Well it was a hell of a season with some very unexpected twist and turns and for the first time since 1994 there will be no post season baseball in New York City. Way back in April we made some predictions for the season, so lets see how we did:
I had the Red Sox winning the East, Indians winning the Central, Angels the West and Yankees the Wild Card. In the NL I had the Mets, Cubs, D'Backs and Braves and had the Yankees beating the Mets in the World Series. I guess my World Series prediction won't come true and I went 3-8 in picking playoff teams. Fred went 4-8 picking the Angels, Red Sox, Brewers and Dodgers.
So the post season match ups are all set we have the Rays and White Sox in what could be an interesting match up because the Rays are a young team and it'll be something to see how they react to the big stage of the playoffs. The White Sox come in stumbling as they needed to go to a play-in game with the Twins to reach the post-season. I like the Rays to pull it out in 4 games.
The other AL match up has the defending world champions Red Sox at Anaheim. The Red Sox have a few key injuries and I think them playing on the road in Anaheim and battling the injuries to JD Drew, Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett might be a bit too much to overcome. I want to say Anaheim in 3 but I can't see the Sox going down that easily, my pick is Anaheim in 4.
On to the N.L. The Brewers will go up against the Phillies. The Brewers are coming off a dramatic weekend which saw them over-take the Mets and win the wild card. No Ben Sheets for the Brewers and C.C. will only get 1 start will be too much for the Brew crew. I like the Phils to take this one in 4 games.
The other match up is probably the best one of the first round. The Cubs and Dodgers, two teams with a lot of history and huge fan bases. I'm sure the suits at MLB and Fox love this match up. The Dodgers are one of these teams that are quietly good, you dont really hear much about them but they have decent starting pitching and a pretty good bullpen and with Manny playing for a contract, you know he's going to do his thing at the plate. The Cubs come in with big expectations as the Cubs faithful believe that this is finally the year that they go all the way. The Cubs have had the luxury of setting up there rotation so they will go with Dempster and Zambrano at a 1-2 punch. I can see this series going the distance and the Cubs pulling it off in 5 games.
Look for my post-season assesment of the Yankees and Mets coming soon.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
End of an Era as Mets make it back to back!
It was the end of an Era as another NY ballpark was going out of buisness. The New York Mets had everything on the line on what would be the last day at Shea. Most of the old Mets players from the past came by for old time sake as the Mets were to throw a ceremony after the game for one last time. Some even wondered if Dwight Gooden would even show up and come by for the festivities. Before the 1st pitch, the guy they called the Franchise, Tom Seaver, made his way to the center field area to help the lovable Mr. Met take down the #1 off the center field wall, indicating one last day. When the Met players ran onto the field, most of the fans were still running high with momentum from Johan Santana complete game shout out that kept the season alive for today. Now it was Oliver Perez who was expected to follow up Santana's performance and deliver the goods.
It was in the 3rd inning with the game still scoreless, that the Mets fans let out this loud cheer out of no where, it was after noticing that the Cubbie's had just taken a 1 to 0 lead on the Brewers.
If was still scoreless in the 6th, and if your a Mets fan like me, you start to feel the tension building as Marlin's starter Scott Olsen, is matching up Perez efforts. The rain then starts to fall making it for a more climatic scene as the Mets fans stay right in their seats regardless of the rain that falls on them. Leading off the inning for the Marlins was Cameron Maybin who doubles to start things for the Marlins as Mets fans begin to worry. Maybin was then followed by Jeff Baker who then would go on to single to score Maybin for a 1 to 0 lead. Jorge Cantu would follow with another hit and by now Perez begins to falter.
Perez would then get former Mets Mike Jacobs to fly out to deep left but both Baker and Cantu would advance to 2nd and 3rd. Jerry Manuel would then walk Dan Uggla to load the bases and set up a match up of Joe Smith vs Josh Willingham. The game had now reach nail biting time when Joe Smith then walks Willingham to force in the 2nd run. Joe Smith then finds himself and gets the next 2 batters to get out of the jam, keeping the Mets still in the game.
