Q: How do you know when you’ve tuned to SNY in the middle of a Mets laugher?
(A: Generally, Ron Darling doesn’t begin a discussion of his per diem during a very close game.)
I don’t think you’ll hear Chris Russo say “it was only the Giants” tomorrow, nor do I think you should place much stock in the ramblngs of self-styled pundits who claimed there was “every chance” Mets starter Pedro Martinez “might not make another serious contribution between the lines”.
6 IP, 3 runs, 7 hits, 3 K’s and 3 walks was a more than respectable result for Martinez Tuesday night, as a combination of the visitors’ timely hitting and diabolic fielding on the part of the Giants provided Pedro with ample run support. The right-hander departed with a 9-3 lead, having collected a pair of singles and one RBI of his own for good measure. The Mets’ 9-6 victory was Martinez’ first win over San Francisco in 11 years, a 109 pitch outing that stood in stark contrast to the previous evening’s shocking display from Oliver Perez.
Though I doubt there’s any serious consideration of removing Perez from the rotation, Tuesday’s performance by Willie Collazo (7.2 IP, 2 runs, 4 hits, 3 K’s) for New Orleans versus Round Rock, at the very least showed there might be a viable alternative to Mike Pelfrey for the parent club. Collazzo took a 1 hitter into the 8th inning, though he might have ended up with a no-decision had Zepyhrs LF Chris Aguila not gunned down the Express’ Edwin Maysonet attempting to score the tying run.
While Anderson Hernandez, he of the .249 on base percentage, continues to hit lead-off for New Orleans, he’s got some miserable company a few feet to his right. 3B Abraham Nunez, ditched by the Brewers organization after collecting 22 hits (20 of ’em singles) in 105 at bats for Nashville, has just 6 singles and 8 walks in 45 plate appearances for New Orleans.
I never pegged Gary Cohen as a Baseball Etiquette Nazi, but there’s something unseemly about the otherwise insightful SNY commentator holding a grudge against Bengie Molina for the manner in which he celebrated getting his 1,000 career hit Monday. Cohen’s correcting in saying Molina has litte or no chance of reaching 3000 hits , but that’s precisely why the S.F. backstop would make such a fuss after reaching such a modest milestone.