Tomorrow will certainly be an emotional day for me, as the Mets will play their final season opener at Shea Stadium. Since they're playing against the Phillies, too, it could easily be a wide range of emotions. Oliver Perez will interestingly be opposed by Jamie Moyer, who was also born in 1962 (although they didn't start playing at Shea until 1964, the connection to the beginning of the franchise is still there).
It was recently announced that the Mets will continue to honor the Shea family name, as the stadium bearing that name is prepared to be replaced. The Shea family will be on the field tomorrow for a pre-game ceremony in which a Shea logo will be unveiled alongside the retired numbers beyond the left field fence, and it will also be placed in Citi Field next year.
I hate the whole idea of corporate sponsorships of ballparks, but I understand that it is one of those unavoidable, necessary evils these days, in order to generate more revenue (and we really could have done worse than "Citi Field," so I'm not too annoyed). Obviously though, I am quite pleased to see that they will be preserving the Shea legacy with this logo. Many years down the road, I'll be able to go to Mets games and see that logo, and be reminded of all the great memories that Shea Stadium has provided me. Hopefully it will have a nice place next to Casey Stengel's #37.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Disgust out of Atlanta
As usual, the Mets had trouble in Atlanta. We had started to turn that streak around the last couple seasons, in which the Braves actually failed to win the NL East, so hopefully this isn't a bad omen.
I was looking forward to John Maine's first start of the season. He had a break-out season last year, and I'm looking forward to this year with great excitement for him. Unfortunately, he just didn't have it on this day. He lasted just four innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks. We still had a chance to come back though, but the bullpen went on to allow another seven runs, including a grand slam given up by Jorge Sosa when it was clear from the previous batters that he had no control that day. Sosa probably should have been pulled prior to facing Kelly Johnson, but I won't criticize Willie Randolph for it. Nor will I get down on John Maine. I fully expect him to come back strong in his next start.
And of course, there was the ridiculous call by the umps. For those who didn't get to see it, the Mets were down 4-1 in the 5th inning with the bases loaded and one out. Jose Reyes hit a shot to left-center that bounced into the diving fielder's glove, which should have scored two runs, but somehow the umpire said he caught the ball. It was perfectly clear to me watching it happen live on television that it bounced; it hit so far in front of his glove that I couldn't even call it a trap. Angel Pagan obviously saw it bounce, and took off from second to score, so was easily doubled off at second to end the inning.
In a rare display from Randolph, although it was impossible not to, he ran out onto the field and protested quite strongly. The umpires got together, and thankfully, for my sanity and the protection of any breakable items surrounding me, they reversed the call. Ryan Church, who was actually passed by Pagan at third because he saw the out call and stopped (a whole other situation), was allowed to score, and Pagan was put at third where he would eventually score anyway on a groundout by Luis Castillo to bring the score to 4-3. Although, in the end, it proved to not matter that much, as the Braves went on to win 11-5, but at the time, that would have been a huge killer to this team if that call had stood. I'm also quite surprised that Bobby Cox somehow managed to not get himself ejected in that inning.
I was looking forward to facing Tom Glavine. I knew his comments after the last game of the season, where he said he was not devastated following his 7 run, 1/3 IP, season-ending performance, were taken too harshly by Mets fans, including myself. And he got a chance to explain himself and his rationalization in a pre-game interview on SNY. But I still can't help but feel utter, complete hatred towards him. And I so badly wanted to take it to him this series. But the weather wouldn't cooperate, forcing the first game to be rained out and postponed. This pushed Tim Hudson back to what would have been Game 2, and they decided to leave John Smoltz in as the starter in the final game, because they didn't want him to come off the DL and pitch in Colorado. So that meant that Tommy was the odd man out, and Mets fans will have to wait a bit longer to have some revenge.
I was looking forward to Johan Santana's second appearance, and first against the Braves. However, after averaging 7 1/4 runs in the first four games, the offense disappeared this game. Johan gave up just one run in 7 innings, along with a double and two fine defensive plays. He also got his first loss as a Met, leaving the game losing 1-0. The Mets would be able to add a run in the ninth, but not before Aaron Heilman gave up a two-run HR to Mark Teixeira. And with that 3-1 victory, the Braves swept the Mets in the 2-game series.
