Kinda busy, kinda distracted. Mets score a run in the top of the first on no hits, I hear out of one ear. That’s nice, I think. But why didn’t we get any hits?
Three straight Pirate hits and the tying run right after, it is mentioned while I’m still doing something else. Damn, I think, that’s not good. Gee must not have it. He was bound to not have it eventually.
A single here, a single there. One by our Jose, one by their Jose. Each erased on a double play. Is it still tied? It is? Gee still in there? He settle down? What about Charlie Morton? Is he really going that well after last year going so poorly?
Is there any way I can use “Morton’s Stake House” as a headline tonight if we win and not have people think I can’t spell steak? And what does that even mean?
Not concentrating, still have things to do. Still kinda listening, kinda not.
Wayne, get to the point of your Three Rivers press box story already. I’m sure there is none.
Pagan doubles. That’s good. What’s that? He scores? So now we’re winning, right? The Pirates never did get more than that one run in the first. I guess Gee doesn’t not have it after all.
Duda did something? And now he scores? We’re up 3-1? This is a better game than I thought.
Tejada does something good. Tejada always does something good. How is it I was seemingly the only person in the world who wanted Ruben Tejada playing second base for this team this year from the get-go? Don’t wanna make it about me, but damn it, I was right to love this kid from the start.
Then again, I thought Tim Bogar and Luis Rivera got raw deals in 1994, so what do I know?
Hey, Reyes beat out a weird hop or something. So, what, the bases are loaded?
Turner…isn’t he slumping? Oh well, he couldn’t keep it up forever. Hey, Turner singled home two more runs! Guess he isn’t slumping. Where’s Reyes in all this? Scoring, that’s where. What is it now?
Mets 6 Pirates 1. Hey, I gotta start paying attention.
Pagan triples and scores. It’s 7-1. Time to sit down and focus. Lemme just find something to microwave.
Did Gary say Reyes homered? Sonofagun, Reyes homered! It’s 8-1! And it wasn’t like Reyes was trying to homer, so we can enjoy it, right? Reyes will be 28 tomorrow. Can everybody stop treating him like he’s 14?
Man, they gotta keep Reyes.
Gee’s still in there, huh? Gee gave up three hits to start the game and I assumed he was running out of luck. He’s not running out of anything, even gas. He’s gone seven and has gotten more effective.
Eight-one. This is great. Beltran’s being taken out for a pinch-runner up seven runs. You sure, Terry? Is a seven-run lead safe at PNC Park? It wasn’t safe for the Pirates at Citi Field. Don’t we usually find a way to blow these here? Maybe not.
Hey, look at Beltran with that big smile on his face talking to Duda. Didn’t I see something like that earlier in the season or maybe last September? Those two have a bond. Duda’s like the only Met who makes Carlos light up like that. Keith just said something about “that’s veteran leadership.” It’s not just two guys having a good time ’cause their team’s winning by seven runs?
Jason Bay’s not playing. I don’t miss him at all.
Gee in trouble, a little. Two on but two out and — and there’s a seven-run lead in the eighth. Calm down. Gee gets out of it by getting Xavier Paul to ground out. Pirates have had more Xaviers than anybody the last few years.
He probably isn’t gonna pitch the ninth. Nobody ever pitches the ninth. No Met starter, anyway. I wish everybody studied as many old box scores as I do just to appreciate how everybody used to pitch the ninth.
Jack Fisher was better than people probably realize, but I only look at the winning box scores, so of course I’m going to think Jack Fisher does nothing but win. And, let’s be honest: I don’t think anybody besides me walks around in 2011 thinking about how good or not good Jack Fisher was 45 years ago.
Just as well Dillon comes out. The kid was in a little trouble there before Xavier Paul. Man, if nothing horrendous happens, Gee’s gonna be 7-0. Gee hasn’t sucked since they were in Houston and he was probably trying to impress his pass list. Can somebody tell me why we weren’t supposed to take this guy seriously after he pitched so well last September?
Who’s in? Byrdak? Why not? Will Terry let him face lefties and righties with a seven-run lead? I feel like I just started watching this game and now I’m totally invested in it. C’mon Byrdak, don’t make this messy. I don’t wanna see Manny Acosta come in. I never wanna see Manny Acosta come in.
Nice slow grounder, Reyes to Tejada to Murphy…double play!
We win. That was fun.
To support Roger Hess’s climb up Denali to raise funds for the Tug McGraw Foundation in honor of his friend David, who has fought so valiantly to beat his brain tumor, please visit here.
Don’t miss Jason Bay at all? What are you talking about, he’s obviously one of the team’s most productive players. Consider the following.
Among Canadian-born Mets, he leads in HR’s, extra base hits and RBI’s (1, 4 and 5 ahead of Mike Nickeas, respectively), and is 2nd in batting average, on-base and slugging pct. Among Met outfielders named Jason, he ranks 2nd in all six of those categories. So let’s consult with Bill James, when has a player ranked that high in all those categories?
Mets doing a nice job against teams that are ahead of them in the WC race. Good sign. 2 back in the loss against Florida. Not bad.
It seems like management is learning as they go and improving instead of 2 steps up 3 steps back like previous regimes. I love the fact that Bay is benched for another Buffalo, even if it’s really temporary. I see management not waiting around for things to get better – they’re being proactive towards the roster and depth chart.
Makes for an interesting season so far.
Sure, I’m not clearing my October schedule just quite yet, but there’s no denying that there’s a liveliness to this bunch that was obviously missing for the past several seasons. It’s what happens when you give playing time to young guys who might have some upside instead of filling every hole with tired old (expensive) cast-offs. The bottom line is that they’re just more fun to watch now. I’ll take “streaky” over “boring and awful” any day.
Is it too soon to start mentioning Dillon Gee and the All-Star game yet?
Gary and Keith mentioned just that last night – 7 wins and a few more starts between now and All-Star selection time. I’ll take it a step farther and start throwing his name out there for ROY.