Yesterday was the busy day I expected, so I find it refreshing to write about baseball this morning.
I’m also the self proclaimed King Of I Told You So.
It has been mostly a Twitter discussion (@metspolice) but I stuck to my guns all through June saying that If I found myself in Game 163 I would hand the ball to Santana. There were plenty of nights that Santana Panic was all the rage.
Mike Pelfrey is having a really good year, and I understand Santana doesn’t look like the young Gooden out there, but in a do or die game, he’s my guy.
It was great to see him finish that game last night. Oh, it would be so easy to go 8 and a third, but nope he finished it. Just like he finished game 161 in 2008.
I think and hope that Pelfrey has turned the corner, and I am enjoying every one of future Hall of Famer Jon Niese’s 287 career wins, but back to the wall – one guy is the ace.
The Mets control the Wild Card this morning, and for whatever reason this generation of Braves does not scare me. Supposedly this guy Beltran is pretty good. We may have a fun fall for a change. Let’s hope Santana pitches in three Game Ones instead of a 163.
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Some notes from the post-game:
The last Mets pitcher to pitch a shutout and hit a home run? Pete Falcone in 1981.
The “home grown infield” made their 16th start together, a team record, passing 1971’s 15 starts by Kranepool, Boswell, Harrelson and Foli.
You don’t hear too many folks clamoring for the return of Castillo, do you?
27,473 last night. I will give us all a free pass on such a hot day, but it is time to Show Up At Shea’s Replacement.
No question I’d go with Santana if the season’s on the line. Pelfrey had a great April, a good May and a so-so June… I’m not ready to call him an ace.
I’d bet the Mets had almost no walk-up last night because of the heat. And really, were the Reds high on anybody’s list of teams they wanted to see at the start of the season? They could have done better, but I wouldn’t have expected a much higher attendance figure. “Not Shea” doesn’t have nearly as many affordable seats as Shea did.
I’m clamoring for Castillo. The Mets are just better if he can return after the break (or Tejada does finally break out, but one’s more a sure thing..).