Not a whole lot has changed with the Braves; Larry Jones is still a Met-killer, and I still hate him. The biggest change from last year though is he's not the only one who will kill us. Mark Teixeira batting behind him is looking just as scary, if not scarier. I still have to say they are the third best team in the division, but that gap is looking smaller than I thought.
I was looking forward to John Maine's first start of the season. He had a break-out season last year, and I'm looking forward to this year with great excitement for him. Unfortunately, he just didn't have it on this day. He lasted just four innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks. We still had a chance to come back though, but the bullpen went on to allow another seven runs, including a grand slam given up by Jorge Sosa when it was clear from the previous batters that he had no control that day. Sosa probably should have been pulled prior to facing Kelly Johnson, but I won't criticize Willie Randolph for it. Nor will I get down on John Maine. I fully expect him to come back strong in his next start.
And of course, there was the ridiculous call by the umps. For those who didn't get to see it, the Mets were down 4-1 in the 5th inning with the bases loaded and one out. Jose Reyes hit a shot to left-center that bounced into the diving fielder's glove, which should have scored two runs, but somehow the umpire said he caught the ball. It was perfectly clear to me watching it happen live on television that it bounced; it hit so far in front of his glove that I couldn't even call it a trap. Angel Pagan obviously saw it bounce, and took off from second to score, so was easily doubled off at second to end the inning.
In a rare display from Randolph, although it was impossible not to, he ran out onto the field and protested quite strongly. The umpires got together, and thankfully, for my sanity and the protection of any breakable items surrounding me, they reversed the call. Ryan Church, who was actually passed by Pagan at third because he saw the out call and stopped (a whole other situation), was allowed to score, and Pagan was put at third where he would eventually score anyway on a groundout by Luis Castillo to bring the score to 4-3. Although, in the end, it proved to not matter that much, as the Braves went on to win 11-5, but at the time, that would have been a huge killer to this team if that call had stood. I'm also quite surprised that Bobby Cox somehow managed to not get himself ejected in that inning.
I was looking forward to facing Tom Glavine. I knew his comments after the last game of the season, where he said he was not devastated following his 7 run, 1/3 IP, season-ending performance, were taken too harshly by Mets fans, including myself. And he got a chance to explain himself and his rationalization in a pre-game interview on SNY. But I still can't help but feel utter, complete hatred towards him. And I so badly wanted to take it to him this series. But the weather wouldn't cooperate, forcing the first game to be rained out and postponed. This pushed Tim Hudson back to what would have been Game 2, and they decided to leave John Smoltz in as the starter in the final game, because they didn't want him to come off the DL and pitch in Colorado. So that meant that Tommy was the odd man out, and Mets fans will have to wait a bit longer to have some revenge.
I was looking forward to Johan Santana's second appearance, and first against the Braves. However, after averaging 7 1/4 runs in the first four games, the offense disappeared this game. Johan gave up just one run in 7 innings, along with a double and two fine defensive plays. He also got his first loss as a Met, leaving the game losing 1-0. The Mets would be able to add a run in the ninth, but not before Aaron Heilman gave up a two-run HR to Mark Teixeira. And with that 3-1 victory, the Braves swept the Mets in the 2-game series.
Not a whole lot has changed with the Braves; Larry Jones is still a Met-killer, and I still hate him. The biggest change from last year though is he's not the only one who will kill us. Mark Teixeira batting behind him is looking just as scary, if not scarier. I still have to say they are the third best team in the division, but that gap is looking smaller than I thought.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Johan, Pedro, and winning the first series.
This is the first in what should be a season-long series of posts in which I recap and discuss the Mets' previous series. In addition to what I think about what the Mets did, I will also look a little bit about what I think of the opposing team.
First off, Opening Day. It felt like a long time coming. The pitching match-up was Johan Santana against Mark Hendrickson and the Marlins. As I wrote earlier, it's hard to get worried about that match-up, but on the other hand, it would just be that much worse if we lost. But the "$137 million eraser," as Ron Darling put it, removed the lingering feelings from last season.
