I arrived to my 2nd training shift at the Hell's Kitchen Two Boots just before 5 o' clock yesterday afternoon, and I must say, my timing for monitoring this game was impeccable.
Between the minutes of 7:10 and 7:20, I checked on the game during a calmer moment. No sooner after seeing on the main page that EricYoung, Jr. was on 1st base and Daniel Murphy was up to the plate did it say in the gameday play-by-play that Daniel Murphy had grounded into a double play. I rolled my eyes and put my phone back in my pocket. With many different slices to choose from (including The Newman, Cleopatra Jones, Grandma Bess, Bayou Beast, The Larry Tate, The Night Tripper, Mr. Pink, Tony Clifton, The Bird, The Earth Mother, and V for Vegan) a man decided, not knowing his Mr. Pink was on its way out of the oven, to change his order to The Newman. Instead of Creole Chicken, plum tomatoes, fresh garlic & mozzarella, he decided on sopressata & sweet italian sausage on a white pie. With no one else claiming a Mr. Pink in the moment, I decided to get the slice for dinner and stole away for a hot second to the back outside. I arrived there with the slice in my hand and my phone in the other, ready to get my MLB gameday on with the sounds of the crowd in the backyard of Rudy's Bar & Grill hopping. Gameday catches you up quickly on the pitches in the AB you're arriving to, and with David Wright up, it showed me the 4 pitches I had missed. Then, after a pause, clearly having caught up to the gameday's pace, the 5th pitch said "In play, run(s)" which could only mean one thing with no one on. With the words, "David Wright homers on a fly ball to center field," I knew it must have been a bomb, and couldn't wait to see the highlight when it got loaded. I finished up my slice and headed inside to do my job. I checked in periodically, including watching the home run on my way home to my apartment a block and an avenue over for my actual roughly half-hour break. It was usually the end of an inning I would catch, giving me a quick update that hardly wasted any time compared to following it pitch-by-pitch. As it got later into the evening, it was a surprise but refreshing to see the Mets with a 1-0 lead still intact, the game moving briskly along with Wheeler apparently dealing and the Major League debuter Andrew Heaney dealing as well after the Marlins-home-run-structure-moon-shot by David. On a whim, with a slow moment in the store, I checked just in time for a live look-in with 2 out in the 9th, and Reed Johnson up. The phone sat right under the register so I could keep an eye on everything else my eyes needed to be on. The thorn that is Reed gave us more to worry about with a great AB that finished with a clean single past a diving Ruben Tejada, then Rafael Furcal scared the BeJesus out of all of us with a lacer to center that was right at Chris Young. With a 1969 New York Mets poster hanging on my left, the 2014 New York Mets had wrapped up one of the best games of the year. I could turn off the live-look-in. So, Zack Wheeler, after all his struggles this year, pitched the ballgame of his life so far with a 3-hit shutout. It almost felt like Gary was calling a no-hitter at the end when I watched the highlights, with so much meaning behind Zack completing it. It meant a lot to the Mets and to Zack Wheeler's career. It couldn't have been scripted any better with the recently slumping captain of our ballclub winning it with a solo shot in the 1st inning. Wright gave Wheeler the run he would need and he ran with it. Here's what Keith Hernandez had to say with 1 out in the 9th:
“There’s no reason why these young kids...young MEN…and I’m speaking of Wheeler going 9 innings- I know they’re not conditioned to, but I am so hopeful that it gets back to a starter, in a close game- let HIM win or lose it. Don’t have someone come in and lose it FOR him.”
