigated. Color me a big fan at this point.
4. Endy "My Favorite Met" Chavez: 312/351/446. I feel safe in saying that no one predicted this (and Omar is with us in the "no ones"). Did we predict 9 outfield assists in a half season's work? Probably not. But Gold Glove fielding we expected. Clutch hitting? Why not? Anyone can knock out 364/443/485 with RISP. Unlikely, but even Rey Ordonez drove in 60 in 1999.
But an OPS of nearly 800 in early September, with over 300 plate appearences? No way. This is how good teams have great seasons.
5. Aaron Heilman: He's back, and it's been a huge help, especially since Sanchez went out. In 20 games since July 25, Heilman's had an ERA of 2.25, with a 0.95 WHIP. Since August 5? 1.29/0.71 with 16 K & 4 BB in 14 IP.
He seems to be coming in, throwing heat, getting ahead, working fast, effective 8th innings, getting the lead to Wagner without much ado.
And this leads me to the final thought:
6. The Mets Are That Team, The One The Other Fans Are Scared Of: Think of it this way. Since 1988, the Mets have often been the September spoiler, looking to jack up personal stats against whatever contender comes into town on one of those cool, early autumn evenings. 1991-1996; 2002-2004. That's 9 out of 18 seasons. And the other 9 (1989-1990; 1997-2001; 2005), they were the team struggling to win every game down the stretch, trying desperately to stay in the hunt, to scrap it out for the wildcard, or in '89 & '90, to stay in the divisional hunt.
But either way, it was always the damn Braves, or the Cards, or the Astros, or the other team that got us speaking in hushed tones, trying to rationalize how the Mets could possibly take 2-of-3 from the juggernaut.
Guess what, folks. The Mets are that team now. And the last two games against the 'Stros showed it. Houston needed the wins. The fans have been tense, hanging on every pitch. Garner's pinch hitting for his starter in the 4th inning. Every player is bearing down in every at-bat. Guys like Biggio and Tavarez are reaching for something extra. They're putting together good at-bats. The crowd's urging them on.
And despite a shaky outing from Glavine, despite Pedro on the DL, despite a 16 1/2 game lead and a serious lack of urgency . . . the Mets still took both games! After beating the Rocks in Coors, and the Phils in Citizen Bank, and the Cards in Shea . . . and on-and-on. All those teams needed the wins, yet the Mets vanquished them.
If your team was fighting for a playoff birth, and had just taken the lead in the game, how would you feel coming back from the commercial break with this ugly reality staring you down?: that to maintain the lead, your boys had to get through Reyes-LoDuca-Beltran-Delgado-Wright-Green-Valentin-Chavez.
No, I wouldn't like it too much either. But that's exactly what the Astros faced in the 5th inning Friday night.
And that Astro lead lasted for exactly one out in that 5th inning. That's why these Mets are the team that scares their opponents, and their opponents fans.
I love it. And I can't wait for October.
1. Beltran's Bruise: Yes, bruise, or so I read today. "Contusion." "X-rays negative."
Whewwwwwwwwwwww.
Ok, now I can say it: What a catch!
2. Wrighting the Ship: Uh-huh. Over his last 7 games: 12-for-23, with 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 2 SB, 0 CS, 6 Runs scored. Oh, and 14 RBI. 522/577/957.
Yeah, I know he did this in Citizens Bank, Coors, and Minutemaid, but you take what you can get.
(And by the way, Citizens Bank, Coors, and Minutemaid??? What is this, a shopping list? Mom's description of her morning chores? Welcome to Major League Baseball, Version 0.6!)
3. My Maine Man: 51 K, 19 BB in 68 IP. That's what you wanna see.
12 HRs is a lot, but this whole staff gives up the long ball. I'm serious: 152 HR in 1213+ IP. Duque: 12 in 85 1/3. Trachs: 23 in 146 1/3. Pedro: 17 in 122. Only Glavine, with 20 HRs in 165 2/3 keeps the ball in the yard at all.
But Maine manages to keep baserunner off (1.03 WHIP), so the damange is mitigated. Color me a big fan at this point.
4. Endy "My Favorite Met" Chavez: 312/351/446. I feel safe in saying that no one predicted this (and Omar is with us in the "no ones"). Did we predict 9 outfield assists in a half season's work? Probably not. But Gold Glove fielding we expected. Clutch hitting? Why not? Anyone can knock out 364/443/485 with RISP. Unlikely, but even Rey Ordonez drove in 60 in 1999.
But an OPS of nearly 800 in early September, with over 300 plate appearences? No way. This is how good teams have great seasons.
5. Aaron Heilman: He's back, and it's been a huge help, especially since Sanchez went out. In 20 games since July 25, Heilman's had an ERA of 2.25, with a 0.95 WHIP. Since August 5? 1.29/0.71 with 16 K & 4 BB in 14 IP.
He seems to be coming in, throwing heat, getting ahead, working fast, effective 8th innings, getting the lead to Wagner without much ado.
And this leads me to the final thought:
6. The Mets Are That Team, The One The Other Fans Are Scared Of: Think of it this way. Since 1988, the Mets have often been the September spoiler, looking to jack up personal stats against whatever contender comes into town on one of those cool, early autumn evenings. 1991-1996; 2002-2004. That's 9 out of 18 seasons. And the other 9 (1989-1990; 1997-2001; 2005), they were the team struggling to win every game down the stretch, trying desperately to stay in the hunt, to scrap it out for the wildcard, or in '89 & '90, to stay in the divisional hunt.
But either way, it was always the damn Braves, or the Cards, or the Astros, or the other team that got us speaking in hushed tones, trying to rationalize how the Mets could possibly take 2-of-3 from the juggernaut.
Guess what, folks. The Mets are that team now. And the last two games against the 'Stros showed it. Houston needed the wins. The fans have been tense, hanging on every pitch. Garner's pinch hitting for his starter in the 4th inning. Every player is bearing down in every at-bat. Guys like Biggio and Tavarez are reaching for something extra. They're putting together good at-bats. The crowd's urging them on.
And despite a shaky outing from Glavine, despite Pedro on the DL, despite a 16 1/2 game lead and a serious lack of urgency . . . the Mets still took both games! After beating the Rocks in Coors, and the Phils in Citizen Bank, and the Cards in Shea . . . and on-and-on. All those teams needed the wins, yet the Mets vanquished them.
If your team was fighting for a playoff birth, and had just taken the lead in the game, how would you feel coming back from the commercial break with this ugly reality staring you down?: that to maintain the lead, your boys had to get through Reyes-LoDuca-Beltran-Delgado-Wright-Green-Valentin-Chavez.
No, I wouldn't like it too much either. But that's exactly what the Astros faced in the 5th inning Friday night.
And that Astro lead lasted for exactly one out in that 5th inning. That's why these Mets are the team that scares their opponents, and their opponents fans.
I love it. And I can't wait for October.
posted by Mike at 11:15 AM
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