Mets vs.Yankees @ Yankee Stadium, Subway Series II

Game 1: As soon as Derek Jeter deposited a Pedro Martinez offering over the center field wall, chants of "Who's Your Daddy?," began to erupt in Yankee Stadium. Well, after the final result, it sure isn't the Yankees. In Pedro's second start of the season vs. the Yanks, he once again dominated the potent Yankee offense. Through strikeouts and weak grounders, only Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter seemed to get good wood off of the future hall of famer. In a game filled with solid fundamentals, the Mets showed that they too could compete with the cross town rivals. Carlos Beltran once again showed in the field why he is considered one of the best outfielders in the game. On a deep drive to center field, Beltran leaped onto the outfield fence and took away a crucial hit from the New York Yankees. Bernie Williams, on the other hand, is much to blame for the Yankees' defensive lapses as he failed to execute simple fundamentals in the field. Defensive heroics from Cliff Floyd and others also allowed the Mets to pull out a big
win in the series opener. Final Score: Mets 6, Yankees 4. Record: 36-37

Game 2: With a hall of fame pitcher on the mound for a second straight day, Tom Glavine and the Mets looked to take another game from the New York Yankees. Although not especially dominant, Glavine did pitch effectively and walked away with a win under his belt. He received much help from the Mets offense as Beltran collected a key hit to score a run and David Wright chipped in with his eleventh home run of the season. However, it was the Mets first half offensive MVP with yet another big game. Cliff Floyd, who has carried the Met offense for much of the season, hit an absolute bomb to the upper deck in right field with two outs in the first inning. He hit his second home run of the day, and 20th of the season, in the fifth inning. Furthermore, the Met defense once again came through with defensive gems from Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes. All in all, this was probably the most complete win for the Mets all season. Bring on the Unit. Mets 10, Yankees 3. Record: 37-37

Game 3: Although not backed with a great track record, the Mets certainly liked their chances of a Subway Series sweep with Kris Benson opposing Randy Johnson in the final game of the series. With Randy Johnson pitching a dominant game in the series finale, Benson also put some zeroes on the board to keep the Mets in the game. Putting pressure on the Yankee defense in the seventh inning, Jose Reyes and the Mets plated three runs in the inning to take the lead. They also received stellar defense for the third straight game as Marlon Anderson chose this game to perform some spectacular heroics. However, even with their three run lead, the Mets let the Yankees creep back into the game heading into the ninth inning. Following an effective relief appearance from Roberto Hernandez, the Mets held a one run lead and needed three more outs to sweep the Yankees in their own home. However, it was not meant to be as Met close Braden Looper failed to get an out in the ninth inning. Jason Giambi singled to center field with the bases loaded to score 2 runs for the Yankees and just like that the Mets chances for a series sweep were washed away. However, they won yet another series and played 26 innings of great baseball to close out the yearly rivalry between the Mets and Yankees. Final Score: Mets 4, Yankees 5. Record: 37-38

Series analysis: The Mets managed to get back on the right track and played spectular baseball throughout the entire series. Although they did win the series, they fell below .500 once again as the rest of their own division keeps on pushing towards the top of the standings. The impressive outing by the Mets could propel them into winning baseball, but the heartbreaking loss in the series finale could also drain them of that possible energy. They continue to man last place in the NL East and any hope they might have had to make some moves at the trading deadline might be fading. However, if they can just hang around until the All Star break, the first half may still be considered a success.

Mets vs. Angels @ Shea Stadium, Game , 2005

In the great words of Vin Scully, "I Can't believe what I just saw!!!" These were the exact words running through the heads of many as Cliff Floyd blasted a three-run home run to beat the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday Night. The game itself was perhaps the most exiting win for the Mets all season. It seemed to build up all of the Mets recent failures and with one swing of the bat a big sigh of relief could be heard around Queens.

