Yesterday, we went down to DC to see the Mets play the Nationals, in what was the culmination of our weekend-long celebration of International Dance Day, party hats and maracas in full force. RFK might be the dumpiest ballpark I have ever attended a sporting event in, especially from the outside. I suspect that the fine gentleman I met at the Mets-Phillies game a couple weeks ago would be even less likely to take a crap in this parking lot than he would be at Shea.
The Mets were lucky to get out of RFK this weekend with 2 wins. They easily could have gotten swept by an awful team, but luckily for the time being the Yankees seem to have cornered the market on that practice. Saturday night was one of those games that remind you why you love baseball, as more than any other game, it's a game of inches: Easley getting called safe at first, Chavez sliding under the tag at the plate. Any of these things end up an inch off, and the Mets lose. Yesterday was all about John Maine. This guy looks like the real deal so far. He doesn't overpower you or have incredible stuff, but it seems like he just knows how to pitch and he consistently gets the job done.
The news today is that the Mets age seems to have already caught up to them, as both El Duque and Valentin are headed for the DL. In terms of El Duque, we expected this. There was no way he was pitching a full season. So, the Chan Ho Park era begins. I suspect this will be imminently (used correctly and precisely here) followed by the Jorge Sosa era, and then possibly the Phil Humber era. Here's hoping that El Duque is back before we are forced to get to the Av Sinensky era.
As for Valentin: first of all, it's worth pointing out that an actual person would never hurt his ACL. Now that we have that out of the way, while we still don't have the full diagnosis and projections for his injuries, ACLs are always scary, expecially considering his age and past knee problems. If he's going to be out awhile, I hope Omar isn't seriously viewing any of the in-house options as the long-term replacement. Damion Easley, Anderson Hernandez, and Ruben Gotay are simply not everyday players (in the case of Hernandez and Gotay, possibly not even anyday players.) My vote: Mark Grudzialanek of the Kansas City Royals. I wanted them to sign him last year and I think he would fit perfectly if Valentin can't come back. He's a solid veteran with a good reputation, plays great defense, and will be a solid .280 hitter and a smart player. And I can even save Omar some time because I will be in Kansas City next week, so I can do some scouting and maybe initiate trade talks with the front office. I would have to think he would be gettable without giving up too much. Next best option: my dad. If you can't replace the ball player, at least replace the mustache.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Momma Said There'd Be Days Like This
Can't win 'em all I guess, even against crappy teams. Mike Pelfrey just didn't have it today and the Mets got crushed. It's a little disheartening to see the offense unable yet to bail the starters out when they deliver poor performances. We know this team is capable of putting up 10 runs in a game routinely, but they always seem to do it when they get a good start and thus win 10-2. They need to show that they are capable of winning games 10-8 in addition to 3-2.
Not really much else to report on this game other than to call attention to an ongoing debate I have with Eric all the time about when it's appropriate to leave a baseball game. Etan called me to today to ask this very question when the Mets went down 9-0 and I gave him permission to leave. Eric maintains that the only time it is ever acceptable to leave a game is when the game is over. Eric, however, is overly principled to a fault and lacks the reasonablemindedness to see when his principles are impractical. We go to enough games that leaving early doesn't mark us as bad fans. It simply means that staying for the rest of the game will be a miserable experience and we can find less depressing ways to spend our time than sit there and watch a team that just doesn't have it today.
One last point. After the game, Danielle asked me: "So now you're all gonna be in bad moods? Is this how it works?" Ya, pretty much. Such is the life of a baseball fan, or at least this group of baseball fans. Our happiness on a daily basis is inexorably linked to whether or not the Mets won their previous game, leading to a constant oscillation between euphoria and depression. Baseball season is basically a 6 month long ecstasy trip. Better get used to it China.
Oh and Yankee fans, watch out, is that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in your rearviermirror? Well, don't look now because I think they just passed you.
