All tied up, thanks to an old friend

by Eric Simon on Oct 16, 2006 1:14 AM EDT

I feared mentioning this before last night's game because it didn't work out so well in Game 2, but I brought Endy shirt out of retirement for Game 4 and, after a day off, he really seemed to pull it together. He had been a thoroughbred for six straight games, winning the last two games of the regular season against the Nationals and sweeping the Dodgers out of the LDS altogether. His youthful exuberance carried into the LCS as the Mets took Game 1 behind the arm of Tom Glavine. Midway through Game 2 it felt like Endy shirt could Do no wrong, but then it all came crashing down. On Endy shirt.

The Mets' bullpen was unable to hold things together in the late innings and Endy shirt became the scapegoat for an angry, drug-crazed and confused Mets nation. Afer that stunning and demoralizing loss, Endy shirt became camisa non grata around these parts, having been tossed into the laundry pile like so many other pieces of clothing that had worn out their ability to guarantee victory for one sports team or another. Endy shirt sat there in the laundry basket, made to think about what it had done. It sat there grudgingly as the Mets embarassed themselves in Game 3, managing just a smattering of hits off of the inimitable Jeff Suppan.

It watched as Steve Trachsel tried valiantly to flush the Mets' playoff hopes completely down the toilet. It cheered with great gusto as Darren Oliver gave the Mets' bullpen a night off in an otherwise forgettable night. Endy shirt bided its time, knowing my wife had zero intentions of doing any laundry this weekend.

As Sunday afternoon turned into early evening and the baseball hour approached, Endy shirt knew that the time for retribution was at hand. After all he had done for this team, he wasn't going to let the heartbreak of a single loss affect his lifelong dream of being worn during a Mets World Series championship. "One game is too small a sample size", Endy shirt was overheard mumbling.

Endy shirt is a wise old soul. It was then I realized that one night of solitary confinement to the hamper was all any decent, absurdly magical shirt could handle. And with that, Endy shirt was out of the doghouse and back on my back, leading the Mets' inexorable march to another postseason victory. Endy shirt is off of the schnide and back in the game, and we're all better off as a result.

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hat

I bought a fitted Mets cap prior to going to a game at Wrigley in uly. The mets lost that game and they also lost a game I attended at Great American while wearing the hat.

The hat is 0-2 at Met's games this year (as am I).

I didn't wear the hat during tonight's game, but I had it on the table at arm's length while I watched. Mets Win! The hat is now relegated to paperweight during Mets games.

Welcome Back Endy shirt!

Pedro offers you his protection.

by pj on Oct 16, 2006 2:28 AM EDT reply actions

Drug-crazed is right

You're definitely smoking something.

Whatever gets you through the night.

by JC @ Amazin' Avenue on Oct 16, 2006 7:39 AM EDT reply actions

My black hat

hadn't worn all season until game 1 of the NDLS.. and of course it was 4-0 until game 2 of the NCLS. I switched to the traditional hat for game 3. But brought mr. black back for game 4.. he is strong and ready to go for glavine tonight.. tommy will give us 6 strong, mets will jump all over weaver.. coming home 3-2.. Lets go Mets.. lets go black hat, and lets go Endy shirt..

by Schifftis on Oct 16, 2006 7:53 AM EDT reply actions

Who you callin' drug-crazed?

I was beer-crazed.

I've just realized that the fitted blue cap I've worn to all my games this season is not the cause of the Mets' success in 2006. It's actually a .500 cap. I apologize for the critical mistake and will rectify by buying a new black cap (since the old black cap makes us lose to the Yankees in 5 games).

Also, my head is exactly, awkwardly, stuck right between two hat sizes. That always annoys me.

Anyway, Carlos Delgado is God.

"He even tried to pimp it," Floyd said. "He's got no pimp." Said Wright: "I don't even know what that means."

by Billy Everyteen on Oct 16, 2006 8:20 AM EDT reply actions

2006 NL East Champs Shirt

The Mets are a humble 2-0 when worn. But it's on me today!

"Trachsel. Must. Go."

by ZaBlanc on Oct 16, 2006 10:22 AM EDT reply actions

I credit the origami crane that sat on my

coffee table last night, patiently providing peaceful feng shui for all of us.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by Mr. Met on Oct 16, 2006 11:17 AM EDT reply actions

Don't touch it.

Don't you even go near it tonight. :-)

"Trachsel. Must. Go."

by ZaBlanc on Oct 16, 2006 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, I admit

I wore my hat backwards at the start of yesterday's game. Rally caps, ftw.

"It's Father's Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, Happy Birthday." -- Ralph Kiner

by dissento on Oct 16, 2006 11:27 AM EDT reply actions

Phony Injury of the Year

Hey, whatever works. Trachsel's bruised right thigh: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2006/news/story?id=2627312

"It's Father's Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, Happy Birthday." -- Ralph Kiner

by dissento on Oct 16, 2006 11:50 AM EDT reply actions

Heh.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot... is me.

by Mr. Met on Oct 16, 2006 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Even Steven

Swiped from Viva El Birdos:

"after four games, it's about as even as can be. both teams have won once by shutout, and once against the opposing bullpen. the mets have scored 20 runs; the cardinals, 19. mets as a team have posted a .793 OPS, cards .800. the mets have 7 hr, cardinals 6; mets have 16 walks, cards 17. both teams have swiped 2 bases."

"It's Father's Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, Happy Birthday." -- Ralph Kiner

by dissento on Oct 16, 2006 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

But we have homefield advantage back

by peeder on Oct 16, 2006 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't decide

Should I dress my son in the black Piazza jersey or the white no-name jersey?

"Choo-Choo, what's your wife's name?" "Mrs. Coleman"

by Rod Gaspar Fan Club on Oct 16, 2006 12:33 PM EDT reply actions

Congrats on the Deadspin trackback, Eric

that can't hurt your hit count.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot... is me.

by Mr. Met on Oct 16, 2006 2:47 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks

Yea, that's the second time in a week that Will has linked both AA and MetsGeek in a post. It always feels good to be linked by the most highly-trafficked sports blog there is.

by Eric Simon on Oct 16, 2006 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions