Zzzzzzz

You ever talk to a less cultured sports fan and have him or her tell you that baseball is boring?  "Durr....NFL...durrr," is generally the response you get from the slack-jawed idiot staring back at you.  Well hopefully no one was trying to bring a new fan into the light yesterday afternoon when the potentially spectacular matchup between Johan Santana and Stephen Strasburg turned into a snooze fest.  I became so bored listening to the game at work I found myself caring about the New Orleans Saints coaching situation!  The game featured a combined 14 walks and 25 strikeouts and saw the Nationals score three of their four runs without ever putting the ball in play.  Johan got the ball rolling (literally) by throwing a wild pitch to score the first run.  Bases loaded walks in the 7th and 9th innings surrounded a RBI ground out in the 8th wrapping up a day that saw exactly zero run-scoring hits.

Player of the game: I am tempted to give it to Johan Santana despite allowing 13 base runners in 5 innings, but I will instead give the nod to Jon Rauch who seemingly miraculously managed to face two batters without walking either of him.  Yes, that does make him the only pitcher of the six (!) who got in the game for the Mets to not issue at least one base on balls.

Key moment: The Mets got runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the first inning only to leave them stranded.  It was the last time a Mets base runner got to chat with Timmy Teufel at the third base bag.

Silver lining: It was the second start for Johan that featured him leaving the game without grabbing his left shoulder in agony, likely causing sports books across the globe to lose millions.

Inevitable downside: Despite showing signs of early season improvement behind the plate, Josh Thole waved at a Johan Santana wild pitch and was later charged with a passed ball leading to speculation that his defensive deficiencies are not yet a thing of the past.

Next up: The Mets have an off day on Thursday before heading to Philly Friday night to likely get swept by the Phils.

Season's over!

Call it now, there is no point in playing out the string, your (well, my) New York Mets are going to the World Series!  In what one can reasonably extrapolate over the last 161 games of the season, the Mets dominated the Atlanta Braves yesterday afternoon by the score of 1-0.  Johan Santana turned back the clock to Spring 2012 by spinning 5 masterful innings of shutout baseball.  Well, 4 masterful innings and one inning where he may or may not have walked the #8 hitter and the pitcher in succession to load the bases.  Details on that front are a little fuzzy.  David McDreamy Wright delivered the game's only run with a sixth inning single and the new look bullpen took the game home.  Predictably the Braves begged the schedule makers for an extra day off to regroup and try to figure out how to contend with the New York juggernaut.  The game was not without its low moments, when projected All Star center fielder Andres Torres re-aggravated his strained calf muscle and will likely end up on the DL.

Player of the game: Johan Santana who for four innings at least, looked like he was in complete command of the Braves' lineup.

Key moment: Tim Byrdak strikes out Jose Constanza and Michael Bourn back-to-back with the tying runner on third in the top of the 7th.

Silver lining: None needed, they actually fucking won!

Inevitable downside: Losing Torres to the calf injury.

Next up: Game two of the series will be Saturday afternoon when presumptive staff ace RA Dickey makes his first start of the season.