Benjamin Grimm

When I was a kid, there were three hallowed Yankee records that I wanted to see broken, preferably by non-Yankees: 1. Roger Maris' 61 home runs. 2. Lou Gehrig's 2130 consecutive games. 3. Joe DiMaggio's (Gummo's brother) 56-game hitting streak. (Babe Ruth's 714 would also have been on the list, but it was already in serious jeopardy by the time I started paying attention.) I would be most intrigued, I think, by an attempt at the 56-game streak, and by a run at a .400 batting average. (As long as it's not by a disliked player, like Rollins or Jeter.) Also 30 wins by a pitcher, but that seems almost impossible today with the five-man rotation. Pitchers only get a handful more than 30 starts in a season. Big save totals do nothing for me. 500 homers is no big deal anymore. (I never would have anticipated that.) And once Harold Baines got to 3,000 hits (or at least, close to 3,000 hits; I'm not even sure anymore that he made it) that number lost its magic as well.

I actually made my first visit to Citi Field this past Sunday. I had gone back and forth about it, fearing bad weather and not liking the ticket prices I was seeing. But we got last minute tickets on StubHub at a good price: $25 per seat for Promenade tickets above the infield. (Section 509, for those of you who already know Citi Field.) Nice place. There's an outdoor food court on the roof of the rotunda. My son and I got turkey and mozzarella heroes from Mama's of Corona. (I love being in New York and not having to call them "hoagies!") The business about being able to watch the game while you're at the concession stand wasn't as good as advertised. (Unless you count the SNY feed playing on the TV monitors.) For some strange reason, you can't buy ice cream on the 300 level. It's only (at least as far as I could tell) on Field Level, where the lines were ridiculous, or on 400, where only the prices are ridiculous. We posed for pictures in front of the Shea apple. That's also where the "flags" for the Mets past titles (including the NLCS losses) are displayed. They look like they're printed on bent cardboard. There's an unsightly crease about two thirds of the way down each of the flags. It's like the cardboard signs got accidentally folded at some point. I'm sure they're on corrugated steel or something instead of cardboard, but geez, they sure don't look too good from close up. We entered through the Jackie Robinson rotunda. I felt like I was in a famous place, because I had seen the sketches, and later, the photos, for so long, but I wasn't at all tempted to linger. I caught the silly blue 42 out of the corner of my eye. My daughter wants to check it out next time we go, so I'm sure we will. The kids participated in the Mr. Met Dash after the game, so we got to re-enter the stadium through the bullpen gate and walked past the actual bullpens as we went out onto the field. They then had us exit through a tunnel on the third base side. (I think that's the tunnel from whence umpires emerge twirling their fingers after home runs.)

I'm not at all jacked. I didn't care much about Glavine's either, and he did it as a Met. (And I'm not one of the Glavine haters.) I cared about Seaver's. And if someone else comes along who got a significant number of wins as a Met, then I'd be more interested. But 46-year-old Randy Johnson? Yawn.

Well, May is done, now let's start on June. Voting for Monday night's loss to the Pirates in Pittsburgh will close some time on Thursday. Not many votes yet (it was a horrible discouraging loss) but if you still want to chime in, please try to do so today. (And NO, no negative votes for J.J. Putz.) Schaefer POTG 6/1/09 - Pirates 8, Mets 5

I also like "F-Bomb." Or we can combine the two, and call him Fart-Bomb. I'm sure that would make his mother proud.

1970. It's the third 1970 card in the "series." There's also a Brian Stokes and another commemorating Game 1 of the 2006 NLDS.

If he keeps his bat speed, he can prolong his career by DHing or First Basing. (I prefer the latter, because I'd like to see him stay with the Mets beyond his current contract.)

