Tonight's game was a Little League manager's dream.
What did Coach always tell you?
Run hard. On every batted ball. We'll steal a few runs here and there. Not many. But enough to matter.
In the major leagues, the difference between those teams that run hard and those who don't is, maybe, three to five wins a year. Maybe.
By how many games have the Mets lost to the Phillies the past few years? Pencils down.
Not hustling cost the Mets Game 1 of the 2000 World Series, and maybe the Subway Series itself. These days, watching the Mets flounder amid a combination of not-caring and--please, people--fundamentally atrocious play is a Mets-hater's dream.
2000: Derek Jeter's frantic relay throw home vs. Timo Perez's loafing from second when Todd Zeile's home-run-that-wasn't bounces off the top of the Yankee Stadium left field wall.
2009: Luis Castillo's dropped popped fly vs. Mark Texeira's mad dash around the bases.
Both times, in a matter of seconds, the difference between the two teams is revealed.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
A couple of observations: There were no camera angles of Jeter and Texeira hustling around the base paths(hardly ever important in the outcome) while we had a couple of views of ARod "meandering" down to 1st base. When the camera shifted to home plate, it wasn't clear who was sliding in until the Yankee bench came running on to the field. Robbie Boy was certainly fooled.
I have to say that I've never seen a game end like that!
Post a Comment