Ten Thoughts On New York Mets @ Los Angeles Angels (Game 69)

Boxscore

The Mets had the benefit of a six-hour flight following the doubleheader yesterday without a travel day. Our Heroes take the mound against

The Mets are 33-35, 6.5 games behind the Phillies for the NL East and 7.5 games behind the Cardinals for the Wildcard. They are still closer to the NL East tank (5.5) than they are to the top. They face the Los Angeles Angels; 42-28 and 3.5 in the lead of the AL West.

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1) And immediately we get to see what happens when an NL team faces an AL team and is required to use a DH. The AL team is properly built with the DH. The NL team gets at-bats for a bench player. We get Marlon Anderson. They get Vlad. That’s fair.

2) There really is nothing like a Willieball-fueled Reyes run to start off the game. I hate the stealing late in the game but love it at the beginning. Go figure.

3) I see Vlad at the plate and look forward to seeing him on the Mets in a couple years when his back is thoroughly shot and Omar is looking for another “gamer.” I can’t wait for Vlad to take over the “aging Latino superstar on the decline” title from Carlos Delgado. I look forward to him upsetting the hierarchy of the Ex-Expos ZhupairZhtahs.

4) The back of Trot Nixon’s black Mets’ hat is already getting filthy. This tells me that he’s a gamer, a lunchpail player, and likes to get dirt on his uniform. As you well know, these are all qualities of excellent ball-players.

5) So, let’s get this straight. Prospectus is reporting that Rick Peterson is about to get fired (or at least that his job’s in jeopardy) when Mike Pelfrey, by all given evidence, has suddenly turned in to Nolan Ryan? Excellent job, Omar. Look, I understand that you want to fire coaches to do something and get the team lit up or something, but firing the one coach who has produced tangible and obvious results (Pelfrey, Maine, Ollie, Heilman) is not the way to do it, dummy.

6) Watching the Mets pile on a few extra runs in the 7th inning was especially awesome. Something that has been missing from this team is the ability for the offense to pile on late in games.

7) After D-Wright got his hit in the seventh and scored on Beltran’s hit… they showed a shot of him looking off in to the sky. Wright’s starting to look like he’s ready to snap and eat someone’s soul. I’m not quite sure if I think that’s a good thing or a bad thing. As long as he doesn’t snap and go on a killing spree, I think it’s a good thing. He doesn’t have dead Church eyes, exactly… they’re more crazy eyes.

8) I would make an argument about Randolph putting in Feliciano who pitched in two different games yesterday — but then I realized there are no better options. I also realize as Feliciano lets in both inherited runners that the bullpen is really good at keeping their ERAs down by letting in inherited runners. It was also great to see Heilman take advantage of two free swingers by slidering the bejesus out of them.

9) Wagner’s has apparently decided that WHIPs under 1.00 are overrated and much prefers 3.000. It’s much better that way.

10) Watched Pelfry’s interview. Good to see the kid a bit more laid back. I guess that’s easy when you finally get a win after giving up 6 after getting 2 NDs when giving up a total of 3. God I hate Wins.

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Very few really bad decision by the manager today. The problem with playing the Angels is that it’s general chaos on the field when you play them. They force throws and force execution. Good win. Hopefully we can keep it going with the best pitcher on the mound tomorrow.

I will admit to being a bit scared of the next few days. I know I’m hard on the bullpen, with reason, but between the doubleheader yesterday followed by a few more days of AL ball… they might die.