There was no retaliation from the Nats for Pedro’s assault on their bodies/pride last Thursday, so I suppose Tony Kornheiser can spend tomorrow morning’s XM show following up his claim that Washington had to do something tonight.
What they did manage, however, was to drive the ball into RFK’s massive left center-field gap on too many occasions, an area that Carlos Beltran seems to know like the back of his hand (assuming the back of his hand resembles an antiquated football stadium). The Mets’ imposing 3-4-5 of Beltran/Delgado/Wright were a combined 6 for 11, but no two AB’s may have been more important than Paul Lo Duca’s sac bunt moving Jose Reyes to 3rd in the top of the 7th, and Beltran’s subsequent sacrifice fly. On an evening when the home team had their share of 400 foot outs, it was nice to see the Mets do something they’ve rarely managed the last few years ; manufacture an insurance run.
New York’s Pedro Martinez was nearly flawless (3 hits, 1 earned run, 1 BB, 3 k’s); a 2nd inning Jose Vidro solo HR aside, his toughest challenge came with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the 6th. Martinez blew away Vidro and then induced Jose Guillen (off to a miserable start to the season) to tap into a 6-4-3 double play.
I knew the nostalgic-addict Braves (currently trailing the Phillies, 7-5) would mark their 40th Anniversary in Atlanta with typically offensive throwback jerseys, but allowing Mike Remlinger to pitch is just taking the spirit of the thing a little too far.
Minor League Game Of The Night : Rochester and Pawtucket are tied, 3-3 after 15 innings at McCoy Field. The two clubs have combined to use 13 pitchers in a contest that’s passed the 4:10 mark. I have no documentary evidence, but I’m guessing Peter Griffin went home a while ago.
Great start for the Mets. Maybe we’ll have a real pennant chase this year? I recall a Post headline a few years back–after the Mets either swept or took two of three from the Braves in an early-season series–that read ‘Brave New World.’ We know how that ended.
Anyway, I did take some small pleasure in seeing Chipper writhing in pain (half anti-Chipper sentiment/half getting Betemit some PT sentiment), so do I get to stick around?
John,
I’m not ready to award the NL East to the Mets based on 7 games. Especially since the Commissioner’s Office would frown upon my doing that under any circumstances. That said, I am greatly looking forward to next week’s games against the Braves.
re : Chipper. I’ve had several persons tell me in the past couple of days that they felt nothing short of SEXUAL AROUSAL upon watching Larry in terrific physical pain.
“re : Chipper. I’ve had several persons tell me in the past couple of days that they felt nothing short of SEXUAL AROUSAL upon watching Larry in terrific physical pain. ”
You probably want to converse with people who get out a bit more. Just a suggestion.
And while I as well am looking forward to next week’s games against the Mets, I am looking forward more to July when the Braves are back atop the division and the Mets trade half their farm system for overrated pitchers and outfielders.
“You probably want to converse with people who get out a bit more. Just a suggestion.”
That’s funny, I thought I needed to spend more time chatting with online poker enthusiasts, bigots and internet trolls.
“I am looking forward more to July when the Braves are back atop the division and the Mets trade half their farm system for overrated pitchers and outfielders.”
the mini-Sheff Lastings aside, which “half their farm system” are you refering to? Who is left to trade? But thanks for your concern for the Mets — clearly with an OF consisting of Floyd, Beltran and Nady, they’ll be DYING to obtain, fuck, I dunno, Eric Bryrnes? Ron Calloway?
On the other hand, if they wanna make a run at the overrated Barry Zito, I think I could stand it.
I think it’s safe to say they will be able to acquire an OF better than Nady or Floyd.
Zito? I don’t think so….a guy like Kenny Rogers, Brad Radke, or Brad Penny seems much more their style. Constantly overrated/overpaid, mind you. Zito is hardly overpaid. Willie Blair, anyone? Kris Benson?
And finding a uniform worn one night to honor a team from 40 years ago “offensive†is simply laughable. There was nothing derogatory there, no not even the Chief Knock-a-homa on the sleeve. Do you get offended when teams use throwback jerseys from the Negro Leagues with some of their “offensive” names plastered across the front?
“I think it’s safe to say they will be able to acquire an OF better than Nady or Floyd.”
And I think it’s safe to say that with Lastings Millidge waiting in the wings, dealing prospects for another outfielder is far less predictable a move than say, trying to swing a deal for a back-up 2B (and or starter depending on how long they’re ok with Anderson Hernandez claiming the role of the 2006 Rafael Santana in the batting order).
Zito will be overpaid when his next deal gets done. Benson, in case you forgot, was acquired by the prior GM (Duquette) and salary-dumped by the current one (Minaya).
“And finding a uniform worn one night to honor a team from 40 years ago “offensive†is simply laughable. There was nothing derogatory there, no not even the Chief Knock-a-homa on the sleeve.”
Sorry, PJ, but I’m not so cavalier about a) mocking our Native American pals or b) encouraging violence against Homa-sexuals.
“Do you get offended when teams use throwback jerseys from the Negro Leagues with some of their “offensive†names plastered across the front? ”
I reserve the right to be offended by anything and everything. Especially the notion of Chipper Jones as the Grand Marshall of The Freak Week Parade — was that your idea, Joel?
My War. You’re one of them.
What do you think the Mets ought to do w/Beltran?
I would trade him to Tampa Bay for Scott Kazmir. Bring Lastings Millidge to the bigs to play CF. He is having a good season in Norfolk; afterall, he is the future. Look at what Reyes and Wright have done for this team.
Let’s Go Mets!
OC,
sorry. You’re nuts. Tampa Bay aren’t trading Kazmir and the Mets aren’t unloading Beltran for anything less than Manny and probably not even then. There’s no way Tampa Bay would take on the rest of Beltran’s salary.
re: Milledge. Opening Day 2007, though a September call-up is likely. Let him tear up Triple A for more than 3 weeks. And he’s not the future in CF — he’s already playing LF in Norfolk with a view towards replacing Floyd next spring.
What the Mets oughta do with Beltran is get off his fucking back, let him recover and let him do what he did pretty well for K.C. and Houston ; hit for occasional power, steal a few bases, make the pitching staff look good with his speed in CF…and let everyone understand that he’ll probably never be able to justify the contract. Was he worth $119 million all by himself? Probably not. But as a key piece to the puzzle that includes Pedro, Wagner and everyone else Omar’s brought in, his acquisition gave the Mets the sorta credibility that had been sorely lacking.