In the Mets 6th, Ronbison Cancel gets on to lead the inning for the Mets. He is then followed by Jose Reyes who then flies out to right for the 1st out. Up next was Carlos Beltran who then takes a Scott Olson pitch deep and over the wall for a game tying HR. It was just was the Mets needed at the time, and so things were starting to look up. For the time in the game I start to feel good about our chances today.
In the 7th, Endy Chavez makes a nice running catch to keep the game tied at 2, no way is that catch made if the Mets have Daniel Murphy or Nick Evans out there.
With the game still tied in the 8th, Jerry Manuel hands the ball to Scott Schoenwiess to keep the Marlins at bay. The Marlins counter with pinch hitter Wes Helms. Helms a veteran would go on to takes Scott Schoenwiess deep and over the wall giving the Marlins a 3 to 2 lead. You can here a pin drop at Shea. Manuel then relieves Schoenwiess and brings in Luis Ayala who proceeds to give up another HR, this time it was Dan Uggla who makes it back to back. I felt crushed.
In the Mets 8th, the Met quickly mounted a bit of a threat as they get 2 on with 2 outs and with Carlos Delgado coming up for the clutch situation. Delgado who has been the Mets most prolific hitter in these clutch moments, was looking to put himself into Big Papi status if he could deliver for the Mets and put them ahead. Facing the hard throwing veteran lefty Authur Rhodes, Delgado drives the ball deep to the opposite field in what looked like another opposite field bomb by Delgado. But it was not to be as the ball found the glove of Josh Willingham for the 3rd out.
Now I really felt crushed.
The Bullpen would go on to hold the Marlins in the 9th as the Mets now got ready for their final at-bats. David Wright led the inning off against the hard throwing former Met farmhand Matt Lindstrom, everyone in the stands was waiting for something to happen. You then start to get the feelings that the Mets could possibly go down for a 2nd straight year, on the last day. The count was 3 and 2 as Wright then flies out for the 1st out.
A concern look was now on all the Mets faces. Endy Chavez was up next as he then grounds out to the pitcher for the 2nd out. What is happening here? Damon Easley was the last hope and by now things start to look rather bleak at Shea. Damion Easley would come up and get on with a walk bringing the trying run to the plate.
Up next was the struggling Ryan Church who was due up next as you start to look for a prayer. Church took his swing and as the ball came off his bat, the ball travled deep and far in what looked like a game tying HR, but all it was was the end of the Mets when Church would fly out to Maybin and for the 2nd straight year the Marlins had put an end to the Mets in front of the home crowd, closing out the Shea ERA in tears. It was over.
Now the Mets were getting ready to pay respect to the old players who had helped write the Mets history books. It was suppose to be a joyous ceremony but it felt more like a funeral. It just didn't seem right. As you watch this unfold, Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darliing looking a bit shaken, try to put into words what they had just finished witnessing once again.
It was not easy but this was reality and the season was now over. For a 2nd straight year the Mets had let is all go on the last day. This one was suppose to be special, one last game at the old eyesore, and one last miracle.
I guess this is how it is suppose to be for the Mets Next year, when the Mets get ready to open up the new CitiField, maybe a new brand of Mets baseball will come with it.
Seeing all the old Mets come out one by one made you a little misty eye cause you knew that you was watching the end of an Era in New York Baseball.
Yes Shea was an eyesore, and Yankees Stadium was really nice, but those are our childhood memories and come next year these 2 ballparks will be no more.
For many of us growing up and going to these parks as a kid was just part of growing up in NYC and being a baseball fanatic. Mets fan around the world, will never forget the last day at old Shea, and the collapse that helped seal the deal.
It was in the 3rd inning with the game still scoreless, that the Mets fans let out this loud cheer out of no where, it was after noticing that the Cubbie's had just taken a 1 to 0 lead on the Brewers.
If was still scoreless in the 6th, and if your a Mets fan like me, you start to feel the tension building as Marlin's starter Scott Olsen, is matching up Perez efforts. The rain then starts to fall making it for a more climatic scene as the Mets fans stay right in their seats regardless of the rain that falls on them. Leading off the inning for the Marlins was Cameron Maybin who doubles to start things for the Marlins as Mets fans begin to worry. Maybin was then followed by Jeff Baker who then would go on to single to score Maybin for a 1 to 0 lead. Jorge Cantu would follow with another hit and by now Perez begins to falter.