Kris Benson earned his paycheck once again as he held the Angels to 2 runs over 7 innings. With Much thanks to Carlos Beltran, he was able to throw yet another quality start. With 2 outs in the seventh inning, Jose Molina hit a high fly ball 410 feet to center field. Were it not for the defensive heroices of Beltran, who scaled over the wall to rob a home run, the Mets probably would not have won this game. Following the seventh, the Mets could not push any runs across the plate. However, that all changed heading into the ninth inning. With one man out and a 3-1 count, Marlon Anderson looked for a pitch he could drive. Well, as fate would have it, he did that and then some. After a 3-1 offering from Angels closer "K-Rod," Anderson hit a sharp line drive to deep right center field. Angel center fielder, Steve Finley, misplayed the ball and then kicked it about 90 feet towards the right field line. Anderson never stopped running and even managed to blow a bubble while rounding second base. As Finley chased down the baseball in right field, Anderson headed towards third and was waved home by the third base coach. In perhaps the most exciting play in baseball, the cutoff throw by Adam Kennedy was a half-second too late as Marlon Anderson slid in under the tag for the game-tying inside the park home-run.

Although he would receieve some stitches for his heroics, Marlon Anderson would be a big piece of the Mets win on this saturday night. Heading into the 10th inning, the Met defense would elude them once again as Doug Mientkiewicz botched a grounder that would have ended the inning. The Angels would take the lead and it seemed as if the Mets would take yet another tough loss. Leading off the bottom of the tenth, Jose Reyes and Mike Cameron both managed to reach base safely. With the tying run in scoring position, things were looking up for the Mets. However, Carlos Beltran and Mike Piazza both struck out and the Mets were almost surely on their way to a fourth straight defeat. As Cliff Floyd stepped into the batters box, he fought off pitch after pitch until Brendan Donnelly had nothing else to offer. On a 3-2 offering, Floyd drilled the baseball deep down the right field line. Foul Ball. Once again, Met fans had been teased by the baseball gods, or so it seemed. On the very next offering, Floyd crushed a home-run to deep right center field and just like that the Mets had pulled off their first win when trailing after 8 innings, and what a way to do it. Floyd never quit and hit the ball deep into the New York Night. The Mets can breath again. Final score: Mets 5, Angels 3. Record: 32-30

Game Analysis:
After enduring a tough three game loss, this walk-off win was a good way for the Mets to forget their recent failures. However, only time will tell if these apparent big hits will ultimately light a fuse under the Met offense. The win was a big confidence booster and Floyd managed to take a few of his teammates off of the hook. Heading into the rubber game of the series, the Mets will have to hope for a big game from Pedro Martinez and their own offense. Seeing as how the wrong teams have heated up in the NL East, the Mets will have to get things rolling pretty soon or they might find themselves out of it before the All-Star Break.

Mets vs. Giants @ Shea Stadium, Game 55, 2005

As of late, I've refused to write any blogs seeing as how the Mets have been on a minor hot streak. So, I did not acknowledge the heroics of Pedro Martinez (and the sprinkler system), Mike Cameron's defense, and the Mets amazin' starting pitching. These facets of their game, and then some, have added to the overall positive attitude surrounding the Mets these days. They aren't at the top of the standings, but they are close, and with a little help from luck itself, they could find themselves pulling away from the competition if they heat up during the dog days of summer.

Following a win over the Diamondbacks, the Mets looked to win yet another series and they were up against the struggling San Francisco Giants. Tom Glavine dominated once again for seven-plus innings. His only tarnish on the day was a high fastball that Moises Alou sent over the left field fence. Aside from Glavine, the Mets also got some help from another struggling superstar. Mike Piazza delivered another big game as he collected 3 hits and 3 rbi to accompany them. Even the role players were contributing to the win and Chris Woodward found the winning contagious as he flashed some leather on the field. All in all, the Mets had taken another one at Shea and prepared themselves for a double-header on Sunday afternoon. Final score: Mets 5, Giants 1. Record: 29-26

