End Of The Line
I experienced the last moments of the last game of this season just after landing in Newark. My Cingular service has an internet service with ESPN coverage of all the games on one of those little screens with icons for the runners and basic info on the game. I got there just in time to see two little dots on first and second, no dots in the outs area and Cliff Floyd at the plate. Not exactly the most exciting way to catch a game 7 in the playoffs.
I agonized through every refresh of the screen. Floyd – One out. Reyes – Two outs. LoDuca – A walk. At this point I had hope for some of that old Met magic. Bases loaded, two outs, Beltran at the plate in game 7 of the NLCS. There isn’t a kid who’s played baseball, softball, wiffle ball, stickball or stoop ball that hasn’t dreamed of such a moment. A moment with the chance to be a hero and make the stadium rock. Moments like that put players into history books. Moments like the one when Bobby Thomson crushed the Dodgers with a home run that came to be known as “The Shot Heard Round The World.” Moments like Mookie dribbling one up the first base line to score a winning run.
This moment was not our moment. The moment belonged to Cardinal closer Adam Wainwright. Beltran – Struck out looking.
When a team loses a playoff series we tend to look for villains. We single them out. We dwell. Mota and Wagner were the villains in Game 2. Trachsel was the villain in Game 3. Maybe it’s Beltran or even Heilman in Game 7. Who cares? In some way all of those guys contributed big during the regular season.
The Mets had a knack for hitting with Trachsel on the mound. Guillermo Mota surprised everyone by doing a pretty good job replacing Duaner Sanchez in the second half. Billy Wagner was lights out in the second half and the first round of the playoffs. Aaron Heilman was amazing in the second half, stepping into the 8th inning role like a young pitcher determined to prove the doubters wrong. And all Carlos Beltran did was return the fans faith in the big free agent signing.
Wright had a bad series. Floyd was hurt. No El Duque or Pedro Martinez. There were challenges and some say our team was lucky to get this far under the circumstances. I don’t buy it. We had the guns to win it. They just went silent at the hands on St. Louis pitching that surprised the Mets. Beltran had a bad at bat at the wrong time against a guy who has been an effective closer. There are worse sins in the game of baseball.
We discovered a few things along the way though. John Maine and Oliver Perez stepped up. It’s going to be very interesting next year with the likes of Glavine, Maine, Perez, Bannister and Pelfrey hanging around spring training. Maybe El Duque will be around too. There are things to look forward to. Reyes, LoDuca, Beltran, Delgado and Wright are all returning. Who knows what else Omar Minaya has up his sleeve.
So no epitaph here. Just some late night thoughts (as usual). I’m going to take a couple of days, let the comments flow in, and fire up the podcast again after the weekend. I need to clear my head out and let the fans have their say. Please call the comment line, use the Mobatalk Voicemail on the site or email me MP3 Files. It would be nice to include the voices of more of the people who are on the other side of the podcast. Text comments on this post are welcome as well.
Let’s Go Mets!
Welcome to Amazin’ Moments, the un-official New York Mets Baseball Podcast. This is where fans of the New York Mets pro baseball team get their fix.
Surprisingly, it doesn’t hurt too bad right now. Maybe it will in the morning. I don’t blame any of them. We won as a team and tonight we lost as a team, straight up and fair. I’m thankful to them for a great season, looking forward to 2007 with eager anticipation.
Thanks for the ride. Let’s go Mets!
Comment by Taemin | October 20, 2006
I leave in Israel. I woke up at 2am to watch the game through MLB.COM tv live. I was amazed by Chavez terrific home run save and the following double play. I was devasteted to see the Cardinales win. However, the Mets proved to be a team for generations to come. Losses to the Cardinals in Game 7 brings you a year later to the World Series. Look at the Astros.
Comment by Dror Levy | October 20, 2006
Teamin is exactly right, and i totally agree. They had a nice run, put up a nice fight, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. I also really appreciate his positive outlook on this whole situation. I was in the chat last night during the game and in the 4th and 5th innings i heard negativity. Especially in the top of the 9th when Molina hit that homerun. Have faith people! We almost came back. We had a chance, just one swing of the bat and the pennant was ours. Now obviously OUR negativity didn’t impact how the players felt but “GET UP SHEA!” It is called a home-field advantage so that when your team is batting or something you get your butt of the seat and wave that towel for better or worse. I saw some of that but not nearly as much as i wanted to.