Perez would then get former Mets Mike Jacobs to fly out to deep left but both Baker and Cantu would advance to 2nd and 3rd. Jerry Manuel would then walk Dan Uggla to load the bases and set up a match up of Joe Smith vs Josh Willingham. The game had now reach nail biting time when Joe Smith then walks Willingham to force in the 2nd run. Joe Smith then finds himself and gets the next 2 batters to get out of the jam, keeping the Mets still in the game.
In the Mets 6th, Ronbison Cancel gets on to lead the inning for the Mets. He is then followed by Jose Reyes who then flies out to right for the 1st out. Up next was Carlos Beltran who then takes a Scott Olson pitch deep and over the wall for a game tying HR. It was just was the Mets needed at the time, and so things were starting to look up. For the time in the game I start to feel good about our chances today.
In the 7th, Endy Chavez makes a nice running catch to keep the game tied at 2, no way is that catch made if the Mets have Daniel Murphy or Nick Evans out there.
With the game still tied in the 8th, Jerry Manuel hands the ball to Scott Schoenwiess to keep the Marlins at bay. The Marlins counter with pinch hitter Wes Helms. Helms a veteran would go on to takes Scott Schoenwiess deep and over the wall giving the Marlins a 3 to 2 lead. You can here a pin drop at Shea. Manuel then relieves Schoenwiess and brings in Luis Ayala who proceeds to give up another HR, this time it was Dan Uggla who makes it back to back. I felt crushed.
In the Mets 8th, the Met quickly mounted a bit of a threat as they get 2 on with 2 outs and with Carlos Delgado coming up for the clutch situation. Delgado who has been the Mets most prolific hitter in these clutch moments, was looking to put himself into Big Papi status if he could deliver for the Mets and put them ahead. Facing the hard throwing veteran lefty Authur Rhodes, Delgado drives the ball deep to the opposite field in what looked like another opposite field bomb by Delgado. But it was not to be as the ball found the glove of Josh Willingham for the 3rd out.
Now I really felt crushed.
The Bullpen would go on to hold the Marlins in the 9th as the Mets now got ready for their final at-bats. David Wright led the inning off against the hard throwing former Met farmhand Matt Lindstrom, everyone in the stands was waiting for something to happen. You then start to get the feelings that the Mets could possibly go down for a 2nd straight year, on the last day. The count was 3 and 2 as Wright then flies out for the 1st out.
A concern look was now on all the Mets faces. Endy Chavez was up next as he then grounds out to the pitcher for the 2nd out. What is happening here? Damon Easley was the last hope and by now things start to look rather bleak at Shea. Damion Easley would come up and get on with a walk bringing the trying run to the plate.
Up next was the struggling Ryan Church who was due up next as you start to look for a prayer. Church took his swing and as the ball came off his bat, the ball travled deep and far in what looked like a game tying HR, but all it was was the end of the Mets when Church would fly out to Maybin and for the 2nd straight year the Marlins had put an end to the Mets in front of the home crowd, closing out the Shea ERA in tears. It was over.
Now the Mets were getting ready to pay respect to the old players who had helped write the Mets history books. It was suppose to be a joyous ceremony but it felt more like a funeral. It just didn't seem right. As you watch this unfold, Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darliing looking a bit shaken, try to put into words what they had just finished witnessing once again.
It was not easy but this was reality and the season was now over. For a 2nd straight year the Mets had let is all go on the last day. This one was suppose to be special, one last game at the old eyesore, and one last miracle.
I guess this is how it is suppose to be for the Mets Next year, when the Mets get ready to open up the new CitiField, maybe a new brand of Mets baseball will come with it.
Seeing all the old Mets come out one by one made you a little misty eye cause you knew that you was watching the end of an Era in New York Baseball.
Yes Shea was an eyesore, and Yankees Stadium was really nice, but those are our childhood memories and come next year these 2 ballparks will be no more.
