3AM Lightning

You had to stay up half the night in order to see how the game turned out last night, and my being on that excessively late schedule proved somewhat advantageous. I didn't get home until the bottom of the 9th,  just in time to see that the Mets had a lead, and Bobby Parnell was on to close out the game. I, like most Mets fans, was leery, since Bobby Parnell hasn't been able to close out much of anything lately. Predictably, he was terrible, getting only one out before Terry Collins, who must be apoplectic at this point, pulled him in favor of Josh Edgin. This was more of a "Well, why not?" move more than anything else, certainly Edgin hasn't been groomed as a closer, but here he was, and for the most part he did what he needed to do, getting a ground ball out of Schierholtz that probably should have resulted in Eli Whiteside being thrown out at home had Ike Davis gotten any part of the ball. But, he didn't, and the game was tied, and at that point, I figured the Mets would probably spare us a lot of misery if Edgin just grooved one to Brandon Belt and the Mets just took a collective dive into McCovey Cove.

But, he didn't. Somehow, the toughness of the 1st half of the season crept back into the Mets spirits. Edgin didn't break, although he did bend, and he got out of the inning.

Somehow, in the 10th, it was the Mets doing some extra inning damage instead of having it done to them, courtesy of Scott Hairston doing what Scott Hairston has done all season and somehow manage to get the bit hit. Somehow, Jason Bay was skittering around the bases. Somehow, the Giants had the mental breakdown when Clay Hensley vaporlocked on Rob Johnson's bunt. Somehow, the Mets re-led in a game that they probably had already lost twice.

And of course, with Manny Acosta, my favorite, coming in for the save, they almost lost it a 3rd time.

I don't know why bringing Manny Acosta back to the team was some kind of a solution. He claims to have studied the mechanics of Mariano Rivera while he was in the minors. This is fine, but that still doesn't mean he can pitch like Mariano. He's just copying his mannerisms and then just heaving his eminently hittable/wild crap all over the place. That was quite clear in the bottom of the 10th, since he walked two batters, gave up a run, and only by sheer luck did Brandon Belt's fly ball get swallowed up in the spacious Pac Bell Park outfield, rather than sail out for the predictable walk off HR.

So, the Mets win a game that seemed reminiscent of the kind of games they would win when things were going well. Remember those days? Those were fun. But I can't really trust that this is anything but a wacky game that they happened to win right now.

50 Years in Cards: 1986

Part 25 of our 50-year K Korner...

What is it: 1986 Topps #250, Dwight Gooden

What makes it interesting: I don't like the '86s as much as, say, the '85s, but it's still a really nice looking set. A very '80s set, with the screaming team name across the top and the big, blocky player name on the bottom. The Mets team set in '86 is another large one, clocking in at 39 cards. By '86, the Mets were a powerhouse in the National League, not to be taken lightly as they could beat you in innumerable ways.

One such way the Mets could beat you was simply by sending Dwight Gooden to the mound.

Gooden burst onto the scene like a comet. In his rookie year of 1984, he was a sensation, winning 17 games, setting a rookie record with 276 strikeouts and making the All Star team, all at the tender age of 19. But he was just getting warmed up. In 1985, quite simply, Gooden was the best pitcher on the planet. His numbers that season are the stuff of legend, indelibly burned into the memory of any Mets fan. His 24-4 record was backed up with a 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeouts, 16 complete games and 8 shutouts. In 276.2 innings pitched, he allowed 198 hits, 69 walks, and 47 earned runs. He would win 14 games in a row, not losing between May 25th and August 30th. In September, he raised his game further, throwing 31 consecutive scoreless innings, and didn't allow an earned run over 49 consecutive innings. Not since the days of Seaver had the Mets had the kind of pitcher that they could run out there, and every time out expect, and receive, a quality, winning outing. His popularity soared to the point where his photo was featured on a gigantic Nike billboard near Times Square, and when he pitched, everyone stopped to watch. The Cy Young Award he received following the '85 season was simply a coronation of his greatness.

But just as quickly as he rose to greatness, such was his fall. The pressures of stardom at such a young age took its toll, and Gooden would fall victim to the demon of vice. His 1987 season was interrupted by the revelation that he had failed a drug test, and would spend time in a rehab facility before finally rejoining the Mets in June. Though his later years with the Mets would produce continued success (he would post elite seasons in 1988 and 1990), he would never again reach his lofty 1985 numbers. Injuries would curtail his 1989 and 1991 seasons, and by 1992, he would suffer his first losing seasons. And, of course, his final, bitter farewell to the Mets came after more failed drug tests and suspensions in 1994.

Although ultimately his career is looked at somewhat wistfully, because it held so much more potential than it would ultimately achieve, Gooden's career stands out among Mets pitchers. Gooden remains the only Met other than Tom Seaver to win the Cy Young Award, and is one of only four Mets to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. His 157 victories and 1875 strikeouts stand second only to Seaver, and his 3.10 ERA places him 7th in Mets history. Gooden finished in the top-10 in Cy Young award voting 5 times, and was a 4-time All Star. Always revered  by fans, even to the current day, Dwight Gooden was elected to the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.


Card back:

50 Years in Cards: 1985

Part 24 of our 50-year Curly Shuffle...

What is it: 1985 Topps #467, Ed Lynch

What makes it interesting: Lots. The '85s continue to be a favorite of mine, one of the staple issues of the Golden '80s for Topps. Though overshadowed by some more classic-looking sets to come, the '85s are one of the cleanest designs Topps released.

Ed Lynch is one of the more forgotten Mets of the early 80s, which is easy when you remember that he played on lousy teams early in his career, and then was overshadowed by flashier players later on, when the Mets began to improve. But in spite of not having overpowering stuff, Lynch persevered for many seasons on smarts, guts and heart.