Johan was great. Pitching 7 innings, he gave up 2 runs, all on one HR, and just 3 hits, with 8 strikeouts. Asking for anything more from him, especially on Opening Day, would just be greedy. The home run, of course, is something to think about though, as he has had a bit of a problem keeping the ball in the park, despite his tremendous success in the past. That is one reason why I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do with the Mets, with a home stadium that tends to keep fly balls contained. Coming from the hitter's park in Minnesota - besides just facing a National League lineup - that factor could really make his numbers look even better.
With all the excitement building up to Opening Day, and then the results, Monday was a wonderful day. Not only did the Mets win 7-2 on a great performance by Santana, but the Phillies were 0-1, the Braves were 0-2, and the Yankees had their home opener rained out.
Oh, how quickly moods can change.
Pedro Martinez began Game 2 by hitting Hanley Ramirez, then giving up a 2-run HR to Dan Uggla. Then he gave up a solo HR to Luis Gonzalez and an RBI triple to Ramirez in the 2nd inning. Pedro was struggling. But then, with one grab of the hamstring, things were so much worse. He left giving up 4 runs and 4 hits in 3 1/3 innings, an ERA of 10.80. The news would come the next day that he would be out at least 4-6 weeks with a mild strained hamstring.
The Mets got back into the game though as their bullpen kept the Marlins off the scoreboard, tying it 4-4. But in the end, the unlikely hero was Robert Andino, as he hit the walk-off HR off Matt Wise in the 10th. After all the excitement of the day before, all I could feel on this day was depression. The mood had completely changed. I don't think the loss of Pedro will hurt too bad as far as our win-loss record is concerned, but it certainly stings mentally and emotionally.
What better way to relieve the pain though than a 13-0 victory the following day to win the series. Oliver Perez was brilliant, throwing 6 shutout innings, also with 8 strikeouts. Already with a 10-0 lead, there was no need to stretch him out any further in his first start. Nelson Figueroa (Pedro's replacement on the roster), Pedro Feliciano, and Billy Wagner all got their first innings of work of this season in a no-pressure situation. The dominating win should definitely make the players feel better as they travel to Philadelphia. A loss could have really hurt, after what happened the day before.
The pitching outside of Pedro was obviously great. The offense was pretty good, too, though. You can't say enough about Angel Pagan right now, stepping up into the 6th spot in the lineup with Moises Alou out. He went 4-for-10 with 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored in the series, getting us started in each of the first two games. Other new acquisitions Ryan Church and Brian Schneider also did a great job. Carlos Delgado struggled in the first two games, but he went 2-for-5 with an RBI yesterday, so I won't give up on him yet. All the way up and down the lineup, we performed pretty well, obviously, with 24 runs scored.
The Marlins certainly lost a lot with Miguel Cabrera and Met-killer Dontrelle Willis being traded away to Detroit. They still remain a team that I don't feel comfortable playing, though. They have a lot of solid young talent that can burn you throughout the whole lineup. But I think, like last season, it may not matter, as you can just hope to put up more runs than they do with that shaky pitching staff.
First off, Opening Day. It felt like a long time coming. The pitching match-up was Johan Santana against Mark Hendrickson and the Marlins. As I wrote earlier, it's hard to get worried about that match-up, but on the other hand, it would just be that much worse if we lost. But the "$137 million eraser," as Ron Darling put it, removed the lingering feelings from last season.
Johan was great. Pitching 7 innings, he gave up 2 runs, all on one HR, and just 3 hits, with 8 strikeouts. Asking for anything more from him, especially on Opening Day, would just be greedy. The home run, of course, is something to think about though, as he has had a bit of a problem keeping the ball in the park, despite his tremendous success in the past. That is one reason why I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do with the Mets, with a home stadium that tends to keep fly balls contained. Coming from the hitter's park in Minnesota - besides just facing a National League lineup - that factor could really make his numbers look even better.
With all the excitement building up to Opening Day, and then the results, Monday was a wonderful day. Not only did the Mets win 7-2 on a great performance by Santana, but the Phillies were 0-1, the Braves were 0-2, and the Yankees had their home opener rained out.
Oh, how quickly moods can change.
Pedro Martinez began Game 2 by hitting Hanley Ramirez, then giving up a 2-run HR to Dan Uggla. Then he gave up a solo HR to Luis Gonzalez and an RBI triple to Ramirez in the 2nd inning. Pedro was struggling. But then, with one grab of the hamstring, things were so much worse. He left giving up 4 runs and 4 hits in 3 1/3 innings, an ERA of 10.80. The news would come the next day that he would be out at least 4-6 weeks with a mild strained hamstring.
