[EmpireWF]

The Subway Series kicked off hours ago with the Mets coming out on top of an exciting game, 7-6.

Yanks scored 4 quick runs in the 1st off of Jermei Gonzalez. Mets came back strong off of Randy Johnson w/ 3. Mets went on to tye the game twice (at 5 and then at 6).

Jorge Posada left in the 2nd or 3rd inning..b/c of back spasms supposedly.

Both starters were awful, both pens were great. Aaron Heilman pitched 3 perfect innings. Wagner came in, in the 9th and struck out the side (Giambi, ARod and Stinett). Mo came in, in a surprising move from Torre.

Mo got Reyes to pop up to Jeter. Lo Duca doubled to left. Beltran struck out and they intentionally walked Delgado. Wright hit a deep ball over Damon's head near the warning track to win the ball game.

Tomorrow, it's Mussina v. Pedro so hopefully the pens won't be needed until very late.

Great game and great victory for the Mets to open the series.

[MJHMarc]

Mussina is having a dominant year and I am sure that he won't let the Mets trample all over him. He should be able to put up a good fight for the Bronx Bombers, but I think the Mets will win this series. The Yankees are missing a bunch of their stars due to injuries. |

Is Kazuo Matsui the permanant 2B for the Mets?

[EmpireWF]

I don't think we really have a "full-time" 2B. Anderson Hernandez started the year but then hurt his back. Matsui came off the DL and has played well. Jose Valentin and Chris Woodward have earned spot starts.

Hernandez has hit over .400 in the minors and is ready to come back up any day now. Matsui has been shopped all season by Minaya though.

[legend]

Time to begin to wonder if Mariano is beginning to lose it. He has been simply awful for the last few outings, more than just his usual glitches. Even in his save on Wednesday he let hank Blaylock hit one 400 feet into the upper deck that was just foul. He walks too many, and instead of the usual bloop hits he gives up he has been giving up some shots. The ball Wright hit was smoked; Damon never had a chance to catch up to it as shallow as he was playing. This is the year it all falls apart for the Yankees I fear.

[ThePundit]

Mariano never should have been in the game. You bring him into a tie game on the road in the 9th? Farnsworth was pitching fine and easily could have gone another inning. What is Torre thinking?

[legend]

Torre said that Farnsworth was experiencing tightness somewhere. On Saturday, Riviera looked lights out, embarrassing the mets and striking out the saide in the 11th. And Billy Wagner looked like the clown. Baseball is hard to figure out, that's for sure!

[ThePundit]

There's no way Wagner should have started that inning. He pitched the night before, they were up 4 runs, and Sanchez was pitching great. Now Wagner is burnt for tonight. As a long time Yankee fan, I was a big proponent of Willie Randolph getting a managerial job. But I'm starting to see why teams may have shied away from him. He's not a good game manager at all. Another thing he doesn't do is argue when he should. So many times he just sits in the dugout and leaves his players hung out to dry.

What happened to Wagner was much worse than what happened to Rivera on Friday. Rivera just gave up a couple hits. Wagner absolutely imploded out there.

[MJHMarc]

I don't think Billy Wagner has earned his salary at all this season. He has bad games way too often for somebody of his experience and fantasy value. He is suppose to be NL's top closer but is looking more like the NL's worst!

Isn't it funny how former Yankees' 2B, Willie Randolph, is now managering their rivals? That just shows you how money can take over your mind. He may not want to, but how can he decline that kind of salary?

[EmpireWF]

Originally Posted by MJHMarc

I don't think Billy Wagner has earned his salary at all this season. He has bad games way too often for somebody of his experience and fantasy value. He is suppose to be NL's top closer but is looking more like the NL's worst!

Isn't it funny how former Yankees' 2B, Willie Randolph, is now managering their rivals? That just shows you how money can take over your mind. He may not want to, but how can he decline that kind of salary?

Ofcourse Wagner hasn't earned the $10+ Million per year. He'd have to unstoppable to do so. However, he does show his dominance at times...such as Friday and Sunday nights versus the Yanks.

Randolph played with the Mets as well and grew up as a Mets fan if I remember correctly. He's not making a lot of money anywho, he's among the games lowest paid managers.

[pete_b]

Originally Posted by MJHMarc

I don't think Billy Wagner has earned his salary at all this season. He has bad games way too often for somebody of his experience and fantasy value. He is suppose to be NL's top closer but is looking more like the NL's worst!

Isn't it funny how former Yankees' 2B, Willie Randolph, is now managering their rivals? That just shows you how money can take over your mind. He may not want to, but how can he decline that kind of salary?

You know I was reading through the posts of this thread and I was wondering how important a closer is to a team. As it turns out it is pretty important. All the closers that are at 12-15 saves are with contenders, with exception of the Brewers. Turnbow has 14 saves and the Brewers are six games out. However the Mets which have the greatest lead for first in all the divisions have a closer that is, SAVE WISE IN NUMBERS, comparable to Dempster of the Cubs. I was wondering if that was a reflection on Wagner or on the starting pitching.