Not really much else to report on this game other than to call attention to an ongoing debate I have with Eric all the time about when it's appropriate to leave a baseball game. Etan called me to today to ask this very question when the Mets went down 9-0 and I gave him permission to leave. Eric maintains that the only time it is ever acceptable to leave a game is when the game is over. Eric, however, is overly principled to a fault and lacks the reasonablemindedness to see when his principles are impractical. We go to enough games that leaving early doesn't mark us as bad fans. It simply means that staying for the rest of the game will be a miserable experience and we can find less depressing ways to spend our time than sit there and watch a team that just doesn't have it today.
One last point. After the game, Danielle asked me: "So now you're all gonna be in bad moods? Is this how it works?" Ya, pretty much. Such is the life of a baseball fan, or at least this group of baseball fans. Our happiness on a daily basis is inexorably linked to whether or not the Mets won their previous game, leading to a constant oscillation between euphoria and depression. Baseball season is basically a 6 month long ecstasy trip. Better get used to it China.
Oh and Yankee fans, watch out, is that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in your rearviermirror? Well, don't look now because I think they just passed you.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Free Baseball
The other day, Eric commented to me that he didn't think this team looked like they had that comeback ability in them that made them so dangerous in the late innings last year. Well, how do you like them apples, Eric? I bet you're feeling pretty foolish now. You really have egg on your face this time, don't you. On a night when the Mets couldn't get anything going offensively, when it looked like they were gonna waste a masterful performance by El Duque (for the record, Feder says that when he tries to throw those curveballs that Duque was throwing tonight on his playstation game, everyone hits HR's,) it wasn't David Wright or Moises Alou, the Carloses or the Joses, it wasn't even Shawn Green or Paul Lo Duca (although, God I LOVE HIM) that came to the rescue. It was Damion Easley, who with 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th and down to his last strike, sent one over the left center field fence to put the Mets on the board for the 1st time and give us even more free baseball.
Great teams find ways to win. When all goes to hell, they find a way to squeak by on a pinch hit HR and a game winning bunt single. Incredible job by Chavez recognizing that the right side was playing back and dragging that bunt up the line for the win. This came after Speier (JZ?) delivered the most obvious balk in the history of baseball. In fact, this might have been the first time I ever knew it was a balk before the ump called it. Willie has to find more ways to get Chavez involved. He is our Antwan Randle El. The goal has to be to get the ball in his hands (at the plate, in the field, on the basepaths) and just let him make plays. He's not talented enough to be an every down or day player, but he has that big play ability that makes a difference in games and Willie has to be more creative in finding ways to use him.
Shawn Green gets a gameball for hustling and stretching a basehit up the middle into a double. I went on the record, saying Lastings Milledge would be the everyday rightfielder by May 15, but the way Green has been playing, Milledge should start boarding up his windows because he might be down in New Orleans for a while. Amazing Kiddush Hashem by Green. Terrible Chillul Hashem by me.
I'm told tonight was another amazing night of whiteboarding, which I am happy to hear, but more so, I am pissed off at Penn Law for forcing me to take finals this week and causing me to miss the excitement at Shea.
Great teams find ways to win. When all goes to hell, they find a way to squeak by on a pinch hit HR and a game winning bunt single. Incredible job by Chavez recognizing that the right side was playing back and dragging that bunt up the line for the win. This came after Speier (JZ?) delivered the most obvious balk in the history of baseball. In fact, this might have been the first time I ever knew it was a balk before the ump called it. Willie has to find more ways to get Chavez involved. He is our Antwan Randle El. The goal has to be to get the ball in his hands (at the plate, in the field, on the basepaths) and just let him make plays. He's not talented enough to be an every down or day player, but he has that big play ability that makes a difference in games and Willie has to be more creative in finding ways to use him.
Shawn Green gets a gameball for hustling and stretching a basehit up the middle into a double. I went on the record, saying Lastings Milledge would be the everyday rightfielder by May 15, but the way Green has been playing, Milledge should start boarding up his windows because he might be down in New Orleans for a while. Amazing Kiddush Hashem by Green. Terrible Chillul Hashem by me.
I'm told tonight was another amazing night of whiteboarding, which I am happy to hear, but more so, I am pissed off at Penn Law for forcing me to take finals this week and causing me to miss the excitement at Shea.