Amen. Zack Wheeler was able to do what Bartolo Colon was not allowed to do yesterday, and it was immensely impressive. This is when the naysayers who were calling for Wheeler to get sent down as he continued to struggle get proven wrong. This team will win or lose with Wheeler, and it's all part of the evolution of this ballclub, which has been a hard thing to pick up on lately. This is the kind of game when everything else doesn't matter anymore. The baseball is the only thing that does. When I see Josh Thole say that "the hardest thing in the baseball world is to play in New York for the Mets....EVERYTHING is a story there,” and then I see this game, it kind of makes me think that’s the EXACT reason we traded him, other than being R.A. Dickey’s personal catcher (and THAT GUY seemed to do alright in this town, bro.) I've met Josh Thole and he's a really nice dude, but a quote like that just screams incorrect to me. No matter how much we criticize Sandy with where the Major League club currently stands under his tenure, one thing I think is more of a strength than a weakness of his is that he really doesn't care about ANY of that noise. And it would seem he really doesn't. That's something that is extremely valuable in this town. Enough worrying about everything we, the fans, are worried about, or about the fact that we keep asking questions about the things we are worried about.
Just play baseball. You’ll probably do it pretty well.
Today is my One-Year Blogoversary. Wednesday, February 6, 2013, was the 5-year Anniversary of the Johan Santana Contract Extension. And so, it only makes sense on this day to tell my perspective of the moment that changed all our Metsian lives.
"I know you'd like another complete game from Johan, but when you get a hard-throwing reliever like Elvin Ramirez up here, and he's been great (down on the farm)...you would probably like to get a look at him, see what he's got."
--Eddie C. WFAN Pre-Game Show
On the Morning of June 1st, 2012, I woke up, threw on casual Friday clothes sans jeans and packed up my Blue Dickey Throwback for a game I was to go to that evening. A seat with a view of baseball level with the field, just up the 3rd base side. The greatest theater in the world with a New York perspective. After an off-day, Baseball Metropolitan Style was back in business, and my friend in ballpark operations came through once again with his set of seats. That night's match-up offered what looked to be a good show. The Cardinals, who the Mets always up their game against, had their ace on the mound on his way back from an injury. The Mets, who the Cardinals always up their game against, had their ace on the mound on his way back from injury. I was lucky enough to have this game be my 5th time seeing Johan pitch so far in 2012, including the start before against the Padres. What's more, arguably the greatest center fielder to ever play Mets Baseball signed with St. Louis and was making his triumphant return, hitting excellently throughout the league so far in the season. And he is backed by the guy who struck him out to end the LCS that one time. The irony was lost to nobody during the day. Finally, 5 O' Clock rolled around and I hopped out of work decked in my gear, running towards the 7 train on my way out to Flushing. But I had to make a stop real quick. I had to stop by the Baseball Voodoo Gypsy's place. He happened to be out of town at the moment and he had laid the task of depositing his check onto me. I obliged, and took the circle 7 instead of the diamond. I picked up the check, visited the bank and my friend was that much less poorer. I texted, "Yo. Deposited, son." He responded with, "The hex on the Mets has been lifted! (text 2) For the weekend." I rolled my eyes as I sprinted up the stairs to the train. After transferring to the Diamond, I rolled into the Point of Willets at roughly 6:25. I was meeting my cousin, my uncle and my girlfriend, so I called everyone to check their locations. Each being nowhere near Flushing, I ventured inside to breathe the baseball air nearby, sitting in my seat in the 11th row of Section 126 waiting for that Carlos Beltran video tribute. It did not come early on, as there were little leaguers from Prospect Park, Brooklyn, parading around the warning track, decked out in Cardinals gear. That seemed to go on for quite some time, as I waited for not only that doggoneit video tribute but also the other members of my baseball viewing party. My girlfriend was on her way, bringing the camera and herself, and my cousin and uncle were on their way, ready to dash to the Shake Shack the second they got in the door. I informed my cousin I would NEVER miss baseball to be on the Shake Shack line. The lady rung and I ran down the left field entrance stairs to hand her the ticket. She was
half-jokingly mad at me for this movie she watched early in the day called, um,
Moneyball. In 2011, she had asked me to see it with her. We never
did and I ended up seeing it with my dad. After watching it that Friday, she couldn't believe what I had said about it 'cause she thought it was amazing (I told her it was a good movie, just not one of the best baseball movies I've ever seen.) So, couple that opinion with the fact I hadn't seen it with her and she was sure it was all circumstances that warranted a mini-scorn. Once we were in our seats, I told her, "Doesn't live baseball make up for not seeing a baseball movie with you?" "Almost," she said, nudging me as we took our seats down in our foldable chairs. As 7:00 PM rolled around, with more fanfare walking into the park and around it than in their seats, the video for the man everyone likes to blame came on. At the end of it, I stood and applauded, with scattered people doing the same. Though not thunderous, it was a pleasant ovation for the small amount of people so far. Still, it wasn't the proper thanks Carlos Beltran deserves, and I hope 42,000 people can truly show our appreciation one day (maybe with him finishing his career here, starting in 2014.)
