Because the ninth belongs to us…
Hey, Braden Looper isn't permanently damaged by his world-ending implosion Sunday night. All saves aren't created equal, but all saves have their place in the course of a season, and it's good to see Loop ain't dead yet.
Maybe we are, maybe we aren't, but there was fun today. Pedro as ever. Jose was three times the fun with another triple. Woody had the lumber at bat and didn't splinter when playing first. Carlos rediscovered his missing tool and stole two bags in the same inning. Let's just say we do OK against the Phillies, having taken two of three in two consecutive series against them and four of six in other configurations early in the season.
We don't see them again until very late August, so it's probably OK to mention this: Bobby Abreu didn't bother us at all.
There. I said it. DUCK!
That's all right. He's got lots of talented, scary friends. And there are still teams in Miami and Washington with the ability to hurt us. But you say Abreu, I say boo.
I'm a big man when the best player in the division is suddenly two months away from reappearing in our shaky midst.
It's true. Looper delivered. But it's not a good sign when your stomach sinks when you see your closer on the mound. As I said to Jason, Franco made you nervous after his usual man was safely on second. But you weren't worried before he'd even thrown a pitch…
I've been worried for sixteen consecutive seasons, actually, Franco to Benitez to Looper.
Meanwhile, Chad Cordero is untouchable.
Is this the wrong place to bring up Mel Rojas?
Is there ever a right place to bring up Mel Rojas?
I remember, years after The Horror ended, a game at Shea at which some visiting Yankee fan in the stands (why do they come?) would periodically and delightedly cry out, apropos of nothing, “ROJAS!” Pronouncing it wrong, I assume on purpose: “RO-JASS!” And every time it would have the desired effect on me and most of the other Met fans in the section: We'd writhe around like soldiers who just got mustard-gassed in a trench. We were absolutely helpless against this foul incantation.
Must…choke…back…hatred….