Mets Baseball At Cavs
Last night, I decided to mix things up a bit and took a very well deserved break from studying to go to Cavanugh's to watch the Mets game with Feder. For those of you who are not familiar with Cavanaugh's, it is a very high class, sports bar a couple blocks from Penn Hillel that is typically packed to the brim with well dressed, friendly, totally unscary individuals. For those of you who are not familiar with sarcasm, it is the rhetorical device I used in the previous sentence. For further examples of sarcasm, visit its wikipedia entry.
So we watched many baseball games while drinking beer, paying close attention to the Mets and then the Phillies. The Phillies were taking their turn at the honoring Jackie Robinson thing, so all players and coaches on both the Astros and Phillies were wearing nameless #42 jerseys. They were all Cheadle. This made figuring out who was up, pitching, etc nearly impossible unless I happened to recognize their face. Although, it did make me laugh a lot whenever there was somebody on base and the camera shot was of the 1st baseman, runner, and 1st base coach all in the same picture, all wearing #42. I'm not sure how exactly this honors Jackie Robinson, but I guess I just don''t understand. First, we said nobody is allowed to wear his jersey. Now we're saying everyone should wear his jersey. Makes no sense to me.
As for the Mets, they won easily against a terrible team. Their next 5 games are also against terrible teams, and there is no reason why they shouldn't come out of this 6 game stretch with 5 wins. Mainly because if they don't Eric will declare the following 48 games to be triple code red must wins and go on suicide watch. And that won't be pleasant for anyone.
Finally, last night, the rest of the Mets Baseball clan were representing at Shea, as they whiteboarded their way in, but the whiteboarding didn't end there. They somehow got a party patrolwoman's attention and got Harold into the trivia contest between innings. They then used the whiteboard to start a "HA-ROLD" chant in their section, adjoining sections, and eventually scattered parts of the stadium via the big screen. When Harold failed to answer the question correctly, the chants turned into heckles, as the entire section chanted "HAAAAAAAA-ROLD," asshole-chant style. Per Shea Stadium policies, I can only assume that Harold was awarded the same parting gift he would have received had he answered the question correctly.
So we watched many baseball games while drinking beer, paying close attention to the Mets and then the Phillies. The Phillies were taking their turn at the honoring Jackie Robinson thing, so all players and coaches on both the Astros and Phillies were wearing nameless #42 jerseys. They were all Cheadle. This made figuring out who was up, pitching, etc nearly impossible unless I happened to recognize their face. Although, it did make me laugh a lot whenever there was somebody on base and the camera shot was of the 1st baseman, runner, and 1st base coach all in the same picture, all wearing #42. I'm not sure how exactly this honors Jackie Robinson, but I guess I just don''t understand. First, we said nobody is allowed to wear his jersey. Now we're saying everyone should wear his jersey. Makes no sense to me.
As for the Mets, they won easily against a terrible team. Their next 5 games are also against terrible teams, and there is no reason why they shouldn't come out of this 6 game stretch with 5 wins. Mainly because if they don't Eric will declare the following 48 games to be triple code red must wins and go on suicide watch. And that won't be pleasant for anyone.
Finally, last night, the rest of the Mets Baseball clan were representing at Shea, as they whiteboarded their way in, but the whiteboarding didn't end there. They somehow got a party patrolwoman's attention and got Harold into the trivia contest between innings. They then used the whiteboard to start a "HA-ROLD" chant in their section, adjoining sections, and eventually scattered parts of the stadium via the big screen. When Harold failed to answer the question correctly, the chants turned into heckles, as the entire section chanted "HAAAAAAAA-ROLD," asshole-chant style. Per Shea Stadium policies, I can only assume that Harold was awarded the same parting gift he would have received had he answered the question correctly.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Spring Is Here
We seem to have finally turned the corner weather wise, which made going to the game yesterday afternoon something I looked forward to all weekend. Beautiful weather, field box seats, and the rubber game of Mets-Braves (extra points to any Bednarsh nephews that could tell me what a rubber game is.) Also, before the game I got a call from my cousin, who subsequently informed me that her 7 year old son is a Mets' fan (she doesn't know how or why, but he says that he is) and that I must take him to a game, which I was absolutely delighted to here, as the next generation of Mets' fans in my family are now in place.
