Best Day

[Guest SI Metman]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: How about when he tripled with the bases loaded off Smoltz at Shea, providing the tying and go-ahead runs? I know, we didn't win that game: Typical 2007 Mets. But Reyes was f-ing GOD back then.

June 15th vs Klemens and the MFY - 3-3, HR 2 RBI, BB 3 SB. Drove in both runs in a 2-0 victory to take the first game in the Bronx.

[bmfc1]

Scott Schoeneweis' BD of '07 came on September 21st. It was a clutch performance that made you wonder where it came from and why he hadn't pitched like that all season long. On the night after a long, crushing loss, Schoeneweis relieved Joe Smith with 2 out in bottom of the 8th and the Mets clinging to a 9-6 lead (by then, 3 run leads meant that the team had to cling). Two were on and Jeremy Hermedia was up but SS "struck him out!" He stayed in for the 9th and retired the side in order, including two by strikeout to earn his first save of the season as the Mets defeated the Marlins 9-6.

Next: Aaron Sele.

[G-Fafif]

For as many Best Days yielded by the Mets-Marlins series of the penultimate weekend, it's hard to believe the Mets didn't march to ultimate victory thereafter. But anyway, Aaron Sele's Best Day had to be Sunday, September 23 when, stripped of all other choices, Willie Randolph inserted the forgotten (and deservedly so) long man to attempt to preserve a one-run lead in the eleventh inning of yet another must game for the desperate New Yorkers.

Sele needed one pitch to retire the lethal Hanley Ramirez on grounder to short and two more to get Dan Uggla on a fly ball to center (nice but not impossible catch by Endy Chavez). Sele's save opportunity was cut short when Willie went to the equally improbable Scott Scheoeneweis for a lefty-lefty matchup to retire Jeremy Hermidia and escape Miami with a three-game winning streak...the most tepid three-game winning streak a clingy first-place team had ever managed, but it counted. The Mets led the Phillies by 2-1/2 back with seven games versus sub-.500 competition to go.

Somebody find Joe Smith's Best Day, OK?

[Frayed Knot]

On a July 7th game in Houston, Smith enters a tie game in the bottom of the 12th with 2 out and 2 on. After hitting Craig Biggio with a pitch (hell, everyone does that) Smith K'd Hunter Pence with the sacks loaded. He then went on to pitch scoreless/hitless innings in the 13th & 14th (1 BB + 1 more HBP) in a game the Mets eventually won in the 17th.
The 2.1 IPs constituted Smith's longest outing of the year.


Now the tough task for the next person is to figure out which one of the two Lino Urdaneta appearances represents his best day of 2007.

[Guest Edgy DC]

On May 6, the Mets ability to score in double digits at Bank One Ballpark came to a hault just when an adequate-enough Mike Pelfrey could have used some runs. Pelfrey went 5.33, giving up three runs, and Pedro Feliciano finishes up the sixth, allowing that third run score after he inherited two baserunners.

Bring on Lino to open the seventh. Lino Urdaneta, having previously given up six runs in his lone previous appearance without retiring a batter, who has endured rehabs and trips to the Mexican League in his journey back from impossibly awful, just needed one out --- even more desperately than Rodney Dangerfield needed one pin --- to lower his ERA from infinity to something tangible. He did better. He got two --- Conor Jackson and Orlando Hudson --- before being releived by Scott Schoenweis.

On a night when the Met offense unexpectedly disappeared, there was a sidebar story. Lino Urdaneta was perhaps not the worst pitcher to ever lace up his cleats. Who knew?

Surely Jose Valentin has a Best Day.

[G-Fafif]

Back when the world was young, when the Rockies were nobody in particular and the Mets were THE METS, Jose Valentin had his Best Day: April 23. Following a Moises Alou walk and a Shawn Green single, Jose Valentin walloped a three-run homer to right off Taylor Buccholz, putting the Mets up 3-0 and powering John Maine to an eventual 6-1 victory. Valentin, who added a fourth RBI on a fourth-inning sac fly, refreshed not terribly dorman memories of the previous September 18 when his two dingers and three ribbies clinched the most recent Eastern Division title. We 32,154 on hand thought it was a continuous ride.

