Tag Archives: New York Mets

Humorous musings: Things from the first half that prove the Mayans are right (and wrong)

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As we near the All-Star Break, it is time to remember that, according to the Mayans, this is the last MLB season we will see, as the world as we know it is due to end this December. After all, the Mayans are well-known for their predicting knowledge. As noted comedian-newsman Jon Stewart once pointed out: They have never been wrong in predicting civilization-ending events.

Well, except once. They totally didn’t see Cortez coming.

Now, never mind that technically the change in the Mayan calendar is not that different from the change of how we move from December 31 to January 1, or that there is little to no evidence that they were predicting anything other than the end of one cycle of their calendar happening. Clearly, by looking at what has happened in the first half of the baseball season, we can see that, truly, the end is near. We’re talking real Old Testament stuff: fire and brimstone, 40 years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes, the dead rising from the grave, and cats and dogs living together. As the esteemed Dr. Peter Venkman points out, that is what can be classified as MASS HYSTERIA!

(after the jump)

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Great predictions in history: The NL is lost to New York City forever

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From the December 1957 edition of Baseball Digest comes this story:

Although, to be fair to Daley, he mentioned in the article that that statement was only true if there wasn’t expansion:

“Only in such an eventuality- at least, that’s the firm conviction here- can the National League re-establish itself in New York.”

 

However, he makes some other rather hilarious-in-hindsight ideas: the minor leagues would be doomed because every city with a halfway decent stadium would want a team, that Commissioner Ford Frick should become a “dictator, undemocratic and un-American though it be” to put a stop to all the team-moving madness, and that the move of the “over-the-hill” Dodgers to Los Angeles wouldn’t get them back their “lost youthfulness.” Considering that the Dodgers would win three World Series titles and four NL pennants in the ten years after they went to Los Angeles, I’d say Daley didn’t expect such things as “Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale becoming one of the best 1-2 pitching combo in baseball history” and the arrival of guys like Maury Wills and Willie Davis.

By the way, if you don’t already know, National League baseball returned to the five boroughs in 1962, although I’m sure some would argue that the Mets played more like they were in the International League until 1969.

 

Thoughts on Johan’s no-no night

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There is site out there that came to my attention shortly after Johan Santana completed his no-hitter tonight: Nonohitters.com. It was written by a Mets fan who kept count as the Mets continued to not have a no-hitter.
The person who runs it can now, presumably, sell it to a Padres fan, as they now have that record.

But anyway…

This was a no-hitter that was good for baseball fans in general (well, except for Cardinals fans). The Mets now finally have their no-hitter, all the more amazing considering the great pitchers they had in the past. Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan didn’t throw one in a Mets uniform. Neither did Dwight Gooden or David Cone. Tom Glavine didn’t do it either. ‘

But Johan Santana did. This was something everyone (again, except for Cardinals fans) could get behind. Johan is one of the great pitchers of his generation, but could have been even greater if not for his injury problems as a Met. He became, over the years, something of a shadow of his old Minnesota self. Now, however, it appears that he has returned, which is good for baseball.

In many ways, this was the most entertaining no-hitter of the year, with the possible exception of Phil Humber (who Johan Santana was traded for once) and his perfect game. Here’s why:

  • There was controversy: Carlos Beltran definitely deserved a hit for the ball that he ripped down the line. It clearly hit the chalk, and if a ball hits anywhere on the line, it is a fair ball. That said, I have to imagine that nobody will remember that in 20 years.
  • Mike Baxter made perhaps the greatest no-no saving catch since Dewayne Wise saved Mark Buerhle’s perfect game. He paid for it too, going straight into the wall and injuring what appeared to be his shoulder. Hopefully the doctor’s office had a TV or radio, and hopefully Santana buys him something nice.
  • Santana came up in the bottom of the 8th and proceeded to stand as still as a statue, yet still got a 3-2 count before he finally struck out like he had hoped.
  • The first two outs of the ninth seemed to be possible hits, especially Holliday’s. I was sure that Andres Torres was about to overrun the ball.
  • At the end, a fan in a Gary Carter uniform ran on the field, and, for a few seconds, was able to join in the pileup before being inevitably tackled by security. Maybe it was the fact he had on a Gary Carter jersey, or maybe it was just the neatness that one guy was able to celebrate with his team, but I think that was cool.

So, it was game to remember for every baseball fan in America who isn’t a Cardinals fan. Well, except for Mets radio announcer Josh Lewin:

Ouch.

So, anyway, congratulations to Johan Santana and all of those New York Mets fans who finally have a no-hitter to celebrate. Padres: you are on the clock.