One Metstastic Word: OFFENSE

July 17, 2006

Wow. WOW, Mets! But we’ll get there.

So…pitching. Foofy. What happened to El Duque? Is it age? Just having an inconsistent season? Lowering our expectations so when he comes back with an arm of steel we’ll all coo and go ahhh? Lordy, we went through the bullpen last night. Oliver, Feliciano, Bradford, Bell, and Sanchez. One more than we’d need for a barbershop quartet. It’s a little worrying.

EXCEPT for the fact that the Mets work so darn well as a team. When one guy’s struggling, the rest of the boys are there to pick up the ball and, well, hit the **** out of it. (Oh look! We can say **** now! Helly **** ****!)

Can you believe I went this long without mentioning Cliff Floyd? Aw, my man. My man. In a recent postshow, Cliff said, and I paraphrase, "You could get three home runs in a game, but if you don’t win, it doesn’t mean jack." Cliff? I think I speak for all of us: Jack pot. You keep saying all you want is to help your team? Well, you’re working it, baby. And when they talk to you about your record against left handed pitchers? You may respond: booyakasha!

Kudos to Woodward and Cliff for early home runs, but let’s relive that delicious 6th inning now, shall we? According to the ESPN commentators (who, I’m sorry, just bore me to tears–a ten minute treatise on sunglasses? And a screen squiggly pen? That’s all you’ve got, ESPN?), it was the "biggest inning in Mets history."

• Beltran reaches first on an error and ESPN comments "This is the wrong time in the lineup to be making a mistake on defense." Okay, boring, but prescient these men are. Delgado and Wright proceed to single with two uncaught pop flies.
• Bases loaded for Cliff’s at bat, and it’s just like last year when our guy seemed to always come through in a pinch. With an arm like a cannon, he rips one far enough to get caught in the net. D-Wright pats him on the tush, Delgado pats him on the head, and Reyes happily towels him down. Two home runs and 5 RBIs for Cliff in his hometown. Does it get any sweeter? Mets are up 6-2.
• Um, yeah. It gets sweeter. Nady walks, then the Cubs’ second baseman drops the ball to flub a double play, allowing Nady to reach second with Castro on first. ESPN remarks "The Mets lead 6-5. They want more." Hmmm. Fortune tellers, are you?
• Endy Chavez singles, allowing Nady to score. It’s 7-5. Lovely Endy steals second with one out.
• Valentin gets an infield hit, then the Cubs give up what could have been another double play opportunity, stopping Castro at the plate but allowing Woodward to reach first. Valentin’s at second, Chavez at third.
• Beltran at bat. Just for drama, he loads the count to 3-2 before knocking out another Mets GRAND SLAM to bring the score to 11-5. Willie beams as he slaps Beltran’s hand.
• Ho, ho! Delgado doubles! David Wright’s up, the 13th batter of the inning! (Looks like David’s keeping that goatee neatly trimmed. Scroll down the link and let me know which look you like best!) Oh, and by the way!? ANOTHER home run! 2 more RBIs for Davey, bringing the run count to 11 for the 6th inning. Eleven!
• Cubs fans respond by throwing all their trash onto Wrigley field.
• Cliff’s up again and WALKS. Nady WALKS. Perhaps it’s the setting sun, but I swear I saw a glint off Dusty Baker’s cheek that literally looked like tears.
• Ramon Castro, our 17th at bat of the inning, pops up for the last out.

Yes, I know we should never have been down 5-2 to begin with, and granted, the Cubs are having a **** year, but this victory was a good one.

Especially since the Braves and Philies won Sunday as well. Atlanta’s starting to wake up. But let’s hope we keep up their bad dream.

xx

Z

Written by mlblogspickmeup Posted in Dailies