Then, as the crowd slightly started making their way to their seats, with some Cardinals jerseys of all shapes and sizes sprinkled throughout, that nasty curveball man made his way to the dugout from the bullpen. There was a slight buzz, but nothing major as a couple cameras captured the nemesis (and to some the hero) in time. Then, Johan Santana and the Mets took the field, warming up for another regular season game.
Once everything felt in sync, David Wright passed the ball back off to our ace, aiming to continue his successful rehabilitation. Baxter was ready.
Without too many people yet in their seats (or coming for that matter), the first pitch was underway.
"Well, Jim (Duquette), it's going to be pretty interesting to see if Johan Santana can kind of piggyback on that last brilliant outing that he had...Rafael Furcal leading off...a switch-hitter batting right handed against Santana. Johan from the 3rd base side of the rubber, into the wind-up...and the FIRST pitch of the game a fastball low, one ball and no strikes."
-- Howie Rose
And with that, we were under way. Johan came back with a swinging strike and then with a called strike. Then a ball, a foul, and a ball. On a 3-2 count, Furcal hit a shallow looper to center field. Nieuwenhuis got a late start on it but the ball held up for the first out of the ball game. Then, it was Beltran's turn. With more people around for this ovation, and definitely more people than the rainy Jose Reyes night, the cheers echoed but the boos haunted. "Decidedly mixed," Howie Rose said in the moment (just to clarify, I did not have a radio at the game.) Still, the appreciation was prevalent throughout, even though a little muted. I stood up once more for former number 15. But now, it was time to get him out. Beltran and Johan battled to a 2-2 count, but Santana came back with a "really good change-up", making Beltran look like a rookie again. 2 out. Only Matt Holliday stood between Johan and a 1-2-3 inning. But The Duda would have to catch that ball first. Without having to go too far, Lucas settled under it and the team jog into the dugout began.
That was my cousin and uncle's cue to arrive fresh from Shake Shack. My cousin must have felt so good about his good fortunes in the form of beef, for he posed with as baller of a look as he could muster. Now, it was time for Adam Wainwright to attempt to continue his recent string of good innings.
He got the 1st two batters, Baxter and Kirk, each on the infamous curve. David Wright was able to put it in play and induce a bobble from the 2nd baseman, but unfortunately he recovered to throw our Captain out. 0-0-0 across the board after 1.
With rain in the forecast, grey clouds above and temperatures in the low 60's, the first batter of the 2nd inning, Allen Craig, got into the ball enough to make your heart jump at the sound of the crack of the bat. A bunch of us stood and a buzz filled the air. That ball sounded and looked gone initially as it traveled to right-center. Kirk, however, followed the ball and went back, catching it along the warning track. Some kind of force knocked that ball down, because any other night, it would have been gone. After the Cardinals almost struck first, Johan's game had its first blemishes, walking David Freese and Yadir %$&$%^& Molina. It was his first bases on balls in some time, as he did not give up a walk in his 90-pitch Padre shutout. Recently called up Matt Adams, however, could not handle the change-up, and Tyler Greene struck out as well, helping to get the Mets through the inning. Seemed like a nice friday crowd. Big early cheers echoed through the stands.
