Mets 5, Phillies 0 (23-22, 2 GB)

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Here's what I love so much about the Mets doing so well. Last night after the Mets win, I called to my wife in the other room (where she had watched 'American Idol' and '24', knowing the importance of not switching the other TV during the Mets game), "On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you about the Mets right now?"
Her reply - "8".
I said to her, "I mean with 10 being the highest."
"Yeah", she says. "8". This, from a Red Sox fan. Granted, she knew I was a 10, so her number should be fairly high, but an 8! She could have said 5 and I would have been happy.
Also, my friend Steve, usually pessimistic about all things Mets, Jets, and Rangers tells me last night: "I'm optimistic right now. Enjoy it while it lasts."
And this on Monday from my sister's boyfriend James, usually slightly less negative than Steve: "...I hope this isn't too premature, but Tom Glavine is starting to look like a Cy Young candidate". (I echo that sentiment, but in case that quote jinxes Glavine, I want it to be traced to James, and not me.) Winning breeds confidence. I love it. And here's what I'm tired of - this from today's New York Daily News:

"Who would have believed this? It's almost Memorial Day and the Mets are within two games of first place."

I WOULD HAVE BELIEVED THIS!! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR TWO MONTHS ALREADY!!

OK. Now to last night's game. I love these little 2-out rallies the Mets have been stringing together lately. Last night's came in the 3rd inning, when with two outs, Danny Garcia and Cliff Floyd get on, setting up RBI singles by Mike Piazza and Shane Spencer. That's winning baseball. And Piazza is looking great right now - he also homered last night. (Floyd added the insurance runs with a 2-run double off Rheal Cormier in the seventh - a pitcher he hadn't gotten a hit off of in 14 career plate appearances before last night.)

The Mets also played well on defense, one play notwithstanding. In the fifth, after allowing men on first and second, Steve Trachsel (5-3) got the next three in a row. Jason Phillips (catching) made a nice play getting the force at third on a sac bunt attempt, then Trachsel got a pop-out and a ground out to retire the side.
In the seventh, Trachsel was getting into a high pitch count, and with two outs and runners on first and second, he got a grounder to third base that should have ended the inning. That's when Ty Wigginton dropped the ball trying to throw it to first. Now here's the weird thing. Trachsel gets pulled for Stanton with the bases loaded and two out, leading 3-0. Despite the early struggles by the bullpen, I was never nervous about the Mets blowing their lead. I felt they were going to get out of it. I guess it's like I said before - winning breeds confidence.
So the Mets win the game 5-0.

Now some notes: After Piazza was pulled from the game I thought it was funny how he gives everyone in the dugout a high-five, and when he gets to Kaz Matsui, he gives a little bow. (Kai-tow?) I'm pretty sure I've seen other players do that with Japanese teammates, perhaps even the Mets when they had Tsuyoshi Shinjo, but it's just plain better when you see Mike Piazza doing it...Here's a possible new feature I'll do every day - the ex-Mets update. Today it's relevant to the current Mets' situation. Remember Paul Wilson, the number one overall pick from 1993, I think? He's now 7-0 on the season after beating the Marlins last night. Due to him, the Mets are 2 games back. Always knew he'd help the Mets get into first place...Karim Garcia has been continuing to play well (over the weekend he made a nice leaping catch against the wall), and I continue my campaign to get him traded. And now I make another case for the trade of Garcia - his trial for the bullpen fight in last year's ALCS is scheduled to begin here in Boston on October 26th. The Mets can't be worrying about Garcia's court dates coinciding with Game 3 of the World Series - get rid of him...The Mets sent down Tyler Yates. They're going to try to turn him from a starter into a reliever. And Ricky Gutierrez cleared waivers and is a free agent. So ends the Gutierrez era. (I still like him better than Karim Garcia.)