2006 NLCS - CARDS VS. METS GAME 1: THIS IS NOT A DIARY

I was thinking of writing a live diary of this game, but I decided against it because it's been done to death. Instead I'll just write some thoughts I had while watching this. To avoid the comedy stylings of Buck & McCarver, I tuned in late and flipped between this, hockey, and "The Office" (which was hilarious). Apparently, I missed a tribute to Bob Murphy and Jack Buck to kick things off. In honor of the Murph, I'm going to have a Tanqueray Extra Dry martini tomorrow. Mets fans, it's Tanqueray Time!

I have to say that although the Mets fans were great tonight, they have some of the lamest signs. Along with the requisite "Ya gotta believe" posters, one of them was a n incredibly ugly cut-and-paste $100 bill with Randolph's picture inserted and "IN WILLIE WE TRUST" scrawled below it. Another one in the upper deck in left said "FIELD OF PRAYERS"? What does that even mean?

Cliff Floyd blew out his Achilles almost immediately, I think it was during the National Anthem. He should NOT have been added to the NLCS roster, their bench is weak enough as it is. Replacement Endy Chavez ended up making a great diving catch 2 innings later; Floyd's arm would have probably fallen off if he'd tried that.

The HD picture on FOX looks great tonight, about 4 million times better than the ESPN game that they tried to pass off as HD. Except what is that thing on Jeff Weaver's left cheek? Is that a scar, possibly incurred during his Yankees days?

It's not time to panic yet, but Jose Reyes needs a hit. I think his problem is that, like the Warren Zevon song, he's just an excitable boy. He's pressing, and let's hope it doesn't reach A-Rod proportions. I'd tell him to start off Game 2 with a drag bunt to get things going.

Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel doing a VW commercial, selling guitars with built-in pre-amps that you can plug directly into your car stereo? That's interesting. Pretty funny commercial, compared to every other commerical out there (except the Hummer magician ones), though Christopher Guest is looking rather gaunt.

That Beltran HR was an absolute BOMB, that went about halfway up the scoreboard. (I'm not sure why they've decided not to encorporate a huge scoreboard like Shea's in the design of the new Mets stadium, but then again they didn't ask me.) 9 postseason dingers? That's a lot.

(Side note: I was also keeping tabs on the Rangers/Penguins and Devils/Leaves games during this. Before Beltran belted that HR, Crosby scored a PP goal off Ward's skate with 0:03.3 left to beat the Rangers 6-5, when it certainly looked like OT was coming. Right after the HR, the Devils tied their game with 37 seconds left, 6-6, thanks to a a natural, organic, grain-fed hat trick by Gionta, and won it in a shootout 7-6. Both high scoring crazy games, unlike the baseball. But I digress.)

Tomas Glaveen pitched a fantastic game. 89 pitches, 7 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, a couple of key line drive DPs. You can't ask for more than that from the crafty southpaw veteran hurler.

The old timey footage of Julio Franco was insane. Althought it wasn't really that old (1981), I thought I was watching recently unearthed footage from "When It Was A Game", or maybe Tengen's RBI Baseball on Nintendo. Was that Memorial Stadium in Cleveland? Hey, was that Schoolboy Rowe pitching to him in old Shibe Park?

Mota really pisses me off. He was all over the place, and almost walked the two guys ahead of Poo Holes, and I really thought a 3 run jobber was forthcoming. He has a chance to blow one of these games Benitez-style, because Willie leaves him in too long. They obviously don't like Heilman, because he should be in the 8th, and Wagner in the 9th. Maybe they're saving him for long relief in case Maine can't go long in one of these starts, but sheesh, he kills me.

Apparently, Paul "He's From Brooklyn" LoDuca wants to put on his Boogie Shoes every time he's at bat. Add to that the Night Ranger "Sister Christian" clip ("Your Mota ran!"--get it?) and we've got half the Boogie Nights soundtrack. All we need is someone to request "Driver's Seat" by Sniff n' the Tears.

Looper came in to pitch the ninth, and the fans weren't booing they were chanting Loo--no, never mind, they were booing. Or at least sarcastically saying his name. Closer upgrade Wagner worked a surprisingly efficient 9th for the save; I didn't even have to throw anything or drop a single F-bomb.

BTW, FOX's radar gun is complete bullshit. I was listening to Howie Rose's WFAN radio call (which is unfortunately 5 seconds ahead of the TV, so I can't really do both at once), and when he said "Wagner threw that one 98", it said it was 99 on FOX. So when the Tigers pitchers hit 103 on the FOX gun tomorrow, they're just jacking it up to add to the drama. Shh--drama!

All in all, a solid 2-0 win, and a successful return to the NLCS for the Mets. Tomorrow night is Game 2, and hopefully the Cards won't Dismember the Maine.