Hello, First Place: Mets Sweep Nats

Ok, it's not earth-shattering news, neither sweeping the lowly Nats nor dropping the Phillies to second place but it's progress. Slow, arduous progress.


A homer, a free bevvie and sarnie advert or just an oasis from the Charley Chaplin impression at first base?

Another excruciating video replay whose reversal gave The Magical Murph a 2 run homer off the Pissup Porch* in the 6th instead of a double and Sheff getting thrown out at the plate. That's quite a reversal in fact and the Mets are now five for five in replay decisions. That's better than Murph's fielding chances at first last night.

(* No, I won't make you scroll all the way down the bloody page to see what I'm on about - just because the marketing muppets want to advertise a shitty carbonated sugary water bevvie doesn't mean I'm going to - every time someone hits a homer off the overhang I've got to give them a free advert? I don't think so. So on this blog anyway, there will be no referrals to it's proper name. It will be called Piss Up Porch instead cause the Army doesn't bow to corporate whoredom - not unless there's something it in for the Army, of course...)



Murph was a bit troubling at first base last night. In the first inning he failed to scoop up (first hint from the broadcast booth; you've got to open your glove when trying to scoop the ball, d'oh, it ent bloody lacrosse!) a ball thrown by Ramon Martinez after a spectacular diving play that would have been a big first inning lift. He didn't get busted for the error, I dunno why because if he'd have scooped that with an open glove, the runner would have been out.

He also made an error in the 9th that prolonged the game and Frankie Boy's work load for the night, a big no-no considering Frankie Boy is out there to get the game done and dusted without creating prolonged work for his work-of-art arm.

Fortunately for Murph he also had 5 RBIs, a career high (in case you hadn't already heard) so his defensive liability was somewhat alleviated by his offensive asset. For now anyway but the Mets are quickly running out of places on the field to hide him. Let's hope for his sake this isn't the beginnings of a first base YIPS problem like his left field Yips problem otherwise the Mets are going to have to seriously consider trading him to an AL team where he could be a DH. Yips, such a great explanation. I think that should be the name of the Mets jug band that should be sat in those empty seats behind home plate, The Yips. Damn! Looks like someone already has it, might have to see who they root for and how good they are at writing theme songs not sung by Rick Astley.


FMart plunges into the oblivion of Ferdy No Hustle...

FMart, the new boy blunder, showed he's been studying Reyes all the way from Buffalo. How do you not run out a bloody pop up in front of the plate in only your second game? Sure, he apologised but big deal, this isn't about skill it's about attitude. With Beltran due to come back on Friday I reckon FMart should go back to Buffalo to relearn attitude. Good gawd, the Lastings Milledge posters are coming out already. Warning: This Kid Doesn't Run Out Pop Ups. Good christ, if you aren't going to hustle every second you're up for a cup of coffee for a few weeks to make an impression, when ARE you going to hustle? And have the nerve to go 0 for 4? He should definitely go back down to Buffalo. Today. Just to make sure he gets the point. I don't want to hear Jerry apologising for him talking about how unrepresentative it is of Fmart's character. He did it once, he'll do it again. Nip it in the bud now. In fact crush that little blossom of insolence and arrogance right now with a giant boot. A giant Buffalo-sized boot. Here's your buffalo wings, Fernando, now fuck off and go learn how to hustle on EVERY play, not just the ones you feel like hustling on.

Now, here's some food for thought:

Is it time to worry about Johan yet?


Are the days of utter domination waning already?

Last three outings these are his mere mortal numbers: 20 innings pitched, 21 hits, 9 earned runs, and 7 walks. That's an ERA slightly over 4.00.

Perhaps it's not time to worry. Maybe someone should just send a little friendly reminder to plate Chumpire Sam Holbrook about what the strike zone is supposed to look like by framing his head with one.

Last night they were on about how in Delgado's absence, new leadership has had to emerge in the clubhouse. Here you go boys, here's how you strike out four times in a game. Anyone else want to try? Bah, I'm going to cut the Boy Wright a little slack, he's not choking as much yet. Probably resting his throat for September.

I still wonder whether the Nats would go for a straight up trade, Wright for Zimmerman. When was the last time baseball had a good one for one trade like that? Now that Ramon Martinez's batting average is all the way up to .121 and Angel Pagan is the new lead off hitter, can we start contemplating about the massive compensation package we could score trading Reyes after the All Star break?

Team RISP: 3 for 16.

That you can win a game with those kind of numbers means either you paid off the umpires or the other team simply sucks so bad you can't lose to them no matter how hard you try.

But let's have a little golf clap for these second string Mets. They got the job done, however. The sweep of the Nats is nothing to sneeze at. The first string mates often fail to do that.

And finally, a glorious off day or in the Army's case, a travel weekend thus, the last you'll likely hear from me for a few days.


How about that porch?!