Moment of Redemption, Livan Saves The Day

I had it all figured.

Rather than bow to the whim of Fox TV to watch the game in full (as those of you reading are likely all aware, because of profit-seeking arseholes the start of the game falling under Fox's exclusive MLB broadcast window on Saturdays because of the start of the game being pushed forward due to a bunch of shite fireworks and a concert by some untalented muppet going by the name of Flo-Rida), I decided to wait out the game and wake up in the morning to watch it now, fresh, as though it had never happened and IN FULL since the rebroadcast has not idiot's rules and I could watch the game in full. In England, it's easy not to have the result blown in advance since no one else is watching, so don't try this at home, folks.


Fox TV executives hard at work at figuring out how to screw the Mets fans.

So for those of you who didn't see the first two innings thanks to Fox or the Marlins or Flo-Rida, I am now in a position to reveal about the only interesting thing you might have missed was Cody Ross slamming his batting helmet repeatedly on the bench in the dugout in the 2nd inning after flying out weakly to Beltran in center to help kill a potential early Marlins rally. Cody Ross is a big douchebag and watching the frustration of his 1 for 15 start play out was indeed, very satisfying.


Take THAT, Mr Sheffield

As for the game itself; Ryan Church, good lawd, is this a guy who does not wish to be replaced in right field by an ageing, paranoid big mouthed troublemaker who can't field and perhaps can't even hit, or what? Wow. Church deserves special consideration here for rising to the challenge of the Sheffield signing so distinctly and so powerfully. Not just with the bat but for example, running down that deep liner to right centerfield that certainly would have been a double with Sheffield out there.



Or, we could gush about Livan and his timely brilliant pitching into the 7th inning whilst the Mets built their 5-0 lead.



Or about David Wright's unbelievable line drive snatch in the 3rd, doubling off the runner after one of those almost look-what-I-found moves but still having the presence of mind to dive to third base with the gloved ball to double off the runner and end the inning. Saved Livan's bacon early. AND, Wright got his first RBI of the season, five games in.

You couldn't say the same for Brian Stokes, who was brought in to face Bonifaciano and gave up a run scoring single with two outs in the 7th facing his only batter of the day.

And of course this brought further delirium tremens of terror, not unlike 2008, watching the lead whittled, Pedro Feliciano coming in with the tying run at the plate. Feliciano escaped on one pitch, and that was it: relief.

We can breath an incredible sigh of relief that Reyes' shin turned out to be ok after a little scare at the end of the 5th. Yes, we do love bashing him for his single digit IQ and lack of ambition and focus but really, even Reyes is better than thinking about Alex "Still Hitless As A Met" Cora in the every day lineup. Especially after a night with a 3 RBIs, a double and a homer.

Luis Castillo's BP with Jerry Manuel certainly paid off, innit? Three hits in his first three at-bats, four hits on the night. (Should have been five hits but the official scorer changed his mind, wrongly)

Yes, the Mets hold on, Johan is coming up, I'm caffeinated and I'm happy on this fine Easter morning, so now that the hard work's been done, off to spend Easter in Bath or at least trying to get there along the Bristol & Bath Railway path.