The Mets got back into the game though as their bullpen kept the Marlins off the scoreboard, tying it 4-4. But in the end, the unlikely hero was Robert Andino, as he hit the walk-off HR off Matt Wise in the 10th. After all the excitement of the day before, all I could feel on this day was depression. The mood had completely changed. I don't think the loss of Pedro will hurt too bad as far as our win-loss record is concerned, but it certainly stings mentally and emotionally.
What better way to relieve the pain though than a 13-0 victory the following day to win the series. Oliver Perez was brilliant, throwing 6 shutout innings, also with 8 strikeouts. Already with a 10-0 lead, there was no need to stretch him out any further in his first start. Nelson Figueroa (Pedro's replacement on the roster), Pedro Feliciano, and Billy Wagner all got their first innings of work of this season in a no-pressure situation. The dominating win should definitely make the players feel better as they travel to Philadelphia. A loss could have really hurt, after what happened the day before.
The pitching outside of Pedro was obviously great. The offense was pretty good, too, though. You can't say enough about Angel Pagan right now, stepping up into the 6th spot in the lineup with Moises Alou out. He went 4-for-10 with 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored in the series, getting us started in each of the first two games. Other new acquisitions Ryan Church and Brian Schneider also did a great job. Carlos Delgado struggled in the first two games, but he went 2-for-5 with an RBI yesterday, so I won't give up on him yet. All the way up and down the lineup, we performed pretty well, obviously, with 24 runs scored.
The Marlins certainly lost a lot with Miguel Cabrera and Met-killer Dontrelle Willis being traded away to Detroit. They still remain a team that I don't feel comfortable playing, though. They have a lot of solid young talent that can burn you throughout the whole lineup. But I think, like last season, it may not matter, as you can just hope to put up more runs than they do with that shaky pitching staff.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Roster set, baseball is just around the corner!
For most teams, including the Mets, the regular season is getting ready to begin tomorrow. It's been a long wait, but it's finally here. Which is good, because I can't wait much longer.
Johan Santana will make his debut tomorrow in Florida at 4:10. Thankfully, he will not be opposed by the Met-killer, Dontrelle Willis, although I have a good feeling that if we are to reach our ultimate goal, we're still going to have to go through him. Instead, he will face Mark Hendrickson, who really doesn't put much fear into Mets fans' hearts, but you can't underestimate this Marlins team. The Marlins really couldn't find a better opening day starter than Mark Hendrickson though?
Anyway, it appears that the roster has been finalized. Most noteworthy is that Mike Pelfrey, after impressing in Spring, will be our fifth starter, although that probably has more to do with Orlando Hernandez's health than anything. El Duque will likely begin the year on the DL, then take over the fifth spot when ready.
Also, Joe Smith will take the final bullpen spot. I really enjoyed watching him last year until he tired out, as I'm sure most, if not all, Mets fans did as well, so I'm excited to see him back on the team. Finally, Brady Clark grabs the last bench spot, which I am happy to hear. As I wrote towards the beginning of Spring Training, I was rooting for him to get that last spot.
So here we go. Just one more day of waiting. The only thing left is to see if we'll be half a game up or down on the Braves.
Johan Santana will make his debut tomorrow in Florida at 4:10. Thankfully, he will not be opposed by the Met-killer, Dontrelle Willis, although I have a good feeling that if we are to reach our ultimate goal, we're still going to have to go through him. Instead, he will face Mark Hendrickson, who really doesn't put much fear into Mets fans' hearts, but you can't underestimate this Marlins team. The Marlins really couldn't find a better opening day starter than Mark Hendrickson though?
Anyway, it appears that the roster has been finalized. Most noteworthy is that Mike Pelfrey, after impressing in Spring, will be our fifth starter, although that probably has more to do with Orlando Hernandez's health than anything. El Duque will likely begin the year on the DL, then take over the fifth spot when ready.
Also, Joe Smith will take the final bullpen spot. I really enjoyed watching him last year until he tired out, as I'm sure most, if not all, Mets fans did as well, so I'm excited to see him back on the team. Finally, Brady Clark grabs the last bench spot, which I am happy to hear. As I wrote towards the beginning of Spring Training, I was rooting for him to get that last spot.
So here we go. Just one more day of waiting. The only thing left is to see if we'll be half a game up or down on the Braves.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Moises Alou out 4-6 weeks
It has begun. Injuries have been the big story this Spring Training for the Mets, and now we know for sure that one key player will be out at the start of the season. And it's really no surprise who (sorry to those who bet on El Duque, though).
Moises Alou is expected to be out for four to six weeks for hernia surgery.
Probable replacement Endy Chavez has yet to play in a Spring Training game as he is also currently dealing with an injury. However, he should be seeing some action soon, so hopefully he will be able to take over in left field by the start of the regular season.
This certainly also opens the door for Angel Pagan to make the Opening Day roster. He got some Major League experience the last two seasons with the Cubs, and has been very impressive so far in Spring Training. He may very well have been earning the last bench spot on the roster anyway, but the Mets now need to have another outfielder for Opening Day.
Moises Alou is expected to be out for four to six weeks for hernia surgery.
Probable replacement Endy Chavez has yet to play in a Spring Training game as he is also currently dealing with an injury. However, he should be seeing some action soon, so hopefully he will be able to take over in left field by the start of the regular season.
This certainly also opens the door for Angel Pagan to make the Opening Day roster. He got some Major League experience the last two seasons with the Cubs, and has been very impressive so far in Spring Training. He may very well have been earning the last bench spot on the roster anyway, but the Mets now need to have another outfielder for Opening Day.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Mike Pelfrey vs. El Duque
The acquisition of Johan Santana supposedly pushed Mike Pelfrey back out of the starting rotation, either to a bullpen role or back to AAA. However, it looks like the Mets may have to make a decision on their fifth starter for the start of this season.
In two Spring Training appearances now, Mike Pelfrey has looked great, pitching 5 shutout innings and allowing just three hits. It was easy to turn against Pelfrey last season, after his 0-7 start. I never gave up on him though, and I kept watching him with hope that he would start to turn it around. He then went on to win 3 of his 4 starts in September.
Orlando Hernandez had much more success during last season than Pelfrey. However, he was rather injury prone, and that is already carrying over into this season. He has been very limited in camp so far due to his injuries, and has yet to pitch in a game. I wouldn't be surprised if he was still not ready by the time the regular season rolled around, meaning Pelfrey would probably be the fifth starter by default.
But what about if, or when, El Duque is healthy again? Obviously, it's too early to tell for certain. If he can get in some work in Spring Training games and shows success, they could go with the more experienced Hernandez, especially if the Mets are unwilling to put him in the bullpen. But if Pelfrey continues his success through Spring Training, and maybe even through the beginning of the regular season, it's going to be hard to pull him from the rotation. I think he may have turned a corner last September, he seems to have grown a bit and learned from his disastrous start last year, and he may be ready to take on the big leagues now. And I would really like to see what he can do, instead of just waiting for El Duque to get hurt again.
Of course, if we have the rotation of Johan, Pedro, Maine, Perez, Pelfrey, then that begs the question of what to do with El Duque. They say he won't go into the bullpen, but that may be what is best. Remember him pitching out of the bullpen in the White Sox's World Series run? He'll be just fine out there. It's Pelfrey's time to shine.
In two Spring Training appearances now, Mike Pelfrey has looked great, pitching 5 shutout innings and allowing just three hits. It was easy to turn against Pelfrey last season, after his 0-7 start. I never gave up on him though, and I kept watching him with hope that he would start to turn it around. He then went on to win 3 of his 4 starts in September.
Orlando Hernandez had much more success during last season than Pelfrey. However, he was rather injury prone, and that is already carrying over into this season. He has been very limited in camp so far due to his injuries, and has yet to pitch in a game. I wouldn't be surprised if he was still not ready by the time the regular season rolled around, meaning Pelfrey would probably be the fifth starter by default.
But what about if, or when, El Duque is healthy again? Obviously, it's too early to tell for certain. If he can get in some work in Spring Training games and shows success, they could go with the more experienced Hernandez, especially if the Mets are unwilling to put him in the bullpen. But if Pelfrey continues his success through Spring Training, and maybe even through the beginning of the regular season, it's going to be hard to pull him from the rotation. I think he may have turned a corner last September, he seems to have grown a bit and learned from his disastrous start last year, and he may be ready to take on the big leagues now. And I would really like to see what he can do, instead of just waiting for El Duque to get hurt again.
