I get it, there is no joy in Mudville after the Mets were swept by the Braves, but maybe you can enjoy a few pictures from last nights Bison’s game against the Pawtucket Red Sox. First of all, if you’re ever in the Pawtucket R.I. area, you should take up a game in McCoy Stadium. A excellent park, with excellent fans and a lot of history. The longest game ever was played there and transpired over the course of a couple months (link about the game below). Greats from Dave Righetti, to Manny Ramirez, to Jim Rice, and any other Red Sox player that started their career in Boston has appeared there.
Now to the game. Schwinnie pitched better than what his line suggests. There was never any threats and the lone run charged to Schwinden was due more to the Bison’s catcher Lucas May missing a infield pop-fly. Bay was bad. Two strike outs and his one hit was a dribbler past a poorly positioned short-stop. Mejia had a good first inning but the second one he completely fell apart after giving up the HR. There was no control and probably 10 pitches thrown into the dirt. It was bad enough that time was called and Wally along with the trainer made him throw some pitches to make sure he wasn’t hurt. Mejia wanted no part of the trainer and no part of throwing strikes. After a couple more batters he was pulled. Luckily the Bison’s got a bunch of runs early and controlled the tempo and finished the game.
Our seats were 20 rows back from home plate, but there was no-one sitting in the front row. So my friend and I got the opportunity to hang out behind the plate for a good portion of the game. I was able to get some great photo’s and to say a crappy thing to Jason Bay. After the first half of the inning Wally was walking back to the dugout and I yelled “Hey Wally, call Sandy and tell him it’s Harvey time”. He looked right up at me and gave me a smile and wink. Something tells me he already made that call. Later in the game (and luckily for my friend we were in our appropriate seats) in a dead silent stadium, Jason Bay walks to the plate and I yelled “Bay, time to hang them up, take the money and run buddy”. I got my voice loud enough that the center-fielder heard it. In his last at-bat we were 5 feet away from him and my friend kindly asked that I not say anything to him. That was fine by me, since he bought me 3 beers. Enjoy.
Matt Den Dekker
Matt Den Dekker with Wally acting as 3rd base coach
Matt Tuiasosopo
Carl Crawford getting his hit.
Mejia
Bay's first AB
Jason Bay
That seamstress should be fired.
Longest Game ever played:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_professional_baseball_game
20 comments
Stick
7/15/2012-8:37pm at 8:37 pm (UTC -4)
I like MiL parks. wish I lived closer to a Met team. Or someplace that they came to. maybe when I relocate to NC TRS can take me to a game!
and thanks for confirming Bay looks as bad as I expected. They week he was back after his last DL stint was horrifyingly horrific.
so, since that rush back job went so poorly, why are they seemingly not giving him enough time to get ready again this time?
SaltyGary
7/15/2012-9:28pm at 9:28 pm (UTC -4)
How far from Scranton are you?
Stick
7/15/2012-9:30pm at 9:30 pm (UTC -4)
about 2 hours.
darknova306
7/15/2012-8:45pm at 8:45 pm (UTC -4)
Salty, thanks for heckling Bay for those of us that couldn’t be there. You did good work.
SaltyGary
7/15/2012-9:26pm at 9:26 pm (UTC -4)
You are welcome, I had to say something. I wish I had video of it, it was probably my best work. I think people in Boston heard me.
Bryan
7/15/2012-8:52pm at 8:52 pm (UTC -4)
Really great pictures. How did Den Dekker look at the plate? I saw him last week and he looked awful (facing all lefties). What did it seem like Mejia’s issues were? Was it the secondary stuff? When I saw him his secondary pitches didn’t really blow me away.
SaltyGary
7/15/2012-9:23pm at 9:23 pm (UTC -4)
DD was very raw. He did get a decent hit to get a couple RBI, but he is not even close to being MLB ready. He just seemed very over matched.
