After repeated viewings of the smackdown Marlon Anderson put on Tadahito Iguchi last night, I'd have to agree with umpire CB Bucknor. Obviously, players go into second base hard to break up a double play. But I think here is where Anderson went wrong. If you watch the replay closely, Anderson not only has his arms up in a blocking stance -- no problem there -- he pushes Iguchi to knock him down. Check out where Iguchi lands after the collision.
Forget Joe West's convoluted explanation. Anderson did touch the base with his foot. That's indisputable, Joe. Sliding into fielders is no problem either. But pushing them, as Anderson did, is where Rule 6.05 (m) came into play. Tough break for the Mets. No doubt. But the umpires didn't screw up this one.
Comments (20)
Have you seen a replay showing whether or not Green would've been safe should Anderson not have interefered?
Hey Matt ... Based on the speed of Green's grounder, I'd say Green would have been safe regardless. Green thought so too.
-- DL
Well it's a moot point now, the Mets must win today. We are already down 2-0 in the 1st inning!
He is a terrible in game manager and a terrible manager with his players! Fire this A-hole already!! He has lost his team months ago!
We need some fire! Look at the Cubs with Sweet Lou!
Willie Sux!
Thanks for the insight "Fire Willie".
If you used a few more exclamation points you REALLY would have proved your point.
Personally, I'd have no problem with the call if it was made on a consistent basis. Over the years of watching Baseball I have seen situations where the base runner was no where near the base while trying to break up the double play with no call. Forget that he may have pushed The Second Baseman, Ive seen them kicked & spiked, yet no call and in those cases the fielder may have even missed games due to injury. (But no call). Sorry, but based on what umpires have not called in the past, the Mets got the short end of the stick.
How could the Mets get swept by the Phillies? These guys have no heart. If they get swept today they don't even deserve to make the playoffs.
Willie has to go the Mets will never win with such a laid back give the games away manager. He can't get the teem fired up to play like they are supposed to. He likes losing and losing meanful games. Omar should be right behind him they are both to blame for the losing this team keeps doing. Are we the Met fan supposed to be happy with such a horrible managwer and general manager like they are? They like to tease the fans like all the other reginmes before them. All they care about is the money the tewam makes not giving therir fansa CHAMPIONSHIP we METS FANS deserve.
You're killing me, Mets!
Today was the first day that the thought actually crossed my mind that the Mets might not even make the playoffs. I'm not trying to be negative here, but this ain't looking good. Our bullpen just isn't working. How could be lose this one?
I'm as disappointed as everyone else,but why all the negative talk about Willie and Omar Manaya(sp)?I think that both these guys are doing an excellent job.Granted, there may be some issues with this team,but would you like to go back to the days of Art Howe and Steve Phillips?I know I wouldn't.
This team will not win anything in the post season. The bullpen is horrible, the players lack the intangibles necessary to win, and the manager sits on his ass as the ship sinks to the bottom. It will be easier to deal with if they just choke and don't even make the playoffs.
This is the worst loss of the season and I don't really see how they can recover from it. Everything was there for a miraculous comeback and the bullpen still blows it. By the end of the Atlanta trip the Mets will no longer be in first place. They may get back after playing the Nats and the Marlins, but really, what's the point. They haven't shown that they can win important games and will be out of the playoffs in 3. (I hope something crazy happens and I am wrong but....)
I think the Mets are going to be fine.
Philadelphia has a habit of inconsistency. They'll beat up on the Mets and go on to lose their next five games.
But next week at this time, Philly will be 5 back of the Mets again, and we'll be looking to put a lock on this division. Philly just doesn't have the pitching or consistency to take over the division and hold this late in the season. It's just a case of too little too late.
I think the Mets are going to rebound against Atlanta. I would expect them to take two of three this weekend and I like our odds with Maine tomorrow. I think Pelfrey is set to pitch the game of his life on Saturday.
Sunday is a toss up as usual.
The way the schedule shakes up, Philly and Atalanta are going to knock eachother off.
Willy and Charlie Manuel appeared to be in a contest for worst in-game management. Willie wasted his best righty pinch hitter early against a righty reliever, never used Castillo and left Sele in two batters too long. As for Manuel, he was lucky that his offense bailed out his foolish quick hook of JC Romero, who has been all but unhittable. If either of these two get any votes for Manager of the Year, the writer who voted for them should have his credentials pulled.
