How appropriate that the "Da Vinci Code" was showing in the Mets' clubhouse yesterday before their puzzling 3-0 loss to the Cardinals. That was a head-scratcher. Seven solid innings from Pedro Martinez? And still lose? Is there some secret society messing with this team's playoff chances or what?
Here's a little more about the scene involving Willie Randolph's "guarantee" to win the NL East. There weren't many players available immediately following last night's game, but most of the reporters were swarmed around the locker of Pedro Martinez and a handful of others chatted with Billy Wagner. That's when Randolph came walking through, stuck his head into the trainer's room and then did a loop around the clubhouse, saying loud enough for people to hear, "We're going to win this thing. We're going to win it."
Does this qualify as a Ewing-like guarantee? Or just a manager trying to inject a few positive words in a decidedly negative atmosphere? Randolph had a brief talk with his players immediately after the loss, basically to tell them it's a new season and not to dwell on the past.
As bad as they've played this week, I think the Mets are going to rebound over these next three games, but I'm not sure if it will be enough. They just took three of four from the Marlins last week, and with the pitching matchups, they have a shot at taking three straight -- although Dontrelle Willis could be a problem on Sunday.
Here's how I see it for the weekend:
Scenario A -- Oliver Perez over Byung-Hyun Kim tonight, John Maine finally comes up big to beat Chris Seddon tomorrow and Tom Glavine, with the money on the table, winds up with a no-decision in a game the Mets win late on Sunday. The Phillies drop one to the pesky Nationals. Mets take NL East, Phillies win wild card.
Scenario B -- Mets win two of three, but so do the Phillies. And I don't like their chances in a division tiebreaker on Monday at Citizens Bank Park. Padres win wild card. Adios.
But there are wild card possibilities, too. The Mets actually have the easiest schedule of the remaining contestants. The Phillies have to play the Nats, who have relished their spoiler role, while the Padres are at Milwaukee and the surging Rockies are hosting the Diamondbacks. All three divisions are still in play and that should take it right down to Sunday -- and possibly Tuesday, if the wildest tiebreaker scenario happens.
Comments (28)
The way the Mets are pitching, what is the difference?
They can still win. You gotta believe!
There you are Metro I was waiting for that exact post all day today. LOL
I hope you are right!
For tonight I will be optimistic and assume Perez throws another long clutch game. Wagner must come in with at least a three run lead or he will blow the game. As far as the other two games the offense must score at least 10 runs in each game which it talented enough to do against the Florida pitching staff but do they have the heart or gas to do it again?
I may be showing my age here, but am I the only one reminded of Walt Michaels mumbling to himself about the tarp in the AFC Championship Game in '83 when I read about Willie pacing around the Mets clubhouse muttering "We're going to win this thing"? I think Willie might need some help.
As for David Newman's article on the playoffs, I think Jim Mora had the right approach:
"What's that? Uh -- Playoffs? Don't talk about -- playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game!"
You gotta believe, but if all else fails...
FREE WILLIE!!!
Vote here: http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-mets-poll,0,5413079,post.poll
Well, Well, Well, What have we here. Reminiscing of days gone by. But being a fan since way back in 1962, one simply has to believe. We have been in worst places and turned it around.
These players are not a bad bunch, they are tired, exhausted, and wrenched in agony of what has spelt them in the past 3 weeks.
But today it is different. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm and that will lead them to the mountain of success over the Marlins.
And the Phillies - Manny Acta has more friends on the Mets than the Phillies - he will take care of them and win 2 of 3
We win all three and march on.
In 2000, as DAvid Lennon said today, the Yankees lost 15 of their final 17 and beat us in the WS.
We have arrived and will make a positive statement starting tonight with Jose Jose getting it on its way way way!!
I am Mr. Met
It's over. The Phillies are as high as the Mets are low. WE SUCK and it's time to dismantle this pile of crap club. We got swept by the Nats and the Phils shut them out. My only hope now is that the Yankees don't get another series ring as I will not have enough cotton to stuff my ears from all the jeers Yankees fans will say.
