G-Fafif

Piggy's the man in real life tonight. He reveals 49, albeit not in the home bullpen. We had him back at number 62. As for Oughta Be number 48, it's Moonlight Graham Night under the Saturday moon. We honor those Mets whose sole moment in the, uh, sun came quickly and came at Shea. We thus salute the only Major League appearances of: � Joe Hietpas, catcher of the last half-inning of 2004 (pitching career pending) � Jessie Hudson, two innings of relief pre-clinch in 1969 � Francisco Estrada, backstop from the sixth through the ninth one day in 1971 (and a participant for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic a mere 35 years later) � Kevin Morgan, future Mets front office player, but a third baseman for but a third of a game in 1997 Leading this pack of Moonlight Grahams is Kenny Greer, winning pitcher in his only Mets appearance, which was a solitary inning, the 17th, at the end of 1993. Though he did resurface briefly with the Giants a couple of years later (injuries curtailed him in general), he was... someone who never did anything wrong, only everything right, in a Mets uniform.

Best. Interleague thread title. Ever.

I forget the numbers, but yeah. Both ESPN (Sundays anyway) and Fox can only air any given team so many times. There might be an exception for Fox at the very end of the season when they want to be more flexible. I don't think it applies to all those weeknights when the MFYs seem to be on ESPN. Let us hope September 21 is truly the final baseball game at MFYS II. That said, it seems rather bogus to push it to a Sunday night as opposed to afternoon, when the Babe and Lou and Billy Martin would have a better view from their Bill Gallo clouds, et al (cough, cough). I'm so glad Shea lucked into the final day of the year for closure's sake...ESPN doesn't do a game on the final Sunday night so we're safe in case they cared. (Postseason exception is permitted, of course.)

ESPN the Mag celebrates the 20th anniversary of the release of Bull Durham with an interview of (among others) Mets fan Tim Robbins: ]Growing up, we didn't have a TV; I used to listen to every Mets game on the radio. I'd get in a Mets jersey and pretend to be every player during the course of the broadcast. Addresses Metdom and other stuff here.

I like when the Bucket has a cause. Billy beware.

It would be kind of amusing if they did but I think there's a statute of limitations on that sort of thing. Doug Sisk wasn't booed at the '86 reunion. After a while, you're a vague and gauzy figure to the fans who remember you and some ancient artifact to the fans who don't. A friend visited Cincinnati last year and George Foster was on hand at Great American signing autographs and such. It was also Seniors Day or something like that, so the Reds put George on the Diamondvision to greet them and he blurted out happily, "What's up old people?"

Tonight's number person at actual Shea is George Foster, whose black bat was more like a black cat during his five-year stay. When it crossed home plate, you sensed bad luck was at hand. But it is Friday the 13th, which is what inspired our Oughta Be choices for Number 49, which comes down at Oughta Be Shea. Representing bad luck at Shea, two mirror-cracking icons: � Jimmy Qualls It is impossible to watch great, almost perfect pitching at Shea and not, at some point in the course of a nearly spotless performance, think of the ninth-inning single that derailed what would have been the first perfect game in Mets history on July 9, 1969. Since the Mets won that night and that year, we feel we are safe from any black magic he brings us. � Anthony Young He is known for a streak, but not for one he wanted any part of. Yet the streak happened and he handled all 27 consecutive losses, a Major League record, with grace and good humor. The thing is he didn't pitch too badly during that stretch of 1992 and 1993 when he was saddled with one L after another and the Shea crowd always offered him its heartfelt support. When he finally earned a win in relief on July 28, 1993, you would have thought he himself had pitched a perfect game.

Reed's Mets career was all upside. They never could have expected more than a marginal contribution and he became a horse in their rotation from the moment he entered it. He was perfect for the pitch count era (fewer than 80 pitches in seven innings of Game Four of '99 NLCS, I would have brought him back on two days' rest for Game Six and saved Leiter for Game Seven because Reed on short rest was a WAY better bet than Leiter; not that I haven't let that go already). He almost always came up big when the Mets were desperate for a long and solid start. A couple of fluke injuries sidelined him on a couple of occasions but he never had arm problems in New York. He never uttered a disparaging word for public consumption. The trade of him to Minnesota, made for payroll considerations (so why'dya give him the contract?), was nonsensical. Reed was the best pitcher they had to that moment in 2001. Lawton provided a slight spark as a leadoff hitter, but trade your best pitcher? Because Steve Philips gave Kevin Appier and Steve Trachsel untradeable contracts? You had a guy who loved pitching in New York, loved being a Met, and you get rid of him? It's never talked about in the pantheon of horrible Met trades, but it should be. Reed's near no-hitter, the Devil Rays bid, was one of the truly electric Shea nights just as we were getting the feeling that Shea could be plugged in. Thank you for giving it some much-deserved attention.

AG/DC wrote: You think we could somehow sneak spring training wins into the standings? Count contests in Florida that all agreed in advance would have no bearing on the official standings? It didn't work for the Clinton campaign...

Fman99 wrote: Former Metses now in Texas: Not a one. Except for Rangers bench coach Art Howe.

I had that six-pack and was at that game. It was great the way everybody assumed all the approved "don't say anything" tics that accompany no-hit bids. Or at least that's what we Mets fans hear goes on.

I've noticed a couple of times that as soon as the SNYcast is thrown to Matt Yallof, after a horrendous loss, he makes a big point that Heilman or Wagner (those two in particular) is a good guy who we know will be at his locker answering whatever is asked of him. As JCL said, BFD.

Die...mondbacks.

Aaron sees a red jersey and wants to paint the black...