SCHAEFER METS PLAYER AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH, MAY 2009 The Schaefer Mets Player of the Month for May 2009 is DAVID WRIGHT. David totaled 23.72 Schaefer points for the month, finishing 2.59 ahead of runner-up Carlos Beltran. He led the Mets in May in the following offensive categories: At Bats (98), Batting average (.378), On-base Percentage (.479), Hits (37), Triples (2), Runs Batted In (22), Walks (19), Strikeouts (23), Stolen Bases (9), and Caught Stealing (5). His .561 Slugging Percentage was third on the team, behind Gary Sheffield (.591) and Carlos Beltran (.562). This is the seventh time that David has been Player of the Month. (He's also been Player of the Year three times, from 2005 through 2007.) May was an outstanding month for Mets starting pitchers, with all four of the team's primary starters holding opponents to an ERA of less than 3.00. In a month with a lot of quality, it was a bit of extra quantity that put MIKE PELFREY over the top and earned him the Schaefer Mets Pitcher of the Month award for May. Pelfrey led the Mets with 40 innings pitched and only John Maine equaled his 6 starts. All four Mets starters, however, deserve to have their stats recognized in this thread: Mike Pelfrey 2-1, 2.92 ERA, 17 SO, 10 BB. (18.97 Schaefer points)Johan Santana 4-1, 2.43 ERA, 42 SO, 11 BB. (18.05 Schaefer points)John Maine 4-1, 2.75 ERA, 26 SO, 20 BB. (17.46 Schaefer points)Livan Hernandez 3-0, 2.70 ERA, 19 SO, 8 BB, 1 CG. (15.78 Schaefer points)This is the second time that Mike Pelfrey has been the Pitcher of the Month. His previous win was in July of last year. And the Schaefer Mets Relief Pitcher of the Month is, for the first time, FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ. Frankie had 10 saves in 16 appearances in May, with an ERA of 0.00. (He allowed 3 unearned runs.) In 16 innings, Rodriguez struck out 15, walked 7, and allowed 9 hits. The Relief Pitcher of the Month award was inaugurated at the beginning of the 2008 season, with Billy Wagner winning in April. This month marks only the second time that the Mets' official "closer" has won the award. In the remaining months of 2008, the award was won by Scott Schoeneweis, Duaner Sanchez, Aaron Heilman, and Brian Stokes. Month-to-date totals for May 2009 Through game of May 31, 2009 RankNamePoints1David Wright23.722Carlos Beltran21.133Mike Pelfrey18.974Gary Sheffield18.095Johan Santana18.056John Maine17.467Livan Hernandez15.788Omir Santos12.459Francisco Rodriguez10.7710Daniel Murphy8.8611Fernando Tatis7.5411Luis Castillo7.5413Jos� Reyes7.1713Carlos Delgado7.1715J. J. Putz6.9416Ramon Castro6.9217Pedro Feliciano6.5918Angel Pagan6.5319Bobby Parnell6.0420Ken Takahashi5.8721Tim Redding2.9222Jon Niese2.7623Brian Stokes2.7023Alex Cora2.7025Jeremy Reed2.6326Sean Green2.5127Fernando Martinez2.4228Ramon Martinez1.3229Ryan Church1.2930Wilson Valdez0.3931Brian Schneider0.37

VOTING FOR THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED Totals for May 31, 2009 (15 votes) New York Mets 3, Florida Marlins 2 NameTotal PointsPoints AwardedPlayer PerformanceJohn Maine58.103.87(W) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO.Francisco Rodriguez15.701.05(Sv) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO.Omir Santos15.011.001-3, 2B, RBI.Fernando Martinez14.640.981-3, R, 2B, RBI.Angel Pagan12.090.811-2, 2B, RBI.Pedro Feliciano11.410.761.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.Bobby Parnell8.420.560.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.Wilson Valdez5.540.371-2, R, SO.David Wright3.800.251-4, SB.Luis Castillo2.040.141-3, 2B, SO.Gary Sheffield2.000.131-4, R.

VOTING FOR THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED Totals for May 30, 2009 (11 votes) Florida Marlins 7, New York Mets 3 NameTotal PointsPoints AwardedPlayer PerformanceKen Takahashi20.991.913.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO.Angel Pagan17.751.612-4, R, 2B, RBI, SO.Fernando Martinez14.591.332-5, 2B, RBI.Sean Green7.150.651.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO.Brian Stokes6.620.601.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.Brian Schneider4.040.371-3, R, SO.Fernando Tatis3.750.341-4, RBI.Luis Castillo0.250.020-1, R.Wilson Valdez0.250.021-4.