I really like our chances next year for a repeat for Eastern division Champs. Though we won’t have Pedro for half the season I really like our rotation. I think that at start of the season the rotation will be Glavine, El Duque, Maine, Perez, and Bannister. The lineup will still be solid, but personally I would not might NOT having cliff floyd back next year. Obviously he didn’t produce on offense (though he was hurt throughout the season) and on defense i like Chavez over floyd (Rob, Chavez catch was amazing). So your looking at Reyes, LoDuca, Beltran, Delgado, Wright, Green (i was actually very impressed with Shawn Green i think we should keep him), Valentine, Chavez and the pitch. That is one good line-up just like this years. Just stay healthy and we can and will win this thing next year. That lineup is only valid if Minaya doesn’t make some drastic trades, but why? I like the line-up and unlike some people i feel the bull-pen is VERY SOLID. Well i said what i needed to. Just keep your heads up Mets’ fans. There is always next year. WE WILL WIN THIS THING NEXT YEAR, JUST HAVE FAITH. I believe, do you?
Rob, are you going to do the podcast over the break?
Comment by Matt | October 20, 2006
Though I grew up here, I have been away from New York for the past 15 years. Well I moved my family back to New York last winter so I was once again able to follow the Mets up close.
This was the first season that my 7-year-old daughter took an interest in baseball and by the end of it she was a fanatical Mets fan. I got to relive how I felt in 1969 through her, and, as such, got extremely emotionally involved with the team this season.
After the loss last night we shared some tears and stayed up until about 2 AM chatting about the ebb and flow of the baseball seasons. About how lucky we were to catch an upswing, during our first year back here, and it looks like they are bound to be good for a long time. About how its right to invest yourself emotionally in something, even though there is often the pain that comes with inevitable disappointment, and how as Mets fans we generally face more disappointment than most. But that just makes the victories more sweet.
Back in 1969 I had to celebrate by myself as I was living in a sea of Yankee fans who smirked as I galloped through the streets of the Bronx, pumping my fists in the air, shouting “The Mets Won! We are the world champs!” I am fortunate now to have others to share the disappointment with especially my daughter, but also all you folks on this board.
Rob, thanks so much for providing this podcast and forum for us this season. You made it more fun and exciting for all of us. I wish we had a sweeter end of the season to celebrate, but it softens the blow to have a community to grieve with.
132 days till spring training.
Comment by Dan S | October 20, 2006
It looks like I’ve gotten a few audio comments to include in the next podcast. All of this is great. Nice to hear that many people are staying positive.
Comment by Rob Safuto | October 20, 2006
First, let me congratulate the 2006 NY Mets … they made going to Shea fun again. This year for certain (to coin an old Met phrase) the Magic was back! Even though that Magic didn’t carry us to the promised land, it was sufficient enough to provide Met fans with hope for seasons to come.
That being said….I am CAUTIOUSLY optimistic for next season and rightfully so. Having a good year this year is no carte blanche for next years’ performance. Omar needs to do two things this coming offseason: 1) a right handed power hitter to complement David Wright and add more balence to a predominantly left hand hitting lineup and 2) get a front line starter to anchor a rotation – someone obviously not at the end of their career.
While I am optimistic with the performance and promise of Maine and Perez, these guys, along with Pelfrey and maybe Humber should be competing for the 3rd to 5th spots in the rotation. With Pedro being frail and Glavine just trying to reach 300, the Mets need some big guns up in the front of the rotation.
Rob,
On a personal note, I would like to thank you for taking your personal time out and doing the podcast over the season. It was a pleasure listening and I as well as many Mets fans feel we made a new friend.
Thank you.
GO METS!!!!!
Comment by Jerry G | October 20, 2006
back at work this afternoon after 2 late nights at Shea. can not believe next week has now become a blank slate as I really do not care who wins the series.