Of course, if we have the rotation of Johan, Pedro, Maine, Perez, Pelfrey, then that begs the question of what to do with El Duque. They say he won't go into the bullpen, but that may be what is best. Remember him pitching out of the bullpen in the White Sox's World Series run? He'll be just fine out there. It's Pelfrey's time to shine.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Baseball is back!
It was so great hearing that SNY Mets jingle today. The Mets played their first home Spring Training game of the season, and their first televised Spring Training game of the season. And, of course, it was Johan Santana's first appearance.
Unfortunately, it hasn't been a good start. They are 0-3 now against Major League teams, plus a tie against a college team. Johan Santana gave up a three-run home run to Juan Gonzalez in his first inning of work.
But I'm not going to be critical or worried about Spring Training results, especially this early on. Sure, winning is sweet, and I would like to see us putting up wins, but results don't matter yet.
This certainly didn't seem like an ordinary Spring Training game though. Usually, I'm excited for it to start up just so baseball is back. But today was more about seeing Johan pitch than it was seeing the Mets back on the field. He caught a couple tough breaks, then gave up a bomb to Juan Gonzalez. But if he's going to give one up, at least it was someone who you have to feel good for. Of course, then Albert Pujols hit a home run off Duaner Sanchez, and he's someone who I have really soured on.
It was also nice to see Fernando Martinez out there. He got thrown out trying to steal second, but again, beyond results, it was good to see him running and being aggressive. And along with that, he had the play of the game, with a great diving catch down the left field line. That was fun to watch.
One last point: I think I'm rooting for Brady Clark to take the 5th bench spot on the roster. Ruben Gotay would be good, too, but I think Clark would be a solid backup right-handed outfielder.
Unfortunately, it hasn't been a good start. They are 0-3 now against Major League teams, plus a tie against a college team. Johan Santana gave up a three-run home run to Juan Gonzalez in his first inning of work.
But I'm not going to be critical or worried about Spring Training results, especially this early on. Sure, winning is sweet, and I would like to see us putting up wins, but results don't matter yet.
This certainly didn't seem like an ordinary Spring Training game though. Usually, I'm excited for it to start up just so baseball is back. But today was more about seeing Johan pitch than it was seeing the Mets back on the field. He caught a couple tough breaks, then gave up a bomb to Juan Gonzalez. But if he's going to give one up, at least it was someone who you have to feel good for. Of course, then Albert Pujols hit a home run off Duaner Sanchez, and he's someone who I have really soured on.
It was also nice to see Fernando Martinez out there. He got thrown out trying to steal second, but again, beyond results, it was good to see him running and being aggressive. And along with that, he had the play of the game, with a great diving catch down the left field line. That was fun to watch.
One last point: I think I'm rooting for Brady Clark to take the 5th bench spot on the roster. Ruben Gotay would be good, too, but I think Clark would be a solid backup right-handed outfielder.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Pitchers and Catchers in Port St. Lucie
More important than any roses or boxes of chocolate, Johan Santana and the other Mets pitchers and catchers reported in Port St. Lucie, Florida, to begin Spring Training!
As happy as I still am about the Giants winning the Super Bowl, I still can't help but to look forward with great excitement towards this 2008 baseball season. And baseball is finally, officially, right around the corner.
As my excitement grows about the addition of Johan, I'm starting to also get excited about a much less talked about addition: the return of Duaner Sanchez to the bullpen.
After being injured for the entire 2007 season, and being pretty much completely off the radar, it's easy to forget how big of an impact he had on this team. He was probably our most reliable pitcher in the bullpen leading up to Billy Wagner in 2006 until the Curse of the Taxis struck again (although we got Oliver Perez as part of a last-minute desperation trade before the deadline because Sanchez got hurt, so it wasn't all bad). I loved watching Duaner pitch, and I always had great confidence in him whenever he came in a game.
