12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[G-Fafif]

MLB Network is running Games 3, 5 & 6 of the 1986 NLCS from noon to midnight Saturday. Perhaps the Jets and Bengals could reschedule.

[ashie62]

I'll take the Jets, but thanks

[Benjamin Grimm]

I just finished watching Game 3, the first time I had seen that game in 23 years which, since I'm 46, was half a lifetime ago.

Also, Shea Stadium was exactly middle-aged that season; it was 22 years since it had opened in 1964, and 22 years until it would close in 2008.

As the Mets quickly fell behind 4-0 in the first two innings, I found myself trying to remember how I felt at the time. Did I feel doom and gloom, or was my 1986 self confident that that extraordinary team would find a way to come back?

When Darryl hit that 6th-inning three-run homer off Bob Knepper, I jumped out of my seat, even though I knew it was coming. Lenny's walkoff homer game me goosebumps. I clapped my hands so hard I frightened the dog, whose great great great grandparents probably hadn't even been born in 1986.

As Darling struggled through the first two innings, my 2010 self was wondering how many pitches he had thrown. The announcers (Keith Jackson and Tim McCarver) never said a thing about it until after Ronnie had completed his 6th and final inning. (Jackson said, in passing, that Darling had thrown 93 pitches.) They never gave a pitch count for Knepper. And speaking of Knepper, I found myself surprised at how many batters he faced after the Strawberry homer. That was 2010 perspective again; I've grown accustomed to the quicker hook that starting pitchers get.

Seeing Hojo in the dugout congratulating Darryl after the homer seemed like an anachronism, since there have been so many times in more recent years (although not so much in 2009) that I'd see an older Howard Johnson do the same with David Wright or Carlos Delgado or Carlos Beltran.

After Dykstra's homer, they showed a shot of Shea from the air, focusing on the "Baseball Like it Oughta Be" sign along the top of the stadium. (Remember that?) What struck me was the loud thumping sound coming from Shea. How well I remember that, and how nice it was to see and hear it again.

Another flashback memory was a shot of a vendor selling those little puppets of a puppy in a Mets cap, and when you open and close its mouth the blower expands and you hear a squeaking sound. Remember those? I think my sister had one.

Boy, that was fun. What a great way to spend a cold January afternoon. I'm TiVoing Games 5 and 6, so I'll be sure to replicate today's experience two more times this winter.

[Guest Edgy DC]

What came from the sound system after the homer?

It's getting harder and harder to remember a baseball world without "Rock 'n' Roll, Part II."

[seawolf17]

Another flashback memory was a shot of a vendor selling those little puppets of a puppy in a Mets cap, and when you open and close its mouth the blower expands and you hear a squeaking sound. Remember those? I think my sister had one.[/quote:2moigvhl]
Ah, "Met Mutt." Still have mine.

[Benjamin Grimm]

What came from the sound system after the homer?

It's getting harder and harder to remember a baseball world without "Rock 'n' Roll, Part II."

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Hey, going to the 9th in Game 6 ... NOW!!!!

At this point, a crowd was gathering at the TV I was watching -- mostly guys assembling before heading off to the dining hall for dinner. Get the F out of here, I was thinking, beside myself with woe. Hopeless.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeow. A good CF sets up camp beneath Dykstra's leadoff 3B

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Terrific turns at bat by Dykstra, Hernandez and Carter. Amazin considering how easy it'd been for Knepper till now.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'd forgotten about Lanier and Dickie Thon losing their tempers here in the 9th. What a massive swing in mo.

[seawolf17]

Come on, Danny. Take a strike here.

[seawolf17]

3-2 to Heep and Dave Smith is all over the place. COME ON, Danny.

[seawolf17]

Ah, dammit, Heep. Swung at ball four twice.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Similar to Grimm, above, I'm struck by differences in sensibilities between what I see today and what I saw then.

Today, I'd be kinda mad and have a strong feeling of doom at Heep's whiff: Met teams of recent vintage have been absolutely hopeless in tied-on-the-road situations, espexcially after letting the opponent off the hook, though back in 86 I was oddly confident at least once we tied it and afaicr, not mad at Heep at all.

Seems crazy that Smith is back there in the 10th.

[seawolf17]

Similar to Grimm, above, I'm struck by differences in sensibilities between what I see today and what I saw then.

Today, I'd be kinda mad and have a strong feeling of doom at Heep's whiff: Met teams of recent vintage have been absolutely hopeless in tied-on-the-road situations, espexcially after letting the opponent off the hook, though back in 86 I was oddly confident at least once we tied it and afaicr, not mad at Heep at all.

Seems crazy that Smith is back there in the 10th.[/quote:f7y10f04]
Very true on all counts, especially the Heep-K doom. I was ten years old then, so I have no idea what I was thinking at the time, but I'd bet I was pretty confident.

And you're right on Smith too. No way he's back out there for the tenth inning in 2009. And Roger throws five innings here. No way that happens today either, not with everyone else in the pen rested.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Bottom 10th: Tremendous play by Hernandez and McDowell to get Ashby there. They made it look easy but dayum.

More perspective: McDowell throwing like a guy who's one day going to need elbow surgery.

[seawolf17]

Actually, I forgot Smith's spot was due up this inning. Considering he's their big gun, it makes sense that you give him three more outs, especially with no tomorrow, despite the wildness.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Charlie Kerfeld thinks, "If the staring pitcher is throwing as well as Mike Scott, I can start in on the celebratory booze by inning seven."

[seawolf17]

That's a great play by Ray Knight. I actually expected McCarver to refer to it as "Jeter-like," though.

[seawolf17]

Someone remind me, when I burn this to DVD later... make sure I delete that whole "best shortstops of the decade" thing, start to finish. It made my eyeballs burn.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Matt Galante coaching first base for the 'stros. Nice peg out by Carter on Bass running in the 12th.

[Frayed Knot]

That's a great play by Ray Knight. I actually expected McCarver to refer to it as "Jeter-like," though.[/quote:2gvxmwzr]

Knight had learned that play from watching film of the 12 y/o Jeter.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeow. A good CF sets up camp beneath Dykstra's leadoff 3B[/quote:18ej5ptg]

That hit amazed me more than any other in the series.
Dykstra hits it one-handed with his butt flying out and in the worst hitters park in the majors ... and it just kept carrying and carrying.
I think Hatcher was as fooled as I was by the swing, got a lousy jump and then never had a chance once he finally figured it out.

[seawolf17]

I forgot Yogi was an Astros coach.

[Guest themetfairy]

That's a great play by Ray Knight. I actually expected McCarver to refer to it as "Jeter-like," though.[/quote:3nzmjvor]

Knight had learned that play from watching film of the 12 y/o Jeter.[/quote:3nzmjvor]

LOL

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

14th: Hatcher HRs off the foul net. Just a magnificent backwards trot up the first base line. An all-timer. Then, as now, I was appreciative to him for keeping the game going.

[seawolf17]

14th: Hatcher HRs off the foul net. Just a magnificent backwards trot up the first base line. An all-timer. Then, as now, I was appreciative to him for keeping the game going.[/quote:64czg6ny]
I was/am much more appreciative to Denny Walling and Glenn Davis for keeping the game going.

[Frayed Knot]

There's the stereotypical Mexican build with the big barrel-torso which makes some look fat even if they're not ... and then there's Aurelio Lopez.
Dude was major league fat.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Jesse's scaring me here.

[seawolf17]

How much can Jesse really have left? He threw two innings last night, and I know it's the playoffs, but you have to get somebody up here.

Who else was in the pen, except Sid? Sisk?