IGT 10/1/10 - October baseball at Citi Field!!! WAS at NYM

[Chad ochoseis]

Last time I started an IGT, I think the Mets were in first place...

LET'S

[bmfc1]

[Lefty Specialist]

[bmfc1]

[u:p2yibli0]METS:[/u:p2yibli0]
Reyes-SS
J. Feliciano - RF
Pagan-CF
Davis-1B
Duda-LF
Hessman-3B
Thole-C
Tejada-2B
Misch-LHP

[u:p2yibli0]Nationals:[/u:p2yibli0]
Espinosa-2B
Morgan-CF
Desmond-SS
Dunn-1B
Morse-RF
Rodriguez-C
Maxwell-LF
Gonzalez-3B
J. Zimmermann-P

Edited October 1, 2010 by Guest

[bmfc1]

I'll move this if a KTE appears. From [u:2xxaap1r]The Washington Post[/u:2xxaap1r] on the significance of this series:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It would be easy and generally accurate to call these three games this weekend at Citi Field between the Mets and Nationals "meaningless." The Nats have pretty much been out of it since June, and the Mets bowed out of contention not long after the all-star break. They are not expecting large crowds.

Then again, in sports you attach to the games whatever meaning you want. If you are a Nationals fan with abiding hatred for all things orange and blue, then this series is what you've waited since April for -- the Nats can clinch a season series win over the Mets by taking two this weekend.

There are other ways to find some meaning in these games for the Nationals, and here's a rundown:

*With two wins, the Nationals will reach the 70-win plateau. The difference between 69 and 70 is virtually cosmetic, but there seems to be at least some significance in upping that first digit.

*With a sweep, the Nationals will finish 71-91 to tie the 2006 edition for the third-best record since baseball returned.

*The Nationals enter the weekend deadlocked with Manny Acta's Cleveland Indians, who are riding a six-game winning streak. To finish ahead of their former manager's team, the Nationals need to fare better against the Mets than the Indians in their three games at the White Sox.

*If the draft was today, the Nationals would pick sixth overall. If they win one game, the Nationals will guarantee at least a share of the league's sixth-worst record with the Royals. They cannot catch the Cubs, who have the majors' eighth-worst record at 72-86. The Nationals will draft sixth or seventh, depending on how they and the Indians finish this weekend.

*Adam Dunn is sitting on 38 home runs and needs two more to reach 40 for the sixth time in seven years. Dunn famously hit 40 on the nose for four straight seasons before he hit 38 last season; maybe 38 is the new 40 for Dunn. Dunn is four home runs behind Albert Pujols for the National League lead and one ahead of Joey Votto.

*Dunn has already tied a career-high with 195 strikeouts and needs five more for 200.

*The Nationals are tied for the major league lead with 124 errors. They need fewer errors than the Pirates or two fewer than the Cubs this weekend to avoid leading the league for the second straight season.

*With a win, Tyler Clippard will clinch the outright team lead. He has 11, and Livan Hernandez, who is second on the Nats with 10, will start Sunday's season finale. Clippard needs one win to tie Estaban Loaiza for second in Nats history for wins in a season and two to pass him.

*Clippard is five strikeouts behind Hernandez for the team lead.

*Clippard needs to pitch two more innings than Colorado's Matt Belisle to lead the majors in relief innings.

[ashie62]

[Frayed Knot]

That Clippard, a reliever, is at or near the top in team wins and Ks says a lot about the Nats pitching overall.
That Livan is fighting him for those leads says even more.

Strasburg - called up late, then hurt
Zimmermann - recovering all season, just called up recently
CM Wang - was going to start contributing in May, then June, then ... well probably never.
Marquis - FA acquisition who wasn't good, then got hurt, now is back ... sort of. Big bullet dodged by Mets last winter
Lannan - ehh

[Chad ochoseis]

If you are a Nationals fan with abiding hatred for all things orange and blue, then this series is what you've waited since April for -- the Nats can clinch a season series win over the Mets by taking two this weekend.
[/quote:a2860ca1]

Are there rabid Met-hating Nats fans out there? Is there some sort of Mets-Nationals rivalry of which we've been blissfully unaware?

I've been to Nats Park twice, both times decked out in a Mets cap and the FAFIF retired numbers t-shirt, and all I've gotten from Nats fans are puzzled looks and the occasional "I know 37 is Seaver, but who's 14? Tug McGraw?"

[Willets Point]

When I went to a Nats game at RFK the Nats fans were pretty obnoxious. Actually, the only places I've seen Mets fans treated rudely are Washington and Baltimore. I've worn my Mets cap in Boston and Philly with no problem. Must be something about the Chesapeake region.

[Frayed Knot]

I think it's more just a 'let's beat the big city boys' kind of thing more than it has anything to do with NYM personnel in particular.
That kind of stuff counts as progress for a young and struggling team.

[Gwreck]

I've worn my Mets cap in Boston and Philly with no problem. Must be something about the Chesapeake region.[/quote:1p55z8p0]

Have you been to Citizens Bank Park for a Mets-Phillies game in the past 5 years?

[Ceetar]

I've worn my Mets cap in Boston and Philly with no problem. Must be something about the Chesapeake region.[/quote:2ugsflyk]

Have you been to Citizens Bank Park for a Mets-Phillies game in the past 5 years?[/quote:2ugsflyk]

Probably not. in early 2007 in Citizen's Bank all I got was snickers for my Mets at, at worse. but since then it's vile.

I think the Nats and Phillies have somewhat of a rivalry, since they're a bit closer.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I was last at Citizens Bank Park in mid-2007, and it was vile. I went "undercover" in a Brooklyn Dodgers cap, but the people in Mets caps were getting a hard time.

I can't see myself going back there.

[Ceetar]

crowd aside, Citi Field's nicer anyway.

and has better food.

[Ceetar]

Today is 38 in binary. so that's how much the Mets are going to score.

[Willets Point]

Via twitter

Ike Davis ties Ron Swoboda for second place on the #Mets rookie home run list with his 19th home run.

and

Davis also ties Ty Wigginton for second place on the Mets rookie RBI list with 71. Darryl Strawberry is first with 74 RBI.

[Willets Point]

Straw's rookie home run record of 26 is safe, but lets get some runners on base in front of Davis this weekend.

Also, swing & a Misch. Pat Misch has a career high 9 strikeouts.

These are the things we watch for, people!

[Willets Point]

What if I were the last Mets fan left?

[Willets Point]

Misch vs. Mench.

[Willets Point]

David Wright's first pinch hit of the season is a long out.

[Willets Point]

If these teams were actually competing for something, this would be a breathtaking pitching duel.

[Guest Edgy DC]

They're competing for hearts and souls.

[Willets Point]

Free baseball.

They don't want the season to end either.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Nice to tune in and get no Howie.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Tak gets his fourth K in two innings.

I'm open to the prospect of him starting.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It'd be nice to continue payback on Tyler Clippard.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It'd be nice to continue payback on Tyler Clippard.[/quote:2kyy3v6o]


Like I said! Kabammoroomie

[Willets Point]

Josh Thole walkoff homer!

[Willets Point]

Put it in the books!

[Willets Point]

We have a Happy Recap!