VOTING FOR THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED Totals for May 29, 2009 (16 votes) New York Mets 2, Florida Marlins 1 NameTotal PointsPoints AwardedPlayer PerformanceMike Pelfrey62.083.887.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO.Omir Santos43.342.712-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB.J. J. Putz14.950.931.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.Gary Sheffield13.280.831-4, R, SO, SB.Francisco Rodriguez11.560.721.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO.Bobby Parnell6.020.380.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO.Pedro Feliciano2.990.19(W) 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO.Ramon Martinez2.180.142-3.Carlos Beltran1.560.100-4, SO.Luis Castillo1.390.091-3, SO.Angel Pagan0.150.011-5.

My guess is it was Chris Carlin. He's the most swinelike employee of SNY that I can think of.

Or swine flu. They haven't ruled that out either.

Well, sure. I'm unhappy when the Mets lose, but I just groan and shake it off. All I know is, it works for me.

The way to make it less far-fetched (or more near-fetched) is to have the ice surface as a result of some military testing or something. When the body is discovered in the ice, the Avengers are called in to investigate.

Frayed Knot wrote: The search for Beltran continues ... Yikes. Most stomach viruses seem to go away in 24 hours or so. I wonder what's up?

="Centerfield":3od0yu6j]I don't see how it's possible to simply turn off the TV and go to sleep without missing a beat after something like this.[/quote:3od0yu6j] And yet, I did. Look at it this way: Donuts are tasty. You don't need a donut to be happy, but when you get one, you enjoy it. It's not necessary to me for the Mets to win. When they do, it's great. Like getting a free donut. But I can live a happy life without donuts. And I can also enjoy my life if the Mets don't win. I think 1986 was the threshold for me. Falling short in 1985 bothered me. But now that I have that World Championship under my belt, I'm good. 1987 didn't bother me for long, and neither did that loss to the Dodgers in 1988. Remember, this is FUN. It's not IMPORTANT. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 02 2009 02:49 PM ="Benjamin Grimm"]="Centerfield"]I don't see how it's possible to simply turn off the TV and go to sleep without missing a beat after something like this. And yet, I did. Look at it this way: Donuts are tasty. You don't need a donut to be happy, but when you get one, you enjoy it. It's not necessary to me for the Mets to win. When they do, it's great. Like getting a free donut. But I can live a happy life without donuts. And I can also enjoy my life if the Mets don't win. I think 1986 was the threshold for me. Falling short in 1985 bothered me. But now that I have that World Championship under my belt, I'm good. 1987 didn't bother me for long, and neither did that loss to the Dodgers in 1988. Remember, this is FUN. It's not IMPORTANT. Yes, I enjoy donuts. But I don't care about donuts. I don't spend long hours and prodigious amounts of money-- hours and money that could otherwise be devoted to more productive (not to mention less mercurial) pursuits-- consuming donuts. Well, not only consuming donuts but discussing the finer points of the donuts' taste, and texture, and whether or not I like the package in which they came, and what the music that plays in my favorite donut store does for digestion, and that bonding over donuts was the one way I could communicate with my mother. If I did, I think I'd feel pretty terrible if my favorite donut shop changed the recipe suddenly, or shuttered its nearest store, or fired my favorite counter guy. I mean, everything in its right place and measure and all that... but I can't divorce the "fun" part from the "caring" part. And that means, to some degree, that I'll feel a little bad when things turn out especially badly. Benjamin Grimm Jun 02 2009 03:32 PM Well, sure. I'm unhappy when the Mets lose, but I just groan and shake it off. All I know is, it works for me. Edgy DC Jun 02 2009 08:14 PM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr"]Yes, I enjoy donuts. But I don't care about donuts. I don't spend long hours and prodigious amounts of money-- hours and money that could otherwise be devoted to more productive (not to mention less mercurial) pursuits-- consuming