“You think the Mets and Phillies hate each other now?” asks Fox Sports’ Bob Klapisch. “Just wait.” It seems the former ESPN baseball columnist believes it’s just a matter of time before newly acquired Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez earns a save against Philly “and lets out a howl that’s a rung below primal and otherwise acts as if he’d brought down the Berlin Wall.” (link taken from Repoz and Baseball Think Factory)
Given the deep reservoir of professional respect, why does K-Rod squander it with his in-your-face theatrics? The self-congratulation isn’t just immature, it’s utterly tone-deaf in the New York-Philadelphia Tong Wars.
He just might ignite a brawl ” that’s how tense relations are between the two clubs. It’s a matter of public record what Cole Hamels thinks of the Mets ” “chokers” is what he’s called them all spring. Jose Reyes recently responded by saying, “(the Phillies) should keep their mouths shut and enjoy (being world champions). That’s what we would do.”
When Rodriguez casually said the Mets, “are the team to beat” in the East, he probably meant it as a throw-away line. It might’ve been ” in Anaheim. But not now, not in a rivalry that’s got everyone tightly wrapped in its long tentacles.
Just wait until K-Rod’s first save against the Phillies. Wait until he goes skyward with his index fingers. Just wait ” the apocalypse is surely coming.
In the interests of maintaining the peace, why couldn’t Omar Minaya have simply retained Scott Schoneweis? He’s make a terrible closer, but at the very least Mr. Klapisch wouldn’t stay away at night worrying about the impending riot.
Yeah, you would hate for anything to happen that might keep the emotional temperature of the rivalry high.
hey the Mets have to beat them somewhere–other than that fat first baseman, Philadelphia looks like a team of Nancies (not to mention Chases’, Coles, and Utley’s) so maybe we have that to look forward to.
I know that as politically correct sports fans we are supposed to be abhorred at the thought of fighting, but, I would love to see the Mets kick the collective shit out of the Phillies.
What makes you think he’s even going to have a chance at a save?
Fat first baseman? Not any more as Howard has dropped 25 pounds and looks like a tank. Both teams have demonstrative players and I am quite happy that Mets vs Phils has turned into baseballs best rivalry over the past 2 years. But, if an on-field brawl does break out, it could spread into the stands and get ugly if it is at CBP where Phils/Mets games always have a large chunk of Central Jersey Mets fans in attendance.
(addendum) – This is not to say that K-Rod, Reyes, Victorino or Romero should tone it down.
Imagine therivalry being Mets/Phils and not Yanks/Sox (especially if the Yanks finish in 3rd again). Imagine that. They might have trouble selling those $1,000 seats at the New Yankee Stadium®. As much as I think he sucks, this is all depending on one Mr. K. Rodriguez. Slap that glove and point skyward, fool!