Mets vs. Marlins @ Dolphins Stadium, Game 50, 2005

Serenity now. Met fans can cheer again. After 3 disappointing losses in Atlanta, the Mets beat the Marlins once again on Saturday night. Following a dominating performance by Pedro Martinez, Kaz Ishii looked to lose the inconsistent tag that he has carried all season. He did all of that, and then some. Much like Martinez the night before, Ishii managed to lay some goose eggs against the Marlin offense. Florida eventually scratched one run across the Met starter but that is all they would get. For the fourth time this season, Ishii pitched into the seventh inning and also collected his first win since the trade that brought him over to the Mets in late March. The Met offense also showed signs of life vs. eight-game winner Dontrelle Willis. Willis, one of the season's best pitchers, did not depart with a win for one of the few times this season. Although the "D-Train" certainly looked dominant in the early going, Mike Piazza had different ideas. After being robbed by Jeff Conine in his first at-bat, Piazza immediately came back with three hits and collected three rbi. The game itself was also filled with exceptional defensive plays from both teams. Jeff Conine, Alex Gonzalez and Chris Woodward all contributed on the field with plays that won't show up in the boxscore. All in all, it was a good day for the Mets as they look to charge to the top of the NL East Standings. After a 4 game losing streak and a sweep in Atlanta, the Mets have climbed right out of the dumps and are feeling confident heading into the finale of their four-game series against the Marlins. Ishii's fellow inconsistent pitcher, Tom Glavine, will oppose Josh Beckett on Sunday afternoon as the Mets look to complete the sweep. Final Score: Mets 6, Marlins 1. Record: 26-24

Game Analysis:
Met fans should not get too carried away. Although the Mets did beat the Marlins on three consecutive days, they have faced the weaker part of their starting rotation. As of right now, the Mets continue to be a .500 team. If these winning ways should carry over into later series' against the Marlins, then the Mets may find themselves as contenders for a playoff berth. At any rate, the Mets continue to play without injured superstar Carlos Beltran. Manager, Willie Randolph, has indicated that Beltran will continue to ride the pine until the start of the Mets homestand on Tuesday. Randolph also hinted at the possibility of Kaz Matsui heading to the D.L. due to his injured neck. Miguel Cairo, however, sees no problem with that as he has been playing solid baseball since Matsui went down. Victor Diaz was also recalled to join the parent club as struggling outfielder Eric Valent was reassigned to AAA Norfolk. Lastly, the Mets have been playing great baseball down in Miami and continue to hang around in the N.L. East standings. Should they catch fire at any point in the season, then performances such as Ishii's will be greatly needed to fight off the Marlins and Braves.

Mets vs. Braves @ Turner Field, Game 45, 2005

With each passing day, the New York Mets continue to squander opportunites to gain ground in the NL East standings. Following a heartbreaking loss to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon, the Mets looked to heal some wounds Monday night against the struggling Atlanta Braves. Playing without Kaz Matsui and Carlos Beltran for the second straight game, the Mets managed to flex their muscle and lose. David Wright came through with another big game, falling a triple short of the cycle, and Mike Cameron also continued his torrid hitting off of the disabled list. Jose Reyes and David Wright, however, keep making costly mistakes in tight situations, which the Mets are proving insurmountable. Although a monster game by the Met third basemen, errors by Wright and Reyes allowed 2 runs to score which would have made up for the 8-6 final score deficit. Trailing by two runs and having the bases loaded in the 8th inning, Wright was once again involved in the turning point of the game. With Wright the baserunner at first, Doug Mientkiewicz hit into a potential inning-ending double play. As Wright slid into second, he undercut Furcal who threw the ball away and the Mets had tied the game..or so it appeared. Moments later, Wright was called for interference and the Braves were awarded the double play to end the inning. A fuming Wright was ejected from a game for the first time in his career. The Mets rally was also washed away and they would have to show their resiliency in their final at-bat. All season long, Braves closer Dan Kolb has proven one of the most unreliable in the league. Once again, he would bring sweat beads to the foreheads of Braves fans as he looked to shut the Mets down. Down by three runs to lead off the ninth inning, Chris Woodward got the Mets started with a home run to left. In what seemed to be the last out of the ballgame on a fly ball to left center, miscommunication by the Brave outfielders allowed the inning to prolong itself. The Mets would eventually move the tying runs into scoring position as Mike Cameron stepped to the plate. After walking to first on an apparent walk, Cameron was called back to the batter's box due to the fact that he had only taken the third ball of his at-bat. On the following pitch, he swung at a high fastball that would have loaded the bases and the Mets had once again come up short. Final Score: Mets 6, braves 8. Record: 23-22

Game Analysis:

