Remember the Maine / Fuck Yeah

John Maine did not look that sharp and Derek Lowe was looking dominant in the early goings. Things were not looking great for the Mets, but with a little help from Dodger stupidity, Maine was able to hold it together and give what was needed to help win the game and threw 4.1 innings of one run ball.


Words cannot express how ridiculous it was to watch JD Drew try to score after Jeff Kent was dead to rights at home. Yeah, Drew was hauling it and was not far behind, but he should have stopped and turned back after the ball hit home plate about a half hour before he got there.


It is impossible to not be ecstatic about last night's victory as Glavine did not have to pitch on short rest compromising their entire series and Maine was stoic as I predicted.

If nerves and the pressure were weighing on Maine, no one could tell.

“He was chill,” Floyd said. “I was like, wow, what the heck, let’s go.”

Stupid or confident...who cares. In his next start he should be much better after getting his first start out of the way. You have to give Willie credit for keeping the short leash on Maine and getting him out of there in the fifth and handing the game over to the best bullpen in the league. Randolph could have tried to squeak out five innings from Maine, but there was really no point.

On one shoulder I've got a little man saying, 'Hey, there's only two more outs to go [for Maine to get the win],' '' Randolph said. "On the other shoulder I've got the little knucklehead saying, 'Go with what you see and what you feel.' "

He pressed the right buttons last night and that includes leaving Mota in. Yeah, the Dodgers tied the game up in the seventh, but it was a bad break for Mota. Overall, the Mets kiddies showed up to play as did everyone else really.

“I mean, 4-4, seventh inning, you know, they just tied the game, give an opportunity to take the lead, I was excited,” Delgado said. “You’re facing a guy throwing 98 miles an hour, you come up with a big R.B.I., so I was pretty fired up.”

On the next pitch, David Wright blooped a double over first baseman Garciaparra that drove in Beltrán with what would be the winning run.

“For every time they scored, we answered right back or went out and shut them right down,” Wright said. “It was a game of momentum tonight, and just seemed like the momentum was going our way the majority of the night.”

Wright with three RBIs? Delgado almost setting a record? Floyd going deeeeeeep? Amazing. Last night's victory just proves why the Mets should be the favorite. Starting pitching wins championships and the Mets may not have the best rotation, but this team exemplifies what a team is supposed to be. They have had guys consistently picking each other up and unlikely stars rising to the occastion time after time.

* * *

The FSL's top 20 prospects are out and Mike Carp is a stud.

8. Mike Carp, 1b, St. Lucie (Mets)
B-T: L-R Ht: 6-2 Wt: 205 Age: 20 Drafted: Mets '04 (9)
Nobody on this top 10 boosted his stock in 2006 as much as Carp did. Unheralded after batting .256 in his first two pro seasons, he emerged as the most dangerous hitter on the league champion St. Lucie squad.

Carp showed an advanced approach for a young hitter, with excellent pitch recognition and the ability to work counts. Once he got ahead in the count, he showed the ability to drive the ball. Unlike most young power hitters, Carp looked first to use the opposite field rather than try to pull everything.

Carp was average defensively at first base, though he had a flair for making highlight plays. A former third baseman, Carp has more than enough arm for first base but sometimes has problems with accuracy. He's a below-average runner but not a baseclogger.

Carp is legit. Anytime you hear a trade rumor, you will most likely be hearing his name as one of the players the other team is seeking out.

Gaby also made the list.

13. Gaby Hernandez, rhp, Jupiter (Marlins)
B-T: R-R Ht: 6-3 Wt: 210 Age: 20 Drafted: Mets '04 (3)
Just like they have scattered throughout their system, the Marlins had some nice arms in Jupiter, with Scott Nestor, Jose Garcia and Harvey Garcia all earning mentions from FSL managers. None impressed more than Gaby Hernandez, who continued to show a strong feel for pitching, a prototypical pitchers' frame and impressive stuff after the Mets included him in the Carlos Delgado trade last offseason.

The biggest difference for Hernandez, who struggled in a 10-game stint in the FSL last year, was his improved slow curveball, which now grades out as average. He also has a 92-93 mph fastball with good movement and an average changeup that has a chance to be a plus pitch.

Hernandez threw all three of his pitches at any point in the count and he could get all three over for strikes. But while he has good control, his command is still a work in progress, as he struggles to hit his spots.

Peter Zielinski is a dick. Really, is there a need to wear a Yankee shirt to Mets playoff game? Congrats, you are a Yankee fan and an asshole. Respect the Mets and wear another fucking shirt to the game or give the ticket to someone who actually wants to see the team play.

"No, not at all," Zielinski said. "This is a New York team. I'm here to make sure the Mets win so we have a Subway Series."

Thanks for showing up to 'make sure' the Mets won.

Everyone was pumped yesterday and it's great to see.

As Cliff Floyd crossed the plate on his solo home run in the fourth inning, he thumped his chest. It was a reaction, he said, to his father. Cliff Floyd Sr. was sitting in the stands behind home plate.