For many of us growing up and going to these parks as a kid was just part of growing up in NYC and being a baseball fanatic. Mets fan around the world, will never forget the last day at old Shea, and the collapse that helped seal the deal.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Thanks to Santana Mets still in it.
On the final day of the regular season at Shea, Mets will go out this rainy afternoon and prevent the Shea Era from ending in heart break for the 2nd straight year in a row.
Thanks to another brilliant performance by Johan Santana, who once again came up big like the big 7 year contract Omar Minaya signed him for, the Mets get to see another day of importants. There is nothing else to be said about Santana, excpet that he went the distance and pitched a shoutout to keep the Mets alive and make game 162 an important one, where the Mets will give the ball and trust it with Oliver Perez on 3 days rest, just like Santana had just done. This was a game where Santana had to be on point and make no mistake, and no mistakes where made. The Mets were only able to get 2 runs off of Marlins ace Ricky Nalasco who was also looking for his 16th win of the season, just like Santana. Nalasco was strong in this one but Santana was just better. The Mets runs were score when Jose Reyes led off the game with a single, then stole a base and score the Mets 1st run on Carlos Delgado RBI sacrifice fly which prove to be enough for Santana on this day.
The always pesky Marlins were no match today, and Santana was simply to much.
After the game the Mets would get some help when the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers to set up a tie for the Wildcard. As for the Phillies, they won there game againts the Nationals and have made it back to back Division titles. So now it either the Mets or the Brewers who will have to win thier games today to push a final game on Monday at Shea, to see who will be the last NL team to get in.
C.C Sabathia will go for the Brewers & of course it will be Oliver Perez for the Mets.
Thanks to another brilliant performance by Johan Santana, who once again came up big like the big 7 year contract Omar Minaya signed him for, the Mets get to see another day of importants. There is nothing else to be said about Santana, excpet that he went the distance and pitched a shoutout to keep the Mets alive and make game 162 an important one, where the Mets will give the ball and trust it with Oliver Perez on 3 days rest, just like Santana had just done. This was a game where Santana had to be on point and make no mistake, and no mistakes where made. The Mets were only able to get 2 runs off of Marlins ace Ricky Nalasco who was also looking for his 16th win of the season, just like Santana. Nalasco was strong in this one but Santana was just better. The Mets runs were score when Jose Reyes led off the game with a single, then stole a base and score the Mets 1st run on Carlos Delgado RBI sacrifice fly which prove to be enough for Santana on this day.
The always pesky Marlins were no match today, and Santana was simply to much.
After the game the Mets would get some help when the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers to set up a tie for the Wildcard. As for the Phillies, they won there game againts the Nationals and have made it back to back Division titles. So now it either the Mets or the Brewers who will have to win thier games today to push a final game on Monday at Shea, to see who will be the last NL team to get in.
C.C Sabathia will go for the Brewers & of course it will be Oliver Perez for the Mets.
Friday, September 26, 2008
In the rain Beltran delivers
The emotions were high once again on a rainy night at Shea as the Metropolitan manage to stay alive in a must win game that was won in dramatic fashion.
It is never easy if your a Met fan even when they win a game where every inning is like a playoff pressure bubble waiting to explode right in face. But this time it was the Mets who exploded for 4 runs to come back and win a game that looked like another tough lost when Cubs farmhand Micah Hoffpaiur ripped his 2nd HR of the game to give the Cubs a 6 to 3 lead in 7th. At that point in the game, one starts to wonder about another lost opportunity that the Mets had delivered their fans for the 2nd year in a row, on the final season at Shea.
But on this night the bad memories from last year were put on hold when Carlos Beltran's game winning hit in the 9th, gave the fans some hope for October baseball.
The season is now down to 3 games with the Mets now tied in the Wildcard with the Brewers, and just 1 game behind the division leading Phillies. It's never was meant to be easy for the Mets fans who have endure so much pain even when they win.
Playoff baseball will continue tonight when the Mets will try to start the last series of the season, weather permitting, with the Florida Marlins in town.
Just like the Yankees had done a week ago, the Mets get ready to close out Shea for the last time, this weekend. Hopefully, it will all end with some happy times instead of the jeers and tears.
