“You should pull a Bobby O and unload on Niese. He lost that game because he is lazy, immature and uninterested in his craft.”
—Jason Fry, e-mail to his blogging partner, seven minutes after final pitch
In recognition of Tuesday night’s Mets License Plate Holder giveaway, clearly the highlight of the pancake-flat 4-2 loss with which the Mets opened their August home schedule (today is 8/8; Mets haven’t won at Citi Field since 7/7), the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has issued the following series of commemorative vanity plates.
1BADINNG
—Jon Niese
NOURGNCY
—Terry Collins
QUIETBAT
—David Wright
RUNRSAFE
—Josh Thole
WONTTAKE
—Jordany Valdespin
BADROUTE
—Andres Torres
AVOID9TH
—Bobby Parnell
TIMEISUP
—Jason Bay
NOTMOVIN
—Team Bus
A DMV spokesperson added, “Yeah, that was a pretty pathetic performance, but what did you expect? It wasn’t like they were facing Wade LeBlanc and five Marlin relievers.”
My wife for some reason didn’t bring back a license-plate holder. Perhaps because we don’t have a car, but still.
Appropriately enough, given the growing chasm between expectations and outcomes with this season’s second half, the promotion was sponsored by Gulf.
You forgot WILPONZI. Eight characters, just enough for a NY State license plate.
Yeah, but that 2013 All-Star Game logo is pretty nice…
OK, so it’s 2 out in the 9th inning, they are two runs behind, they need a base runner to get the tying run to the plate, and Collins has 2 pinch hitters ready.
Baxter, who had 5 walks in one game 3 days ago, and Valdespin, who has an on-base average about 6 points higher than his dwindling batting average, but has 5 pinch hit home runs.
So he puts up Valdespin first???
Baxter would make more sense there, you’re right. If you’re gonna bring Valdespin up in the 9th, you want him to be able to change the game with one swing, that one gutsy walk he had against Papelbon not withstanding. Come to think of it, that game was the last time I really believed in this team at all.
Weird decision to let Niese hit for himself with bases loaded. Didn’t see the broadcast…I assume there was some kind of comment about this?
NOURGNCY, indeed. Thought it was a terrible move out in Section 126. Stengel in his World Series managing days thought nothing of pinch-hitting very early if the game could be won then. Hell, Art Howe would’ve pinch-hit there.
(Stengel in his World Series managing days thought nothing of pinch-hitting very early if the game could be won then.)
That seemed to be a much more prevalent strategy back then than it is now (counter-intuitively, I might add). I looked into this a few years ago when I heard that David Cone had the record for the most consecutive starts gone at least 5 innings over the last 50 years. What about Koufax?? Marichal?? Gibson?? Ford?? , 20 others??. Just a casual look thru thier starts in the 60′s and there were once-in-a-great-while instances where it appears they Just Didn’t Have It and were taken out early. Now it seems the pitch count prevails, and if they’ve given up 6 runs thru 5 innings, but on only 80 pitches, they stay in.
For what it’s worth, I didn’t see a whole lot wrong with leaving Neise in there, except that Terry forgot he was managing the August Mets and not the May Mets.
That move was trademarked by Jerry Manuel. He was famous for letting hte pitcher hit in the 6th inning with runners on base and then removing him after he got one out in the 7th. Doh!!!!
I was myatified that he didnt pinch hit for niese.
You have to figure this may be your bet shot at getting back in the game.
Pitch count trumps opportunity to tie the game?
Bad move.