You stashed the Rule V guy on your bench for a reason. Of course, that reason is you knew that your first choice was probably going to bomb. But fear not, your insurance policy is about to pay off. Emaus puts a bad spring behind him, and starts getting some big hits for you down the stretch. And that batting eye is as great as ever.
He plays well enough to keep the Mets in the race until late September heading into a three game series with the Phillies with three games to go. And down by a run in the ninth and runners on first and second, Emaus is up in a big spot. You start the runners and Emaus loops one into short right field. You’ve got the game tied for sure.
But from out of nowhere comes to Phillies second baseman to make a diving catch for one out, and then he flips it to the shortstop covering who tags second for the second out, and tags Scott Hairston for the third out. A triple play by the Phillies and the game … along with the season for all intensive purposes, is over. You take solace in the fact that Emaus got you this far. But you wonder what might have been … especially since the Phillies second baseman who started the triple play with a diving catch was a replacement for Chase Utley, out for the season with his troublesome right knee.
That replacement? Luis Castillo. And since Rollins was also injured, the shortstop on that play was Luis Hernandez.
“I knew I could still play this game,” Castillo said after the game. “But Terry Collins didn’t believe in me.” I didn’t have such a good season, but to make that play against the Mets made it all worth while for me. And I know Hernandez is happy too, playing the last three months on ten broken toes. Now we get to worry about the playoffs where I can play against the Giants and my former double play partner, Jose Reyes. And by the way, he celebrates too much.”
THE END
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