It is never easy if your a Met fan even when they win a game where every inning is like a playoff pressure bubble waiting to explode right in face. But this time it was the Mets who exploded for 4 runs to come back and win a game that looked like another tough lost when Cubs farmhand Micah Hoffpaiur ripped his 2nd HR of the game to give the Cubs a 6 to 3 lead in 7th. At that point in the game, one starts to wonder about another lost opportunity that the Mets had delivered their fans for the 2nd year in a row, on the final season at Shea.
But on this night the bad memories from last year were put on hold when Carlos Beltran's game winning hit in the 9th, gave the fans some hope for October baseball.
The season is now down to 3 games with the Mets now tied in the Wildcard with the Brewers, and just 1 game behind the division leading Phillies. It's never was meant to be easy for the Mets fans who have endure so much pain even when they win.
Playoff baseball will continue tonight when the Mets will try to start the last series of the season, weather permitting, with the Florida Marlins in town.
Just like the Yankees had done a week ago, the Mets get ready to close out Shea for the last time, this weekend. Hopefully, it will all end with some happy times instead of the jeers and tears.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Hard to swallow lost may spell doom for Mets.
This will one hurt for a while. It will hurt for the way it all ended, for the many missed chances and opportunities squandered by the Mets during this devastating defeat. There were times during last night game that you felt good and confident about the Mets, but this was a night of highs and lows and ultimately it all ended with the lowest feeling one could ever take from a baseball game.
The Mets fell behind early to the Cubbies 1 to 0 in the 3rd when Carlos Zambrano let a few calls that didn't went his way effect him to the point of losing his cool.
At one point during his meltdown, a already very agitated Zambrano seem to have lost it all when Jose Reyes antics at 3rd base with the bases loaded, was halfway down the line because Cubs 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez was playing way off the bag for Delgado who was at the plate. At this point, Zambrano was talking to himself, losing his focus entirely, when he then went on to groove a fastball that Delgado deposit over the wall opposite field for an electric grand slam that seemed like the night's key hit at that moment. The big hit from Delgado seemed to be the end for the Cubs, but it was just the beginning.
Oliver Perez who was on the hill was now pitching with a 5 to 1 lead, but it was in the 5th that Perez had his own meltdown that would ultimately get the Cubs even. Perez left the game in that same 5th inning with the Mets up 5 to 3, and 2 runners on bases as Jerry Manuel called for the anemic Duaner Sanchez to follow Perez. Sanchez immediately came in and gave up the game tying hit to Reed Johnson who drove in Fukodome on a error by the Mets left fielder, Daniel Murphy, it was now all tied at 5.
With the game now heading into the late innings and with the bullpen from hell ready for action, the chances against the NL best seemed slim. In the 6th, Joe Smith, who has been one of the few out of the bullpen you could actually trust coming out of the bullpen, came in, got the 1st 2 batters, then gave up 2 out hits to Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez. Jerry Manuel would then call for journeyman Ricardo(straight out of the Mexican League)Rincon, who would come in to get Fukodome to stop the Cubs 2 out threat. The game then moved into the 7th, as Jerry Manuel goes to Brain Strokes who gets the 1st 2 batters he faces, but then allows a Alfonso Soriano 2 out double that drives in the go ahead run as the Cubs take a 6 to 5 lead. A glance at the scoreboard and you see that the Brewers have taken a 3 to 1 lead on the Pirates, making the situation worsen.
In the Mets 7th Jerry Manuel uses seldom use Ramon Martinez as a pinch hitter to lead off the inning. Martinez who has only had 1 at-bat as a Met, collected a lead off double, his 1st hit as a Met, to get things started. Jose Reyes would then came in to bunt the runner over but reached base safely to make it 1st and 3rd and nobody out. Things were starting to feel good for the Mets at that point as things looked gravy. Up next was Daniel Murphy who would hit a line drive to 1st that turned things sour for the Mets when Reyes was doubled up at 1st. David Wright would then complete the failed opportunity as the Mets finish the inning without pushing in single a run.
