IF ONLY APRIL WERE OCTOBER
A few brief thoughts on the 2-0 NY Mets, looking good after the second straight thrashing of the 83 win World Champs.
(Yes, I will remain bitter & a very bad sport about that through the season. Deal with it.)
1. The defense continues to look great. Beltran, healthy & sharp, covers the entire outfield in 3 strides. It's only two games, but he's got that Andruw Jones thing going on: no matter where the ball's hit, he settles under it with a minimum of apparent effort.
(Now, if he'd just play a few feet shallower.)
Plus, with 7 double-plays in 2 games, the Mets are on pace to turn about 600.
2. Met #9 hitters are 5-for-7, with 2 RBIs. I'm gonna guess that along with the GIDP pace, this ain't lasting.
3. Moises Alou is 1-for-9, and has stranded 362 runners so far. Let's see either Endy or 'Stings tonight. 41 year-old leftfielders need off days anyhow.
4. Both of the young fellas manning the left side of the infield have drawn 2 walks in 2 games. Verrrrrrrrrrrry good sign. Plus, Reyes has looked like a Wizard at short (and yes, I used that word intentionally).
5. We're but one game into the SNY season, and the boys in the booth are in mid-season form. Ron Darling continues to show all signs that he'll be doing national games (maybe post-season) by next year at the latest. He's good. Gary Cohen was smoove as always.
And then there's Keith.
Yes, Keith "I'm Keith Hernandez" Hernandez is back, and not a moment too soon. I don't know what could make me happier than watching a Met win with 9 innings worth of The Eternal Captain. By the 2nd inning we'd already heard about Albert Poo-hole's "level swing" three times . . . all during the same at-bat.
But you know what? You don't hit .300 (or .299 actually) over a career by failing to adjust. And when Young Mr. Wright was jammed, yet muscled the ball into left for a single, Keith said he "got bunched" on the pitch. Gary questioned him on this, as Darling chuckled.
I'm still a bit shocked. I like it, but I'm unprepared for such a jolt. Plus, I wonder if we'll now hear it twice a game through September.
And finally, in the late innings, when Delgado reached out to poke a low-and-away slider into left for a single, Keith said the following (or at least I think he did):
Anyhow, tonight they go for the sweep behind my man, Johnnie Maine. Plus, they're facing none other than Braden Flooper (Fucking+Looper=Flooper). I think maybe the big sticks arrive tonight.
(Yes, I will remain bitter & a very bad sport about that through the season. Deal with it.)
1. The defense continues to look great. Beltran, healthy & sharp, covers the entire outfield in 3 strides. It's only two games, but he's got that Andruw Jones thing going on: no matter where the ball's hit, he settles under it with a minimum of apparent effort.
(Now, if he'd just play a few feet shallower.)
Plus, with 7 double-plays in 2 games, the Mets are on pace to turn about 600.
2. Met #9 hitters are 5-for-7, with 2 RBIs. I'm gonna guess that along with the GIDP pace, this ain't lasting.
3. Moises Alou is 1-for-9, and has stranded 362 runners so far. Let's see either Endy or 'Stings tonight. 41 year-old leftfielders need off days anyhow.
4. Both of the young fellas manning the left side of the infield have drawn 2 walks in 2 games. Verrrrrrrrrrrry good sign. Plus, Reyes has looked like a Wizard at short (and yes, I used that word intentionally).
5. We're but one game into the SNY season, and the boys in the booth are in mid-season form. Ron Darling continues to show all signs that he'll be doing national games (maybe post-season) by next year at the latest. He's good. Gary Cohen was smoove as always.
And then there's Keith.
Yes, Keith "I'm Keith Hernandez" Hernandez is back, and not a moment too soon. I don't know what could make me happier than watching a Met win with 9 innings worth of The Eternal Captain. By the 2nd inning we'd already heard about Albert Poo-hole's "level swing" three times . . . all during the same at-bat.
But you know what? You don't hit .300 (or .299 actually) over a career by failing to adjust. And when Young Mr. Wright was jammed, yet muscled the ball into left for a single, Keith said he "got bunched" on the pitch. Gary questioned him on this, as Darling chuckled.
I'm still a bit shocked. I like it, but I'm unprepared for such a jolt. Plus, I wonder if we'll now hear it twice a game through September.