Once again, Met fans were forced to endure late-inning misfortunes. While the Mets keep losing these close nail-biters, it reminds us that they are a team that is CLOSE to being good, and just that. These growing pains must occur for success in the future. In my opinion, I thought the interference call was a piece of crap. How often do we see that play everyday? It's like calling the runner safe when the middle infielders don't step on second on double plays. Also, on the play, Furcal was not touched by Wright. He jumped over him to begin with, got a throw off against a slow runner, and the throw would have been on time had the pitcher caught the ball. Anyone who has ever played baseball knows that it is the runners job to take out the second basemen. This was a horrible call. It was the correct call to make by rule, but then again, so is the high strike. Aside from this, Kaz Ishii once again proved that you never know what to expect from his outings. It seems that a simple coin-flip would do the trick when dealing with Ishii's performances. Although tonight's loss did show their weaknesses, it also showed their resiliency. Time and again, Willie Randolph has hammered the idea into his players to not give up. In return, the Mets have been interjected with a "never say die" attitude that has mounted many late comebacks. Tonight, however, was not meant to be and the Mets will just have to put up with their issues for the time being. As long as they keep battling back, that is all you can ask for.

Mets vs. Yankees @ Shea Stadium, Game 3, 2005

In a game that was filled with Mets dominance, the rubber game of the Subway Series was a heartbreaking loss to take for most Met fans. Who's your daddy, huh? Dominated by Pedro Martinez through the first 7 innings, the Yankees could not scratch out a run against their arch enemy. Their biggest threat came in the first inning when Martinez loaded the bases only to be saved by David Wright when he dove into the third base stands to catch Jason Giambi's foul fly. Althought a great defensive play, more impressive was the fact that it was his second opportunity to make the catch, and Wright once again proved to be a quick learner. Later on, the Mets managed to push two runs across the plate when Alex Rodriguez botched a grounder by Pedro Martinez. Jose Reyes followed with a basehit to score the second run of the game. Miguel Cairo then scorched a liner down the third base line, but to the dismay of many, it was right into the glove of Rodriguez. This play would prove important later on, but it was overshadowed by the self-destructin of the Mets infield in the 8th inning.

Following an error by David Wright in the 8th inning, the Mets seemed to have a second opportunity to get the lead runner. With a man on first, Miguel Cairo flipped to Reyes to get the lead runner in a possible douple play but Reyes awkwardly came across the bag and never managed to catch the ball. After a call to the bullpen, there was an immediate double steal by the Yankees in which Wright never bothered to cover the third base bag. With two outs and just as many strikes, Roberto Hernandez was one strike away from getting out of the inning. However, it was not to be as Hideki Matsui poked a two run single to left field to tie the game. After falling behind 1-0 to the next hitter, Bernie Williams pulled a Hernandez fastball into the right field corner. Cairo's throw to the plate was not in time and Matsui slid home before the tag to put the Yankees on top. Perfectly following the trend of the first round of the 2005 Subway Series, the Met defense passed up a stellar performance by their ace and went on to lose the game 5-3. Series:Yankees. Record: 23-21.


Matsui slides in for the decisive run.

Game Analysis:

When the smoke cleared, a large percentage of Met fans were probably letting out their profanity laced diatrabes on sports talk radio and in bars all over. A team full of so much potential managed to let one slip away once again. A perfect illustration of what it means to be a Met fan. So close, yet so far. On top of that, it feels like this was not just another game. They failed to get bragging rights for the time being and also failed to move up in the standings with the loss of the Atlanta Braves. What exactly can the Mets take from this series? Well, for starters, that's exactly what they can take. The starting pitching, although not perfect, managed to compete with the Yankees and gave the Mets a change to win every game. Their losses, however, were at the hands of their own defense (No pun intended). Self-destructing during late situations in games 1 and 3, the Mets can learn from their mistakes and move on. Young players like David Wright and Jose Reyes performed wonderfully but failed to deliver during crunch time. Take into account that Wright and Reyes are both under the age of 23 and they will only get better with time. Furthermore, the Met bullpen showed it's vulnerable weak points and if the Mets are to become a great team, then they must address these issues. Most importantly, this game was just one loss. Although it hurts twice as much to lose to the cross-town Yankees, it has a normal effect on their overall record. With that said, the Mets can now return to battle against their national league rivals and who knows? Maybe they've learned from their mistakes. Only time will tell with these Mets. Next stop? Mets vs. Braves.