The game moved on to the bottom of the 8th, when the Mets led off the inning with a Carlos Delgado double. Again the Mets had things going as Carlos Beltran would then single to make it a 1st & 3rd situation with no outs. Once again the Mets had the inning set-up and this time Ryan Church would take his shot at the Cubs bullpen. Church would then strike out for the 1st out. Up next for the Mets was Ramon Castro who went down on a grounder to 3rd that would strand Delgado at 3rd for the moment. The Cubs would then go on to walk Endy Chavez of all people to load the bases for Ramon Martinez who was looking for his 2nd hit as a Met. This time Martinez would walked with the bases loaded to tie up the score at 6. But that was all the Mets would get out of this inning as Jose Reyes who last night had the key hit would ground out for the 3rd out.
In the Cubs 9th, Luis Ayala came in and got a scoreless 9th to move things smoothly. In the Met 9th, Daniel Murphy gets the 3rd straight lead off hit for the Mets in consecutive innings, and this time it was a triple that got things started. The Mets quickly found themselves in great position and no outs yet again, but then Lou Pinealla would then make a ballsy move opting to pitch to David Wright who would go on to strike out for the 1st out. Pineala then walks Delgado and Beltran to pitch to the struggling Ryan Church with the Base loaded. Church was put in the clutch situation with the game on the line for for the 2nd time in the game. With the infield in, Church grounds hard for a force at the plate for the out, leaving it all for Ramon Castro. Bob Howry who was the Cubs pitcher in the messy situation, would go on to strikes out Castro and again strand the runners. At this point in the game, the feeling is that the Mets had just let this one get away, to many chances where gone to waste for the Mets to overcome. The game now enters extra innings, and the Brewers have just won their game and now wait on this one. In the 10th, Ayala is still on for the Mets as he gets the 1st 2 batters he faces, but then goes on to gives up the go ahead run when Derek Lee drove in Ryan Teriot with a double.
Aramis Ramirez then took out the Mets hearts when he followed Lee's hit with a 2 run bomb that blew the game 9 to 6. Right then and there you felt done as a Mets fan, and start to wonder if this would just be to much to overcome. No way do the Mets come back from this one, you just knew that nothing Amazing was going to happen on this night. The least liked Met (Luis Castillo) lead off the Mets last hope of an inning and went down weakly for the 1st out, you knew it was over. Jose Reyes struck out for the final out of the game, as Kerry Woods and the Cubs seal the deal on yet another Mets heart breaker. This one really hurts because of all the missed opportunities that were missed over and over on 3 consecutive innings. On many nights on a Mets lost, we would be talking about how the Mets had just lost the game because of the bullpen not doing their jobs. But on this night the bullpen did get the job done, as it was the Mets bats who could not execute and break the game through.
The devastating lost now puts the Mets and tonight's game, is a must miss win situation, once again. The hard lost now falls on the right arm of Pedro Martinez, who all season long has not shown the Mets faithful any confident that he will keep the Mets in it to win it. Pedro will need to overcome his 1st inning jitters, if the Mets plan on coming out on top in this crucial game. Rich Harden get the ball for the Cubs, as the Mets will try to rebound from their worst defeat of the season.
Painful.
The Mets fell behind early to the Cubbies 1 to 0 in the 3rd when Carlos Zambrano let a few calls that didn't went his way effect him to the point of losing his cool.
At one point during his meltdown, a already very agitated Zambrano seem to have lost it all when Jose Reyes antics at 3rd base with the bases loaded, was halfway down the line because Cubs 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez was playing way off the bag for Delgado who was at the plate. At this point, Zambrano was talking to himself, losing his focus entirely, when he then went on to groove a fastball that Delgado deposit over the wall opposite field for an electric grand slam that seemed like the night's key hit at that moment. The big hit from Delgado seemed to be the end for the Cubs, but it was just the beginning.
Oliver Perez who was on the hill was now pitching with a 5 to 1 lead, but it was in the 5th that Perez had his own meltdown that would ultimately get the Cubs even. Perez left the game in that same 5th inning with the Mets up 5 to 3, and 2 runners on bases as Jerry Manuel called for the anemic Duaner Sanchez to follow Perez. Sanchez immediately came in and gave up the game tying hit to Reed Johnson who drove in Fukodome on a error by the Mets left fielder, Daniel Murphy, it was now all tied at 5.