I'll start the jeers Mut fans...and it goes like this.
"Meet the Muts, Meet the Muts"
You fools in Queens are almost as bad as the mass-holes that live to our east, the blow sox.
But its easy with the Muts. Always a JV team, always will be.
Melicious? No, just consider it payback from when all you clowns were infiltrating the Yankee blogs, claiming you won the World Series in May and June. Take advice from the best organization in town. You clich the playoffs in September, not May.
Think about it.
"Meet the Muts, Meet the Muts"
Was anyone else flipping between the Mets/Marlins on SNY and the Padres/Brewers on ESPN? At the same time Lindstrom was shutting down the Mets with runners on the corners and the tying run at bat, Heath Bell was shutting down the Brewskies with two on and the tying run at bat. I hope Senor Genius noticed, and can ponder his wonderful off season "trade for trade's sake" (what else do you call a trade of prospects which your organization has never given a real shot?). The only way it would have been better is if Jason Bay (another former Met prospect) was parking one into the leftfield seats, at the same time Bannister was picking up a win, but I guess that's just too much to ask for. By the way, Senor Genius, did you even bother to reprimand your buddy Bernazard for fraternizing with the opposing manager before a key home game?
What happened in 1969?
Doesn't matter anymore. Biggest choke in baseball history is in 2007.
Was that Reggie Miller I saw in the stands? His hands grasping his throat...
07 is heaven, you're now the legend!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Ahem, lets do it on SAturday and Sunday boys!
Hey met fans-whats that stink in queens ??? i bet u guys know what it is .[ Reyes-delgado-bullpen-castillo-willie-] and u HORRIBLE FANS!!!!! The real fans are in the BRONX.
Oh yeah enjoy watching us in october a real NY TEAM .
Tee time -monday 9:00am-fourrrrrrrrr
Hey met fans-whats that stink in queens ??? i bet u guys know what it is .[ Reyes-delgado-bullpen-castillo-willie-] and u HORRIBLE FANS!!!!! The real fans are in the BRONX.
Oh yeah enjoy watching us in october a real NY TEAM .
Tee time -monday 9:00am-fourrrrrrrrr
Hey met fans-whats that stink in queens ??? i bet u guys know what it is .[ Reyes-delgado-bullpen-castillo-willie-] and u HORRIBLE FANS!!!!! The real fans are in the BRONX.
Oh yeah enjoy watching us in october a real NY TEAM .
Tee time -monday 9:00am-fourrrrrrrrr
Hey met fans-whats that stink in queens ??? i bet u guys know what it is .[ Reyes-delgado-bullpen-castillo-willie-] and u HORRIBLE FANS!!!!! The real fans are in the BRONX.
Oh yeah enjoy watching us in october a real NY TEAM .
Tee time -monday 9:00am-fourrrrrrrrr
Hey willie come back to the real winners in the bronx- we will find a spot for u - u see willie isnt use to choking away divisions in the BRONX!!!!
Hey mut fans guess u all will be at the parade acting like yankee fans after we win ANOTHER world series
Hey what is more pittifull then losing a 7 game lead with 2 weeks left ? how about u muts rooting against the yanks now in playoffs -cause your "pile of latin crap of a team" is golfing while the VARSITY is playing PLAYOFF BASEBALL!!!
MET fans say it with me "PLAYOFF BASEBALL " hehehehehhe its gonna be a exciting october ---ooops not in queens -[lol]
P.S -HAS REYES got a hit this week ?
Will all the front-running Stankee fans please go back to that crap hole they call the Bronx? I seem to recall all of you calling for Torre's head back in May, now you love him again. Jackasses.
Let's go Indians!
hey yank fans!as i sit and wait to hear the yank mutt named willie randolph gets fired for his inspiring leadership of my team, i'm reminded of what will always be the ultimate choke in baseball----- your putrid crankies blowing a 3-0 lead to the more talented boston red sox. please boys tell me when you figure out how to live that one down.we will start using our golf clubs this week and you can join the game next week. have fun!!!!!
