NEW YORK METS: Opening Jeers Turned Into Series Winning Cheers.
I'm glad that we were able to win the series from the Marlins and douse the raging inferno of ridicule the Mets endured after game one. The newspapers were especially unfair. Some fans were downright hysterical. But you have to admit, Opening Night was weird wasn't it? I mean, if Jason Bay starting the season on the DL was already spicing-up this year to taste like some of the more recent seasons, then what we watched transpire in game one of 2011 was more like and entire entree and a salad.
Mike Pelfrey reminded us he has a hard time putting batters away. Then the grand slam...well, you felt it. You new that great big thought bubble appeared over your head just like it did me. David Wright flashed mid-season form with two strikeouts. I know no one really caught on to this one, but Angel Pagan over-ran second base and almost got nailed. The first person that flashed in my mind was Jerry Manuel. I have little explanation for that. Then there was that every so minor matter of Ike letting a grounder eat him up by backing up on the ball. That's a lesson we learn in Little League. Vharge the ball and get it before the bounce.
But all of what I just just pointed out is just unfortunate minutia and bad coincidence for the Mets. I don't think any of us were foolish enough to start judging this team after only the first 27 outs of the season. We all have our opinions about how this season will play out. But I think after Day One, most were just having fun at the Mets' expense and letting some anxiety channel through and find it's way to ground.
Well, that's what I was thinking. It's best to judge a first series than a first game. Even then it too early. But we have to talk about something...don't we?
But then odd and strangely familiar things started happening again.
On OPENING NIGHT: TAKE TWO ~ Poor guy; But Brad Emues kinda got exposed as did the Mets continuing struggles to rectify second base until a number of minor leaguers are ready to step in. I'm not picking on Brad by any stretch. We're just talking here. He took a little too long on the Marlin's lead-off hitter allowing him to beat-out a ground ball ahead of Emues' throw. Then he and Jose Reyes miscommunicated on an infield pop-up behind second base and let the ball fall between them. Again, I had flashes, of you know who, and you know when. I did. What can I say? And as I was breaking out in a sweat thinking about such things, I watched Carlos Beltran chase down a fly ball into foul territory and drop a basket-catch attempt at the ball.
After a Frankie Rodriguez blown save I was thinking like...Wow, this is like the Twilight Zone or something.
But that's why the joke is on...Everybody! C'mon, we all did it. We were almost salivating at the thought of reveling in doom and gloom again as if we're the new Red Sox fan or new Cub's fan acting as new keepers of the curse.
Well, guys like Niese, R.A. Dickey, Bobby Parnell, David Wright, Ike Davis and big man on campus Willie Harris had other plans. OK, and I'll be fair. I'll include Terry Collins in that list.
At the end of the day, there is only one true and tried way of getting the most critical fans to shut up and sing a different tune. The simple formula for getting naysayers off your back is by playing hard and having guts. To win people over you have to win your games.
The Mets won their Opening Series of the season. Perception is everything isn't it? They went from Opening Day recurring nightmare, to series winning Boys of Spring. Considering they didn't win a series on the road last year till June/July(?), that's a hell of an achievement already for the Blue and Orange.
I hope they enjoyed their day off today. It was well deserved because we feel good about the last two days.
NEXT SERIES
NEW YORK METS (2-1)
vs.
Philadelphia Phillies (3-0)
Somewhere in South Philly in a place that isn't named Shibe Park
Mike.BTB
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