With the game now heading into the late innings and with the bullpen from hell ready for action, the chances against the NL best seemed slim. In the 6th, Joe Smith, who has been one of the few out of the bullpen you could actually trust coming out of the bullpen, came in, got the 1st 2 batters, then gave up 2 out hits to Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez. Jerry Manuel would then call for journeyman Ricardo(straight out of the Mexican League)Rincon, who would come in to get Fukodome to stop the Cubs 2 out threat. The game then moved into the 7th, as Jerry Manuel goes to Brain Strokes who gets the 1st 2 batters he faces, but then allows a Alfonso Soriano 2 out double that drives in the go ahead run as the Cubs take a 6 to 5 lead. A glance at the scoreboard and you see that the Brewers have taken a 3 to 1 lead on the Pirates, making the situation worsen.
In the Mets 7th Jerry Manuel uses seldom use Ramon Martinez as a pinch hitter to lead off the inning. Martinez who has only had 1 at-bat as a Met, collected a lead off double, his 1st hit as a Met, to get things started. Jose Reyes would then came in to bunt the runner over but reached base safely to make it 1st and 3rd and nobody out. Things were starting to feel good for the Mets at that point as things looked gravy. Up next was Daniel Murphy who would hit a line drive to 1st that turned things sour for the Mets when Reyes was doubled up at 1st. David Wright would then complete the failed opportunity as the Mets finish the inning without pushing in single a run.
The game moved on to the bottom of the 8th, when the Mets led off the inning with a Carlos Delgado double. Again the Mets had things going as Carlos Beltran would then single to make it a 1st & 3rd situation with no outs. Once again the Mets had the inning set-up and this time Ryan Church would take his shot at the Cubs bullpen. Church would then strike out for the 1st out. Up next for the Mets was Ramon Castro who went down on a grounder to 3rd that would strand Delgado at 3rd for the moment. The Cubs would then go on to walk Endy Chavez of all people to load the bases for Ramon Martinez who was looking for his 2nd hit as a Met. This time Martinez would walked with the bases loaded to tie up the score at 6. But that was all the Mets would get out of this inning as Jose Reyes who last night had the key hit would ground out for the 3rd out.
In the Cubs 9th, Luis Ayala came in and got a scoreless 9th to move things smoothly. In the Met 9th, Daniel Murphy gets the 3rd straight lead off hit for the Mets in consecutive innings, and this time it was a triple that got things started. The Mets quickly found themselves in great position and no outs yet again, but then Lou Pinealla would then make a ballsy move opting to pitch to David Wright who would go on to strike out for the 1st out. Pineala then walks Delgado and Beltran to pitch to the struggling Ryan Church with the Base loaded. Church was put in the clutch situation with the game on the line for for the 2nd time in the game. With the infield in, Church grounds hard for a force at the plate for the out, leaving it all for Ramon Castro. Bob Howry who was the Cubs pitcher in the messy situation, would go on to strikes out Castro and again strand the runners. At this point in the game, the feeling is that the Mets had just let this one get away, to many chances where gone to waste for the Mets to overcome. The game now enters extra innings, and the Brewers have just won their game and now wait on this one. In the 10th, Ayala is still on for the Mets as he gets the 1st 2 batters he faces, but then goes on to gives up the go ahead run when Derek Lee drove in Ryan Teriot with a double.
Aramis Ramirez then took out the Mets hearts when he followed Lee's hit with a 2 run bomb that blew the game 9 to 6. Right then and there you felt done as a Mets fan, and start to wonder if this would just be to much to overcome. No way do the Mets come back from this one, you just knew that nothing Amazing was going to happen on this night. The least liked Met (Luis Castillo) lead off the Mets last hope of an inning and went down weakly for the 1st out, you knew it was over. Jose Reyes struck out for the final out of the game, as Kerry Woods and the Cubs seal the deal on yet another Mets heart breaker. This one really hurts because of all the missed opportunities that were missed over and over on 3 consecutive innings. On many nights on a Mets lost, we would be talking about how the Mets had just lost the game because of the bullpen not doing their jobs. But on this night the bullpen did get the job done, as it was the Mets bats who could not execute and break the game through.