Jason Vargas would like to hear all about his Best Day...

[Guest Mendoza Line]

Jason Vargas had a few days, and one of them must have been the best. However, there's a middle reliever sitting right there between Joe Smith and Lino Urdaneta who's currently saying (through a translator), "Hey, what about me???"

On May 16, Jorge Sosa pitched 7+ innings against the Cubs, giving up only two walks and one measly single in a rain-delayed game. He left with Cesar Izturis on first, none out and a 7-0 lead, but was charged with a run when Joe Smith allowed Izturis to score. The Mets won 8-1. Sosa was all set to be the fifth starter we sorely needed. The Mets took first place that night and stayed there for the rest of the season. Except for two days.


Back to the search for Jason Vargas's best day.

[bmfc1]

Jason Vargas only made two appearances for the '07 Mets. In the second, he gave up 9 ER in 3 1/3 against the future NL champion Rockies. In the first, he didn't pitch much better but he was part of a great day for the Mets so that qualifies as his BD.

On May 17th against the Cubs, Vargas made his Mets debut and just wearing the Mets uni qualifies as a good day, if not a BD, for anybody. Vargas pitched 7 innings and gave up 5 ER. The Mets scored 5 in the bottom of the 9th for a thrilling victory, 6-5. By "holding" the Cubs to 5 ER, and pitching 7 innings (which we learned was quite an accomplishment for Mets SPs), this day was the BD of '07 for Jason Vargas.

Enter Sandman!

[G-Fafif]

The fort had only recently been secured when Billy Wagner held it expertly. The Mets grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth against the Reds on July 14 when Billy was brought into save what had been an excellent night of pitching from Tom Glavine, hitting from Lastings Milledge and being from Ralph Kiner. With no margin for error and no way the Mets could afford to lose this kind of low-scoring game (havng lost too many of them in June), Billy went to work: Strikes out David Ross; grounds out Jeff Keppinger; pops out Ryan Freel. A 1-2-3 ninth to truly preserve a 2-1 lead. It's Billy's 19th save of the year and his Best Day.

Not nearly as much to choose from where Dave Williams is concerned...

[Guest Edgy DC]

Guillermo Wagner had two wins and 34 saves in 2007, but his best day was perhaps neither. His best day, I think, came on June 25th, as the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals came to Shea looking to avenge the thorough bashing the Mets gave them to open the season and ruin their flag-raising ceremonies. (Yes, I'd rather they ruined them by winning the pennant the previous October, but that's another tale.)

In his first start with the Cards, Mike Maroth did the job against the Mets, allowing one run in 7 1/3 innings. Jorge Sosa did his part to match MM, allowing just one of his own for six and a third. It would be a battle of the bullpen until the Mets took it in the eleventh on a walkoff homer from Shawn Greeen you might have already heard about. How did they get there? Well, two untouchable innings from Billy Wagner sure helped.

Ninth inning

One-at-bat-Met Gary Bennett pops to short. Sit down.

Career benchwarmer until this year Ryan Ludwick whiffs. Shut up.

So Taguchi fans. Against a lefty.

Get the Hell out of here!

Tenth inning

Aaron Miles flies out gingerly to left. Eat it.

Alber Pujols swings, misses, sits. Drink it.

Scott Spezio pops to the catcher Lo Duca. Pay me for it.

A thoroughly dominating performance facing nothing but righthanded hitters up there for a manager who likes to set his matchups up carefully.

Dave Williams, do that.

[G-Fafif]

Dave Williams made some small but significant contributions to the 2006 division title drive. His absence, necessitated by injury, may have been one of the hidden factors that prevented a repeat for the Mets in 2007.

He appeared in two games. Neither of them was remotely good for Dave or the Mets. But let's give him his only start of the season, July 8, a mostly moribund affair in Houston, lost to the Astros 8-3. It was nice that he had a chance after being forgotten. And he did pitch a scoreless inning, the third. Unfortunately, the first and second weren't scoreless and he didn't make it out of the fourth. Sorry Dave.

But there's a very unsorry Dave ahead. Can you pinpoint the Best Day for the Best Dave and the best Met of 2007, our Schaefer Player of the Year, the authority-embracing (or -defying) David Wright?