donuts. Well, not only consuming donuts but discussing the finer points of the donuts' taste, and texture, and whether or not I like the package in which they came, and what the music that plays in my favorite donut store does for digestion, and that bonding over donuts was the one way I could communicate with my mother. If I did, I think I'd feel pretty terrible if my favorite donut shop changed the recipe suddenly, or shuttered its nearest store, or fired my favorite counter guy. I mean, everything in its right place and measure and all that... but I can't divorce the "fun" part from the "caring" part. And that means, to some degree, that I'll feel a little bad when things turn out especially badly. Jeez, no wonder my newsletter is failing. Edgy DC Jun 03 2009 07:50 AM And isn't it time for the new issue to drop? Fman99 Jun 03 2009 07:54 AM ="Edgy DC":28rds1sz]And isn't it time for the new issue to drop?[/quote:28rds1sz] Wow. I love their tagline. "All gave some. Some gave all. Others gave donuts." John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 03 2009 07:55 AM Best issue ever. soupcan Jun 03 2009 08:21 AM Um....'Dougnuts'? Edgy DC Jun 03 2009 08:29 AM Don't be such a soupcan. I have real work to do. Typos will happen. metirish Jun 12 2009 09:00 PM 6/12/2009 The Castillo game... Frayed Knot Jun 12 2009 09:01 PM This contest is over. Fman99 Jun 12 2009 09:06 PM What's worse is that YES will add this to their rotation of "classic Yankee games" to play during rainouts and such. Swan Swan H Jun 12 2009 09:35 PM The Mets have lost games before under bad circumstances - errors, bases-loaded walks issued, all sorts of stuff - and I understand that fresh wounds sting worst, but I've been watching this team since Ed Kranepool couldn't vote and I can't remember one that hurt worse. Consider: First game at that fucking sewage plant in the Bronx Punked their big-mouth starter Exposed their shabby bullpen Our golden boy beat their infallible closer While our closer popped up their 25 million dollar juicehead in the most clutch of situations And it's the Yankees. The motherfucking cocksucking evil Yankees. We hashed all of this out during the Sox series, but to me a loss to these scumbags is worse than a loss to anyone else. You disagree? I don't give a fuck. In my world this is worse than losing to the Phillies or Braves. Way worse. I know it's regular season, and compared to Beltran v. Wainwright or the Stone/Seaver/Matlack fiasco it's small potatoes, but Damn! this one hurts. MFS62 Jun 13 2009 08:20 AM Swannie, I'll ditto everything you said and add one more to what fman said. My boss is a Yankee fan. It won't have to wait for replays on YES before I have to endure the pain again. It will happen on Monday. Later Swan Swan H Jun 13 2009 09:18 AM My response to Yankee fans (and I have had to do this a couple of times already) is pretty simple - we had you beat, and you know we did. Wright beat Rivera and Frankie beat A-Rod, Joba nearly pissed himself out there, and you won on a miraculous fluke. Savor it all you want, but you know we had you. Gotta keep pushing their couple of failures in their face, hoping to distract from the hideous bottom line. I feel like Sean Hannity in October '08. Benjamin Grimm Jun 13 2009 11:31 AM Whatever argument we can make about how the Mets lost on a fluke can be made by Red Sox fans about Game 6. Swan Swan H Jun 13 2009 12:05 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":15t9dwqh]Whatever argument we can make about how the Mets lost on a fluke can be made by Red Sox fans about Game 6.[/quote:15t9dwqh] Well, the Mets had tied that one already, but otherwise I'm fine with that. Gwreck Jun 13 2009 03:41 PM Yeah, for that reason alone, that analogy doesn't work. dgwphotography Jun 13 2009 04:45 PM ="Frayed Knot":1iap5wrc]This contest is over.[/quote:1iap5wrc] So is the contest for worst loss of the decade... Edgy DC Jun 13 2009 05:04 PM Benitez 2001 is so relieved. Centerfield Jun 15 2009 08:03 AM Who said Benitez is not to blame for last Friday? Gwreck Jun 23 2009 10:09 PM It might not be top 3 but the 6/23 game (2 hits over 9 innings) is on this lsit. Nymr83 Jun 24 2009 12:21 AM ="Gwreck":1a8sk3gv]It might not be top 3 but the 6/23 game (2 hits over 9 innings) is on this lsit.