Well, on the plus side Schoeneweis didn't allow a hit in the inning.
You knew this one would end strangely, and not just because the Mets were playing in West Kamchatka. Though that's often enough — I don't think I've ever watched a road game against the Padres and not felt like I was up in the middle of the night watching the Mets play in the Tokyo Dome. I know San Diego's no farther than L.A. or San Francisco — heck, I've been to the place — but it sure feels like it is. And it doesn't help when you're playing a lineup that sounds like a videogame maker didn't pay the MLBPA the rights for player names. McAnulty? Carlin? Banks? Who?
Mike Pelfrey's line looks OK, but he certainly had his Brian Bannister going on. You thought it was amazing that I got out of this straitjacket? Then watch me emerge from this LOCKED CHEST THROWN INTO THE RIVER! And now, for my next trick … oh hell, I've thrown 112 pitches. Never mind.
Give this game credit, of an I-didn't-ask-for-this sort, for featuring not one but two moments where I couldn't figure out what was going on and was left goggling like a fish in the bottom of a boat. The first came when Kevin Kouzmanoff's groundout to Reyes caromed off Tadahito Iguchi, becoming a hit for Kouzmanoff (Gary's right, that's a stupid rule) but the third out of the inning. Between Iguchi twitching in the air like he'd stepped on a downed power line and Wright pointing and yelling, I was completely lost. Wha? It hit him? The second moment, of course, was the culmination of the Misadventures of Scott Schoeneweis, which left me spinning around in my seat to stare at the radio. Wha? It hit him?
So Kouzmanoff got a hit without ever reaching first and McAnulty got an RBI without swinging the bat. And Schoeneweis got this not-a-typo line added to his resume:
0.1 IP 0 H 1 R 1 ER 3 BB 0 SO 0 HR
Oh, and 1 L.
Not weird enough for you? I suppose it could have gone into McAnulty's shirt.
Just thrilled Willie didn't bring in Heilman.
I can handle a Schoeneweis loss. Heilman comes in and blows it, I'm going after Willie myself.
Way to show restraint Willie! He can stay and manage at least one more game.
Didn't see the end of the game. Was there no one else available besides Heilman or Wagner?
I didn't have a problem with it. Heilman's still a mess, and keep Billy for a save. Scho's come a long way. Just not last night.
I fell asleep after the top of the 9th. Were any of the walks intentional? Because I'm thinking after two, maybe three, I take my chances with Heilman.
The final walk was intentional, to set up the HBP.
I was so happy a few weeks ago when John Maine started a game by hitting Felipe Lopez with a pitch. Ending a game that way…not so much.
How do you call for that intentional walk when Schoenweiss has walked two of the last three batters? Do you really want a guy who can't find the strike zone pitching with the bases loaded and the game on the line? With less than two out? The way Show was throwing I was pretty sure he was going to walk at least one of the next two batters.
Terrible, terrible call.
Willie was hoping for (counting on?) the DP from McAnaulty…
Mike Pelfrey's line looks OK, but he certainly had his Brian Bannister going on. You thought it was amazing that I got out of this straitjacket? Then watch me emerge from this LOCKED CHEST THROWN INTO THE RIVER! And now, for my next trick … oh hell, I've thrown 112 pitches. Never mind.
LOL. Man, I really like Pelfrey, and I've been wondering why we can never seem to get the bats going when he pitches. But last night, wow. I think the rest of the team was feeling the same way the fans were–oh no! We're getting crushed! Pelfrey is collapsing out there! Wait a minute, the score is still tied? How did that happen? Oh no! There's no way we get out of this one! The Swinging Friar is pointing at us and laughing! Wait a minute…
Painful game. Banks looked too good out there for a rookie. Got to give him credit for that.