Mets vs. Yankees @ Shea Stadium, Game 2, 2005

Following a game where Kaz Matsui nearly caused many a Met fan to shatter all glass items nearby, the second game of the 2005 subway series proved to be the complete opposite. Prior to the 7th inning, the hero of the game was the former first-round pick Kris Benson. Through the first five innings, Benson appeared to be pitching effortlessly, giving up just a single hit. He even managed to hit Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter. As expected, the drama queen yearned to bring attention to his bruised elbow. Aww, pretty boy need a band-aid? Two words, Piazza/Clemens. Nevertheless, Benson gave Met fans a scare in the 6th inning but managed to emerge unscathed despite a bases loaded jam. Most might have been surprised to see him start the 7th inning considering he seemed to be "losing it" and had already thrown over 100 pitches. After allowing the leadoff hitter, Alex Rodriguez, to reach base on a single, Benson's day was done. In all probability, Met fans cringed when they saw Dae-Sung Koo emerge from those blue bullpen doors.

Once Koo was inserted into the game, there is a moment that will stand out in my mind for years to come. Althought not involved in the particular play, David Wright will forever be enshrined into my New York Mets folklore. With Tino Martinez at the plate in a two-run game, Alex Rodriguez was caught in between first and second on a near wild-pitch. He was eventually thrown out trying to get back to first. Soon after, a clip was shown that allowed viewers to hear David Wright on the field. Similiar to a little leaguer, you could hear him cheer and yelp like a 10 year old on a pony baseball field. "Got him! YEAH!," he yelled as the tag was applied. This clip was a great sight to see considering all of the current major leaguers who seem to play the game for the paycheck itself. Considering he's only 21, Wright surely has a bright future in the game of baseball and the right mindset to go with it (No pun intended). Anyhow, Koo managed to dominate the 7th inning and prepared himself to step into the batter's box.

After Koo's at bat in the previous series, he received much criticism from teammates and baseball analysts throughout the baseball world. Days earlier, Koo had barely stepped into the batter's box and struck out with no intention of swinging the bat. The word around town was that it was Koo's first plate appearance since he was 10 years old. Because of this, I was a bit surprised to see him step into the batter's box to lead off the 7th inning. Ironically, it proved to be the climax of the game and one of the most exciting Mets moments of the young season. After taking a few pitches from Yankee starter Randy Johnson, Koo drilled a Johnson fastball for a 400 foot double over the head of Bernie Williams. Much to the delight of Met fans, Koo had delivered one of those magical moments to the Shea Stadium faithful. Not only was there an utter feeling of euphoria stirring through the fans, but an even bigger sentiment in the Mets dugout. T.V. cameras had once again managed to catch footage of the Mets and David Wright's microphone. After Koo's hit, replays showed the entire Met bench cheering and smiling at the improbable hit by Koo. However, Koo's day was not over quite yet. As Jose Reyes layed down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over to third, he laid it down perfectly in front of the plate to force Jorge Posada to field the ball. After completing the throw, no one bothered to cover home and Koo never stopped running. Tino Martinez threw home for the out and Koo belly-flopped onto the plate while "avoiding Posada's tag." As he was called "safe!," Shea Stadium erupted once more. Considering my hatred for Tim McCarver, I was rather surprised when he summed it up best by saying that Koo was part of "the most electrifying journey around the bases."

After Koo's climactic hit, the Mets seemed to feed off of the energy. Later in the inning, Miguel Cairo homered off of the Big Unit to force him out of the game and the hits just kept on coming. In the bottom of the eighth, Reyes capped the scoring by hitting a 2 run triple off of the right field wall. The Mets finally had a cushion against their rival New York Yankees. Following a near web-gem by Reyes to lead off the ninth, it looked as if the Yankees might still have life. But with a seven run lead and Pedro Martinez looming for Sunday's matinee, Braden Looper looked to finish it off and send the fans home happy. Posada FO 4-6. New York Mets 7, Yankees 1. Mission accomplished. Series tied.