[Guest Edgy DC]

We have a conflict.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy DC wrote: A thoroughly dominating performance facing nothing but righthanded hitters up there...

Very good choice. I bump my Billy Best Day to Billy Second Best Day (or Billy Best Day With a Stat to Show For It).

[bmfc1]

There are a plethora of choices for David Wright's BD but I will go with May 19th against the MFYs. In a 10-7 win at Shea, Mr. Wright went 2 for 2, with 2 homeruns, 4 RBI, 3 walks. After homering in the 1st and 3d, Wright was walked the next three times up.

After the game, Wright said "it was an honor being on the same field as the Yankees, a team with such an honored tradition and a manager that has accomplished so much."

No, he didn't say that, but you believed it.

I think that's it for the Best Days. Interesting how many players had the same BD. Thanks for thinking of this thread Edgy.

Here's to even better Best Days in '08 (and may we not be able to start this thread at this time one year from now because they'll still be playing).

[Guest Edgy DC]

ON	THE METS	BY A SCORE OF	FEATURING A BEST DAY BY
4/1/2007	WON	Mets 6, St. Louis Cardinals 1
4/3/2007	WON	Mets 4, St. Louis Cardinals 1
4/4/2007	WON	Mets 10, St. Louis Cardinals 0
4/6/2007	WON	Mets 11, Atlanta Braves 1
4/7/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 5, Mets 3
4/8/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 3, Mets 2
4/9/2007	WON	Mets 11, Philadelphia Phillies 5
4/11/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 5, Mets 2
4/12/2007	WON	Mets 5, Philadelphia Phillies 3
4/13/2007	WON	Mets 3, Washington Nationals 2
4/14/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 6, Mets 2
4/17/2007	WON	Mets 8, Philadelphia Phillies 1
4/18/2007	WON	Mets 9, Florida Marlins 2
4/19/2007	WON	Mets 11, Florida Marlins 3
4/20/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 7, Mets 3
4/21/2007	WON	Mets 7, Atlanta Braves 2
4/22/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 9, Mets 6
4/23/2007	WON	Mets 6, Colorado Rockies 1	JOSE VALENTIN
4/24/2007	WON	Mets 2, Colorado Rockies 1	ENDY CHAVEZ, DAMION EASLEY
4/25/2007	LOST	Colorado Rockies 11, Mets 5
4/27/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 4, Mets 3
4/28/2007	WON	Mets 6, Washington Nationals 2	JULIO FRANCO
4/29/2007	WON	Mets 1, Washington Nationals 0
4/30/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 9, Mets 6
5/1/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 5, Mets 2
5/2/2007	WON	Mets 6, Florida Marlins 3
5/3/2007	WON	Mets 9, Arizona Diamondbacks 4
5/4/2007	WON	Mets 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 3
5/5/2007	WON	Mets 6, Arizona Diamondbacks 2
5/6/2007	LOST	Arizona Diamondbacks 3, Mets 1	LINO URDANETA
5/7/2007	LOST	San Francisco Giants 9, Mets 4
5/8/2007	WON	Mets 4, San Francisco Giants 1
5/9/2007	WON	Mets 5, San Francisco Giants 3
5/11/2007	WON	Mets 5, Milwaukee Brewers 4
5/12/2007	LOST	Milwaukee Brewers 12, Mets 3	DAVID NEWHAN
5/13/2007	WON	Mets 9, Milwaukee Brewers 1
5/14/2007	WON	Mets 5, Chicago Cubs 4
5/15/2007	LOST	Chicago Cubs 10, Mets 1
5/16/2007	WON	Mets 8, Chicago Cubs 1	JORGE SOSA
5/17/2007	WON	Mets 6, Chicago Cubs 5	RUBEN GOTAY, JASON VARGAS
5/18/2007	WON	Mets 3, New York Yankees 2
5/19/2007	WON	Mets 10, New York Yankees 7
5/20/2007	LOST	New York Yankees 6, Mets 2
5/22/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 8, Mets 1
