Last night’s Yankees-Rangers game had a real playoff feel to it, from the sellout attendance to the atmosphere to even the celebs (George and Laura Bush) in the house. And it was one of the most exciting Yankee wins this year. To be down five runs to Cliff Lee, and still come back and win the game, was pretty impressive.
I was hoping Javier Vazquez would have a good start — I even implored Squawker Jon to start him in his fantasy league, to no avail. So much for that dopey notion on my part. Eight hits and six runs in 4.1 innings isn’t exact a quality start! My friend Steve of “Was Watching” was so irate during the game, that he wrote a parody song during the game about Javy!)
But despite Marcus Thames’ eighth-inning homer and ninth-inning go-ahead hit, despite the Yankee bullpen keeping the Yanks in the game, and despite Derek Jeter’s game-tying hit, the biggest story in the New York media today is what happened in Flushing, where Francisco (K-Rod) Rodriguez was arrested for allegedly attacking his own father-in-law.
I’m no different — when I saw news on the K-Rod meltdown on Facebook, I turned on the Mets postgame instead of basking in the Yankees win. To SNY’s credit, they didn’t sugarcoat any of it, spending a long time talking of nothing else than what K-Rod allegedly did (and yeah, I don’t think YES would have been quite so candid if it were one of their own.) Bob Ojeda was very angry, wondering if Jerry Manuel has “lost control of the club, or does he just have a rogue guy with a bad temper on his hands who likes to beat up old people? I don’t know, but this is the same guy that pushed Randy Niemann around…” Just in time for today’s AARP Day and Senior Stroll at Citi Field!
I think it’s about time for the Mets’ front office to pull that emergency chute hatch, and send Jerry Manuel on his merry way (maybe with a beer or two, like that flight attendant took!) What, exactly, is Manuel good at, other than playing kissy face with the media? His in-game strategies are terrible (why didn’t he pitch K-Rod in the eighth last night, as Rodriguez apparently wanted him to do?), his clubhouse is a complete mess, and now this debacle. We now know that there is a police holding cell in Citi Field, thanks to the team’s closer being arrested. Oh joy.
It may be too late to salvage the Mets’ season, but isn’t a new face worth a try? Look at how Buck Showalter has been able to shake things up in Baltimore, leading them to an 8-1 record so far. From Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record:
“Buck stood in the middle of the clubhouse, clipboard in hand, and calmly read the names of every Class AA and Class AAA prospect dying for promotions to the major league roster. The Orioles, who’d long since tuned out Dave Trembley and interim replacement Juan Samuel, listened in shock to Showalter’s thinly veiled warning: No one’s safe on a team with a .345 winning percentage.”
Then again, how would a threat work in Metsland, when disasters like Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo get to take up roster spots, no matter what, because of the money they make? When Fred Wilpon is making “Annie” references about keeping Omar Minaya, and bragging about the great job Jeff Wilpon is doing. If only the tough but fair criticisms that broadcaster Bob Ojeda has given time and time again were something the Mets’ front office would actually listen to, this team would be a lot better off.
Anyhow, the purpose of the Subway Squawkers blog is for Jon and I to rib each other about our teams — and each other. But even this Yankee fan thinks that the Met fans deserve better. I felt the same way about seeing the then-pathetic Orioles this summer after Squawker Jon and I went to Camden Yards to see them against the Yanks and Mets. Now, with Buck Showalter, the O’s – and their fans – have something to look forward to. If only Met fans had something to be hopeful over.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
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