And finally, in the late innings, when Delgado reached out to poke a low-and-away slider into left for a single, Keith said the following (or at least I think he did):
He dinked it in there, or he dorked it actually.Dorked? Did he actually say that? Did he mean "doinked," but it came out wrong? Did I mis-hear? Any help? Any theories?
Anyhow, tonight they go for the sweep behind my man, Johnnie Maine. Plus, they're facing none other than Braden Flooper (Fucking+Looper=Flooper). I think maybe the big sticks arrive tonight.
Labels: Dork The Cards, Flooper Too
posted by Mike at 8:31 AM
13 Comments:
So, Ron Darling's going to be ready for national broadcast.
Does this mean that he's going to be an obnoxious asshole who talks down to everyone?
After a decade, that easily could be the case. he doesn't lack for confidence.
But right now, he's smart, articulate, getting wittier, and he really knows what he's talking about.
I missed the Eternal Captain last night. Being a misplaced Mets fan in the DC area, I am often subjected to the road announcers over the DirecTV package. So I got Joe Buck and Al Hrabosky last night!! Among the highlights:
(1) Joe Buck receiving his World Championship ring during the third inning. Nope, not kidding.
(2) Joe Buck wondering aloud during Reyes' steal attempt how Sanjaya sung on American Idol tonight. Again, not kidding.
(3) Buck and Hrabosky with 1,374 references to the NLCS and World Series of last year, including a remarkable 7 different conversations about the curveball to Beltran by Wainwright.
(4) and the best, Joe Buck whining about how cold it was in the booth, and then during a pitch yelling behind him to the production people for someone to run abd grab his sport coat.
Thank God it's over.
Joe Buck deserves a WS Ring for his Homer Extraordinaire performance in last year's NLCS.
Did they also present him with LaRussa's "Thanks for the great blowjob" letter on the air, or did they wait til after the game for that one?
Smart? Articulate? Witty? Knows what he's talking about?
Mike, do you ever listen to the national broadcasts? There's no way in hell that Darling's going to be allowed to go on a national broadcast if he's smart, articulate, witty, and knowledgeable.
My God, man. McCarver, Lyons, and Morgan would never allow for something like that to happen.
Hmmm. Maybe you're right.
Though, any honest Met fan over 30 will admit that McCarver was a great color guy when he was with the Mets back in the day.
Talk about smart & insightful. He really knew his shit, but without that cornball/know-it-all thing he does now.
I don't think the Yankees, the Kings of Kiss Ass, have stooped so low as to give rings to their announcers.
Sweet Jesus, talk about a conflict of interest. Buck does FOX games, and gets a ring from his hometown team?
Mike. I remember when McCarver started national games. I thought that he was good. Not NBC Scully/Garagolia good, but very good. But he's just developed that cornball thing and he drives me nuts.
As for Joe Buck. If not for his dad, he'd be nothing. Which is a shame because I always thought that his dad was fantastic. You know, now that I think about it, McCarver really started going down hill when he left Jack Buck and started working with Joe.
Buck does FOX games, and gets a ring from his hometown team
It does go from laughable to borderline sleazy when you put it so starkly. Man.
John - I think Joe's got a great voice. But what he actually says has gotten consistently worse over the past few years. He's sanctimonious and dorky.
And much though I'd like to blame Buck for McCarver's decline, I think he just seems unprepared these days. Coasting on past glories.
Maybe we need Deion to douse him again.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who remembers McCarver as once being good. Those days are gone, but we all lose our charm in the end.
At least be glad you folks don't live out in southern CA. There's nothing worse than Rex Hudler on Angel games--he's a pepped-up gym rat homer. Oy.
Ugh. Super Rex doing games. Yikes.
George, you able to catch Met games? If so, do you get the SNY guys? If you're missing them, too bad. I can't tell you how fun Keith is. darling's good, and Cohen's a total pro, a real radio guy.
But Keith brings something unique to every game. I'm literally bummed out if I tune in and he's not doing the game.
I only see the Mets when they play the Dodgers or are on national TV. I don't pay for any of the packages b/c if I did I'd never leave the house from April-October.
if I did I'd never leave the house from April-October
A human version of a dog & its flexibility. I hear you.
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