5/23/2007	WON	Mets 3, Atlanta Braves 0
5/24/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 2, Mets 1
5/25/2007	WON	Mets 6, Florida Marlins 2
5/26/2007	WON	Mets 7, Florida Marlins 2	CARLOS DELGADO
5/27/2007	WON	Mets 6, Florida Marlins 4
5/29/2007	WON	Mets 5, San Francisco Giants 4
5/30/2007	LOST	San Francisco Giants 3, Mets 0
5/31/2007	WON	Mets 4, San Francisco Giants 2	BEN JOHNSON
6/1/2007	LOST	Arizona Diamondbacks 5, Mets 1
6/2/2007	WON	Mets 7, Arizona Diamondbacks 1
6/3/2007	LOST	Arizona Diamondbacks 4, Mets 1
6/5/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 4, Mets 2
6/6/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 4, Mets 2
6/7/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 6, Mets 3
6/8/2007	WON	Mets 3, Detroit Tigers 0
6/9/2007	LOST	Detroit Tigers 8, Mets 7
6/10/2007	LOST	Detroit Tigers 15, Mets 7
6/11/2007	LOST	Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Mets 3
6/12/2007	LOST	Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Mets 1
6/13/2007	LOST	Los Angeles Dodgers 9, Mets 1
6/15/2007	WON	Mets 2, New York Yankees 0	CARLOS GOMEZ, JOSE REYES
6/16/2007	LOST	New York Yankees 11, Mets 8
6/17/2007	LOST	New York Yankees 8, Mets 2
6/18/2007	WON	Mets 8, Minnesota Twins 1	RICKY LEDEE
6/19/2007	LOST	Minnesota Twins 9, Mets 0
6/20/2007	LOST	Minnesota Twins 6, Mets 2
6/22/2007	WON	Mets 9, Oakland Athletics 1
6/23/2007	WON	Mets 1, Oakland Athletics 0	ORLANDO HERNANDEZ
6/24/2007	WON	Mets 10, Oakland Athletics 2
6/25/2007	WON	Mets 2, St. Louis Cardinals 1	SHAWN GREEN, BILLY WAGNER
6/26/2007	LOST	St. Louis Cardinals 5, Mets 3
6/27/2007	WON	Mets 2, St. Louis Cardinals 0
6/29/2007	WON	Mets 6, Philadelphia Phillies 5
6/29/2007	WON	Mets 5, Philadelphia Phillies 2
6/30/2007	WON	Mets 8, Philadelphia Phillies 3
7/1/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 5, Mets 3
7/2/2007	LOST	Colorado Rockies 6, Mets 2
7/3/2007	LOST	Colorado Rockies 11, Mets 3
7/4/2007	LOST	Colorado Rockies 17, Mets 7
7/5/2007	WON	Mets 6, Houston Astros 2
7/6/2007	LOST	Houston Astros 4, Mets 0
7/7/2007	WON	Mets 5, Houston Astros 3	JOE SMITH
7/8/2007	LOST	Houston Astros 8, Mets 3	SANDY ALOMAR, JR., DAVE WILLIAMS
7/12/2007	WON	Mets 3, Cincinnati Reds 2
7/13/2007	LOST	Cincinnati Reds 8, Mets 4
7/14/2007	WON	Mets 2, Cincinnati Reds 1	TOM GLAVINE
7/15/2007	WON	Mets 5, Cincinnati Reds 2
7/16/2007	LOST	San Diego Padres 5, Mets 1
7/17/2007	WON	Mets 7, San Diego Padres 0
7/18/2007	LOST	San Diego Padres 5, Mets 4
7/19/2007	WON	Mets 13, Los Angeles Dodgers 9	DAVID WRIGHT
7/20/2007	WON	Mets 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 1
7/21/2007	LOST	Los Angeles Dodgers 8, Mets 6
7/22/2007	WON	Mets 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 4	CHIP AMBRES, ANDERSON HERNANDEZ
7/24/2007	WON	Mets 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 4	LASTINGS MILLEDGE
7/25/2007	WON	Mets 6, Pittsburgh Pirates 3
7/26/2007	LOST	Pittsburgh Pirates 8, Mets 4
7/27/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 6, Mets 2	JON ADKINS
7/28/2007	WON	Mets 3, Washington Nationals 1
7/28/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 6, Mets 5
7/29/2007	WON	Mets 5, Washington Nationals 0
7/31/2007	LOST	Milwaukee Brewers 4, Mets 2
8/1/2007	WON	Mets 8, Milwaukee Brewers 5
8/2/2007	WON	Mets 12, Milwaukee Brewers 4
8/3/2007	WON	Mets 6, Chicago Cubs 2	GUILLERMO MOTA