Turns out though, the weather was pretty much the only good thing going on yesterday. Yesterday's game is the type of game my mom loves because she cares more about the back and forth drama of a baseball game than its outcome. As we have already discussed, however, my mom doesn't understand baseball. Or many other things, but that's a topic for a different day.
The Mets have always struggled against John Smoltz. I have no statistical evidence to back this up, it's just a sentiment I have from watching him pitch against us for close to 15 years now. We have had some good moments agaisnt him (Piazza game-tying HR in NLCS game 6, Beltran HR in April 2 years ago when the Mets opened the season 0-5) but overall, he scares me. Yesterday was no different. Through the 1st 4 innings, he looked unhittable, with all his pitches working. The Mets were down 3-1 and Glavine was out of the game, headed for the loss. But when the Mets exploded for 5 runs off Smoltz in the 6th, highlighted by a bases clearing Reyes triple (check out his projected stats on his Espn.com profile right now), this game didn't seem losable. Last year's team would not have lost this game. Ever. (As a side point, on the triple, Valentin missed the plate on the slide, was sent back to touch it by Alou, and only then did the ump call him safe. As all of this was happening, I was jumping up and down in my seat, yelling "He missed the plate. Go back." I'd like to think Alou heard me and alerted Valentin.)
Without getting too much analysis of Willie's use of the bullpen, he seemed totally clueless in the 7th yesterday. If you're gonna use Burgos there, let him pitch. Why are you pulling him after he gets the 1st 2 guys out and then allows one guy on due to a bad defensive play by Green? And if you're gonna go righty-lefty there, then really go righty-lefty. How is Schoenweiss still in the game to pitch to Renteria?
The last point I want to make is that David Wright looks totally lost. He's playing terrible defense and can't do anything at the plate. He's already struck out 18 times in 17 games and he seems to be going down looking more than I can ever remember. I'm not sure what the answer is, but maybe Willie should sit him down for a day or two to let him get a break and maybe clear his head. We need the David Wright we've come to expect to show up if we're gonna be able to get where we want to be this season.
So I dropped to 1-2 on the year (0-2 at Shea), but there was a silver lining. I got a 2007 Mets calendar, which is now hanging above my desk. Uri did not. So Uri, you've been calendared.
Turns out though, the weather was pretty much the only good thing going on yesterday. Yesterday's game is the type of game my mom loves because she cares more about the back and forth drama of a baseball game than its outcome. As we have already discussed, however, my mom doesn't understand baseball. Or many other things, but that's a topic for a different day.
The Mets have always struggled against John Smoltz. I have no statistical evidence to back this up, it's just a sentiment I have from watching him pitch against us for close to 15 years now. We have had some good moments agaisnt him (Piazza game-tying HR in NLCS game 6, Beltran HR in April 2 years ago when the Mets opened the season 0-5) but overall, he scares me. Yesterday was no different. Through the 1st 4 innings, he looked unhittable, with all his pitches working. The Mets were down 3-1 and Glavine was out of the game, headed for the loss. But when the Mets exploded for 5 runs off Smoltz in the 6th, highlighted by a bases clearing Reyes triple (check out his projected stats on his Espn.com profile right now), this game didn't seem losable. Last year's team would not have lost this game. Ever. (As a side point, on the triple, Valentin missed the plate on the slide, was sent back to touch it by Alou, and only then did the ump call him safe. As all of this was happening, I was jumping up and down in my seat, yelling "He missed the plate. Go back." I'd like to think Alou heard me and alerted Valentin.)
Without getting too much analysis of Willie's use of the bullpen, he seemed totally clueless in the 7th yesterday. If you're gonna use Burgos there, let him pitch. Why are you pulling him after he gets the 1st 2 guys out and then allows one guy on due to a bad defensive play by Green? And if you're gonna go righty-lefty there, then really go righty-lefty. How is Schoenweiss still in the game to pitch to Renteria?