Then, obviously, we ran into a bit of bullpen issues at the end of 2007. The Mets' bullpen completely fell apart with guys like Joe Smith and Guillermo Mota having to take innings that Duaner Sanchez would have handled in 2006. I hate to think of the what-ifs, but who knows how things would have been different at the end of last season with that extra anchor in the bullpen helping to take the pressure off not just down the stretch, but for the whole season.
Duaner is looking good and ready to come back strong in 2008. Like Guillermo Mota getting traded for essentially nobody seemed like a new acquisition, so does Duaner Sanchez coming back to this team after over a year on the disabled list. Say what you want about Johan taking pressure off the bullpen by pitching deeper into games; just having Sanchez return will naturally take some pressure off the bullpen and make it better.
First Spring Training game in 13 days.
As happy as I still am about the Giants winning the Super Bowl, I still can't help but to look forward with great excitement towards this 2008 baseball season. And baseball is finally, officially, right around the corner.
As my excitement grows about the addition of Johan, I'm starting to also get excited about a much less talked about addition: the return of Duaner Sanchez to the bullpen.
After being injured for the entire 2007 season, and being pretty much completely off the radar, it's easy to forget how big of an impact he had on this team. He was probably our most reliable pitcher in the bullpen leading up to Billy Wagner in 2006 until the Curse of the Taxis struck again (although we got Oliver Perez as part of a last-minute desperation trade before the deadline because Sanchez got hurt, so it wasn't all bad). I loved watching Duaner pitch, and I always had great confidence in him whenever he came in a game.
Then, obviously, we ran into a bit of bullpen issues at the end of 2007. The Mets' bullpen completely fell apart with guys like Joe Smith and Guillermo Mota having to take innings that Duaner Sanchez would have handled in 2006. I hate to think of the what-ifs, but who knows how things would have been different at the end of last season with that extra anchor in the bullpen helping to take the pressure off not just down the stretch, but for the whole season.
Duaner is looking good and ready to come back strong in 2008. Like Guillermo Mota getting traded for essentially nobody seemed like a new acquisition, so does Duaner Sanchez coming back to this team after over a year on the disabled list. Say what you want about Johan taking pressure off the bullpen by pitching deeper into games; just having Sanchez return will naturally take some pressure off the bullpen and make it better.
First Spring Training game in 13 days.
Monday, February 4, 2008
New York Giants: Super Bowl XLII Champions!
With all the excitement of Johan Santana finally becoming a Met, I'm going to have to step back for a second to celebrate some football happenings.
The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14 yesterday to win Super Bowl XLII! And boy, what a game it was. Probably the greatest Super Bowl that I've ever seen, regardless of the fact that my favorite team ended up the winner. Plus, certainly the best single play in the Super Bowl I've ever seen. I still cannot believe that Eli got away from that sack, and then just an amazing play by David Tyree catching the long pass.
I've also liked the Patriots since I was a kid, and they're my second favorite team, so I'm not going to sit there and rip on them for missing out on perfection. I've been rooting for perfection since early in the season, not expecting it would be the Giants who would have the opportunity to stand in their way in the end.
This was such an improbable finish to the season. The Giants were really sloppy in the regular season; I didn't even think they deserved to make it, but they got into the playoffs thanks to there only being about five teams in the whole NFL who actually deserved the shot.
But what I could see through their struggles was great potential. I was saying all season they could beat any team in the league - including the Patriots - if they could play well for a full four quarters. Throughout the entire season though, all the way up through Week 17 where they nearly ended the Patriots run right then and there, they never showed that they were capable of playing the full four quarters.
But what was a loss on paper may have turned out to be the biggest turning point of their season. They still came out with a very bad first quarter against the Buccaneers, but then they went on to dominate that game. Then the Cowboys. Then the Packers. Each game the team improved, and Eli played as well as he's ever played in that stretch of games.
It was the potential that I saw finally being reached. Three weeks earlier, I had very little confidence in this team being able to make some noise in the playoffs. Now, they were getting ready to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and I wasn't even intimidated by them.
The Giants had nearly beaten the Patriots in Week 17, even should have beat them. Now, Big Blue was as hot as could be, with a ton of momentum on their side. After interceptions and fumbles plagued the regular season, Eli had not turned the ball over once in the three playoff games. Their confidence couldn't be higher. And Tom Brady was coming off his worst playoff performance of his career.
