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Greg Prince and Jason Fry
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.

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Details, Details

You know exactly what happened between Frankie Rodriguez and his father-in-law…what exactly provoked the Mets’ closer into a situation from which he’s to be charged with third-degree assault?

Neither do I.

Thus, I’ll leave the amateur psychology to experts like SNY’s doctors of uneducated guessing and conjecture, Bobby Ojeda and Chris Carlin. Any event that involves the police and ambulances qualifies as an unfortunate incident, to say the very least. To say the most would be irresponsible…which didn’t slow Ojeda (once arrested in the middle of a baseball season himself), Carlin or anybody else from inferring whatever fit the narrative of the moment as they attempted to definitively analyze the breaking news that fell into their laps. “Not at all good on any level whatsoever” will have to suffice until the details emerge or are burrowed out.

As for the game the preceded Rodriguez’s arrest, that can be boiled down to its essential details easily enough:

Angel Pagan launched a two-run homer in the first inning.

The Mets did nothing offensively after that.

Jon Niese pitched beautifully for seven innings.

Jerry Manuel went with Hisanori Takahashi, his new setup man, in the eighth until he panicked and pulled him with two on and two out, bringing in Manny Acosta, who threw a wild pitch, was ordered to issue an intentional walk and gave up — to Melvin Mora — the Met staff’s ninth grand slam of the season.

Knowing the details doesn’t necessarily make them any more palatable, but it’s helpful to know them before deciding what happened. I know what happened during the game Wednesday night: the Mets lost. I don’t know all that happened after the game Wednesday night. I’m sure we’ll hear more.

Maybe even exactly what happened.

21 comments to Details, Details

  • maryanne

    Now we need both an 8th and a 9th inning man. No doubt that Bobby Ojeda was somewhat of a wild man in his day, but his commentary on the sadness of this situation rang true. I hope that K-Rod gets the help he needs for his temper…he can’t be very happy acting like that. Let’s go, Mets!

  • […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Greg Prince, Greg Prince. Greg Prince said: Knowing details of a story is helpful, even if it doesn't make the story palatable. #Mets #SNY #K-Rod http://wp.me/pKvXu-1H4 […]

  • pfh64

    Sad the whole K-Rod thing, but I hav a novel idea…LEAVE NIESE IN THE GAME! I know, I know it’s a weird idea, but what do you say, after years and years of bad bullpens, and guys who make the lineup decisions overusing the bullpen (the weak link on EVERY TEAM, inclding almost all 1st place teams). What do you say we try the Nolan Ryan philosphy, LET THE STARTERS PITCH. Just a thought.

  • Rob D.

    Unless KRod is hurt, is there any reason why he DOESN’T come in in the 8th after Taka gets in trouble?

  • CharlieH

    It’s official: 2010 is 2002’s ugly cousin.

  • 5w30

    The Wilpons are just trying to out Dolan the Dolans. That’s their template. And lately they’ve been pretty good at it. And, as the article above states, it’s getting to their hand-picked tv staff, too.

  • Tristram Shandy

    Is it true that the Mets have hired Isiah Thomas as a consultant?

    • metsadhd

      What’s with the name.
      You going literary on us?
      I thought all Mets fans move their lips when they read and then only comic books.
      Have read the book off and on now for forty years, always cracks me up.

      • Dak442

        Hey! Watchmen stands up to any literary effort and I can even read it with my mouth closed.

        • Well-Meaning Phils Troll

          Sorry, all… No one wants to hear anything I have to say and if there was a “like” button to click, I would simply do just that, but I had to chime in and second your sentiment, Dak. Watchmen finally settled the ‘comics=literature?’ debate once and for all. Incidentally, my mouth remains closed, yet my tongue still makes all of the consonant/vowel movements. I’ve tried not to… nothing I can do about it.

          Also, hell of a gem thrown up there by Johann (especially since we don’t have to face him this weekend).

          See you guys at the ballpark, perhaps. If you should see a devilishly handsome, if somewhat stocky gentleman with a goatee (van dyke, actually, but I don’t quibble with common wisdom) in an Utley Alternate Jersey with an HK patch over the heart, feel free to berate and mock, so long as you’re willing to shoot the the shit about some baseball afterwards.

          Later, fellas.

  • Rob D.

    No, Art Howe.

  • metsadhd

    Greg
    I think the Wilpons will start selling season tickets plans for the detention center.
    Another novel way to raise funds for Castillo and Perez.
    I liked the old fahioned pin stripes but I think KRod jail stripes would definitely be more gangsta.
    Who said Manuel was stupid, he was prescient, Mets going gangsta is the plan.

  • metsadhd

    In the immortal words of the late Emily Latella(Gilda Radner), it’s always somethin’.
    We have descended into the comic relief zone
    Oh the humanity.
    Time for a spontaneous fund raising at citi for KROD’S bail before today’s epic.

  • Tom

    I just want someone to buy the Mets and take inspiration from this video. Even the colors on the weapon are appropriate. Language NSFW, but then again, neither is ruminating on the Mets for most of the past decade.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1gqqwzpCIE

  • Actually, it was another Gilda character, Roseanne Rosannadanna, who said, “It’s always somethin’.” As Emily Litella REALLY would have said, “Never mind.” Now, here’s Chico Escuela with his 2010 edition of “Bad Stuff ‘Bout the Mets.” Over to you, Chico.

  • metsadhd

    Uncle Mike
    Right you are.
    Score it an E.
    Come on Jason and Greg time for a banner day and boycott and a collection to buy the team.
    How about invoking the mercy rule and just cancel the rest of the season?

  • James

    CharlieH is correct: it’s like 2002 all over again with a helping of ’03 for good measure. Disastrous first season by token big name free agent signing (Glavine/Bay)? Check. Manager easily dazed and confused (Howe/Manuel)? Check. Bloated contract (Mo Vaughn/Ollie)? Check. Terrible attitudes (speaks for itself)? Check.

    Did I mention the losing? That’s key.

    Whatever way you look at it, the entire matter is disheartening. Compared to 2002 and 2003 (as well as partially 2004, although things were beginning to slowly shift), this current situation feels even worse as seasons are being lost while we have potentially the strongest core since the 1980s.

    But the sun rises in the morning.

    • CharlieH

      Throw in Smokin’ Grant Roberts and the resemblance is positively eerie, and I don’t mean Pennsylvania…

  • mikeinbrooklyn

    On a good note, maybe K-Rod can team up with Pedro to form some sort of WWE tag team that only fight old men.

    (Comment 2: Chris Carlin trying to analyze something he knows nothing about is about as newsworthy as “dog bites man” or “sky is blue”)

  • […] his way back — Melvin Mora (5/30/1999) held what turned out to be interim LAMSA status. As we learned first-hand in August, the 38-year-old Mora, despite striking out to end a furious Rockies comeback Thursday night, is as […]