When I opened my browser this morning and looked at the NL East standings, I paused for a second. Do we actually have a 10 game lead on the Braves? Isn't this the team that ESPN & Sports Illustrated picked to win the division? Isn't this the team that beats us every time we enter Turner Field? Don't they have some of the top arms in the game in Smoltz, Hudson & Hampton?I know we had a double digit difference between the Mets and Braves last year, but as a Mets Lifer I took a second to soak it all in.
Remember 2001 when the Mets were a mere 4 games out, but the Braves went on streak and sent us home early. Remember 1998 when we signed Piazza and there was hope that we might catch the Braves only to be disappointed yet again. Remember the years between 1991-1997 when it seemed no matter what pitcher the Braves threw at us, the Mets couldn't score runs off of them.
There are lots (ok, more than lots) of bad memories in the past 20 years between the Mets and Braves. Sure we had our shining moments against them like Piazza's home run on 9/21/01 or the time we scored 10 runs in the bottom of the 8th to come back and beat the Braves 11-8. But those moments are few and far between.
I hope this is a signal of a shifting tide for years to come. Enjoy this time of winning because it can go as quickly as it came.
But let's hope I'm wrong about that.
3 comments:
~Ahem, ahem.~ :-)
I'd like to point out that the game where the Mets came from behind in the 8th inning, the Braves had a 8-1 lead in the 8th, the mets tied it 8-8, with Piazza hitting a 3-run blast to propel them 11-8. I always wanted to tell Piazza about that night, how my uncle was almost tossed off a ferry by a very angry Braves fan b/c of that home run, hee hee
Touche, Coop. You are correct and my memory must be fading. I remember the 3-run blast perfectly but for some reason I was thinking it was to take the lead by 1. I'll edit the post.
Great story about your uncle. What was a Braves fan doing on an NY ferry is the real question.
No worries - believe me, i wasn't trying to call you out on it, it wsa actually one of my best memories at shea stadium ever. the brave fan was from jersey (I guess he jumped on the wagon in say, 1994) and my uncle is a loud mouthed looney who was born in Queens. Nuff said.
Post a Comment