The last point I want to make is that David Wright looks totally lost. He's playing terrible defense and can't do anything at the plate. He's already struck out 18 times in 17 games and he seems to be going down looking more than I can ever remember. I'm not sure what the answer is, but maybe Willie should sit him down for a day or two to let him get a break and maybe clear his head. We need the David Wright we've come to expect to show up if we're gonna be able to get where we want to be this season.
So I dropped to 1-2 on the year (0-2 at Shea), but there was a silver lining. I got a 2007 Mets calendar, which is now hanging above my desk. Uri did not. So Uri, you've been calendared.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Wastin Away On The Streets Of Philadelphia
I always get enjoyment in situations where there is a very prevalent stereotype of certain groups of people and then those people continually exhibit behavior that further perpetuates that stereotype. For example, the way I always hear stories about Stern girls decorating their friends' doors when they get engaged, taking classes about marriage, and breaking the floor in Belfer during a chagigah. Well, in the case of Philadelphia sports fans, I can honestly say that their reputation as absolutely awful human beings gets reinforced for me every time I attend a sporting event in this town.
I went to the game with Eric tonight and we sat a few rows behind the left-center field fence, which gave us a very different and unique perspective on a baseball game. We had a great view of both of Alou's home runs and saw Aaron Rowand dive towards the wall for a fly ball about 8 feet away from us. It was definitely a good change of pace. But back to Philly fans and why they suck...
It seems like there is a significant number of people in this city that would describe this as a fun night out: get totally hammered, go to the game, and harass people for no reason. For most of the early parts of the game, we sat quietly and kept to ourselves, clapping at times when something good had happened. For some reason though, some of the fans in our vicinity declared that we were homosexuals. They then demanded that we orally pleasure them. One might suggest that this unusual request indicates that they are, in fact, the homosexuals, but I don't want to make allegations. They also seemed to think that the fact that I was wearing a Reyes jersey was very comical and unusual and began addressing me as if I was actually Jose Reyes (and as if I was the 1st person ever to wear a player's jersey to a sporting event.) At one point they were yelling something at me during a pitch while Reyes was in the process of stealing 2nd. I waited until the play concluded with Reyes standing safely on 2nd and then turned around and asked them to repeat their question, as I was unable to hear it the 1st time, since I was too busy stealing 2nd.
Towards the end of the game, the elderly gentleman in front of us started hurling profanities at us and seemed to be extraordinarily proud of the fact that the seats he was sitting in were his own season tickets, taunting us about the fact that surely we could never acquire such high-caliber seats at Shea or any other ballpark. The face value on the seats was $22. He proceeded to mock Shea, saying "that place is such a dump, I wouldn't even take a shit in the parking lot." I asked him what would inspire him to ever take a shit in any parking lot, explaining that such behavior was disgusting and probably illegal.
Finally, the activity that bothers me most of all, and it is something I have witnessed not only at Phillies' games but also at a Dave Matthews concert here last December, is the constant barrage of E-A-G-L-E-S chants that spurt out at every non-Eagles game event that occurs in this city. It absolutely drives me crazy and I am happy that my days of living in this city, EAGLES chants and all, are soon coming to an end.
On another note, RANGERS HOCKEY, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. I will be attending the game tomorrow night as we get our brooms out and try to sweep the Thrashers the way the Mets swept the Phillies in their series tonight.
I went to the game with Eric tonight and we sat a few rows behind the left-center field fence, which gave us a very different and unique perspective on a baseball game. We had a great view of both of Alou's home runs and saw Aaron Rowand dive towards the wall for a fly ball about 8 feet away from us. It was definitely a good change of pace. But back to Philly fans and why they suck...
