Memories of Duaner Sanchez

[Guest Edgy DC]

I couldn't find the "I Heart Duaner" thread. There's a lot in the archives, beginning with:

A Boy Named Seo

(Jan 31 2006)

"Duaner 'Dirty' Sanchez"

Rockin' Doc

(Apr 17 2006)

"Well, the Mets answered the call against the Braves. Pedro wins to earn career victory 200. Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner were both lights out in preserving Pedro's landmark victory."

Rockin' Doc

(Apr 26 2006)

"Duaner Sanchez then came in and pitched two strong innings of scoreless relief before turning the game over to Billy Wagner who sealed the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth."

Rockin' Doc

(May 3, 2006)

Luckily, his bullpen brethren Duaner Sanchez and Chad Bradford were up to the task and held the Pirates scorless until the Mets offense could win it.

Rockin' Doc

(May 5, 2006)

"Duaner Sanchez extended his scoreless streak for the season to 20 innings in 15 appearances. Julio finished off the ninth with a wicked display of nasty pitches."

OlerudOwned

(Aug 31, 2006)

"An article from The Hardball Times praising Minaya for:

-Bradford

-Oliver

-Duaner

-Feliciano

-Valentin

-Maine

-Endy

-Berto

-Mota

-Willams"

and pretty much ending with:

John Cougar Lunchbucket

(Aug 22, 2008)

"Duaner is about as useful as a spare tire on a frying pan these days."

Of course, he was the author of the original "I Heart Duaner thread.

Things change.

[nymr83]

I loved Sanchez when they got him and kept hoping he could recover, best of luck wherever he catches on.

[Guest attgig]

the goggles.

[Guest themetfairy]

The cab ride from Hell....

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

He should remind us of how fragile and enigmatic bullpens can be. Once in a while you get the right combination of the right guy, with the right stuff, in the right role: Sanchez was that in early 06. It was more than just him and his stuff: It was also about the energy and excitement of his emergence and the establishment of his particular character on that team, with his filthy hat, weird goggles, and mound presence, etc., all adding up to his being the perfect guy for that moment in Mets history.

But for those very reasons I thought it would be a longshot for Sanchez to be successful here post-car crash. Not because he couldn't do it physically, necessarily (tho it turned out he couldn't), but that we couldn't ever replicate the circumstances under which he thrived. He may well find success again for some other team in some other role, but I think his moment as a Met had come and long since gone.

Adios, Duaner. And thanks for all the fish.

[Frayed Knot]

]He should remind us of how fragile and enigmatic bullpens can be

Like the fact that the great 2006 bullpen was anchored by Wagner, Sanchez, Heilman, and Feliciano
as opposed to the lousy 2008 bullpen which was anchored by Wagner, Sanchez, Heilman, and Feliciano

[Gwreck]

="Frayed Knot"] ]He should remind us of how fragile and enigmatic bullpens can be Like the fact that the great 2006 bullpen was anchored by Wagner, Sanchez, Heilman, and Feliciano as opposed to the lousy 2008 bullpen which was anchored by Wagner, Sanchez, Heilman, and Feliciano

The bullpen collapse in '08 started after Wagner went down.

[Frayed Knot]

Sure, but it wasn't too great before that either.
Neither Heilman nor Sanchez (and to a lesser extent Feliciano) were anywhere near what they were in '06 and that points to the fluctuating nature of bullpens even when the personnel is more or less the same.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well true, but Sanchez was massively injured in the interim.

Chad Bradford, on the other hand, was excellent in 2006 and even better in 2008, after being moderately worse in 2007.

[Centerfield]

Billy had, what, 7 blown saves before he went down? Overall, he pitched very well, but had more blown saves than you would expect.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'll miss this. (We need some McDowelling in the bullpen/on the bench, STAT. Kielty, Parnell-- I'm looking at you.)

