Since my first entry last week, The Metsies have a record of 4-2. Those four wins came as the second half of an 8-game winning streak, which means they've won eight out of their last ten games. Now, sure, that means they've lost two games in a row, put it's important to keep this in the proper perspective; after all, if a team wins eight out of ten all season long, well, they'd win something like 128 games, and that's just not possible.
So why is it that, if you read the Daily News and other papers, you'd think the situation is much worse than it is?
Because the two losses were to the Phillies, and because they happened with Pelfrey and Santana on the mound. Apparently, to the New York media, this is a sign of the apocalypse.
I disagree. Pelfrey had been pitching spectacularly, winning four games already. You knew he was due for a loss. Likewise, even an ace like Santana is going to have a bad game; he can't be perfect 33 games a year. Hell, he can't even be good 33 games a year. It just isn't possible. Does it suck, then, that both of these guys had their inevitable bad games back-to-back? Sure. Does it suck doubly hard that it happened to those rat-bastard Phillies? Of course. Is it even worse that it happened with Halladay and Moyer going for the Phils? Yeah, because they shut the Mets offense down pretty successfully.
But here's the thing. The Phillies know they can beat the Mets. The Mets know it, too. It's been happening fairly routinely for the last two years. However, Friday night, when the Phils didn't have one of their aces starting, Jon Niese went out there and shut the Phils down, and the Mets' bats beat the crap out of them to win, 9-1. For the first time in awhile, the Mets showed that they can beat the Phillies, who won't always have their aces on the mound; the Mets aces won't always have bad games against the Phillies, either. These two teams still have something like fifteen more games to play against each other before it's all said and done. Plenty of time for the Mets to show they can beat them over and over.
After only the first month of the season, being only half a game out of first place isn't a bad thing, and two losses aren't reasons to go jumping off of any bridges.
There's still a lot of baseball left.
The ESPN dickheads were quite enjoying the "end of the Mets' hot streak." Because losing 10-0 after winning 9-1 means you're cold.
ReplyDeleteLast night was an off night. Every pitcher has them once in a while. You just hate seeing one against one of your biggest rivals.
Have we used up our quota of ESPN games? I can't stand those jackasses... except, surprisingly, Orel Hershiser, who isn't that bad.
ReplyDeleteThe Bulldog is a competitor and he respects people and teams.
ReplyDeletePlus, he's named after a sexual act that doesn't count as relations.
ReplyDeleteYou know the Mets have been on Sunday Night Baseball like every other week so get used to them. I agree with you on the media. The only sportswriter that I read on a consistent basis is Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog.com and he's a blogger! hehe
ReplyDeleteP.S I miss listening to Bob Murphy on the FAN! He had the best play by play voice!