That is of course Delgado is out by the least hairy of hairs.

Of course.

Two separate games but one very long afternoon. Guess I didn't want to expend more blood than I did that Saturday.

Tony Womack couldn't handle Shea's outfield sun either.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: What? No doubleheader of death? The Mark Little/Scott Strickland Game and the John Thomson game? Begins a 200-game home losing streak that lasts all of August? Read it again...

TransMonk wrote: I would have to guess that outside of the teams within their division, D-bags fans probably hate the Mets more than most other teams.. In Pratt's first AB at the BOB in 2000, his name was announced over the public address system and nary a boo was heard. Gary Cohen and Ed Coleman were doing the game and marveled at how he wasn't a villain in Arizona. They guessed it was just a different kind of place and a different kind of fan base.

AG/DC wrote: Or like he's Dave Kingman in... well, any year after 1975, I guess. Favorite yearbook page of all-time: 1976 Kingman picture with cutouts of boxscores demonstrating his versatility: He plays left! He plays first! He plays third! Rusty treatment for Tatis crossed my mind last week. Nothing's too crazy if it helps win a game.

Only eleven seasons, but some memorable moments nonetheless. As ever, in almost no particular order: � Pratt (10/9/99) (As if anything else needs to be said.) � First playoff game at Shea in eleven years (10/8/99) --First incidence of pregame fireworks...and the blasts kept on coming, Mets 9 Arizona 2 � Super Joe, Super Mike and the Extra Base Hits (5/21/2000) --McEwing doubles twice and homers off Big Unit, Piazza takes him into the mezzanine and the Mets' first nine hits are of the extra-base variety. The tenth, a single down the line by Derek Bell, wins it in the ninth (it would have been a double had it not ended the game). � Just You Wait (5/20/2000) --Three-hour rain delay at start. Mets grant those who waited tickets. They build a big lead behind Mike Hampton. It's a very long day, I opt to leave as the ninth starts for train purposes, Mets up 8-2. My friend tells me it will be on my head if the Mets lose. I listen in horror all the way to Woodside as, in fact, Rich Rodriguez nearly blows it. Final 8-7. It's not quite on my head. � This Guy Is Clutch! (5/29/99) --Part of legendary eight-game losing streak that gets three coaches fired and one night after Mets load bases in ninth off Gregg Olson and can't score (losing 2-1). Here it's 8-7 Snakes and rookie Byung-Hyun Kim makes his Major League debut. Surely the Mets batters -- Alfonzo, Olerud, Piazza -- will handle some fresh kid from Korea. Kim totally overwhelms them. Mets lose. Obviously Kim has the makeup to pitch in New York. � Pelfrey Comes of Age (6/11/08) --Wagner makes us all age, Beltran turns back time. � Zambrano is Deep Throw (6/1/05) --Victor goes eight, outuels Webb; for one night the Mets chalk up a steal from Tampa Bay. � Dancing and Laying Out (6/2/05) --The sprinklers go off on Pedro and he deals with it nicely. Cameron makes a ridiculous catch on his stomach. Mets win. � The End of an Era (8/3/02) --Alfonzo puts Mets up in the eighth, Counsell ties in the ninth, Mets lose in tenth of doubleheader opener. Everybody -- everybody -- knows the Mets have stopped being contenders all at once. (ETA: Second game is one of Shea's droopiest affairs ever.) � The Beginning of the Doldrums (6/3/07) --An unremarkable loss, except it kicks off in earnest a disastrous June and unleashes a year-plus of sub-.500 ball. � It Rains Runs (8/13/04) --Horrible storms let up just after six. The Mets come out an pour hell on Casey Fossum, taking 8-0 lead after three. Recent acquiree Kris Benson tries to blow it, doesn't. � Memorial to Perseverance (5/29/06) --Heilman gives up three-run homer to Tracy, puts Mets down 7-6 in seventh. But on a holiday night, Reyes festively ties it and Wright festively wins it. � Endy! Endy! (5/31/06) --Webb starts, game goes thirteen. Sound familiar? Pedro and Brandon exchange goose eggs as do the pens. In the bottom of 13, Chavez singles home Valentin. � By the Time Phoenix Get to Shea (5/4/98) --First Arizona visit. Buck Showalter manages torpidly. Mets lose in eleventh. � Pratt Once More (5/6/98) --Todd triples to highlight a seven-run eighth and the scoreboard salutes him as TANK! First time his in-house nickname became public property. (Also, during a rain delay, the Rey O! defensive video is shown on Diamondvision. My future blog partner identifies it as "The Rey Ordonez Festival of Truculence".) � Santana vs. Haren (6/12/08) --Good game to this point. ETA � Wagner vs. Mets (6/12/08) --This game, however, was horrible.

Ralph now giving advice on how to steal signs at second and transmit them to the batter (it's all in how you step off the bag).

Benjamin Grimm wrote: ="G-Fafif"]Ralph and Ron arguing (actually mildly contentious) over Willie removing Pelfrey in the ninth last night. Nice when Kiner is treated like one of the guys. Who took which position? Me, I would have kept Pelfrey in until there was one more baserunner. Ralph didn't want him taken out. Ron thought with a losing streak in progress you go to your closer. Ralph brought up Warren Spahn. You can't argue with Warren Spahn.

Although, technically, they were the defending National League champions in 1951. But yeah, you wouldn't have bet on the Phillies persevering into the 21st century. I can't remember where I read it, but from sometime back in the '40s (I think) someone reasonably well regarded in baseball circles wrote it was time to get rid of dull, tiresome teams like the Phillies, that they're only bringing down the sport. Not move them, just get rid of them. Nice prescription.