So this past Wednesday was a bit of a hectic day for me. Had to wake up early, drive to Philly (a bit over 3 hours away in no traffic), do some work, drive back, and get to a softball double header by 7:30. While driving back home, me and my uncle listened to the Mets game, and tuned in to the Mike Francesca show afterward.
The 9th inning had went as follows, with the Mets going in trailing 3-4:
| - G. Sheffield hit for F. Rodriguez |
| - G. Sheffield walked |
| - C. Beltran walked, G. Sheffield to second |
| - D. Wright struck out looking |
| - R. Church grounded out to first, G. Sheffield to third, C. Beltran to second |
| - F. Tatis hit by pitch |
| - O. Santos hit for R. Castro |
| - O. Santos popped out to shallow left center |
A big discussion came up weather or not Wright should have bunted over Sheffield and Beltran over. Wright's power numbers had been pretty weak in April (1 HR, 8 RBIs) for what he's been expected to produce, leaving on runners all of April. I had come to the quick conclusion he should "swallow his pride" and move the runners over via a bunt. That gives your next 2 batters a man on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. A fly ball ties, base hit takes the lead.
Wright went on to strike out as seen above, and the Mets eventually failed to capitalize on this potential rally.
While listening to Francesca, he adamently agreed with Wright not bunting the runners over, citing that since it's April, you need to let hitters hit more, and you shouldn't really pull manuvers as such with your good hitters until September, where the game's count more.
What?
Yes, Francesca made a point that it's more important to win a ballgame in September as opposed to April. This drove me nuts, if my phone wasn't dead I would've made my first call in to his show. I don't see how games in September are worth more than the ones now. Did a memo go out saying wins later on in the season are worth 1.5 or 2 in the W column? I would think the Mets, who've choked the past 2 years, would do anything it takes to win at every opportunity, giving them less pressure later in the season. Now I'm not saying the Mets win, or even tie the game if Wright moves the runners over. That would be the perfect example of "the fallacy of the predetermined outcome", but they certainly set themselves up to at least tie with a fly ball or ground ball to the right spot. I was just a bit surprised that Francesca would deem games now not as important as later. Maybe I'm used to watching the Yankees, where unless they preform well all year the AL East will be very difficult to win.
"This is what's great about sports. This is what the greatest thing about sports is. You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win, and I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then retire. Get out! 'Cause it matters."
- Herman Edwards. After being asked if the Jets had the ability to win after losing to the Browns and going to 2-5 back in 2002. People laughed at the quote, but the Jets went 7-2 after this and won the AFC East.
Maybe Manuel needs some help, and Francesca needs to get back to basics.
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