Sunday, April 09, 2006

Mets 3 Marlins 2

Another big win for the Mets. The continue to get the big hits in the key spots. Although the two big plays in the game in the 7th inning came with Uggly dropped a sure double play ball and Hermida misplayed Wright's ball into a triple. It would have been tough to catch but he could have kept it in front of him.

Dontrelle Willis was a lot of fun to watch. He may go from 22 wins to 11 and actually pitch better. Today it wasn't only lack of hitting that cost him the victory, it was bad defense.

Tom Glavine pitched well. Although we didn't get to see him with a lead. As long as he pitches well enough to keep the team in the game with this improved offense he is going to get his fair share of wins, and hopefully get 300 sometime next year. That should go for all the Mets pitchers. All this team really needs is quality starts.

Joe Girardi is a rookie manager and he made some unusual decisions today. In the fifth inning when Jacobs was on he was fucking around with the bunt when Uggla and Abercrombie were up. Especially with Abercrombie, he should have been allowed to hit with Jacobs on third and only one out.
Then in the 8th he took out Cabrera, his best player and only real hitter for a pinch runner who ended up getting forced at second on the next play.
And finally he may have had no choice but he brought in a rookie pitcher, Carlos Martinez in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game against Beltran, Delgado and Wright. That poor kid had no chance.

I was a little upset with Jose Reyes' nonchalant defense today. Two errors on routine plays. The first one he picked up his glove up expecting a hop and the ball stayed down. The second one was just a plain bad throw. Thankfully neither error came back to haunt the Mets but you just can't make those plays. Especially is the 8th and 9th innings of a tie game.

In the 8th inning Anderson Hernandez led off the inning with a hit. Willie Randolph brought in Jose Valentin to bunt. He didn't get the bunt down to advance the runner. That brings up the question I've always asked. Why didn't they just leave in Sanchez to bunt. And if he isn't a good bunter (relievers probably don't work on hitting/bunting very often) why don't they ever bring in a starting pitcher to bunt? Are the starters all sitting in the clubhouse or bullpen and not ready to come in. I think it would make sense to bring in Trachsel, who should be at least as good a bunter as Valentin, and not lose the bat off the bench.

David Wright is awesome. Still a little early for the M-V-P chant though, Shawn.

For some reason Gary Cohen mentioned that Bob Murphy used to host "Bowling for Dollars." In 1974 my dad was a contestant on that show. I think he won some money but was one pin away from winning like $1,000.

Speaking of Mets announcers. Keith Hernandez called Paul LoDuca DeLuca again. He got it right later in the game but this is not hte first time he's made that mistake. Do they ask him to call people by the wrong name because they think Mets fans miss Ralph Kiner?

Today was Autism Awareness Day at Shea. Jim Watkins of the WB11 News at 10 was there as usual, for the fourth straight year. I used to work with his wife Lauren Thierry, an incredibly nice lady. Their oldest son, Liam is autistic.

David Wright hits the game winning sacrifice fly

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paul,

You forgot another Girardi error. It seemed obvious to me that you walk the best Mets hitter in the 9th inning, since the runner at 1st makes no difference. That way you set up a force at any base plus double play opportunities. Beside all those obvious factors, it doesn't hurt that you'd be facing Nady instead of Wright.

Paul said...

Shawn is definitely Wright about that. Girardi should have walked Wright to face Nady. Even though there's a high probability they still would have gotten the run home if definitely would have been the correct move to make.

Anonymous said...

Hey Paul! a friend just alerted me to a very nice line in your blog about me. Thanks dude! I've read all your entries, and I think you are the consumate Mets fan. Same here, buddy, but you obviously know a lot more about the game than I do. Tell ya what: make a date to sit in "my" box with me at a game sometime. bring your sweetie if you like. but sit next to me and 'splain me the game, ok? and please forgive me but i just got home from a roaring party, and i can't remember where we worked together -- CNN?
XOXOXO and go Mets! Lauren Thierry