Battle of Former Dodger Hurlers
I was at the game Tuesday night, prepared for a disappointing evening. Instead, the Padres continued their recent dominance by laying the wood to Pedro Martinez.
The pitching matchup was daunting. Martinez has won three Cy Young Awards. Padre starting pitcher Chan Ho Park plays the same position as Cy Young.
Alas, Chan Ho last nite ascended to the pantheon of mighty Asian warriors: Ghengis Khan, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and, now, Chan Ho Park.
Thoughts on the game:
David Wright's bare-handed grab was as fun to watch as any play I've seen since minor leaguer Rodney McCray ran through an outfield wall to make a catch. Unlike most players, Wright realized he was turned around on the ball early, and seemed to know that he wasn't going to be able to glove it. His acceleration to the ball, nonetheless, was surprising, and he snatched it with his right hand as if he'd planned it that way. I was about 80 feet from him at the time, and I think he did plan it that way. Definitely worthy of the standing O given by the Padre crowd.
The Mets started Jose Offerman at first base. I am not making this up. Ed Kranepool pinch-hit for him in the top of the seventh.
Xavier Nady is still banging Bochy's wife. Duh.
New York teams are way stupid.
Last off-season, the Yankees decided to replace the solid second base play of Miguel Cairo with Tony "Why-is-this-man-in-the-major-leagues?" Womack. Womack is earning his millions on the bench, watching young Robinson Cano (a Yank property all along) play far better than Tony in his prime.
The ugly stepsister..., er, the Mets, have realized that Kaz Matsui was, in fact, Japan's retaliation for Hiroshima. He has been supplanted, quite competently, by (you guessed it) Miguel Cairo.
Why does a team with Mike Cameron in CF sign Carlos Beltran? Anyone who had ever seen Cameron play CF would think it silly to shell out a small nation's GNP to Beltran, and slide Cameron to RF. Granted, Cameron had a rough night in RF last night, but Petco has a tough RF, and I'll stick to my guns in saying that, defensively, Beltran can't carry Cameron's jock. I'm not sure he's much better offensively, either.
Maybe the Met front office had never actually seen Cameron play.
And one more thing:
LET'S GO, CHAN HO!!!!
The pitching matchup was daunting. Martinez has won three Cy Young Awards. Padre starting pitcher Chan Ho Park plays the same position as Cy Young.
Alas, Chan Ho last nite ascended to the pantheon of mighty Asian warriors: Ghengis Khan, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and, now, Chan Ho Park.
Thoughts on the game:
David Wright's bare-handed grab was as fun to watch as any play I've seen since minor leaguer Rodney McCray ran through an outfield wall to make a catch. Unlike most players, Wright realized he was turned around on the ball early, and seemed to know that he wasn't going to be able to glove it. His acceleration to the ball, nonetheless, was surprising, and he snatched it with his right hand as if he'd planned it that way. I was about 80 feet from him at the time, and I think he did plan it that way. Definitely worthy of the standing O given by the Padre crowd.
The Mets started Jose Offerman at first base. I am not making this up. Ed Kranepool pinch-hit for him in the top of the seventh.
Xavier Nady is still banging Bochy's wife. Duh.
New York teams are way stupid.
Last off-season, the Yankees decided to replace the solid second base play of Miguel Cairo with Tony "Why-is-this-man-in-the-major-leagues?" Womack. Womack is earning his millions on the bench, watching young Robinson Cano (a Yank property all along) play far better than Tony in his prime.
The ugly stepsister..., er, the Mets, have realized that Kaz Matsui was, in fact, Japan's retaliation for Hiroshima. He has been supplanted, quite competently, by (you guessed it) Miguel Cairo.
Why does a team with Mike Cameron in CF sign Carlos Beltran? Anyone who had ever seen Cameron play CF would think it silly to shell out a small nation's GNP to Beltran, and slide Cameron to RF. Granted, Cameron had a rough night in RF last night, but Petco has a tough RF, and I'll stick to my guns in saying that, defensively, Beltran can't carry Cameron's jock. I'm not sure he's much better offensively, either.
Maybe the Met front office had never actually seen Cameron play.
And one more thing:
LET'S GO, CHAN HO!!!!
posted by Lance Richardson at 6:59 PM
2 Comments:
Beltran was basically signed for his offense, and so that future big name free agents would take the Mets seriously after their very lame attempt to sign Guerrero in 2004 for a bargain basement price.
Beltran is a good defensive player, but you're right, he's not Cameron. I think the Mets got scared when they saw Cameron struggle defensively at Shea last year...but the Shea center field, by Cameron's own admission, is the toughest center field to play in the league (ask Xavier Nady about that). And Beltran plays too deep in center so a lot of balls fall in front of him.
Cameron has actually played a very solid right field this season, except for Tuesday night. That part of the fence in foul territory that juts out has to distract a lot of visiting right fielders. Cammmy bounced back w/good defense on Wednesday.
Lance, whew, thanks, I feel better now ... thanks for the update! :-)
Post a Comment
<< Home