With Mejia, the HR was the second pitch of his second inning. My gut says he had trouble with location warming up and threw a meat ball down the middle to just attempt to get it in the strike zone. After that I moved to the front row and had a better eye on his pitches and he just flat out couldn’t hit the zone. When he did it was obvious that he was just laying one over because his speed was at 91 MPH. When he was wild he was throwing at 95 MPH. It didn’t seem like he was trying to thow secondary pitches it was more like he was just trying to throw a strike and he screwed up his whole game plan (probably why the trainer came out). His first inning he was sharp and players were swinging and missing at his secondary stuff and he set it up real well with the fast ball. He didn’t pitch today in a extra inning game, hopefully he is OK.
Stick
7/15/2012-9:27pm at 9:27 pm (UTC -4)
do you think this can possibly be related to moving to the pen? Any reason to think if he was still starting (and I think he needs to go back to that) he would be doing any better mechanically?
SaltyGary
7/15/2012-9:29pm at 9:29 pm (UTC -4)
I yelled at Wally to keep him in, why not it was 8-2 in the 7th. They should of let him just put the work in and Mejia was pissed that the trained came out. As for being related to the transition who the hell knows all I know is he completely fell apart.
Bryan
7/15/2012-9:41pm at 9:41 pm (UTC -4)
I saw the same with Den Dekker. In a couple at bats he couldn’t touch a breaking ball and then later when he got fastballs they went by him. I don’t think he’ll be ready to compete for a ML job next spring like people hoped, but by mid-way or latter part of 2013 he’ll get his shot.
As for Mejia, I do think the move to the pen has thrown him for a loop, and he’s a little unsure of what he should be doing and what his role is. Also remember, he’s coming off TJ, and guys aren’t always back to normal their first year back. Even if its not consistent, it’s good that he’s having moments where he can dominate with his stuff.
Stick
7/15/2012-9:49pm at 9:49 pm (UTC -4)
should have just left him in the rotation to get as many innings and regular work as possible.
NJstuckinTX
7/15/2012-9:08pm at 9:08 pm (UTC -4)
Therr once was a Salty from Nantucket…
Mr North Jersey
7/15/2012-9:15pm at 9:15 pm (UTC -4)
These are really cool Gary.
srt
7/15/2012-9:30pm at 9:30 pm (UTC -4)
Awesome pictures, Gary.
Mejia…either he can’t wrap his head around being a BP arm or he’s lost a ton of confidence. Either way, no sense calling him up now for BP help. Here’s hoping he looks better in August or it’s gonna be a long off season for the young man.
Bay…….ugh. This signing has me leery about going after any big FA, unless they’re like 28 or younger. And how many of those will ever be available?
I have no illusions about how he performs when he returns and hope no matter what it takes, he’s not on this team next season.
Stick
7/15/2012-9:34pm at 9:34 pm (UTC -4)
He might make ST, but I would be shocked if there was any way that Bay is on the roster opening day.
darknova306
7/15/2012-9:56pm at 9:56 pm (UTC -4)
I doubt he’ll be on the team after the season ends, and there’s virtually no way he makes the team out of ST next season. It’s just about time for the Canadian Scourge to hang up the cleats.
Stick
7/15/2012-10:05pm at 10:05 pm (UTC -4)
he will get 2 weeks to show anything passing for life, or he may not make it until August.
darknova306
7/15/2012-10:13pm at 10:13 pm (UTC -4)
Given the numbers so far this season, if they really wanted to give guys the best chances to succeed, they’d platoon Bay and Duda in LF. I’d actually be fine with that, provided that Bay continues to hit lefties decently.
But yeah, there’s a non-trivial chance he doesn’t even make it to August.
Stick
7/15/2012-10:21pm at 10:21 pm (UTC -4)
the duda idea is fine, but I have a sneaky feeling they are going to DL him. But I am probably wrong. Could just be gas.
I was also thinking that he would be getting platooned with Kirk, but torres can’t play every day. Or really vs. RHP.
NJstuckinTX
7/15/2012-10:28pm at 10:28 pm (UTC -4)
Salty, great post and nice pictures. Now, if only you’d lose to me and then all would be OK.