8/4/2007	LOST	Chicago Cubs 6, Mets 2
8/5/2007	WON	Mets 8, Chicago Cubs 3	LUIS CASTILLO
8/7/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 7, Mets 3
8/8/2007	WON	Mets 4, Atlanta Braves 3
8/9/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 7, Mets 6
8/10/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 4, Mets 3
8/11/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 7, Mets 5
8/12/2007	WON	Mets 10, Florida Marlins 4	MOISES ALOU
8/14/2007	WON	Mets 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 4
8/15/2007	WON	Mets 10, Pittsburgh Pirates 8
8/16/2007	LOST	Pittsburgh Pirates 10, Mets 7
8/17/2007	WON	Mets 6, Washington Nationals 2	MIKE DIFELICE
8/18/2007	WON	Mets 7, Washington Nationals 4
8/19/2007	WON	Mets 8, Washington Nationals 2
8/21/2007	WON	Mets 7, San Diego Padres 6	CARLOS BELTRAN
8/22/2007	LOST	San Diego Padres 7, Mets 5
8/23/2007	LOST	San Diego Padres 9, Mets 8
8/24/2007	WON	Mets 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 2
8/25/2007	WON	Mets 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 3	JEFF CONINE, AARON HEILMAN
8/26/2007	LOST	Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Mets 2
8/27/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 9, Mets 2
8/28/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 4, Mets 2
8/29/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 3, Mets 2
8/30/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 11, Mets 10
8/31/2007	WON	Mets 7, Atlanta Braves 1	MARLON ANDERSON
9/1/2007	WON	Mets 5, Atlanta Braves 1	PEDRO FELICIANO, MIKE PELFREY
9/2/2007	WON	Mets 3, Atlanta Braves 2
9/3/2007	WON	Mets 10, Cincinnati Reds 4
9/4/2007	WON	Mets 11, Cincinnati Reds 7	PAUL LO DUCA
9/5/2007	LOST	Cincinnati Reds 7, Mets 0
9/7/2007	WON	Mets 11, Houston Astros 3	WILLIE COLLAZO
9/8/2007	WON	Mets 3, Houston Astros 1
9/9/2007	WON	Mets 4, Houston Astros 1	PEDRO MARTINEZ
9/10/2007	WON	Mets 3, Atlanta Braves 2
9/11/2007	LOST	Atlanta Braves 13, Mets 5
9/12/2007	WON	Mets 4, Atlanta Braves 3
9/14/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 3, Mets 2
9/15/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 5, Mets 3
9/16/2007	LOST	Philadelphia Phillies 10, Mets 6
9/17/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 12, Mets 4
9/18/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 9, Mets 8
9/19/2007	WON	Mets 8, Washington Nationals 4
9/20/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 8, Mets 7
9/21/2007	WON	Mets 9, Florida Marlins 6	SCOTT SCHOENEWEIS
9/22/2007	WON	Mets 7, Florida Marlins 2	RAMON CASTRO, OLIVER PEREZ
9/23/2007	WON	Mets 7, Florida Marlins 6	AARON SELE
9/24/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 13, Mets 4
9/25/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 10, Mets 9
9/26/2007	LOST	Washington Nationals 9, Mets 6	PHIL HUMBER
9/27/2007	LOST	St. Louis Cardinals 3, Mets 0
9/28/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 7, Mets 4
9/29/2007	WON	Mets 13, Florida Marlins 0	JOHN MAINE, CARLOS MUNIZ
9/30/2007	LOST	Florida Marlins 8, Mets 1

[G-Fafif]

Nice chart action, Edgy. Puts the whole weird season into an interesting perspective.

Typo at the very top on the date of Game No. 1, says the otherwise off-duty editor type.

[Guest sharpie]

Urdaneta, Adkins, Newhan and Humber have the dubious honor of being the only players whose Best Day was part of a loss (Newhan's in a 12-3 game).