Both Adam Wainwright and Johan Santana exchanged zeros of the R, H and E variety through 3. He walked Holliday, however, to open the 4th. Though he got Craig to pop up to 1st, that World Series Hero David Freese put a charge into one to center that sounded even more blatantly like a home run bat crack. With a man on, did we just get Freesed? As a mist began to fall though, and the wind continued pushing in, the ball died once more at the track, and settled into Kirk Nieuwenhuis's glove. Molina popped up weakly to the 3rd base foul side, and the zeros remained intact. The Mets needed to change that. But first, a bathroom break for cousin and me. From the 1st pitch of any game, I monitor a no-hitter. I am not rooting for one, necessarily (well...I guess we ALL are always at the beginning of a game...) but I'm into the game enough every time to know when there is one going on. I certainly knew that the Cardinals had no hits, but at this point in the middle of the 4th, I'm not over-indulging in the idea or at least trying not to, as I'm sure many others in the ballpark who noticed were attempting (I'm sorry. That's not completely true. At the end of the 3rd, I had already noticed Johan's pitch count moving up at an alarming rate. I made a note that it was probably not the night.) As we walked across the wide-open field level plaza towards the bathroom in the far corner of left, I looked around Citi Field and said to my cousin, "You know, this place is starting to feel like home." "Yeah, but we need some moments in it." He had no awareness of the current circumstances, nor did the comment register with me in the moment. When we got back to our seats, the Mets changed their zeros. On the 4th pitch of the at-bat and on a 1-2 count, Kirk shot the ball modestly up the middle. Furcal readied to field but the ball encountered 2nd base. Rafael was unable to make the play, and we all rejoiced at the Mets first hit of the ballgame ("Hey! How bout that?!") David Wright crushed a double to the right-center gap on the 1st pitch, sending Nieuwenhuis to 3rd. Clearly the idea now was to attack Adam early on in the count, for The Duda, on the first pitch as well, skied a fly ball to deep right-center. Not deep enough for a 3-run dinger, but deep enough to move the runners up. Kirk scored and Wright moved to 3rd. THE METS! Were in business. Murphy continued the 1st-pitch brigade, crushing the ball into the deep right-center gap and just getting past a pursuiting Allen Craig. This spelled doom for the Cardinals chances of keeping Murph at 2nd. Wright obviously scored easily and Murph took the triple. All of a sudden, our fortunes had doubled. Ike unfortunately grounded out too hard at 2nd for any attempt to score, and Thole, in his first game back from the concussion DL, grounded out to 1st. Still, with the way the ace match-up had been shaping up, we were happy to see that number 2 on the board. Now, it was time to see how Johan would respond as we approached an official game. The first pitch was outside to Mike Adams.
"Johan Santana to this point has thrown (64) pitches...fastball inside ball three...
Well, Johan has talked all year about needing better command of his fastball, and he says that is just gonna come in time. And tonight's one of those nights were it hasn't been there.
The 3-0...WAY INSIDE ball four. So, treated to a 2-run lead, and facing the bottom 3rd of the order to start the 5th inning, Johan walks the leadoff man on four pitches, and that's the 4th walk he has issued. So, the fact that the Cardinals have nothing but zeros on the board right now, no runs, no hits, no errors, don't be thinking tonight's the night, because Johan is on a pitch count that won't get much past 110."
(For those already at the site watching this, Thank You)
Much to everyone's delight, Elvin Ramirez did not make it into the game. "Would you say this makes up for not watching Moneyball with you?" She laughed. "Yeah. I would say so." AND IT WAS THE CARDINALS!!!! At this point as you continue reading, if you haven't watched the video above... Go back. In the frenzy of the moment, we were not able to capture "Gary Carter" joining the pile before being thrown to ground by security. With 8 runs and 8 hits, and now the visual of a Gary Carter jersey forever in the Nohan images, do I believe there is something to all that? I like to think so. We lingered like everybody else. Clicking away, waiting to see Nohan again, soaking up the best moment so far in a very young ballpark. Nobody wanted to leave, we just wanted to scream at each other and jump on each other and soak up everything Metropolitan.
