Squawker Jon must be exhausted from doing the Snoopy Dance this weekend. First, he got to see the Yankees get humiliated by the Rangers. Then, the Giants beat the Phillies, thanks in no small part to Bruce Bochy's great work. He was a manager who was unafraid to pull out all the stops, taking out his starter in the second, and using his best bullpen arms, including Tim Lincecum, in the game.
To top it all off, Ryan Howard pulled a Carlos Beltran, leaving his bat on his shoulder with the bases loaded, striking out to end the game, and the series. (Yeah, yeah, I know the same thing happened with A-Rod Friday, but he had nobody on base, and a 6-1 deficit to overcome -- what was he going to do, hit a six run homer)?
At any rate, two of the Mets biggest rivals ended their season this year, while the Braves' season ended in the NLDS. Jon as I were arguing on the phone last night over what team was the Mets' biggest rival these days -- the Yankees or the Phillies? He said Yankees, I said Phillies, telling him that right now, the rivalry between the Yankees and Mets is like the rivalry between the hammer and the nail. For some strange reason, Jon hung up on me over that. Touchy!
As for myself, a strange thing happened yesterday. I was reading Wally Matthews' analysis of Joe Girardi's bullpen mistakes in the Yankees' loss, and instead of muttering and cursing to myself, as I often do when reading his work, I found myself agreeing with nearly much everything he wrote. I hate it when that happens!
It gets better -- or worse, depending on how you look at it. I wrote words to that effect to him, and he wrote me a funny, self-deprecating response. Matthews came across as a likeable guy. I hate it when that happens, too!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
8 comments:
I agree that the Phillies is the bigger rival by every conversation I have with almost every Met Fan
On those who compare Howard to A-Rod that is a legitimate argument.
If you take what A-Rod did starting from mid way of the 2004 Red Sox Series thru the 2007 Playoffs and what Howard did from the 2009 World Series and this playoff is very similar both of them left tons of runners on base and both really only has had one big Postseason and help lead their teams to win a World Series Tittle (A-Rod Last Year) and (Howard vs Rays in 2008 World Series)
Now for fans of both teams who say they are done or should be traded that is dumb and silly, as is those who argue that the Yankees should cut ties with Jeter.
I for one, will never mention Beltran standing like a statue ever again (oops, I just did).
And for a Yankee fan to agree with Wallace Matthews on anything is like a Democrat saying there is something worthwhile in the GOP platform.....
Wallace Matthews is a real berk (as we would say if we were English and reading what he would write about soccer), but even a broken clock is right twice a day.
On my blog, I posted the top 5 reasons the Yankees didn't win the Pennant. I'll spoil the ending and say that Lisa and Matthews are both right, Girardi's futzing up of the pitching -- in September as well as October -- was Number 1.
A-Rod was my Number 2 reason, but both he and Howard deserve passes on their Beltran Moments. That last pitch to A-Rod was well and truly outside, and he was right not to swing at it. He got hosed. In Howard's case, it was much closer. He was right to argue, but in that case, where a single meant no worse than extra innings and at least a double meant Game 7 at home, it was close enough to swing. But he has a ring, and so does A-Rod, Beltran doesn't, so it's not as damaging.
Let's go Jints.
How can Squawker Jon say that the Yankees are a bigger rival to the Mets than the Phillies? It sounds like a situation where the ex is thinking about you but you don't even care about him. The Mets are irrelevant to the Yankees until the schedule says they have to play each other. Doesn't a rivalry have to be a 2-way street? The Phillies are in your their division and they also talk bad about you so you better rethink who your real rival is. What the Yankees do has no effect on whether or not you have a chance to win the Wildcard so why would there be a rivalry?? The Red Sux are the Yankees biggest rivals b/c they are in the same division, the history which had them give the Yankees the biggest Icon in baseball history to fund a Broadway play (HA HA)and b/c the many moments the two have given us. Squawker Jon...stop reaching for a rival and take the one you already have.
Well, you know, Mondoas, there is one team that, above all others, drives Met fans crazy. The one from whom they really ought to save their ire.
The Mets.
I wish I could have a similar experience while reading your posts, Lisa. Alas, it's probably never meant to be. =P
Geez, Matt, I'll try to make it through the night knowing that (sniff!)
Love me, hate me, just keep on reading and adding to our hits count!
The Yanks need a manager with heart, like Bochy, and NOT a man that goes by the numbers, like clueless Joe (Girardi)!!
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