"He was jumping up and down," Floyd said with a smile, and he then spoke of how the two had driven to the stadium earlier in the day.

When they parked, Floyd turned and said to his father, "I don't even know how we just got here."

Floyd shook his head after the game and said, "You're just so consumed by everything," adding that there were "a lot of out-of-body experiences" Wednesday.

Mr. Billy Wagner knew Maine would be alright.

Tom Glavine takes the mound tonight and 15-game winner Steve Trachsel probably will go in Game 3. Maine's one-run, five-strikeout outing was the arm news on this night, though, as pitching coach Rick Peterson called it "tremendous," catcher Paul Lo Duca "huge" and Virginian Billy Wagner "expected."

"He's from Virginia," the closer said with a straight face.

He wasn't joking either.

Fuck Steinbrenner.

Steinbrenner was asked if he was happy the Mets won their game yesterday afternoon to take a 1-0 lead in the NLDS over the Dodgers and responded, "Sure."

When a reporter followed up by asking if he was "scared" of the NL East champs, he fired back, "Not with the way they played today, I'm not," before climbing into his awaiting town car.

Not impressed with the Mets game #1 starter going down and throwing in a rookie to start while coming out on top? Fuck that. Fuck you. The Yankees can say all they want that they do not care what the Mets do, but they do care.


As if I didn't hate the Yankees enough, they seemingly pulled some funny business with Justin Verlander.

“I heard 10:00 start,” Verlander said. “I found it kind of suspicious Mussina wasn’t out there at all when I went out to start warming up.”

Hmm...trying to burn Verlander out a bit?

It will be Oliver Perez in game four if the series makes it that far.

Dave Williams could have been a better option. The lefty started five games for the Mets and had a good start in four of them.

"[Perez is] throwing the ball pretty well," Randolph said. "He's been up and down at times like a lot of the guys have; that's pitching. But Oliver Perez is the kind of kid who has electric stuff. At any given time, he can spin up a gem. That's what you're looking for in a situation like this.

"So, yeah, he's the best of what we have right now. That's good enough."

Pedro Martinez will be having surgery today on his arm.

Bob Raissman is not happy about ESPN's performance last night. Not happy at all. I was watching at a bar and didn't hear the audio, but it sounds like EPSN shit the bed.

Wagner was shaky, but got the job done.

"The best couple of pitches I made today were against Nomar, I was able to make him swing and miss ... and I appreciate him swinging," said Wagner, who converted his final 18save opportunities to finish his first Mets season with 40 saves in 45chances. "I think for all of us it was a huge boost that we were able to make big pitches when we had to.

The Duque is most likley done for good in 2006. That is not so swell. Do the Mets have enough pitching? I'm not sure. Sometimes I think yes because they are the most well rounded team in the playoffs, but then I just think of Oliver Perez and Steve Trachsel in the rotation and think no.

Fun with comments....from last night.

Benny said...
Lets fucking go Mets!
The team is now rested on the shoulder of Oliver Perez, lol. Jeeze louise, I don't trust him.

Guys I'm having a big wardrobe problem.
Pinstripe Beltran jersey or Black Reyes jersey for tomorrow?

Also, for whoever DOESNT have an HDTV GET ONE NOW! It kicks ass. It has been one of the best investments I've ever made.
Two problem however. The closeups on Randy Johnson's neck? Ugh god. Fucking gross. It's been one of the nastiest things I've ever seen.
Another complaint? The detail of the TV is soo good, I was actually able to see and be disgusted by Carlos Guillen's incredibly hairy chest and saw tons of hair coming out of his back and into the back of his neck.

Tough call in the shirts Benny, but I'd go with the black Reyes jersey.

As far as the HDTV, consider yourself luckly you didn't have to see Matt Laughlin in HD. He's been known to make small children cry.

As far as Guillen, hairiest guy ever....

sidd finch said...
MARTIN DOUBLES INTO A DOUBLE PLAY ??!??!!?? UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
Only seen that once before, it was a Red Sox Game.

sidd finch said...
MARTIN DOUBLES INTO A DOUBLE PLAY ??!??!!?? UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
Only seen that once before, it was a Red Sox Game.

sidd finch said...
MARTIN DOUBLES INTO A DOUBLE PLAY ??!??!!?? UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
Only seen that once before, it was a Red Sox Game.

sidd finch said...
sorry about the triple post, my machine hung up, and I kept clicking enter!

brian b said...
sidd, thats fine, that DESERVED a triple post.

Indeed it deserved the triple post.

DG said...
Anyone want to explain going with Mota for two innings?

benny said...
Mota was kept in for 2 innings so they could purposely lose the lead and have Wright show Jeter who the real Playoff Clutch man, really is!

Fucking awesome game.

DG man, it was plain to see. It's all designed to make Wright look like the real king of NY.

jake said...
swellicious.

That sums it up right there.