You pathetic excuses fot baseball fans. Your team is only one game out with 2 to play - were the best team in the NL for 150 games and you are already resorting to Yankee bashing - bringing up the 2004 ALCS - I don't want to get into comparing the two collapses, but at least the Yankees lost their games to the best team in baseball that season. Your squad of quitters has lost to the bottom dwellers of arguably the worst national league since modern baseball began - the Nationals, Marlins, and the Cardinals in must win games. Byung Young Kim? Joel Piniero who couldnt get anyone out in the AL?
Not ony do you play in a joke of a league where a team 5 games out of the wild card would be fighting for the league's best record, you havent been able to win at all against any decent team. What's the team's collective record against the Phillies, Braves, D Backs, Rockies, and Padres?
Your team is a joke playing in a joke league. Whats more - you fans are a joke - resorting to Yankee bashing
and rooting for the Indians. Pathetic!
Yes, the Yankees collapse in 2004 was one of the biggest choke jobs in sports history, but how about we live in the present. Something that all of you joke fans were so eager to do all season when your team was on top and the Yankees floundering. Didn't matter then that the Muts havent won a WS since 1986 and appeared in one since 2000. What happened in that series again? Oh yeah the Yankees embarressed your team, but this season that didnt matter. What mattered in April, May, June, July, and August was that you were the "Best Team in NY" dspite the fact that you team's record was inflated by playing 70 percent of your games against minor league teams.
Your team is a joke. Your three best starters 5-10 years past their prime. What a "gutsy" performance by Pedro -- yeah gutsy -- right. I got to see a lot of "gutsy" perfrmances by him in his AL days, but for some reason they always resulted in a loss. Glavine is a joke who can't get out a decent line-up because he is afraid to throw the ball over the plate, and El Duque has once again let your team down at the end when it mattered (see now why the Yankees dumped him?)
Oh yeah, but you have such a great future. Humber and Pelfrey have sure proven to be stars - much better than Joba, Kennedy, and Hughes -- not to mention Bannister and Kazmir, great trades by Omar. Maybe if they were Latino they would still be on the team? Oh yeah and "Never Going to Last"ings Millidge. Funny how Melky Cabrera - a nothing prior to this season that Yankees couldn't even trade as a throw in looks like a better player. Good thing that Omar, who is the most overated GM in baseball, wouldn't include him in a deal for Oswalt. Way to stick to your principles Omar.
Face it. You have a flawed team. Not that the Yankees are perfect, but this team in 2007 actually didnt give up when left for dead. They didnt have a 7 game lead as a cushion. They had to fight their way back from 12 games out of the Wild Card with 5 teams in front of them. That is a team with some heart.
Your team has shown no heart. They are a pathetic excuse for a baseball team, sitting around and sulking once they get dwn 1-0. Can't even beat the Marlins or the Nationals. There pathetic play is rivaled only by you pathetic fans who would rather talk about the Yankees collapse 3 years ago than face up to the fact that your team is a heartless bunch of cowards who will never own this town the way the Yankees do.
Go Phillies - can't wait to watch the post-game celebration tonight after they complete the biggest late season comeback in baseball history thanks in large part to your Muts.
Hey Chris, I guess when your team consistently has a $200 million payroll, they probably shouldn't fall so far behind to begin with, right? Get a life loser.
oh yeah and the mets are just a bunch of paupers
last time i checked they played in the same market - guess I just root for a team with better ownership
yankee fans what happen last year !!!!!your mouth keeps going off about the mets were where you 1 month ago yankee fans sit back and watch the amazing mets
yankee fans what happen last year !!!!!your mouth keeps going off about the mets were where you 1 month ago yankee fans sit back and watch the amazing mets
Posted by: debbie | September 30, 2007 12:51 AM
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Are you retarded dear? Tell us what happened last year?? Were where???? Is that Mutt talk and there is a little thing called "grammer" dear....try and learn some while your amazing Mutts miss the post season again....
before you make fun of a met fan lets wait and see what happens to the yankees???? yeah i know they are in it ???? but for HOW long all yankees fans are doing now is blah blah blah i will just sit back and wait