Apparently, when Looper and his friends were on our field after the game celebrating – they mocked the Mets by mimicing our “Jose – Jose ” chants. they have no class whatsoever and I hope the Tigers beat them in 4. forgive my rambling but I am a very tired angry mets fan.
appreciate all the comments here but have to say the fans were amazing. could have done without those stuptd towels they gave us to wave since New Yorkers are better than that. The crowd was actually noisier on Wed night when people were not fussing with those rags. Listened to the podcast last night on the train home – painful to hear but necessary – this was the one game – the one game to get it done. will never forget the Chavez catch. leaving Shea last night was the ultimate exercise in futility as everyone was either quiet or drunk angry cursing – very different from the previous night which was a glorious party. brought back a lot of memories. maybe it is the Neil-Victor curse : 7 years ago to the exact day – we were both at Turner Field for the Kenny Rodgers debacle. First time together at the park since. Memories of Pendleton, Soscia sp? and now molina. It should have ended differently. Jose’s last at bat just gets down a bit and we score 2, Carlos fouls off that tough curve ball, Rolen is called out on strikes in the top of the inning. Wagner is not such a risk that we feel ok bringing him in the game. Tomorrow is no guarentees. We were there in 1988 and thought next year, next year. well it took a long time to get to where we just were last night. don’t get me wrong – I have high hopes and huge expectations for next year but there are plenty of other teams out there who are going to be coming after us and even if we are the best team in the regular season, these short playoff series are a crapshoot so you have to grab the gusto while you can. Last night was our night until it wasn’t. Thank you for letting me vent. LETS GO METS!
Comment by neil10019 | October 20, 2006
Well, somehow I was able to purchase 2 tickets to game 7 online, but I never thought it would get that far. As time would show, game 7 came and I had tickets to a game most people would love to see. Wright hits the bloop single and they take the lead. The Cardinals answer right back like they had every single other time in the series in the next top half of the inning. Rolen comes up in the 6th and I just had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. Chavez makes one the most amazing catches that I have ever seen. Considering what the implications of the game, and what would have happened if that ball was just 6 inches higher, probably one of the greatest postseason plays of all time.
It was then that I thought the Mets could just not lose this game. That would all come and pass with the numerous opportunities the Mets had after that catch. Then Molina, of course only hitting .216, comes up and knocks the ball over the wall. You could have heard a pin drop in that stadium. I was in the upper deck 3 base side, and I could hear the Cardinals bullpen cheering.
Bottom of the 9th, and im silent in my seat. Valentine, bloop single, Chavez single. It was then I thought that I would have the priviledge of saying that I watched one of the greatest games first hand in baseball history. Floyd was going to pull his own version of the Dodgers Gibson. 3 run homer and the stadium would be loud enough for the entire tri state area to hear. First pitch, swing and a miss, I have never seen anyone swing as hard as he did then on that pitch. Takes the strike 3 curveball looking. Reyes, here we gooooo JOSEE JOSEE JOSE JOSE!!!! line out to Edmonds. 2 outs, our best guy who does not strike out and makes contact, LoDuca. Ball 4, bases loaded. Beltran, the number one nemisis for the Cardinals up. 2 outs, bases loaded, game 7 of the NLCS, season on the line, every kids dream. Strike one looking, strike two foul tip, strike three looking. Unacceptable, you must swing, make contact, atleast try. I dont care how nasty a pitch it is, you protect the plate with 2 strikes.
Worst loss for the Mets in their entire franchise, but one of the greatest games that I think I will ever be able to witness. This will be a hard one to swallow for many many months. So is it spring training yet?
Comment by Joe D | October 20, 2006
Hey Rob,
Well I live in Sydney & followed yesterdays game on mlb.com while at work yesterday – it can be quite hard following every game from this part of the world but I just wanted to say that this podcast has been awesome.
It’s been so cool getting some personal perspective on the Mets this season rather than just reading about it on the net & listening to ESPN (seeing as virtualy no-one over here watches Baseball & only talks about friggin’ Rugby or League!) – just wanted to say that – awesome podcast, thanks so much for putting in the time – it’s totally appreciated :*)
Deb
Comment by Deb | October 20, 2006
You had me with Hello! Many thanks. I’ll do my best to make it better for the 2007 season.
Comment by Rob Safuto | October 21, 2006