NLCS Game 4: Mets
Ok, I would be less than honest with you if I didn’t say I was scared about the Mets chances after losing Game 3 to the Cardinals Saturday night, 5-0. In that game our usually potent offense was anemic and the already questionable starting pitching, that night in the guise of Steve Trachsel, went flat. The only bright spot was the work of long reliever Darren Oliver, who came on in the second and pitched six shutout innings from that point on.
But down 2 games to 1 before Sunday’s Game 4 matchup between two rookie pitchers, the Mets Oliver Perez and the Cardinals Anthony Reyes, I was worried that momentum may have shifted to the other side. Not to worry. The power hitters in the middle of the Mets lineup—Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David Wright—got hot in a big way (Delgado has already been hot throughout the post season), and even second baseman Jose Valentin regained his batting eye, as New York rolled to a 12-5 victory to even the series at 2 games apiece.
Monday night is a rematch of the Game 1 starters, Tom Glavine for New York and Jeff Weaver for St. Louis, both working on just three days rest. Let’s hope for a replay of that outcome as well, before both teams go back to New York for Game 6 Wednesday and if necessary Game 7 on Thursday. I think it is now safe to say that strong pitching will not be the deciding factor in the NLCS and that whichever team can stay hot at the plate will come away with the title.
Either way, the ALCS champion Detroit Tigers await the winner, for a World Series set to get underway on Saturday. Detroit swept their series with the Oakland A’s and are riding a wave of enthusiasm and youthful exuberance. Let’s hope they cool down waiting for their opponent to emerge.
Posted by bernie at October 16, 2006 11:39 AM