Orlando Hernandez is nothing if not unpredictable, and on Sunday he was nothing short of fantastic. Coming off one of the worst starts of his career, El Duque baffled Colorado with a variety of release points and speeds…and stole a base, to boot. No sequence was more exciting than his consecutive punchouts of Bambi Barmes, Jason Jennings and Jamey Carrol with runners on 3rd and 2nd and none out in the top of the 5th.
Carlos Delgado’s recent revivial continued with his 3rd HR of the week, a vicious shot to dead center to lead off the 2nd. Carlos Beltran added a solo HR in the last of the 6th, his 35th of the season and 101st RBI. The Mets’ CF is on pace to shatter the franchise records for homers, runs driven in and most impressively, number of booing assholes silenced. There’s obviously huge affection for home grown stars like Wright and Reyes, but barring injury or a late slump, Beltran is putting together what might be the finest offensive season of any player in Mets history.
I guess what I’m saying is, I think he deserves a raise.
In the wake of Tom Glavine’s mystery ailment, the following notion occured to me while gazing wistfully at the snappier-than-I-remembered pullover pinstripe jerseys (if the prior generation’s ugliest fashions are tomorrow’s retro chic, please, someone shoot me before 2026 rolls around) : since the end of the 2005 season, the Mets have traded Jae Seo and Kris Benson. They’ve placed Pedro Martinez, Brian Bannister and most likely, Tom Glavine on the disabled list. They’ve called up Jose Lima to start, not once, but twice. Victor Zambrano was lost for the year.
And through all of that, there’s still no talk of Aaron Heilman starting.
Metal Mike Pizza once asked the non-musical question, “Where’s Mota?” He might’ve been brandising a bat, or a copy of the Dream Theatre DVD box set at the time (hard to tell the difference, one is as musically relevant as the other). Finally, we can answer that puzzler. Guillermo Mota is on his way to Flushing, having been DFA’d earlier this summer by the Indians, and today, acquired by New York for a player to be determined later. Perhaps reunited with former battermate Captain Red Ass, Mota will regain the form he flashed in Los Angeles. Failing that, he might find out where the teenage girls from Long Island like to party.
What’s being described as a “nagging forearm injury” will cost the Reds the services of Eddie Guardado for the next two weeks.
Having lost Placido Polanco to a shoulder seperation earlier this week, the Tigers managed to acquire a former Gold Glove 2B. Unfortunately, the infielder in question is Neifi Perez, whom the Cubs have traded in exchange for C Chris Robinson. Clearly, this was part of Jim Hendry’s master plan last spring when he signed Perez to a two-year deal.
Don’t mean to channel Paul Lucas here but that ’86 uniform just don’t look right without the stirrup socks pulled as high as Duque’s pants.
Oh, I loved the racing stripes, even without the stirrups. They just looked so *good*, even when people didn’t match the pants with the shirt.
And I wondered the same thing about Heilman — I mean, come on, Gonzalez couldn’t even get it together for the *Rays*, veteran status or no — but it really seems like he’s rising to the occasion with the added-inning responsibility. My fingers are crossed when I say that, of course.
skip, Cohen, Hernandez and Darling were appalled (is that too strong a word) at Da Edge sporting similar high pant cuffs sans stirrup socks Saturday night. I really thought Ronnie D. was going to rush the field and bludgeon Lastings with the outfielder’s own crucifix.
I think Hernandez would be appalled at Milledge if he were to, say, jaywalk on a carless street at 4 a.m. Keith’s reaction to the whole false-HBP incident today was bordering on Buck-on-Moss-mooning territory.
it couldn’t have been the hangover talking. not a chance.
I was really hoping you’d put a pic of Kate Hudson’s ex above that last paragraph.
*cries*
I’m appalled at myself, hangover-wise, for sleeping in and not going to this.