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Greg Prince and Jason Fry
Faith and Fear in Flushing made its debut on Feb. 16, 2005, the brainchild of two longtime friends and lifelong Met fans.

Greg Prince discovered the Mets when he was 6, during the magical summer of 1969. He is a Long Island-based writer, editor and communications consultant. Contact him here.

Jason Fry is a Brooklyn writer whose first memories include his mom leaping up and down cheering for Rusty Staub. Check out his other writing here.

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You Had A Bad May

By walking off the field freshly triumphant after 13 innings, the Mets continue to provide free advertising for the most relevant blog of them all, and everything is fairly wonderful, but I'm surprisingly bugged that in his six May starts, including last night's sublime pitchers' duel, Pedro Martinez's won-lost record was 0-1.

That's not Pedro Martinez. That's maybe Pedro Feliciano. Or Teddy Martinez in mop-up duty. Pedro should have been Maydro. According to Metsblog, he posted a 2.14 ERA in the merry, merry month. How on earth is that 0-1 material? At worst, it should be 0-0-6 because I continue to be in Pedro's (or K-Dro's) Corner (or Korner) from last Friday night. He said then he didn't lose. He's right. He doesn't lose. At least he hasn't in 2006 from this vantage point.

I don't usually get caught up in pitchers' records because they're subject to so many variables. The only number that ever mattered was 20 and twenty-game winners are an extinct species in these parts; Frank Viola was our last. If starters, almost by design, almost never finish, decisions are bound to be community property with the bullpen. So why dwell on an ND when you can revel in an Endy? Besides, Pedro needn't win another game to gain induction into Cooperstown five years from the minute he retires. But he's entitled to those he's earned on our behalf.

There aren't enough words or awards to shower on this man. What he has done for this franchise is positively Keithish (the fierce first baseman, not the lovably loopy analyst). Yesterday, Lee Jenkins wasted a lot of space in the New York Times picking over the carcass of the Scott Kazmir trade as if we're all donning sea-green armbands every time he starts in St. Petersburg. I'm with the informed dissenters who are convinced that if Kazmir stayed, Pedro never would have come, that the overhaul of this team would have never taken place the way it has. When you consider where we were pre-Pedro, 2005 and 2006 to date have marked a remarkable renaissance for what was, twenty short months ago, a floundering franchise.

That's not to excuse a transaction that even I, who didn't hate it, can't defend any longer. It's just to say I like very much what's happened to the Mets since the end of 2004 and if we had to, in essence, give up a budding stud to get a transcendent one (along with a first-place future to be named not that much later), then I chalk Scott Kazmir up to the cost of doing business.

On the First of June 2006, I'm not worried about departed Devil Rays or decrepit palace intrigue. I'm not even overly overwrought about Pedro officially being 5-1 instead of the 11-or-so-0 he deserves to have next to his name…though his teammates not hitting Brandon Webb a lick is no shame. Like our ace, he was as crisp as a bag of Baked Lays. But Brandon Webb's not my cause.

Mets got the win, right?

Milledge threw out Counsell at third on a speeding bullet, right?

Jose Valentin owned second base on both sides of the ball, right?

Endy Chavez took drama lessons from David Wright, right?

Duaner Sanchez promises to take good care of Pedro's W, right?

Then all is right with the world.

10 comments to You Had A Bad May

  • Anonymous

    Now that insipid Daniel Powter song is stuck in my brain.
    I hate you.

  • Anonymous

    You and me both, sister.

  • Anonymous

    Let's face it, as my uncle, the Yankees fan, antagonistically put it: “He's washed up.”
    In the month of May, our floundering ace posted, along with his 0-1-5 record, a 2.14 ERA in 42 innings. He struck out 55, walked a whopping 6 batters, and allowed 25 entire hits, while averaging 7 innings and 1.67 runs per start. Nevermind poor run support and worse bullpen lead-maintenance; it's obviously Pedro's fault. What, he couldn't even manage an ERA under 2.00? Couldn't toss some complete game shut-outs? Couldn't hit some home runs a la Bronson Arroyo? Jesus, what a whimp.
    We need a real pitcher, like that Randy Johnson fellow. Didn't he pitch a perfect game a couple years ago? He was 3-2 in May. I think it's clear who the ace in town is.

  • Anonymous

    Probably very far-fetched, but in my mind it's really easy to see Pedro wearing a Mets hat on his plaque. Miiiiight be a case for it if we actually did achieve the impossible. Maybe? But it would be because New York is just so much more down with Pedro. I clearly recall smiling and thinking about hustling Pedro mad times today.

  • Anonymous

    If the Racket can claim Skankdom for his headgear, then Pedro might be able to earn the correct NY.

  • Anonymous

    Your uncle sounds like a cousin of the CFO where I used to work. After the Mets got Mike Piazza, he immediately theorized we would showcase him and turn him around for prospects. Yes, only the Yankees are entitled to contend.
    No offense to your relative, but what a bunch of…well, you know.

  • Anonymous

    I don't think the players have any say in what hat they wear on their placque anymore.
    Absolutely love Pedro and what he's meant to the franchise, but he pitched some of the greatest seasons in baseball history as a member of the Boston Red Sox. If he goes in with a “B” on his cap I don't think any of us should complain.

  • Anonymous

    You're right about players having limited say, but you get the sense that Clemens will bully the vertical swastika onto his plaque. He's already threatened not to show up for his induction if they don't give in. I would think that would only boost attendance.
    I'll be happy if Pedro's wear our NY on his cap when he leads the next ticker-tape parade down lower Broadway.

  • Anonymous

    Agree. B in July, NY in October, inshallah.

  • Anonymous

    You know who actually did have a good May? Mike. He hit .296 with a .367 OBP and .521 slugging. That's 4 HRs and 12 RBI in only 71 ABs. Nice to see our old backstop/living legend still has something left in the tank.