Our instincts took us through the Mets Hall of Fame on our way out. It only seemed right. I'm sure they're putting something in there to commemorate the awesomeness this season. It is only fitting that it be next to Gil Hodges' jersey, the only World Series trophy with a Seattle Pilots Pennant, the statuette of Casey Stengel. Even more poetic to forever be linked with the 50th Anniversary patch. The Baseball Gypsy texted me, "You're welcome!" ...ugh When I got home later that night, I sat down and wrote the 1st draft of the first 5 paragraphs of this post. And then I stopped. And opened another window. As I write this now, I would rather paste my initial reaction than link it for you: Yeah...THAT Just Happened
So many people have had so many things to say about the events that have unfolded in the New York Mets universe the last 12 hours. The thrill is so grand that I want to keep it going. To have witnessed that live is one of the greatest feelings I have ever had as a human being.
(Yo, Ballpark operator friend from Camp: Serious props on the hook-up for tickets to this game. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. This experience is mind-blowing. Thanks, man.)
So much more has to be written to tell my very own story of the night of the Nohan, but on this Saturday morning, after the greatest pitched game in New York Metropolitan history, the only thing I can say is thanks. Thanks to all those players out there on this unbelievable squad for making it possible to see for myself the First No-Hitter in Mets History. I have been to many games in my lifetime. World Series games, playoff games, heavy-handed regular season games, but this tops all of them. Never had I seen a no-hitter, or really gotten one that far passed the 7th inning, I think (LET ALONE THE 1ST NO-HITTER IN METS HISTORY!!!) This is easily, up to this point, the greatest single game I have ever been to. And I have nobody else to thank other than the people I shared it with and the 2012 New York Mets. I can believe in anything now.
You have GOT to be kidding me... A month or two after, my cousin and I were at a bar when we ran into a Yankee Fan friend of mine. We were talkin' baseball and somehow the Nohan came up. At a point, he said, "...Yeah, but let's be honest. It wasn't really a no-hitter." "Of course it was. That's the way baseball works." "I'm sure all 27 of those are legitimate," my cousin sarcastically replied. To those who say it's just another Mets 1-hitter, well here's what I have to say: For many years, the Mets no-hitter WAS the 1-hitter, where breaks did not go our way. NOW, a break went our way, leading to a zero in the hits column at the end of the game for the first time ever. The exclamation we felt at the end there was as much as any no-hitter exclamation ever felt. WE EXPERIENCED THAT. And nobody can ever take that away from us. Plus, I LOVE that element of it. I love that it was Beltran. Johan still had to get no hits from there on out, INCLUDING Beltran again. He took advantage of an opportunity, and it presented itself as the most memorable baseball game of my lifetime. My uncle, who is in his 70's, was originally a Giants fan growing up in Brooklyn, and became a Mets fan like many young men of the time with National League roots. After 50 years of Mets fandom, you're telling me he didn't just witness that? So, Yankee fans, or anybody for that matter: Don't say to us we didn't witness a real No-Hitter. We would never say to you that you didn't win a real championship in 1996. Lots of things have changed since The Night of the Nohan. The Mets collapsed, Johan's fatigue a very big reason (and however you interpret its relationship to June 1.) I lost my job... ...And no longer live in Astoria. The Mayan Calendar thing came and went. (Though 2012 DID have some fucked up shit.) And my RA Dickey Throwback... is now a Throwback. But every time I think about the Nohan, it's a very inspiring thought. The Nohan shows how anything can happen with hard work, determination and focus. And is a constant reminder of life's unpredictability. We've reached the future. We're making up words like "blogoversary" and phrases like "viral retweet." And a Mets No-Hitter exists in it. Thank you so much to each and every one of you who have read my work over the last year. I could have never expected to get this involved in the Mets Blogging world before I began, but I am so happy that I have. I've had the time of my life here and at Rising Apple, and I am grateful for all the wonderful Metsians I've met in this here Metsosphere. And, of course, to all those non-Mets fans that just enjoy the work I do. Thank you. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I look forward to all of us as a collective reaching new horizons this year. (This internet thing is crazy, huh?) For all those who say the Mets are DOOMED in 2013... I would like to see the articles you wrote last spring predicting a Mets No-hitter.