All season I believed that the Giants could beat anyone. Not only did I think they could win, I thought that they would win.
One amazing game later, one unbelievable drive later, I was experiencing perhaps the happiest moment in this sports fan's life. My Giants had pulled off arguably the biggest upset in history to become the Super Bowl champions. And I never doubted them over the past three weeks.
I was four years old when the Giants last won the Super Bowl. I have nothing but faint memories of celebrating the victory. That's more than what I have for the last Mets' World Series though, which came when I was just six months old. Since then, both of my favorite teams had only reached that final stage once, following their 2000 seasons. And both of their performances were so horrid that I've tried my best to erase them from my memory.
The New York Giants have finally come through. I have truly celebrated and appreciated a Super Bowl victory by my team. That metaphorical bottle of champagne has been popped.
New York Mets: You know what you have to do now.
The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14 yesterday to win Super Bowl XLII! And boy, what a game it was. Probably the greatest Super Bowl that I've ever seen, regardless of the fact that my favorite team ended up the winner. Plus, certainly the best single play in the Super Bowl I've ever seen. I still cannot believe that Eli got away from that sack, and then just an amazing play by David Tyree catching the long pass.
I've also liked the Patriots since I was a kid, and they're my second favorite team, so I'm not going to sit there and rip on them for missing out on perfection. I've been rooting for perfection since early in the season, not expecting it would be the Giants who would have the opportunity to stand in their way in the end.
This was such an improbable finish to the season. The Giants were really sloppy in the regular season; I didn't even think they deserved to make it, but they got into the playoffs thanks to there only being about five teams in the whole NFL who actually deserved the shot.
But what I could see through their struggles was great potential. I was saying all season they could beat any team in the league - including the Patriots - if they could play well for a full four quarters. Throughout the entire season though, all the way up through Week 17 where they nearly ended the Patriots run right then and there, they never showed that they were capable of playing the full four quarters.
But what was a loss on paper may have turned out to be the biggest turning point of their season. They still came out with a very bad first quarter against the Buccaneers, but then they went on to dominate that game. Then the Cowboys. Then the Packers. Each game the team improved, and Eli played as well as he's ever played in that stretch of games.
It was the potential that I saw finally being reached. Three weeks earlier, I had very little confidence in this team being able to make some noise in the playoffs. Now, they were getting ready to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and I wasn't even intimidated by them.
The Giants had nearly beaten the Patriots in Week 17, even should have beat them. Now, Big Blue was as hot as could be, with a ton of momentum on their side. After interceptions and fumbles plagued the regular season, Eli had not turned the ball over once in the three playoff games. Their confidence couldn't be higher. And Tom Brady was coming off his worst playoff performance of his career.
All season I believed that the Giants could beat anyone. Not only did I think they could win, I thought that they would win.
One amazing game later, one unbelievable drive later, I was experiencing perhaps the happiest moment in this sports fan's life. My Giants had pulled off arguably the biggest upset in history to become the Super Bowl champions. And I never doubted them over the past three weeks.
I was four years old when the Giants last won the Super Bowl. I have nothing but faint memories of celebrating the victory. That's more than what I have for the last Mets' World Series though, which came when I was just six months old. Since then, both of my favorite teams had only reached that final stage once, following their 2000 seasons. And both of their performances were so horrid that I've tried my best to erase them from my memory.
The New York Giants have finally come through. I have truly celebrated and appreciated a Super Bowl victory by my team. That metaphorical bottle of champagne has been popped.
New York Mets: You know what you have to do now.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Nearly official....
What an agonizing 74 hours. Finally, Johan signed on the dotted line, and all that is left is a physical.
Wow, would that not be the ultimate stomach punch, if the deal broke off because of a failed physical? I shouldn't even be bringing this up. I need to find some wood to knock on now.
I couldn't care less about what the specific numbers of the deal are. Johan Santana officially being a Met is right around the corner, hopefully everything getting settled tomorrow.
I cannot wait for Opening Day.
Wow, would that not be the ultimate stomach punch, if the deal broke off because of a failed physical? I shouldn't even be bringing this up. I need to find some wood to knock on now.
I couldn't care less about what the specific numbers of the deal are. Johan Santana officially being a Met is right around the corner, hopefully everything getting settled tomorrow.
I cannot wait for Opening Day.
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