[/quote:1a8sk3gv] to me its not, i'd consider the "worst losses" to involve blowing leads in spectacular fashion, failing to tie up a game despite loading the bases with nobody out, etc. when the other pitcher just shuts you down you shrug your shoulders and get ready for tommorow. i wont remember this loss soon enough. metirish Jun 24 2009 04:45 AM It's on my list. I thought it was embarrassing they way Pineiro mowed them down . I've no problem with getting shut down by an elite pitcher , he is not one of those. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 24 2009 06:49 AM Pineiro handled a healthier version of this team during the St. Louis games, so this didn't exactly come out of nowhere. "This team," by the way, was a couple of different roster moves away from starting Wily Mo Pena and Argenis Reyes. All of which is to say, I respectfully disagree-- this doesn't come close to the neighborhood of being in the vicinity of shouting distance of my list. Centerfield Jun 24 2009 07:54 AM Last night's game pissed me off, and it's about as "unfun" as a game can be, but it wasn't the kind that rips your heart out and stomps on it. I'm serious, I think this contest is over after the Castillo game. Gwreck Jun 24 2009 07:58 AM I don't disagree, but the thread title says "Losses" (ie. plural). Centerfield Jun 24 2009 08:03 AM That's true. For me, the Castillo Game, the Pittsburgh game, the Church Misses Third Game, and the Murphy Drops the Fly Ball game were all worse. I think last night would have been a miserable game to go to. But as long as I could change the channel, last night wasn't excruciating. metirish Jun 24 2009 08:05 AM I'm sure there will be worse losses and yeah the Castillo game will live long in my memory but last nights game while it didn't claw my heart out it was in my opinion a shitty loss, we waste a fine start by Hernandez and can't touch the other guy and our manager didn't paint himself in glory either. themetfairy Jun 24 2009 08:11 AM I'm with CF here. The worst losses are the Castillo-esque ones. Last night was just a bad game, but it didn't grab defeat from the jaws of victory in a heart-wrenching manner. Hawkeye57 Jun 24 2009 08:23 AM Agreed, two hitters happen every now and again and aren't always remembered. Castillo's error, missing third base, those things will probably be remembered more than a two hitter. Wouldn't rate yesterday as a huge loss, but it was tough. Gwreck Jun 24 2009 08:44 AM I'm very surprised to be so strongly outvoted here. For the record, there have been a total of three other games put in this thread: 1. Church misses third/Reed throwing error to end game (at LA) 2. Bullpen meltdown (at Pittsburgh) 3. Castillo drops flyball (at Yankees). --- I guess I missed the memo where this list was limited to 3 games. Edgy DC Jun 24 2009 08:49 AM It seems to be elusive that you're not trying to knock the Castillo game down the list, but rather trying to add to the bottom. I think you should flesh out a top ten right NOW!!!! and then we can argue and (hopefully not) add to the list and knock some games off of it as the season progresses. As long as we similarly maintain the list of top wins. metirish Jun 24 2009 08:53 AM ="Gwreck"]I'm very surprised to be so strongly outvoted here. For the record, there have been a total of three other games put in this thread: 1. Church misses third/Reed throwing error to end game (at LA) 2. Bullpen meltdown (at Pittsburgh) 3. Castillo drops flyball (at Yankees). --- I guess I missed the memo where this list was limited to 3 games. Thanks for this little list......I am going to add last nights game to that list , will it be there at the end of the season as one of the worst losses? , maybe not but right now it is. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 24 2009 09:21 AM I'm gonna throw last Thursday's game onto this list, at No. 4, and suggest April 21 at St. Louis for No. 5 (Perez blows a 4-0 lead, Murphy misplays a fly ball into a triple, Putz sucks, Mets lose 6-4). Edgy DC Jun 24 2009 09:25 AM 6-4 is the score of the season. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 24 2009 09:35 AM Second all of JCL's choices. We're missing a bunch of Phil losses, no? The two blown-in-the-seventh Phils losses on 6/10 and 6/11 (Beltran dropped flyball opens gates for three runs in 7th, 5-4 loss in extra innings on Utley HR, spoiled Pelf start; and Redding spoils his own 3-1 lead/Ibanez nails Takahashi in 11th) stung. Also, I was in CBP for the walking party on 5/2 (Ollie walks 6/doesn't last 3; Takahashi makes great debut, but Feliciano tagged by Ibanez; Mets come back behind Castro and Murphy HRs; Beltran first-and-third DP in top of 11 kills a threat, followed by Bad Sean Green walking Victorino for winning run). It sucked. Fman99 Jun 24 2009 09:58 AM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":ys44xiw2] Also, I was in CBP for the walking party on 5/2 (Ollie walks 6/doesn't last 3; Takahashi makes great debut, but Feliciano tagged by Ibanez; Mets come back behind Castro and Murphy HRs; Beltran first-and-third DP in top of 11 kills a threat, followed by Bad Sean Green walking Victorino for winning run). It sucked.[/quote:ys44xiw2] I'd add this one. I watched this on TV and it was a turd. Anytime the Cryin Hawaiian is scoring the winning run against the Mets auto-qualifies for this list doesn't it? Frayed Knot Jun 24 2009 10:43 AM I view this thread a way to track those games which either are, or will be, eligible for a 'Top 10' (read: bottom) at the end of the year. We've had those best/worst 10 threads in the past although it's much tougher trying to reconstruct those by looking back than it is tallying them as they go by. Bottom line: I'm OK nominating last night's even though I agree with the view that I don't think it'll make my final cut. Gwreck Jun 24 2009 11:46 AM I guess the Johan meltdown in the Bronx also goes in the bottom 10. SteveJRogers Jul 05 2009 02:20 PM I'm nominating all three games from this weekend, 7/3-7/5. As much of a must sweep/take two out of three as a series can be in the first week of July, and the Mets end up getting swept, falling 5 back in the loss column. A lost weekend to be sure. Fman99 Jul 05 2009 07:16 PM This was an awful series to be sure, but none of these games have that crotchpunchitude that some of the other ones do. Even the bad defense on Saturday was after they were trailing and didn't really affect the score. So, to me, none of these games as individual events make this list. metirish Jul 05 2009 07:30 PM I think I have become immune to such losses and this weekend sweep was not the least surprising. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 05 2009 10:25 PM This weekend-- right up to and including today's Johan Game TM-- had a sick inexorability to it. Depressing, yes. But, sadly, all too expected. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 17 2009 08:56 PM I'm going to nominate Thursday's game, a 5-3 loss to the Braves in the first game back from the Break. Very typical of the 09 Mets but for the fact nobody got hurt and nobody made an egregious error. But a loss like so many others: Not enough offense, all the scoring confined to a single inning, outs and at-bats given away. We were tied and played not to lose, wasting our best relievers who needed (and received) bailouts from the back-end anyway, so everyone is good and used up in the first game of a 10-game road trip. Not to mention it snapped another modest win streak at 2-games, cost us third place in the standings, illustrated the folly of the Francoeur trade in his first chance for revenge, and brought everyone's spirits down in time for a 11-run waffling Friday and another series we won't win. Despite all the worthy candidates already on this fine list, this was the first loss of the year after which I said, yes, I think they're done. Pull the plug. Farmer Ted Jul 17 2009 09:47 PM They're sellers at this point. Mos def. Fman99 Aug 04 2009 08:30 PM Ha! Found it first. Pujols extra innings grand slam. Assuming the Cards hold on, 12-7. Edgy DC Aug 04 2009 08:35 PM Ugh. Premature bookage. Kong76 Aug 04 2009 08:42 PM Have to admit I went fishing for this thread too before it was over. Fman99 Aug 04 2009 08:44 PM ="Edgy DC":10jo8uvo]Ugh. Premature bookage.[/quote:10jo8uvo] Yeah, as soon as the ball left PooHoles' bat. I know, ya gotta believe, yada yada yada, but hell. Edgy DC Aug 08 2009 09:02 AM August 7: The Mets score two in the first and then go into offensive cryongeinic sleep, which is a pity because Oliver Perez turns in his best outing of the year, absoultely dominating the Padres with six innings of non-walky shutout ball. When he falters in the seventh abnd gives up half his two-run lead, Brian Stokes comes in and bails him out huge time. No matter, as Francisco Rodriguez enters in the ninth, has nothing on his fastball, and walks the leadoff batter. Ultimately, he faces five batters, retires none, and tops his appearance by giving up a game-winning grand slam to a mostly punchless shortstop scarcely out of A-ball. Chunky and grumpy ex-Met Heath Bell walks off with the win. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 08 2009 04:52 PM ="Edgy DC":2zh033cf]August 7: The Mets score two in the first and then go into offensive cryongeinic sleep, which is a pity because Oliver Perez turns in his best outing of the year, absoultely dominating the Padres with six innings of non-walky shutout ball. When he falters in the seventh abnd gives up half his two-run lead, Brian Stokes comes in and bails him out huge time. No matter, as Francisco Rodriguez enters in the ninth, has nothing on his fastball, and walks the leadoff batter. Ultimately, he faces five batters, retires none, and tops his appearance by giving up a game-winning grand slam to a mostly punchless shortstop scarcely out of A-ball. Chunky and grumpy ex-Met Heath Bell walks off with the win.[/quote:2zh033cf] Add the aspect of a blown call to let the tying run score that nobody-- save G-Fafif-- is really complaining about, since the BS felt so sickeningly inevitable anyway, and the ump didn't put the leadoff guy on or let Venable whack it, yadda yadda yadda. The 10:05 start always gives a bad west-coast loss five points extra-credit, as well. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 16 2009 11:06 AM 8/15, Giants, 5-4 (10). Let's go through the nightmare scenario checklist: Last man standing/face of franchise/best all-around player during the last four years hit in head by 94-mph fastball? Check. Ace/only Met to believe in roughed up by a free-swinging lineup Bobby Parnell shut down a day earlier? Check. Dongs for insurance and go-ahead runs hit by two players against whom said ace "sent a message?" Check. Gift of blown save (again) from Giant sorta-closer promptly returned? Check. No dropped popups, and not to the Phils/Yanks/Braves, but it's a contender. Kong76 Aug 16 2009 11:18 AM Funny, I was thinking on the subway that the only thing that didn't go wrong was Murphy and Castillo didn't hurt each other in right field on one play. Castillo was limpy for a minute but he's kinda limpy anyway. I hope they shut Wright down for the rest of the season at this point with the team's luck and track record with injuries especially ones to the coconut. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 23 2009 11:04 PM This one[/url:3q7nwdhz]'s got to go in the scrapbook, no? Demoralization early, then increasing interest with the scrapping and the Misching (even as chances get squandered), then the adrenaline rush of the 9th-inning comeback... and the car crash cardiac arrest of the close. And all against our favorite delinquents from down the 'Pike. For a game in which a literal once-in-a-lifetime play delivered the sword stroke to the shoulder blades, what's startling is how routine this feels by now. We're about one game-lost-by-catcher's-interference-followed-by-South-American-football-stadium-style-Pepsi Porch collapse from filling out the "Worst Season Ever" bingo card. metirish Aug 24 2009 07:50 AM Just me but no loss this past month and more warrants being in this thread , nothing surprises , nothing even hurts anymore......it's nothingness . G-Fafif Aug 24 2009 07:52 AM It might be more efficient to start a thread cataloguing which losses aren't the worst of 2009. Tidier anyway. metsguyinmichigan Aug 24 2009 08:04 AM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":7lkl3daw]This one[/url:7lkl3daw]'s got to go in the scrapbook, no? Demoralization early, then increasing interest with the scrapping and the Misching (even as chances get squandered), then the adrenaline rush of the 9th-inning comeback... and the car crash cardiac arrest of the close. And all against our favorite delinquents from down the 'Pike. For a game in which a literal once-in-a-lifetime play delivered the sword stroke to the shoulder blades, what's startling is how routine this feels by now. We're about one game-lost-by-catcher's-interference-followed-by-South-American-football-stadium-style-Pepsi Porch collapse from filling out the "Worst Season Ever" bingo card.