It seems like there is a significant number of people in this city that would describe this as a fun night out: get totally hammered, go to the game, and harass people for no reason. For most of the early parts of the game, we sat quietly and kept to ourselves, clapping at times when something good had happened. For some reason though, some of the fans in our vicinity declared that we were homosexuals. They then demanded that we orally pleasure them. One might suggest that this unusual request indicates that they are, in fact, the homosexuals, but I don't want to make allegations. They also seemed to think that the fact that I was wearing a Reyes jersey was very comical and unusual and began addressing me as if I was actually Jose Reyes (and as if I was the 1st person ever to wear a player's jersey to a sporting event.) At one point they were yelling something at me during a pitch while Reyes was in the process of stealing 2nd. I waited until the play concluded with Reyes standing safely on 2nd and then turned around and asked them to repeat their question, as I was unable to hear it the 1st time, since I was too busy stealing 2nd.
Towards the end of the game, the elderly gentleman in front of us started hurling profanities at us and seemed to be extraordinarily proud of the fact that the seats he was sitting in were his own season tickets, taunting us about the fact that surely we could never acquire such high-caliber seats at Shea or any other ballpark. The face value on the seats was $22. He proceeded to mock Shea, saying "that place is such a dump, I wouldn't even take a shit in the parking lot." I asked him what would inspire him to ever take a shit in any parking lot, explaining that such behavior was disgusting and probably illegal.
Finally, the activity that bothers me most of all, and it is something I have witnessed not only at Phillies' games but also at a Dave Matthews concert here last December, is the constant barrage of E-A-G-L-E-S chants that spurt out at every non-Eagles game event that occurs in this city. It absolutely drives me crazy and I am happy that my days of living in this city, EAGLES chants and all, are soon coming to an end.
On another note, RANGERS HOCKEY, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. I will be attending the game tomorrow night as we get our brooms out and try to sweep the Thrashers the way the Mets swept the Phillies in their series tonight.
Monday, April 16, 2007
If The Rain Comes, They Run And Hide Their Heads
There has been no Mets Baseball (yeahhhhhh) the last 2 days because it has rained. That makes me sad. I do not enjoy watching the puddles gather rain. And I would never complain that there's no rain. Rain is only good in Israel. Or as a Mortal Kombat character.
So what have I been up to since there hasn't been any Mets Baseball to follow? Mainly, 2 things: I have watched "The Devil's Advocate" and I have watched hockey. Amazingly, one of these 2 things was academic in nature. I surveyed a couple other Mets' fans to see how they were spending their days off. Harold spent Sunday taking a series of naps, while Eric "went shopping and then did nothing." It seems we all have very exciting lives when the Mets miss a couple days. Hard to believe any of us survive the winter.
I didn't see either of the games this weekend because I am shomer Torah U'Mitzvos. (Or at least I was this past Shabbos [at least with respect to watching the Mets game]) Therefore, I don't have much to say about them. I was a little disappointed that they only came away with 1 win out of the Nationals series, as I expected at least 4 or 5, but what can you do. Pelfrey wasn't remarkable in his season debut, but it was good to see him pitch decently and get his feet wet. I think he is a very key part of the rotation this year, and has the young, strong arm that could potentially give the bullpen a needed break after getting a lot of action in Glavine/Duque starts.
Going to the game tomorrow night here...hopefully. That should be a pleasant experience. Sporting events in Philadelphia always are.
So what have I been up to since there hasn't been any Mets Baseball to follow? Mainly, 2 things: I have watched "The Devil's Advocate" and I have watched hockey. Amazingly, one of these 2 things was academic in nature. I surveyed a couple other Mets' fans to see how they were spending their days off. Harold spent Sunday taking a series of naps, while Eric "went shopping and then did nothing." It seems we all have very exciting lives when the Mets miss a couple days. Hard to believe any of us survive the winter.
I didn't see either of the games this weekend because I am shomer Torah U'Mitzvos. (Or at least I was this past Shabbos [at least with respect to watching the Mets game]) Therefore, I don't have much to say about them. I was a little disappointed that they only came away with 1 win out of the Nationals series, as I expected at least 4 or 5, but what can you do. Pelfrey wasn't remarkable in his season debut, but it was good to see him pitch decently and get his feet wet. I think he is a very key part of the rotation this year, and has the young, strong arm that could potentially give the bullpen a needed break after getting a lot of action in Glavine/Duque starts.
Going to the game tomorrow night here...hopefully. That should be a pleasant experience. Sporting events in Philadelphia always are.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)