[Frayed Knot]

="Centerfield":3jmd4ma5]Billy had, what, 7 blown saves before he went down? Overall, he pitched very well, but had more blown saves than you would expect.[/quote:3jmd4ma5] Yeah, Billy had a near-flawless first 1/3 of the season followed by a shaky 2nd 1/3 where most of his blown saves and bad games came (sign of the injury?) before the non-existent final 1/3. But the biggest fall was Heilman's as both his walk & HR rates went through the roof in 2008 for no apparent reason.

OlerudOwned Mar 10 2009 02:48 PM

Duaner getting hurt meant the end of X-Man and the beginning of the Ollie. From an analytical standpoint, Perez is the most valuable player out the three. Otherwise, I don't know what's good or bad. Change is change, names and personalities come and go.

G-Fafif Mar 10 2009 03:06 PM

One game in mid-June (recounted a bit here[/url:sqo4ing2]) when Aaron, Duaner and Billy retired the Phillies nine up, nine down, throwing almost exclusively strikes. Ended that magical 2006 road trip 9-1 and essentially wrapped up the division. Saw some dude without goggles last season in the middle of the Tatis walkoff celebration vs. the Marlins and had no idea it was Duaner.

Fman99 Mar 10 2009 05:25 PM

Didn't he try and knock a batted ball down once by hucking his glove at it? That might've been when he was still a Dodger.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 10 2009 07:13 PM

="G-Fafif":cm9n5hc9]One game in mid-June (recounted a bit here[/url:cm9n5hc9]) when Aaron, Duaner and Billy retired the Phillies nine up, nine down, throwing almost exclusively strikes. Ended that magical 2006 road trip 9-1 and essentially wrapped up the division. Saw some dude without goggles last season in the middle of the Tatis walkoff celebration vs. the Marlins and had no idea it was Duaner.[/quote:cm9n5hc9] Nice celebration of the all-too-brief Real Duaner era over at the FAFIF, sir-- You do eulogies all too well. Rockin' Doc Mar 10 2009 08:11 PM Duaner was practically unhittable in 2006. Then came the ill fated cab ride that ended his season. He never seemed to recover from the injury and regain the form that made him a near sure thing during the 2006 season. I wish him well in the future.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Duaner getting hurt meant the end of X-Man and the beginning of the Ollie. From an analytical standpoint, Perez is the most valuable player out the three. Otherwise, I don't know what's good or bad. Change is change, names and personalities come and go.

[G-Fafif]

One game in mid-June (recounted a bit here[/url:sqo4ing2]) when Aaron, Duaner and Billy retired the Phillies nine up, nine down, throwing almost exclusively strikes. Ended that magical 2006 road trip 9-1 and essentially wrapped up the division.

Saw some dude without goggles last season in the middle of the Tatis walkoff celebration vs. the Marlins and had no idea it was Duaner.

[Fman99]

Didn't he try and knock a batted ball down once by hucking his glove at it?

That might've been when he was still a Dodger.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

="G-Fafif":cm9n5hc9]One game in mid-June (recounted a bit here[/url:cm9n5hc9]) when Aaron, Duaner and Billy retired the Phillies nine up, nine down, throwing almost exclusively strikes. Ended that magical 2006 road trip 9-1 and essentially wrapped up the division. Saw some dude without goggles last season in the middle of the Tatis walkoff celebration vs. the Marlins and had no idea it was Duaner.[/quote:cm9n5hc9] Nice celebration of the all-too-brief Real Duaner era over at the FAFIF, sir-- You do eulogies all too well.

Rockin' Doc Mar 10 2009 08:11 PM

Duaner was practically unhittable in 2006. Then came the ill fated cab ride that ended his season. He never seemed to recover from the injury and regain the form that made him a near sure thing during the 2006 season. I wish him well in the future.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Duaner was practically unhittable in 2006. Then came the ill fated cab ride that ended his season. He never seemed to recover from the injury and regain the form that made him a near sure thing during the 2006 season.

I wish him well in the future.