The Equalizer

Tuesday was a big game. I know it’s only one of 162, and one of 19 against the Nationals. But there’s no denying that this was a big one. When SNY makes the pre-game show travel and it isn’t Opening Day, you know it’s huge. Sports television just doesn’t throw around money like it’s water, after all. This was the Mets, and the Nationals. No more storylines, no more chatter. We’re strapping our nine, and you’re strapping your nine. It’s all about baseball.

Except not quite, as it was their nine against our, like … six and a half. Lucas Duda’s back tightened up, and David Wright’s back wasn’t cooperating. So both corner infielders were in the whirlpool while Eric Campbell played first base, and Matt Reynolds made his major league debut at third. Against Max Scherzer. Coming off a 20 strikeout game while the Mets were coming off a four game losing streak. But … no pressure.

And then there was Daniel Murphy’s return to Flushing. He got a nice tribute and nice ovation before the game and he deserved it. He busted his butt for the Mets and had success near the end when it counted most. And he was already popular before the playoffs. Then he made a Murph-like great play in the first that looked awkward but kept the Mets from turning 1-0 into 2-0 in the first. It all swirled together into the cauldron of love known as Citi Field for his first at-bat. Considering the way Mets fans have felt about Murphy for years, this had the potential if not quite the certaintly of being Eddie Giacomin Part Two. So with all of that happening, there had to be somebody who could grab this game by the throat for the Mets and bring it home.

Noah Syndergaard is that special kind of someone that can dictate a game just by being himself. And of all the pitchers that the Mets have that are setting themselves up to be stars, increasingly it is Noah who is the guy we hope to have on the mound when there’s a four game losing streak and Max Scherzer on the other side and Eric Campbell and Matt Reynolds at the corners while Wright and Duda are looking at personal hyperbaric chambers on eBay. Ten K’s in seven innings while only giving up five harmless hits was the equalizer the Mets were looking for. Home runs by Curtis Granderson (on the first pitch of the game) and Michael Conforto, combined with stellar relief work by Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia put them over the top in a 2-0 victory. That win is the security deposit for rental space in the Nationals’ heads until 7:10 today for Game 2 of the series so important that it brought Pre-Game Live on location.

Today’s Hate List

1. Bryce Harper’s hair … Crissakes, do you pay Johnny Bravo royalties on that?
2. The Binghamton Mets … First, why change the name of the team? And second, these six choices are beyond awful!
3. I mean really … the f*cking Binghamton Gobblers? How do I look my wife in the eye and tell her “I’m going to Binghamton to see the Gobblers”? Why are you even doing this???
4. If it’s the Stud Muffins … what’s going to be the logo? This, perhaps?
5. And what the hell is a Rumble Pony? The Binghamton Rumble Ponies? Yeah, because other teams will be intimidated by having to play a team called the Rumble Ponies!!! Oh my fresh hell, kill me with these names. But kill me quicker if it’s the Gobblers. Please. (The other ones are so bad, I’m starting to warm up to the Rumble Ponies. Vote here. And not for the Gobblers.)