Well, rats.
It's a funny game — you go from marveling at being behind in exactly two innings to wondering how on earth the team got beat by the likes of Tomo Ohka [1]. Stifled, in fact. Well, so it goes. I'll take 8-2 for the next 10 games with nary a complaint. Meanwhile, some thoughts:
* Does Jorge Julio have options? I'm not ready to run him out of town on a rail or moan that I would have preferred more time in the lukewarm bath [2] that was Kris Benson, not with what the radar gun shows on Julio's fastball. But he's obviously all kinds of messed up and he's equally obviously a sensitive sort. The fans were booing him during Opening Day introductions (which was ridiculous, but too late for that) and Julio doesn't look like the kind of player who can keep that from getting into his head and doing all sorts of damage.
* Speaking of booing, the Carlos Beltran nastiness seems to be behind us. A week ago the stadium would have been deafening after he let that weird little dunker from Prince Fielder fall in front of him. Today the fans shrugged it off. Who says New Yorkers can't let bygones be bygones now and again?
* What exactly does Jose Valentin bring to the table? I know you're supposed to give a player 40 games before making judgments, but that can't apply to pinch-hitters. Valentin has shown absolutely nothing.
* Still, Valentin might stick around given Victor Diaz's continuing fits of dopiness, like that awful misplay last night. The way Willie looked at Diaz from the dugout, I wouldn't have been entirely surprise to see Victor immediately turn to stone. Something tells me he'll be looking at the real-estate listings for coastal Virginia before too terribly long.
* On the flip side, the chiding finger wag Delgado gave Wright after his poor throw last night was priceless, particularly with that million-watt smile of his.
* Gary Cohen gets unconditional love from me, but some SNY producer should talk to him about those shots of the booth. Every time we get one there's Gary staring at Darling or Keith like he's Superman using his X-ray vision, then turning that same laser-beam look into the camera. Frankly, it's a little creepy. Gary! Relax! You're among friends!
* Speaking of SNY, why do I have to look at Derek Fucking Jeter every half-inning? If he's not hitting against Josh Beckett in a videogame, he's trying to sell me a Ford or showing me around his “crib” or just smirking about something or other. I thought the whole idea of our network was less looking at DFJ. Instead, I probably see him for more minutes per game than Cliff Floyd. Enough. I hearby announce my boycott of all products using His Smugness as their spokestool. *
I'm gonna quit before this gets all Larry King. Ben Sheets tomorrow. Ulp.
* Since I don't play console games or have a car, I'll grant this is completely symbolic.