Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Luckily, The New York Press Is So Forgiving

Clayton Kershaw dunks on Orlando Hudson, blinding Mark Loretta in the process, while Carlos Beltran looks for a rock under which to hide.

From the New York Post's Mets' 11th-inning Miscues Give Win To Dodgers":

If Ryan Church thought he was in Jerry Manuel's doghouse before, just wait.

It's only going to get worse after what happened here last night.

In a 2-2 game, Church missed third base while scoring what would have been the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, providing the most monumental of many Met blunders that set up a crushing, 3-2 loss the Dodgers later that inning. [...]

The five errors were two short of the team record and the most by the Mets since they committed six against the Phillies on Sept. 16, 2007.

Church's blunder, though, was by far the biggest of the night.

"I thought I touched it, but obviously I didn't," he said. "I just feel terrible for not doing such a simple thing as touching the base. With me missing the bag, [a win] just wasn't meant to be."

Church, who seemingly never has been in Manuel's good graces, got no sympathy from the manager last night.

"The guy missed third base, and it's unbelievable," said a visibly disgusted Manuel. "I can't explain why or how or anything, but he actually missed the base. To me, it's hard to miss third base. I don't know if I ever remember seeing a guy miss third base in a situation like that."

And the New York Times' "Mets Dumbfounded by Their Mistakes":

LOS ANGELES — His shoulders slumped, his eyes heavy, his goatee likely grayer than it was just four hours earlier, Jerry Manuel emerged from the Mets’ clubhouse late Monday night and spotted a massage table.

“I need to lie down,” Manuel said.

No wonder. The Mets arrived at Dodger Stadium in first place in the National League East. They left, after a 3-2 loss to the Manny Ramirez-less Dodgers in 11 innings, leaving Manuel wondering if he was managing a team sponsored by Chico’s Bail Bonds. The carnage included a season-high five errors — including two in the 11th, which led to the Dodgers’ winning run — one decisive base-running blunder by Ryan Church and countless slack jaws, head shakes and dumbfounded looks in a solemn clubhouse.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Carlos Beltran said.

And neither had anyone else. To be fair, Manuel said he had seen his former charges, the Chicago White Sox, commit five errors, not that he was boasting of that achievement or anything. But no, he had never seen a player completely miss tagging third base on his way home like Church did in the top of the 11th. That gaffe canceled what would have been the go-ahead run, ended the inning and breathed life into the Dodgers. Not that, on this night, they needed any extra help. The five errors were the Mets’ most since they committed six on Sept. 16, 2007, against Philadelphia.

“The guy missed third base, that’s unbelievable,” Manuel said. “I can’t explain why or how or anything, but he actually missed the base. To me, it’s just hard to miss third base. I know there are guys who miss first because they’re looking for the ball, that type of thing, but I don’t remember if I’ve ever seen a guy miss third base in a situation like that.”

Then he clarified. No, he had not. Church, for his part, said he thought he nicked the side of the bag as he rounded third, heading home on Angel Pagan’s gapper to right-center. But the third-base coach Razor Shines did not complain when the Dodgers appealed, and Manuel did not argue the call.

“I just feel terrible because touching the bag is a simple thing to do and I didn’t do it,” Church said.

Making the simple difficult since 1962 — that could be the Mets’ motto. At times this season, the Mets (21-17) have turned that act into an art form, missing cut-off men, failing to slide and running into outs.

Look, we Dodger fans know what it's like to look like idiots in a Dodgers-Mets game. I'm just happy that, this time, the errors and mistakes last night weren't ours.

photo: Harry How / Getty Images

8 comments:

rbnlaw said...

"Making the simple difficult since 1962 — that could be the Mets’ motto. At times this season, the Mets (21-17) have turned that act into an art form, missing cut-off men, failing to slide and running into outs."

Isn't this the fault of the manager? Why the hell is spring training so long then? On the other hand, keep it up Mets!

fredbleedsblue said...

Hey, i recommend you to go back to the paly where Church misses 3rd base and then hear Scully's laugh / grunt. Its classic.

PenosCabell said...

Imagine if Church played for the Yankees? He'd be getting it a lot worse today.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It's because the Mets aren't used to playing in a stadium that isn't a decrepite piece of junk.

Wesley Vento said...

Ugh, why did I click that link. I had systematically trained myself to block out Kent's baserunning horse poop. Now I need a drink.

Steve Sax said...

Mr LASF, you did hear about that citi field thing, right? With the Jackie Robinson Rotunda?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Thanks for the sarcasm, Sax. I know the Mets have Citi Field now, but they still aren't used to playing outside that piece of scrap-metal that said Shea Stadium on the front.

Steve Sax said...

Agreed, Shea was pretty bad. I recall seeing more than my share of games there, when my travel schedule would bring me to NYC but the other team wasn't playing...

Anyway, Citi Field still suffers from the deafening flight paths of LGA...