Jordan RappaportThe Wost Kind of Walk Off- Only the Mets
June 12th 2008 13:14
Final Score: Mets 5 Arizona 3
On most occassions, when a team that has lost 5 straight hits a walk-off home run from the cleanup spot to win a battle in the 13th inning, it feels like quite the joyous occassion. In a bizzare and "typical" Mets game against the NL West division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks, the Mets managed to make this exact situation feel "less than thrilling."
When the Mets lost last week on a walk-off-hit-by-pitch in a ninth inning where Scott Schoenweiss managed to walk 3, and lose the game in .1 innings, I thought I had witnessed the worst type of walk-off.
I was sadly mistaken. I realized last night that it cannot get much worse than winning on a walk-off homerun and being unable to celebrate the victory.
A quick summary of the game last night goes like this:
Mike Pelfrey, facing the best sinkerball pitcher in the majors in Brandon Webb, dueled his way to a flawless 8 IP while allowing only 5H and 0R. A spectacular and much-needed performance from the former first round draft pick for the Mets, in what seemed to be a turning point in the Mets season. This was finally the game that would turn things around. The Mets ended up winning this game, but not before Billy Wagner sucked the life out of Shea Stadium and the Mets faithful by blowing the save on a 3-run homer in the ninth, just one strike away from closing it out.
What stung so much about this particular blown save was that it was a situation in which Mets fans were FINALLY feeling comfortable about the win. We all said to ourselves, for once, "I think we got this one wrapped up." After all of the heartbreaks and tear-jerkers that the Mets had endured, this seemed to be a ray of hope in the season. All it did was lead to the destruction of several chairs in my kitchen.
As soon as the ball went over the left field bleachers, it soon became a game which led one particular fellow fan to text me "Sweet Mets." An obviously sarcastic statement that translated into a feeling of neverending doubt in a team that once held so much promise. I felt that after that ninth inning embarrasment, while losing the well-deserved win for Pelfrey, the Mets were not going to celebrate a walk-off. The entire stadium, including the dugout, seemed depressed and gloomy.
I believe the Mets are the only team that no longer enjoyes the game. They dread going to work like a towel boy at the retirement home neighborhood pool.
This game, holding the worst kind of walk-off, left me sour and disgraced to hold tickets to Saturday's game against the Rangers. I am thrilled that they got a victory facing Webb and the D-Backs, but it is simply astounding that they were unable to close it out in 9 innings, given the unheralded performance from Big Pelf and the bullpen (minus Wags).
This season needs to turn around, and quickly, if the Mets are to have any chance at the playoffs. I would prefer to see some new faces around the clubhouse, and a changed attitude from the players, but I understand how hard that is to actually materialize when games like this are continually ruining the clubhouse spirit.
A walk-off in this disgraceful fashion-- might as well have been a loss. Good for Pelfrey, and those who contributed to the victory, but a consistency needs to be established for this team to even make a dent in the NL East.
On most occassions, when a team that has lost 5 straight hits a walk-off home run from the cleanup spot to win a battle in the 13th inning, it feels like quite the joyous occassion. In a bizzare and "typical" Mets game against the NL West division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks, the Mets managed to make this exact situation feel "less than thrilling."
When the Mets lost last week on a walk-off-hit-by-pitch in a ninth inning where Scott Schoenweiss managed to walk 3, and lose the game in .1 innings, I thought I had witnessed the worst type of walk-off.
I was sadly mistaken. I realized last night that it cannot get much worse than winning on a walk-off homerun and being unable to celebrate the victory.
A quick summary of the game last night goes like this:
Mike Pelfrey, facing the best sinkerball pitcher in the majors in Brandon Webb, dueled his way to a flawless 8 IP while allowing only 5H and 0R. A spectacular and much-needed performance from the former first round draft pick for the Mets, in what seemed to be a turning point in the Mets season. This was finally the game that would turn things around. The Mets ended up winning this game, but not before Billy Wagner sucked the life out of Shea Stadium and the Mets faithful by blowing the save on a 3-run homer in the ninth, just one strike away from closing it out.
What stung so much about this particular blown save was that it was a situation in which Mets fans were FINALLY feeling comfortable about the win. We all said to ourselves, for once, "I think we got this one wrapped up." After all of the heartbreaks and tear-jerkers that the Mets had endured, this seemed to be a ray of hope in the season. All it did was lead to the destruction of several chairs in my kitchen.
As soon as the ball went over the left field bleachers, it soon became a game which led one particular fellow fan to text me "Sweet Mets." An obviously sarcastic statement that translated into a feeling of neverending doubt in a team that once held so much promise. I felt that after that ninth inning embarrasment, while losing the well-deserved win for Pelfrey, the Mets were not going to celebrate a walk-off. The entire stadium, including the dugout, seemed depressed and gloomy.
I believe the Mets are the only team that no longer enjoyes the game. They dread going to work like a towel boy at the retirement home neighborhood pool.
This game, holding the worst kind of walk-off, left me sour and disgraced to hold tickets to Saturday's game against the Rangers. I am thrilled that they got a victory facing Webb and the D-Backs, but it is simply astounding that they were unable to close it out in 9 innings, given the unheralded performance from Big Pelf and the bullpen (minus Wags).
This season needs to turn around, and quickly, if the Mets are to have any chance at the playoffs. I would prefer to see some new faces around the clubhouse, and a changed attitude from the players, but I understand how hard that is to actually materialize when games like this are continually ruining the clubhouse spirit.
A walk-off in this disgraceful fashion-- might as well have been a loss. Good for Pelfrey, and those who contributed to the victory, but a consistency needs to be established for this team to even make a dent in the NL East.
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Great post!