The devastating lost now puts the Mets and tonight's game, is a must miss win situation, once again. The hard lost now falls on the right arm of Pedro Martinez, who all season long has not shown the Mets faithful any confident that he will keep the Mets in it to win it. Pedro will need to overcome his 1st inning jitters, if the Mets plan on coming out on top in this crucial game. Rich Harden get the ball for the Cubs, as the Mets will try to rebound from their worst defeat of the season.
Painful.
Monday, September 22, 2008
7 games at Shea, and the bullpen from hell.
Watching the Mets Jonathan Niese give up the grand slam HR to his pitching counterpart Jason Marquis in the 4th inning of last night game, was like taking a punch to the stomach. It was a reminder of last season when the Mets and their bullpen would go on to lose everthing on the last day of the season. One does not easily forget and watching last night game the memories were still very fresh.
This was not what I wanted to see from the Mets especially when your getting ready for a big series vs the NL best and the season on the line.
The Mets had an early lead of 2 to 1, but then everything came crashing down In the
4th as the Mets fell behind big 8 to 2. You could feel the energy leave Shea soon after the Marquiss bomb.
At the same time, the Phillies where playing the Braves, with a chance to pull
away 2 and a half games ahead of the Mets, a big win for sure if your the Phillies.
Then in the 8th inning, the Braves led off the inning with a leadoff triple, but they wound not score. The very next inning, the Phillies would erupt for 4 runs, as the rally towels were out in full force in Philadelphia, as the signs where negative for the Mets.
The Night would eventually end with the Mets losing 9 to 5, falling 2 and a half games back to the Phillies, as their Wild card lead is now a single game on the Brewers.
In the game, Carlos Beltran goes down with a possible injury when he crashed into the center field wall when making a nice running catch. Hopefully for the Mets, Beltran will not lose any time.
Now the Mets find themselves in a must win situation tomorrow night as the Mets will now give the ball to Santana in hopes to stop the 3 game losing streak, and prevent the pressure from building up. And it will not be easy, look for Lou Pinealla to have all his horses against Santana, just like he had against the rookie Niese.
I for sure, will pretty much take this game as a must win or it can all snowball into what we already know are the possibilities.
Lets go Mets!!!
Last 7 games means hit or miss for the Mets
Well it's now down to the nitty gritty for the Mets, who at the moment, with 7 games left in the schedule, find themselves fighting for a playoff spot againts the Brewers and their rivals the Phillies.
It seems to me that the Mets must at least win 5 to 4 of the remaining games if they want to be a representative in these playoffs.
After losing 2 straight during the weekend to the Braves, the Mets find themselves alive but with no room for error. Imagine if it all came down to the last game of the season once again, just like it did last year?
if so, the Mets will put all their faith in the hands of Johan Santana instead of Tom Glavine this time around, which is a good thing, but these are the Mets.
Imagine if the Mets were again to go down in front of their home fans, to the same team that took them out last season, the Marlins, in what could be the last game at Shea? I would say it's time for a new stadium.
Of course the Mets must 1st duke it out with the NL best the Chicago Cubs, with a 4 game series, a series where both teams could possibly match up againts each other if the Mets can find a way to prevail.
Lets go Mets!!!
oh the agony.
It seems to me that the Mets must at least win 5 to 4 of the remaining games if they want to be a representative in these playoffs.
After losing 2 straight during the weekend to the Braves, the Mets find themselves alive but with no room for error. Imagine if it all came down to the last game of the season once again, just like it did last year?
if so, the Mets will put all their faith in the hands of Johan Santana instead of Tom Glavine this time around, which is a good thing, but these are the Mets.
Imagine if the Mets were again to go down in front of their home fans, to the same team that took them out last season, the Marlins, in what could be the last game at Shea? I would say it's time for a new stadium.
Of course the Mets must 1st duke it out with the NL best the Chicago Cubs, with a 4 game series, a series where both teams could possibly match up againts each other if the Mets can find a way to prevail.
Lets go Mets!!!
oh the agony.
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