After Johan Santana completed his 3-0 shutout of the Reds last night, Jerry Manuel claimed that he only visited the mound in the ninth to see how Santana was feeling. From Metsblog:
Santana said, 'I want to finish it,' Manuel said, 'OK,' and, 'That was that.'
Santana's been on the Mets for 2 1/2 years and has built a reputation as someone as competitive as anyone else on the team. And Manuel still felt the need to ask him how he felt?
What did he expect Santana to say - "Better take me out, Skip. K-Rod needs his regular work"?
Manuel even admitted after the game that he would have been that much more reluctant to remove Santana since the last batter had reached on an error (by Jason Bay).
So why did Manuel bother to come out to the mound? Was he just messing with the crowd, getting them to boo when he approached the mound, then cheer when he left Johan in?
Or was Manuel starting to do his usual managing by the book, but resisting the urge to make the usual knee-jerk decision and making the right move for this game?
After Bay's error, Johnny Gomes was coming up as the tying run. Following Gomes was Drew Stubbs. Two righty hitters with power. Stubbs had just hit three homers in a game on Sunday. Going by the book would mean taking out Santana and bringing in your righty closer.
Fortunately for Santana and the Mets, Manuel threw away the book in the ninth inning last night.
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On June 21, I wrote that it was "Way too soon to bury Johan Santana." Santana had one more lousy start after that, then has allowed only one run in 16 innings over his last two starts. I'm glad to see that Santana is looking like he can pull off one of his second-half surges.
But June 21 was also just after I wore my new Mike Pelfrey shirt to his game at Yankee Stadium. Back then, Pelfrey was looking like the ace of the staff and a sure All-Star, with an ERA of 2.39. Now that ERA is exactly one run higher at 3.39.
Squawker Lisa wore an "In Joba We Trust" shirt to that game, and Chamberlain has been struggling as well. Could it be that our Subway Series shirts are cursed? What do you think, Lisa, should we bury our shirts at Yankee Stadium next to the David Ortiz jersey?
Maybe Manuel was visiting Santana to talk about, uh, the balls and how they lie on the golf course.
ReplyDeleteGotta hand to Johan, though. He really had a good stroke last night. He put his pole to good use. He was able to score. And, you know, chicks dig the long ball.
Meanwhile, A-Rod now has 597 homers and 21 grand slams... I wonder what he and Santana will talk about the next time they meet? Maybe about how Santana is pitching roughly as well as Phil Hughes. And, to be fair, Mike Pelfrey -- who apparently no longer needs me to be in the park to pitch well. Or Lisa, for that matter.
Mikey, are you gay? All this talk about poles and strokes, and putting his pole to good use? Sounds pretty gay. Come out of the closet Mikey, it's ok to be gay, not that there's anything wrong with that! HA HA HA HA HA
ReplyDeleteSorry, no room in a Yankee Fan's closet for people, it's filled with trophies.
ReplyDeleteI'd better explain: "Trophies" are what you get when you win things.
Actually, trophies are what WE get when WE win things. Since YOU don't win things...
Paraphrasing Josie Cotton:
ReplyDelete"Why are you so weird boy?
Mikey, are you queer boy?
When I make a play
You're pushing me away
Mikey, are you queer?
'Cause when I see you
Dancing with your friends
I can't help wondering
Where I stand"
Come out of the closet Mikey, the closet filled with gay pride trophies! HA HA HA
Apparently our definition of "win" differs slightly. My definition doesn't include a price tag and a receipt. Keep spending Yankers, all those trophies are worthless.
Paraphrasing Alan Ruck from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Pardon my French, but you're an idiot. If your definition of "win" doesn't come with a price tag, then you must be playing stickball, because even Little League comes with a price tag -- entrance fees, gotta buy the equipment, rent the field, etc.
ReplyDeleteYou must be drinking a lot of Evian, because, as Janeane Garofalo taught us, "Evian" spelled backwards is "naive."
Besides, even if I cared about the typical Met fan's definition of "win" and "worth," you've proven that your definitions have about as much meaning as Bush's MBA degree.
Ask any 100 Met fans: "Would you take a World Championship if it meant outspending the Yankees and going so deep into debt that the next 5 years would be ruined?" 99 out of 100 probably would... and the 100th would be you, settling for another disaster like last year's... or the 2 years before that.
What's the matter Mikey? You can dish it out, but you can't take it? Typical Yanker loser.
ReplyDeleteTake it? I've been to Shea and watched the Yankees win there. Without a gas mask. I've also been to Fenway and watch the Yankees win there. You would have been so scared of that... let's put it this way: You would not have made it to a "urinalfresh" in time.
ReplyDeleteThe Mets and Red Sox have both won many games in your toilet too, so what does that prove? And as far as I can recall, no one needed to be hospitalized except for stomach cramps from laughing too hard at the Yankers gayness! HA HA HA HA HA
ReplyDelete