Billy Wagner is headed to the All-Star game thanks to his ability to save games, but Fernando Tatis, not Wagner, earned the biggest save of the season for the New York Mets last night.
Mets’ starter Oliver Perez was phenomenal rather than fickle for the second consecutive outing, baffling a potent Phillies’ lineup a week after stifling the vaunted Bronx Bombers. Perez allowed Carlos Beltran’s third-inning solo shot to hold up through seven innings of four-hit ball.
Then, after nearly three hours of rain, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman teamed up (yes, I said Aaron Heilman, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you) to dance out of an eighth-inning jam.
Wait, it gets even more remarkable. The Mets tacked on an insurance run off Phillies’ closer Brad Lidge, who is fresh off a three-year contract extension, in the top half of the ninth inning and handed a 2-0 lead to Wagner.
Enter Sandman aka Wagner who we are suggesting should change his nickname to Billy Buzzkill. With two out and one on, centerfielder Jayson Werth, who would be lucky to draw a comparison to Aaron Rowand rather than Hank Aaron, deposited a Wagner slider into the outfield seats.
The complexion of this game went from sound, encouraging victory to devastating, back-breaking loss quicker than any Mets’ fan can say Armando Benitez.
Although Wagner killed the buzz, the Mets weren’t dead yet. They made it to the 12th inning with the score tied at 2-2 and Tatis delivered. The only major leaguer ever to hit two grand slams in the same inning back in 1999 is the same man who did not even make the Mets’ big league club out of Spring Training. Yet no Met has come up with a bigger, more clutch hit than this faded star did yesterday.
Tatis’ two-run home run saved the Mets from a devastating defeat. He saved them from losing precious ground on Philadelphia in the N.L. East standings. This faded star, who best years are behind him, picked up the Mets’ lone All-Star and saved him from another back-page “BILLY GOAT” headline. If this series triggers a season-altering winning streak of sorts, then Tatis also may have saved the season.
----------
Not to be overshadowed by Wagner’s ineptness and Tatis’ brilliance is Joe Smith. The man who shares his name with thousands of Americans was no ordinary Joe on Sunday. Smith came on to throw 2.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief to earn the victory yesterday.
----------
I’m not going to go as far as hugging a sweaty, rain-soaked man, but I must admit the Wimbledon Final was simply remarkable. The five-set epic left a new, first-time Wimbledon champion and possible new World No. 1 in Rafael Nadal.
The longest final ever at the historic, tradition-rich tournament, four hours and 48 minutes of play sandwiched around rain delays, ended when Federer sent a forehand into the net during Nadal’s fourth match point.
Federer’s costly errors and failure to covert 12-of-13 break point chances may raise some questions as to whether the Swiss star’s era of dominance is officially ending, but the only question that those excited over yesterday’s match should ask is “What channel will the U.S. Open be on?” If half as much brilliance is on display at Flushing Meadows, then it will be well-worth it to check your local TV listings.
And for those of you ready to crown Rafa the New King, I suggest you wait until September. The World’s Greatest Clay Court Player and the 2008 Wimbledon champ has one more beast to conquer. Nadal has never advanced through to the semifinal round at Flushing Meadows and has only contested one quarterfinal in four U.S. Open appearances.
Federer has won the last four titles there.
Mets’ starter Oliver Perez was phenomenal rather than fickle for the second consecutive outing, baffling a potent Phillies’ lineup a week after stifling the vaunted Bronx Bombers. Perez allowed Carlos Beltran’s third-inning solo shot to hold up through seven innings of four-hit ball.
Then, after nearly three hours of rain, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman teamed up (yes, I said Aaron Heilman, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you) to dance out of an eighth-inning jam.
Wait, it gets even more remarkable. The Mets tacked on an insurance run off Phillies’ closer Brad Lidge, who is fresh off a three-year contract extension, in the top half of the ninth inning and handed a 2-0 lead to Wagner.
Enter Sandman aka Wagner who we are suggesting should change his nickname to Billy Buzzkill. With two out and one on, centerfielder Jayson Werth, who would be lucky to draw a comparison to Aaron Rowand rather than Hank Aaron, deposited a Wagner slider into the outfield seats.
The complexion of this game went from sound, encouraging victory to devastating, back-breaking loss quicker than any Mets’ fan can say Armando Benitez.
Although Wagner killed the buzz, the Mets weren’t dead yet. They made it to the 12th inning with the score tied at 2-2 and Tatis delivered. The only major leaguer ever to hit two grand slams in the same inning back in 1999 is the same man who did not even make the Mets’ big league club out of Spring Training. Yet no Met has come up with a bigger, more clutch hit than this faded star did yesterday.
Tatis’ two-run home run saved the Mets from a devastating defeat. He saved them from losing precious ground on Philadelphia in the N.L. East standings. This faded star, who best years are behind him, picked up the Mets’ lone All-Star and saved him from another back-page “BILLY GOAT” headline. If this series triggers a season-altering winning streak of sorts, then Tatis also may have saved the season.
----------
Not to be overshadowed by Wagner’s ineptness and Tatis’ brilliance is Joe Smith. The man who shares his name with thousands of Americans was no ordinary Joe on Sunday. Smith came on to throw 2.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief to earn the victory yesterday.
----------
I’m not going to go as far as hugging a sweaty, rain-soaked man, but I must admit the Wimbledon Final was simply remarkable. The five-set epic left a new, first-time Wimbledon champion and possible new World No. 1 in Rafael Nadal.
The longest final ever at the historic, tradition-rich tournament, four hours and 48 minutes of play sandwiched around rain delays, ended when Federer sent a forehand into the net during Nadal’s fourth match point.
Federer’s costly errors and failure to covert 12-of-13 break point chances may raise some questions as to whether the Swiss star’s era of dominance is officially ending, but the only question that those excited over yesterday’s match should ask is “What channel will the U.S. Open be on?” If half as much brilliance is on display at Flushing Meadows, then it will be well-worth it to check your local TV listings.
And for those of you ready to crown Rafa the New King, I suggest you wait until September. The World’s Greatest Clay Court Player and the 2008 Wimbledon champ has one more beast to conquer. Nadal has never advanced through to the semifinal round at Flushing Meadows and has only contested one quarterfinal in four U.S. Open appearances.
Federer has won the last four titles there.
Nadal is on his way to becoming the face of men’s tennis, but he has a long way to go to catch Federer.
Posts
2 comments:
Great blog, but who cares about tennis.....
To say that tatis saved the season is premature, get back to me when this team puts together a winning streak which hasn't happened for 1 year. I will not be fooled again with this team as it seems salvatore has been with this win last night....I WANT A WINNING STREAK!...and i wish that no mets were put on the all star team...to consider having wright, reyes, and santana(not what we payd for)to be even in the running is terrible... great tennis match yesterday, i do predict however and i'm on the record saying this first NADAL WILL BRING TENNIS DOWN WHEN HE TESTS POSITIVE FOR STERIOIDS WITHIN THE NEXT 3 YEARS!
Post a Comment