11.7.08

Mets Complete Sweep, Take 6th In A Row

"Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar"


Brace yourselves for the new Mets' theme song, Abba's Fernando...

On the one hand a mini sort of run had to be expected from these Mets eventually. I mean there is a modicum of talent on this team to begin with, the manager was fired, coaches were sacked, a GM head was on the chopping block and well, it's difficult to imagine that an entire team could walk in a somnambulistic unity for an entire season without something major happening.

On the other hand, if you think back a month ago or maybe even two weeks ago it actually wasn't that difficult to imagine the team's collective apathy resulting in the GM getting sacked, the core being dismantled and a fire sale being conducted amid a massive fan upheaval of disgust and disappointment.



So here are the Mets, fresh from a sweep of the lowly Giants and giddy like a bird on one too many champagne fizzes, gulping in the fresh air of a 6 game winning streak and for the moment anyway, basking in the glow of redemption.

Does anyone even care that the predictable news, Moises Alou, injured AGAIN, gone for the rest of the season and probably for the rest of his career, is being played for the final time?


Moises Who?

No, they don't. Well, maybe someone who ISN'T already completely and utterly fed up with his ancient muscled fragility does, but even if they do, the news that Fernando Tatis, like a comic book super hero, practically won this game on his own yesterday is sufficient distraction.

Hmmm, let's weigh this on the scale of importance: after a collective five minutes of activity this season, Alou is gone, hopefully for good so the Mets finally dig to find a real solution to left field OR long-forgotten nowhere man emerges to to hit two doubles and a homerun, the last a game-clincher, a knocks in 4 of the Mets' 7 runs.

So let's give both Tatis and Omar a golf clap on this one. Well done the pair of yea.

With the success of recalling Tatis from the depths of inactivity perhaps any day now Omar is now going to announce he's signed Dave Nilsson to fill in permanently for Alou in left.

But look, the game wasn't without it's flaws and imperfections yesterday.


No, the stubble isn't intimidating the ump's strike zone it appears

For one, between Giant starting pitcher Barry Zero and John "Five Innings And Out" Maine, 11 walks were issued in less than 10 combined innings of work. Maine actually, after all those walks, a pair of wild pitches and even 8 strikeouts, didn't even last his minimum five innings. Nope, he was pulled for Carlos Muniz with two out in the 5th despite allowing only two hits.

In fact, the bullpen did a brilliant job between them tossing 4 1/3 shutout innings and allowing only one Giant hit the rest of the game.

Even All Star Hillbilly Wagner got in on the action to pitch a meaningless but flawless 9th.

So here they are these Mets, a few days removed from the All Star break perhaps, perhaps looking like the team they were supposed to resemble since the Spring but then again, perhaps still prone to another collapse just as sudden and unexpected as this sudden victory march.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

true they should have had a run, but i never thought they would. talent is one thing. i still do not trust this bunch. however, having said that, they are hustling, they do hit and run, and the bench is performing a lot better than it did early in the season. i think manuel has something to do with that. as do the resurgence (or is it the surgence) of Pelfrey and Perez. and hopefully pedro.

Jaap said...

i don't trust this bunch either, it could all go pear shaped any minute but that's to do with their history. And even if they win the NL East, I have zero faith in the Hillbilly making saves in the postseason when it's all on the line. don't let a few starts by Perez fool you - Pelfrey on the other hand might be coming into his own finally. Pedro, I dunno,he's still not over the hump I don't think but if he stays healthy he could regain some form. Bench is doing great - that's the key really. Delgado's hitting a bit as well, a little more punch and I like Manuel urging them not to coast with 3 run leads but to go for the throat. He's a better manager/motivator than Willie, no doubt.