Mets Game 151: Win Over Giants
Mets 5 Giants 4
The Mets beat the reigning World Champion San Francisco Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mets Game Notes
Ho-hum. Honestly, I was just waiting for the paint to dry … er, I mean, waiting for this godforsaken game to end. Then all of a sudden, the bottom of the ninth came, and like the last three minutes of a college basketball game, it was as though a switch was flipped and the contest was worth watching.
Aaron Harang and Carlos Torres combined for 12 Ks in 7 innings, though it came against 4 walks. The 4 runs allowed by Harang in 5 innings wasn’t so great, but what, really, can you expect of Harang at this point in his career, pitching for this ballclub?
Meanwhile, Matt Cain was absolutely brilliant, shutting out the Mets through 7 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and walking none. He truly deserved better, but, it was one of those rare nights when the San Francisco bullpen failed him. Hey, it happens.
Lots and lots of fans disguised as empty seats in the ballpark on this particular evening. Tomorrow’s afternoon game, however, should be bolstered by the hundreds (thousands?) of free tickets the Mets will give to local schools for field trips. Hope the kids have enough money to buy some foot-longs and sodas.
Kinda cool seeing Juan Centeno going into the low, one-knee stance behind the plate fashioned by only a handful of catchers throughout history — off the top of my head, that group includes, among others, Carlos Ruiz, Tony Pena, Joe Janish, Brad Gulden, and maybe Benito Santiago, if memory serves correct. Gulden was the first I ever saw doing it, and he apparently learned it from someone in the Dodgers organization, prior to joining the Yankees in a trade for Gary Thomasson. Gulden, by the way, is not the heir the to mustard fortune, but he is one of only four players in MLB history to be traded for himself.
Ah, I digress …
Next Mets Game
The rubber match begins at 1:10 PM on Thursday afternoon. Jonathon Niese takes the ball against Madison Bumgarner.
Mets Item of the Day
Let’s go with another sweatshirt for this suddenly chilly weather. This time, though, one for the ladies — a New York Mets Women’s Full-Zip Hooded Fleece Jacket
About the Author
Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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Finally!!!!!
Mets rookies (Satin, Lagares, Lutz, Centeno, den Dekker) went 7 for 13 tonight.
The veterans went 2 for 21. (hits by Tejada & Harang)
Tejada broke his leg in a collision with Brown, who had just moved from right to left field.
As for Satin, after all those pitches breaking away from him, I was impressed that he was able to square up the fastball running in. It was the first fastball he’d seen in that AB, but he mentioned in the postgame interview how he’d faced Romo the previous night and knew what he threw.
I will bring this up next time we’re debating the importance of battling hard till the last out regardless of the score, even if all you achieve is to make the other team bring in a new reliever.
It might be more fun watching the grass grow. I’ve heard that some ballparks use a special hybrid that grows fast enough to require two mowings daily. Can you confirm? Is this widespread? Will you be watching the grass now?
Hhahahah…classic, Joe.
Who are the other 3?
John McDonald, Dickie Noles, and former Met Harry Chiti.