If I haven’t made it obviously apparent in the past two years that I have written for this blog let me make myself clear – I HAVE NO INTEREST IN WATCHING THE POST SEASON IF THE METS AREN’T IN IT !!! Well that is generally the case, but after totally abstaining from last years New York Yankees/ Philadelphia Phillies clusterphuck of a World Series this year I have decided to put all my energy in rooting for both the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants to knock both of last years finalists out of contention this year. I know I know what you are probably thinking ” Rusty – how can you root for two teams that you didn’t follow at all this season and know very little about ?” Well I’ll tell you , thank goodness for the power of the Internet for helping me with my research .
And now I give you the top 10 reasons for rooting for both the Rangers and the Giants for making the World Series.
10. Guillermo Mota : No I can’t stand him either – especially after finding out that he tested positive for steroids when he had just signed a two year contract extension by then general manager ( that feels so good to say) Omar Minaya. Lets just hope that he stays in the pen for the rest of the series.
09.Darren O’Day: He pitched very well in his brief stint with the Mets as a middle reliever last season. I am still scratching my head why Omar Minaya DFA’D him.
08.Mike Maddux: Few people remember that the current Rangers pitching coach was at one time buried in the Mets bullpen as a mop-up man during the ’93-’94 season.
07. Darren Oliver: Darren was the the biggest surprise of the ’06 season. He was considering retirement before Omar Minaya plucked him off the scrap heap and transformed him into the best spot starter/ long man in the business. It’s too bad that Omar did not have the foresight to sign Darren to a contract extension.
06. Clint Hurdle : The current Ranger hitting coach and 1978 Rookie of the Year award spent four seasons as a bench player with the Mets ( ’83-’85, ’87) before becoming a manager for three season for the Mets farm system.
o5. Nelson Cruz : Yes technically he never played for the big team, but he was once property of the Mets back in 2000 before being traded to the Oakland A’s for shortstop, Jorge Valandia. Oh what could have been !
04. Jeff Francoeur : How can you not root for Frenchy ?
03. Ron Washington : No he never played a day in his life for the Mets, but he did cut his teeth as a coach for the Mets minor league system in ’91 and again in ’95.
02. Bruce Bochy: The current San Francisco Giants manager had a cup of coffee with the Mets way back in ’82 as a back-up catcher to Ron Hodges and Junior Ortiz
And the number one reason to watch the League Championship Series this year – Nolan Ryan !!! Yes I know he is neither a coach or a player for with of the two teams that I am rooting for – but he has helped turn this Texas Rangers team from a all offense no pitching team to a team that has great balance with it’s pitching and very good offense !
And with that said … HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday wishes go out to one time highly touted Mets pitching prospect, Rich Folkers (1946) . Folkers would only spend one season with the Mets before being included in a package to the St Louis Cardinals which Art Shamsky, Jim Bibby and Charlie Hudson for outfielder, Jim Beauchamp and pitchers Harry Parker and Chuck Taylor.
Part-time first baseman/ outfielder from the ’00-’02 Mets, Mark Johnson is 43 (1967).
New York Mets released pitcher,Bob Friend on October 17, 1966.
New York Mets released shortstop, Roy McMillan on October 17, 1966. Roy would later on become coach – then manager for the Mets in ’75
New York Mets purchased the contract of outfielder, Larry Stahl from the Kansas City Athletics on October 17, 1966.
Mo Vaughn is thinking about taking up gymnastics.
" Just say No !"
14 comments
kingman 26
10/17/2010-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
I remember Bruce Bochy as a Met! Yes, I am old.
I can add another reason to enjoy rooting for these Rangers—Vlad Guerrero–maybe the very best underpublicized Hall of Famer in the game the last 20 years. This guy is unreal. And should have been a Met a while back.
Terrible loss in game one, but if Lee gets it done, the Rangers can do it. The Yanks are good, not great, and the Rangers seem to have the right mindset.
I can, however, root against Frenchy. I actually hope he continues to whiff and popup. 1 for 11 w/0 BB in the postseason. THAT is Frenchy!
Nelson Cruz–wow–an XBH or a K every atbat!
GO RANGERS!!!
Nice work as usual Rusty!
GO DOLPHINS!!!!!
kingman 26
10/17/2010-11:37am at 11:37 am (UTC -4)
PS–Bob Friend was actually pretty darn good for the Pirates before being an early Met—when I was about 4, I had a second-hand Bob Friend baseball glove!
rustyjr
10/17/2010-11:45am at 11:45 am (UTC -4)
Lol remember he ended up with the yanks
stickguy
10/17/2010-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
Did you really use the term “cut” in your comment about Ron Washington?
rustyjr
10/17/2010-12:06pm at 12:06 pm (UTC -4)
Yes I did – you think I was referring to his failed drug test ? I didn’t say he snorted his way onto the mets minor league system lol
Mr North Jersey
10/17/2010-12:19pm at 12:19 pm (UTC -4)
OK I couldn’t resist Rusty it was killing me to see that pixelated image so i went and retrieved the original and added it it as best without stretching it beyond belief.
rustyjr
10/17/2010-12:26pm at 12:26 pm (UTC -4)
Lol I’m trying
Mr North Jersey
10/17/2010-12:28pm at 12:28 pm (UTC -4)
I see my tutorial didn’t help you at all. Were they too complicated?
GravediggerHebner
10/17/2010-4:27pm at 4:27 pm (UTC -4)
In response to number 4 let me just say I’m rooting for the Rangers in spite of Francoeur’s presence, not because of it.
rustyjr
10/17/2010-5:26pm at 5:26 pm (UTC -4)
lol did you get the gist of my article though ? with the exception of schnider and velez just root for the team with the most ex mets lol
metsfan4decades
10/17/2010-8:39pm at 8:39 pm (UTC -4)
Rusty’s Top Ten to root for the Rangers and Giants – very nice!
Hey, whatever works.
For me, it’s much more simple. I’m rooting for the Rangers and Giants because I’m rooting against the Yankees and Phils.
stickguy
10/17/2010-10:48pm at 10:48 pm (UTC -4)
well, looks like the hopes for a Giant’s sweep are fading fast. Take the split though and move on to Cali.
metsfan4decades
10/17/2010-11:40pm at 11:40 pm (UTC -4)
Watching these games, I’m beginning to get the impression pitching isn’t going to matter as much as who has the better defense.
TRS86
10/18/2010-7:30am at 7:30 am (UTC -4)
” If Lilly and Westbrook sign with their teams, as expected, the two best FA starters not named Lee will be Jorge De La Rosa and Carl Pavano.”
Yeah, trade market should get very interesting. Setup for a boring off-season FA market.