G-Fafif

If you're going to drop a pop up to second in the ninth inning in a one-run game, do it in relative privacy.

Keith has used all his colors for his scorecard. And not a few brain cells.

This game now reminding me of this game.

Duda's at-bat music is "All Along the Watchtower". And he's Kurt Russell's nephew.

Takahshi Time not a great thing.

It's Takahashi Time! (Wait, is that a thing?)

Kneejerk reaction: Acosta must go.

D'oh!

Tying run on third in the eighth, two out -- I swear I wasn't planning on sweating this out one way or the other.

Pedro Feliciano doesn't appear in Mets games. The Mets appear in Pedro Feliciano games.

Keith just thanked his buddy Steve from Strat-O-Matic for doing his 1B research for him, so somebody else went to UMDB. UMDB goes unmentioned in the transaction.

Braves playing spoiler for us, up 4-0 in the fifth on Marlins. Thanks guys!

Keith and Gary going through the "lineage" of Met first basemen and I'm pretty certain they're cribbing from UMDB.

This first game reminding me of a first game from ten years ago.

If you went to bed with Murph in Cincinnati, per Howie Rose's recollection earlier today, you'd be under the covers with a man who'd had his hat blocked, his shoes shined and a bowl of Skyline Chili. So you might want to move to the far side of the bed.

Keith just bought hot dogs for the booth. John Franco just wandered in. Mike Nickeas just got his first big league hit. The things that happen before 5 o'clock.

4:10 start always means an empty stadium for first game of a rescheduled doubleheader...but it's really empty there. If you're within three states of Citi Field, you can probably get over there and pick up a foul ball. Speaking of empty, David just extended his team record for strikeouts in a season.

HahnSolo wrote: I let him go to sleep to Howie and Wayne. Last night he came running out of his room when Tejada got that hit. He had some spring in his step. I often go to sleep to Wayne Hagin. But I don't mean to.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It was a helluva lot better than those cheap-o docs that came on after the program on Channel 13, if you happened to see them. Supported by a grant from the Fred Wilpon Family Foundation, too. Indeed. I was happy to see somebody I know on the segment on NY championship teams that debuted last night, and a FAFIF reader dutifully informed us he's on tonight's premiere (he took home movies of the Swoboda catch), but generally speaking they look like they were produced by Fran Healy, and the theme throughout is "baseball is really important to some people." Plus way too much MFYness. Good prep work for October, I suppose.

I hear Rod Barajas will be available.

R.A. Dickey, human being, via Andy McCullogh in the Star-Ledger. Sometimes, Anne admits in jest, she gets a little jealous. The secret about her husband is out. She met R.A. when she was 12. They were friends in high school. She transferred to the University of Tennessee to be with him. They�ve been married for 14 years, sharing joy, soothing pain, building a family. In April, Dickey allowed a leadoff single in a Triple-A game. He retired the next 27 batters � the almost perfect game. Anne listened on an internet broadcast in Nashville. As the innings passed, the kids went outside to ride their bicycles. R.A.�s mother went with them. Anne stayed by the computer. When the game was over, she dashed into the street and hugged her mother-in-law. �He did it,� she shouted. �He did it.� Her husband created that sort of joy here in New York this summer, during the early months of summer when these games still mattered. His teammates saw a combination of off-field serenity and on-field ferocity, his mouth roaring with each pitch. �He looks like a lion,� first baseman Ike Davis said. Earlier this month, Dickey logged a complete-game victory over Pittsburgh. Jonathon Niese approached him after the game. He was in elementary school when the Rangers drafted Dickey. Now he lockers next to him. He leaned in, his voice lowered. �I just love watching you pitch,� Niese said. �I really do.� After tonight, the pitching stops and the uncertainty returns. Dickey will turn 36 next month. He plans to train for a triathlon, travel with his family. They know this much: Their fourth child is due on Opening Day 2011. They will take everything else moment by moment. �It�s become much more about the journey than the destination,� Anne said. She paused for a moment. Laughter tinged her voice. �But I do the hope the destination ends up with one team for a very long time,� she said. �That would be a beautiful thing.� Meanwhile, from a bloodless statistical perspective, a big night ahead where the Swannie concerned. Current standings: 7. Myers, HOU 2.89 8. Kershaw, LAD 2.91 9. Latos, SDP 2.92 10. Dickey, NYM 2.92 11. Cain, SFG 2.95 12. Santana, NYM 2.98 13. Jimenez, COL 2.99

Met glimpses in the Top of the Tenth: � Disgusted fans throwing dollar bills at Bobby Bonilla after the strike. � Rey Ordonez making his trademark one-knee grab and throw in a segment on Latin players (with Howie's old "put a circle around it!" in the background. � One of the talking heads recalling taking the 7 train past Shea (with period footage) during the strike and being mad that it was empty. � End of 2000 World Series as coda to the Joe Torre/1996 bleechfest. Pedro Martinez served as a talking head, though Burns probably picked him for reasons having nothing to do with the Mets.

This chapter was suspiciously light on covering all those Mets world championships of the '90s.

Tejada 3.0 Pelfrey 2.5 Wright 2.0 Thole 0.5 Davis 0.5 Dessens 0.5 JFeliciano 0.5 Castillo 0.5

One final peripheral team tumbles downhill, at 83-74... Rocktober denied, despite a sensational Rocktember. All that's left are contenders. As they used to say in the NBA, three to make two.