[/quote:7lkl3daw] Brilliant! Actually, you're missing the "best player tagged in steroid scandal" box on the card, but the Yankees already filled that one in this year. Benjamin Grimm Aug 24 2009 08:09 AM ="metirish":2gf3l66x]Just me but no loss this past month and more warrants being in this thread , nothing surprises , nothing even hurts anymore......it's nothingness .[/quote:2gf3l66x] I agree. The losses are worse (and the wins are better) when the games aren't meaningless. metsmarathon Aug 24 2009 08:10 AM i'm really not sure if the circumstances surrounding last night's game warrant its inclusion in this thread. i feel its much more of a tip-your-cap kind of loss. this was a different kind of loss than the luis castillo popup. a very different animal. this was no blown save, no missed third base. if the roles had been reversed - the phils down two, two men on, no outs, top nine - they send the runners, castillo moves over to cover the bag, and gets a screaming liner hit right at him... that pops out of his glove as he prematurely looks down to step on the bag for the second out, and subsequently allows both runners to score - well, then it would belong in this thread. history jumped up and bit us on the ass. c'est la vie, i guess... LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 09:13 AM ="metsmarathon"]i'm really not sure if the circumstances surrounding last night's game warrant its inclusion in this thread. i feel its much more of a tip-your-cap kind of loss. this was a different kind of loss than the luis castillo popup. a very different animal. this was no blown save, no missed third base. if the roles had been reversed - the phils down two, two men on, no outs, top nine - they send the runners, castillo moves over to cover the bag, and gets a screaming liner hit right at him... that pops out of his glove as he prematurely looks down to step on the bag for the second out, and subsequently allows both runners to score - well, then it would belong in this thread. history jumped up and bit us on the ass. c'est la vie, i guess... Fair point. And I'd be lying if I said this killed me as much as even the Pittsburgh game from June. These games don't sting anymore. But on a lazy Sunday, driving back from southern NJ, Howie and Whatshisface dragged me back somewhat in for a day. Plus, losing to Philly when you've got a legitimate shot at the end that didn't seem at all possible an hour earlier... doesn't it ache something fierce? (Spoiling the Phils is about the only thing I'm really hoping for, Mets-wise, for the season's remainder. Hate is all I have left.) metsmarathon Aug 24 2009 10:08 AM it does. but this is an ache i can live with - an 'oh well, you got me' kind of ache. like when your pitcher puts his pitch right were he wanted to, and the batter still manages to push a soft fly ball into short right field. you do your best, and if they beat you they beat you. its like that pitch vlad hit a week or so ago that actually bounced in front of home plate - i mean, what are you going to do there but say, "damn, he got me there"? dgwphotography Aug 24 2009 01:58 PM ="metsmarathon":1snick2b]history jumped up and bit us on the ass. [/quote:1snick2b] Your 2009 marketing slogan. Edgy DC Aug 24 2009 02:00 PM Well, something has to be 10th. metsmarathon Aug 25 2009 08:22 AM i'm gonna wander out on a limb and suggest that johan santana might well be the worst loss of 2009...

Yeah. I took the Schaefer point I'd normally give for a one-inning save and divided it among Wright, Castillo, and Martinez.

Okay, you win: http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x254/rtfanatic/Libshusband0082-1.jpg?t=1243966509

You're making me blush!

Can you prove that you're not a Brewer?

I don't know. If you do that, you displace Murphy, who you're trying to cultivate. I'd almost rather trade for a starter and displace Redding. Either position is further complicated by an injured incumbent who's expected to return at some point. (Perez and Delgado.) If they could get a solid AA corner outfielder or catcher, that might also be appealing. (Whether that's possible or not is another story.)

That's my hunch, too. Church made that Lastings Milledge trade (which was initially a lead balloon) look really good for a month or two last year, but now it's looking a lot less significant.

Let's see... Cora replaces Pagan today. Reyes replaces Valdez on Friday. On Sunday, Church will probably dislodge one of the two Martinezes. But will it be Ramon or Fernando?