Here's a piece of paper. It says the Mets have taken eight of twelve from the St. Louis Cardinals. That's absolutely true on paper. Now crumple up the paper and discard it at once. It's best not to think about it.
Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez pitched and hit his way to victory. He sure looked calf-ready and unarthritic, the kind of pitcher you would have wanted in an enormous series at a different time of year. It's best not to think about it.
Did we mention El Duque hit his way to victory? With the bases loaded and two out in the sixth, he poked one down the third base line just when it looked as if a golden sixth-inning scoring opportunity would evaporate on sight. That's clutch hitting. It's good to think about it in terms of this particular game. Otherwise, it's best not to think about it.
Aargh…as in we aargh in a brand new season but as long as we're playing hmmm over there, it's impossible to watch any of this without thinking of any of that. And if you don't know what “that” is, well, congratulations on having become a Mets fan 51 hours ago — or recovering so nicely from that lobotomy you got for Christmas.
I didn't see any rings handed out, but then again I didn't need any motivation. Molina…Edmonds…that fucker with the landing strip on his chin…about the only thing that didn't call up October 2006 was the repeated reminder to myself that this is April 2007 and in April 2007, despite having played nobody at all except for the St. Louis Cardinals in any competition of consequence since October 12, we are two and oh. They are oh and two. We are sharp. They are ragged. We are winning. They are losing.
They have rings, very specific rings, that we don't. It's best not to think about it.
 
Faith and Fear in Flushing made its debut on Feb. 16, 2005, the brainchild of two longtime friends and lifelong Met fans. Greg Prince discovered the Mets when he was 6, during the magical summer of 1969. He is a Long Island-based writer, editor and communications consultant. Contact him here. Jason Fry is a Brooklyn writer whose first memories include his mom leaping up and down cheering for Rusty Staub. Check out his other writing here. Got something to say? Leave a comment, or email us at faithandfear@gmail.com. (Sorry, but we have no interest in ads, sponsored content or guest posts.) Need our RSS feed? It's here. Visit our Facebook page, or drop by the personal pages for Greg and Jason. Or follow us on Twitter: Here's Greg, and here's Jason. |
It's Best Not To Think About It13 comments to It's Best Not To Think About It |
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We were better than them in August, we were better in October, and we're better now. They got lucky at the luckiest time. It happened to us once, too.
Life is good.
That's all for now.
I'll buy that.
You know what's good? What's good is what I heard myself say around 5:30 yesterday, anticipating some errands I needed to run in early evening. “I'm not going out as late as I did the last two Tuesdays,” I told Stephanie. “I've got a game tonight.”
I've got a game tonight. Opening Night and the ceremonial licking of Redbirds (yum-o!) couldn't have gone better, but last night the lower-case season started in earnest. It's a very comfortable place to be.
Can the Cardinals do something else to celebrate tonight? Maybe have World Championship Hotdog night or something? All this celebrating seems to really have a motivating effect on the Mets.
Also, when did Javier Valentin join the Mets? According to CBS Sports, he's playing the Mets. Either that or David Eckstein's throw made it all the way to Cincinnati.
To me, this series has been cathartic, a la the April 1986 weekend match-up against the Cards when the Mets unfurled their new weapons — Ojeda, Mitchell, Teufel — and reinforced the idea to Whitey and the boys that they were determined to take care of business this time around.
Yeah, I think they were the better team and should have won last year and all that other jazz — but I also see their inability to close the deal last year, injuries and all, as part of the maturation process for this team. 1986 would have never have been so sweet without the heartbreak of October 1985.
I think the freaking yahoos are doing something tonight, all the fans get banners or some shat.
And I want to nominate Tony LaRussa for the MAP* award, maybe even the MAP hall of fame. How about his comments after opening day that Beltran's throw home was a “Stupid” play. I thought he was referring to Eckstein, but he was refferring to Beltran!!!
-sjg$
*Most Annoying Prick
Speaking of Valentins, Did anybody see that Jorge Cantu is in the minirs and readily available. Since they sent him down so early even the D Rays can't ask for too much. I would like to see the Mets make an offer. Maybe send a mediocre bullpen prospect, or Jon Adkins.
There is no longer any question of which is the superior team. And which is the luckier.
If not for the rings and the banners and the trophy and the lingering clips of October 2006, I'd probably pity them.
Laurie,
No pity. As a football Giants fan, I had no pity when the Dallas Cowboys went 1-15. I knew that soon enough they'd be back to stomp on my Boys in Blue (not to be confused with my Boys in Blue and Orange).
No pity for the winless Redbirds, no pity for the pennant-less Braves, no pity for the Should've-Won-the-Series-If-Not-For-Pitchers'-Throwing-Errors Tigers.
No quarter asked, none given.
You, tell 'em, Dennis!
(I'll hold your coat…) ;-)
I'll be quite happy to move on from St Loo. I can't watch these games without shouting at the TV “We should have beat you guys last year!” and then all those memories of called strikes and outfield miscues and jagoffs with red soul patches and transvestite catchers (the goatee's not fooling anyone, Priscilla) come flooding back. Starting Friday I can just enjoy the season for what it is without all the baggage.
If 2006 makes a potential 2007 title sweeter, it should be positively cloying. '86 didn't just come on the heels of '85, but also the collapse in '84 and with a sour aftertaste of blowing two chances to win the WS in '73. It was plenty sweet.
There's a mountainous, almost Bostonlike litany of failure and shortcoming leading up to this season. We shoulda won in '87, we certainly should have in '88, you can make a case for '89 and '90. We lost like 14 games in a row and blew the playoffs in '98. Kenny Rogers (and to be fair, Franco and Benitez) blew '99. If Benitez gets Old Man O'Neill out, I'm convinced we win the 2000 WS. We should have won the division in 2001 (thanks again, Armando). If Craig Counsell doesn't take Armando deep in '02… well, maybe I'm reaching there.
Look, all this doesn't make me love them any less, but other than one splendid half-inning, let's just say we're not exactly a historically clutch organization. I think I've had enough character building, close-but-no-Fuente seasons now, thanks. Let's finally run away with one!
Amen to SkyKing's analysis. And what BicycleMom said about the hot dogs.
Here's a good sign (besides the two wins, the best signs of all): Heilman has come through and Beltran is playing wonderfully. The guy who gave up the homer and the guy who didn't swing don't look black-clouded at all. That's probably why they play and we watch.
CB did strike out looking last night. The world didn't end. It is indeed a new season.
Dennis, I'd probably pity them for being so HAPLESS AND PATHETIC AND SUCKY.
But I don't. The Birds are dead. Long live Pond Scum.