Lynch spent parts of 7 seasons with the Mets from 1980 to 1986, serving the role of swing man for several seasons before becoming a regular starter in 1983. Often, he'd be the savior, eating innings and keeping the Mets in games when it was needed most. Lynch was also one of the notable characters on Mets in his time, always providing levity and humorous quotes, which endeared him to teammates and fans alike.

Lynch would ultimately peak with the Mets in 1985. Though he received little recognition pitching behind the likes of Gooden, Darling and Fernandez, Lynch put forth the best year of his career, winning 10 games, posting an ERA of 3.44 and netting his first career shutout on May 8th. He developed a particularly close rapport with Keith Hernandez, and even spent several weeks on Hernandez' couch that season before finding his own apartment for the season. But Hernandez, in particular, always fought hard for Lynch, noting Lynch's heart from the moment he joined the team. Hernandez wrote of Lynch, "How could I mope around at first base when Eddie was pitching his guts out, often in hopeless causes? He ended the year 10-10 (in 1983); mostly guts."

Unfortunately, just as the Mets would reach their peak in '86, Lynch was gone, dealt to the Cubs following a contract dispute and lengthy injury. A heartbroken Lynch described it as "...like living with a family all year and then getting thrown out on Christmas." When the Mets clinched the NL East that season, Lynch was in the opposing dugout, and couldn't watch. But his time with the Mets was not overlooked. In a display of gratitude for all the years he spent grinding it out for the Mets, the team voted to give him a World Series Championship ring.

Card back:

Hollywood Beginning

Contrary to popular belief, my recent lack of activity here was not because I was someplace bashing my head into a desk over the recent Mets struggles. There was actually some work-related reason for this, which precluded me from watching a lot of bad baseball and also hindered my ability to write about said bad baseball. Not that there was a ton to say that hadn't already been said, but to sum it up, after so many seasons of the Mets coming apart in the 2nd half of the year, it seemed refreshing to see this team, because they really made us believe that they would finally break this trend. Unfortunately, they didn't, primarily due to a bullpen that lacks the general ability to get anyone out. That makes it all seem doubly frustrating.

Then, there's Matt Harvey, who's debut last night generated so much hope and buzz that even I diverted my attention from the middle of a rehearsal periodically to check out the score on my phone. Judging from the number of strikeouts, and the fact that the Mets had the lead, it appeared to me that he was doing pretty well. He did pretty well, all things considered. In fact, you probably couldn't have drawn up a much better Major League Debut for any pitcher anywhere, unless you were, say, Stephen Strasburg or the like. But Harvey held his own, and ultimately etched his name ahead of Tom Seaver's in the Mets record book, at least for one night, with his 11 Ks. 11 Ks! When was the last time a Mets starter had 11 Ks in a game? I know Dickey did it this season and Santana may have as well, but let's think about this. When was the last time the Mets had a power pitcher like this, who would just blow it by hitters? Pedro in '05? Al Leiter? It's been a while, and, yes, it's only one start, and Harvey will certainly take his lumps along the way, but if you're going to live up to the hype that's been cast on you by a fan base desperately searching for an answer, and if you're going to endear yourself to that fan base, then this is certainly a good starting point.

More impressive was Harvey's demeanor on the mound. More often than not, you can see certain pitchers start to crap their pants when they get to the mound for their Major League Debuts (I'm talking to you, Chris Schwinden). Matt Harvey showed no such nerves. Based on what I saw in replays, and from listening to him talk after the game, Harvey seemed 100% locked in and ready to go, no nerves, no jitters, just a pitcher ready to pitch, which bodes well for his future. In-game, he showed it, too, working out of a 3rd inning jam by striking out Jason Kubel and Paul Goldschmidt with 2 men on.

So, this morning, Matt Harvey is the talk of the town, and deservedly so. After weeks of should he or shouldn't he be up, will he or won't he be up, etc, he's here, and I don't think he's going anywhere. And with his performance last night, that even the Mets bullpen couldn't screw up, he's injected life back into the team. It's about time.

Extra Miserable

I know that there was a period of time this season where the Mets being in a close, taut game, usually a pitcher's duel, was welcomed with open arms. A time where a deficit of 2-3 runs early was met with the sentiment, "we've got them right where we want them." A time where if the game was tied going into the 9th inning, you knew the Mets would find a way to pull out the victory.

Sadly, those days are over. Now, if the game is late and close, or tied and going into extra innings, the feeling is, "how long until the bullpen screws this one up."

Sunday, they made us wait around until the 12th inning before cracking. Fortunately, last night, they got it over with quick. And just to spare any drama or leave anyone any need to stick around, they've not just allowed the opponent to eke out the lead run, they've been letting them pour it on good and proper. In the past two games, the Mets bullpen has allowed 11 extra inning runs. That's 11 runs in 2 innings.

That's not just losing games. That's a full-scale meltdown, and each time it was basically left to one pitcher to figure his way out of it. And each time, it didn't happen. Ramon Ramirez couldn't  fix his own mess on Sunday. Called upon to work his way out of Tim Byrdak's mess on Monday, Pedro Beato not only gave up Byrdak's runs, but he let Washington pile another 4 runs on top of that. The end result is that the Mets are basically hanging around in games just long enough for the bullpen to get their heads beat in, which has been happening at a demoralizing rate.

This can't be as bad as 2008, because at least the putrid bullpen has all but assured that the Mets won't be in a pennant race to piss away.

Is there more to discuss on the matter of the bullpen? No? Good. I was hoping not, since I hate a) repeating myself, b) launching into more expletive-laden diatribes. In my younger, more wily days, perhaps, but now that I'm a crotchety old man, I find it easier to just launch into quick gripes.