As for Wagner, I think we are finding out why the Stros and Phillies were happy to get rid of him. He looks great against mediocre teams, but he has NEVER saved a big game in his career. At least for Wags, with the way the Mets are going, he won't have to worry about another embarrasing October since the Mets looked destined for third place.
Long time;
We're playing with house money this year. The fact that the Mets have been without their ace, suffered tons of injuries and are still leading the division says a lot about this team. They've been limping atop the division all season long.
Now they are just about to get back to 100%. At least as close to it with Sanchez out.
I don't think this team is really expected to go far in the post season given their situtation. I think they win the division and from there is anyone's guess. Then agin, it's possible for them to catch lightening in a bottle.
Next season is the year they really can run away with it. Adding another young potential superstar to go along with Wright and Reyes only makes them better.
If they can right the ship on Pelfrey they are as formidable a starting rotation as any in MLB.
Martinez
Maine
Perez
Pelfrey
as our top four looks really good to me. I think Pelfrey has the tools and just needs to put them together. I think Pedro will work on this guy to get him going.
This team is not built as a one and done type team. They are built for a good five to six year run. Having Beltran, Wright, Reyes with an up and coming Milledge gives them a really good top four to anchor the lineup.
It's not really about this year. Although I know we have an itch to be a little impatient. This team is better set in the now and the future than most teams in the league.
AL included in that.
Fred;
Willie was probably a little adamant about using his bullpen in this one as he is most likely going to need them for Saturday. If Mike Pelfrey gets rocked early it's going to be a veeeerrrry looooonng game.
I wouldn't really worry about this sweep all the much. Philly and Atlanta are going to knock eachother out. They have six games against one another. They split it puts them both three back.
Philly doesn't have it in them to play consistent ball. They'll beat up on the Mets and lost their next five games.
It's been like that all season long.
Caesar, I hope you are right. I've been worried about this 10 game trip all season, and to make matters worse, they have a date with Met killer Aaron Harang on Monday.
As for Willie's moves, you still have to win the game. It was clear after the walk to Werth and the single by Ruiz that Sele had lost his control. I think Schoenweis vs. Victorino would have had a better result than the run scoring single Sele gave up. As for Saturday's game, by the time it rolls around, the bullpen will be bolstered with Humber pitching behind Pelfrey and Joe Smith (maybe, if his injury isn't too bad), and some added bats off the bench.
Willis has always given me fits. Now that I'm used to him a little less so these days.
It's easy to forget that he's kept this team in first place through situations that would sink 99% of the teams in this league.
It's not often that you win a division with your ace out for the year, losing your two catchers for a stretch and platooning two more slots on your pitching staff. All the negatives you add on top of that would bury most managers.
Willie seems to have this team chugging as the little engine that could.
In retrospect, looking at Lawrence and Sele starting in this series, I think Willie was looking to the Atlanta series this weekend. His managing style is always thinking three or four games ahead.
At this stage, I think you sacrafice a few games against Philly and look to stick the knife into Atlanta. With Philly still in the hunt it still keeps us in WC contention.
Beating Philly even 3 out four and losing three straight to Atlanta would put us in a much worse position. This has become a situtation right now where you beat on the lesser team and hope Philly and Atlanta cripple each other later in the month.
We have twenty games in September that are against Houston, Cincy, Florida, and Washington.
Taking 2 of 3 from Atlanta and we're on easy street with Houston and Cincy for the next six.
And we have plenty of weak line ups to offer Pedro some work.
Philly and Atlanta have a tough schedule in September and six game against each other.
I think both Willie and Omar are to blame for this collapse of the Mets.Omar because he sits back and lets other teams pick up pitching and players to help out in the stretch drive.Philly did it the Braves did it and what did the Mets get.Nothing! Willie because he just don't have the enthusiasm to get the team moving. How many times have the Mets had runners on 3rd base with 1 out and come up empty when a squeeze play could have gotten a run in but he has the hitter hit away and bam a double play and no run. The pitching rotation that Peterson runs doesn't know how to throw curve balls .The relief pitchers throw fast balls and change ups ,if your a good hitter you know this and sit on one or the other and they hit it .Heilman for example has lost so many games because they know what he's throwing and bam its gone .You have to have more then 2 pitches to off set the hitters . If the management and General manager don't wake up the Mets won't make the play offs after this week-end.We need starters and relief or this season is lost.
This sweep says alot about the mets inability to shut teams down. PLease please can we get someone in place of Mota? This series made me sick and our Atlanta record isn't good this year.