Never real encouraging when Alex Cora and Washington Nationals manage to win 2 of 3 on your opening homestand. I don’t want to kill Terry Collins yet, but seemed it was just common sense in a game you prepared to put away as tidily as possible to be sure the good hands people were on the field in the 8th. Instead, we saw Lucas Duda misjudge a fly ball to contribute to a rally to tie, and a worn-out bullpen eventually give it away in the 11th inning in a disheartening rubber-game loss.
We won’t even have the culprits around to boo tomorrow. The conspicuous ones anyway. Duda was optioned to Buffalo after the game and Blaine Boyer, whose relief work and ginger beard have been extremely shaggy since an inspired drive to make the squad this spring, was designated for assignment. Will someone claim him? He’s leading his team in saves after all. In their place are two returning relief pitchers: Ryota Igarashi and Jason Isringhausen. This arrangement will give the Mets 13 pitchers and is expected to last until Jason Bay returns.
Let’s hope Bay brings some offense with him, because despite a few high-scoring games the Met offense has been largely dysfunctional and could use some more power. In the meantime it will be interesting to see whether Isringhausen arrives wearing 44 or 45. As discussed below, the former has more equity for Izzy than for Bay although it belongs to Bay. Considering his rotten luck, this looks like a great opportunity for Bay to garner some goodwill and change his luck.
Submitted by metsilverman.com (not verified) on Mon, 04/11/2011 – 10:46am.
If Bay takes 45, he’ll be just the second non-pitcher (or coach) to wear that number. Could he surpass Mark Carreon’s 14 homers and 47 RBIs? I’ll take the over on the ribeyes and the under on the homers. At least for this year. This is written before the Izzy uni issuance. And you thought there wouldn’t be any suspense this season.
18 and 45
Submitted by gored82 on Mon, 04/11/2011 – 12:50pm.
MLB.com has Iggy in 18 and Izzy in 45.
Collins
Submitted by gored82 on Mon, 04/11/2011 – 12:52pm.
Never mind who was playing the field in the 8th inning, Collins could have and should have stuck with Young to at least start the inning on the mound – pitch count be damned!
From Mets.com, Anthony DiComo writes about Jason Isringhausen
Submitted by Larry (not verified) on Mon, 04/11/2011 – 7:52pm.
Not everything, of course, will be quite the same. All his old teammates are gone, as is Shea. And his old uniform, No. 44, now belongs to Jason Bay, who offered it to Isringhausen during dinner Sunday evening in Port St. Lucie. Seeking to avoid the hassle, Isringhausen declined.
Carreon, Izzy
Submitted by metsilverman.com (not verified) on Mon, 04/11/2011 – 8:31pm.
Seems Izzy, who was an incredible hassle his first time through–at 12 years it will be the longest stint between appearances in Mets history–is now mellow Izzy. He didn’t want to hassle the equipment manager or Bay. The memory of the late Mark Carreon leading all hitters at #45 continues.
Bay Can’t Do Anything Right
Submitted by Jon Springer on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 6:13am.
It’s not on Izzy to “hassle” Bay and the equipment manager; it’s on Bay to make a gift of his digits for the greater good. As I said before not only would it rid him of a number that’s accompanied nothing but bad luck so far, it would serve as a powerful symbol of redemption for the sin of having played liked some guy other than Jason Bay so far.
Bottom line
Submitted by gored82 on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 6:59am.
I think the bottom line here is that Izzy doesn’t care what number he wears and feels that he has more important things to think about. And Bay is rational enough to know that a uniform number doesn’t affect/determine results. Furthermore, being injured is no “sin.”
I believe Isringhausen joins
Submitted by Michael (not verified) on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 7:22am.
I believe Isringhausen joins Bob L. Miller(1962/1973) and David Cone(1992/2003) as the only 2-time Mets, whose tours of duty were at least 10 years apart.
Also interesting, the Mets
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 11:34am.
Also interesting, the Mets have only had 4 players in their history whose last name begins with an I, and two of them are on the team right now.
Isringhausen is the Mets’ HR
Submitted by Ranjrz5 on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 5:22pm.
Isringhausen is the Mets’ HR leader for players whose last name begins with I…
Also also
Submitted by Jon Springer on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 8:00pm.
At 12 letters, ISRINGHAUSEN is the longest statement the Mets ever made on the back of a jersey. Eight guys have had 11 letters.
El Sid
Submitted by gallace (not verified) on Tue, 04/12/2011 – 9:33pm.
By the way – I don’t know if you’ve covered this, but this site has a great photo of Sid Fernandez wearing number 10 during spring training 1987. It’s a must see if you haven’t seen it yet.
http://studiousmetsimus.blogspot.com/2011/01/mums-word-most-underrated-m…
Sid #10
Submitted by Matt B on Wed, 04/13/2011 – 6:43am.
I posted this about 6 weeks ago regarding Sid and #10.”I know that Darling switched from 44 to 12 in an attempt to get all 5 starters with numbers under 20 (Gooden 16, Ojeda 19, Augilera 15, El Sid 10). They gave Sid 10 in Spring Training of either 86 or 87, and he wanted no part of it. He wore for Spring Training, but went back to 50 when the season began.”
Stinnett
Submitted by Steve (not verified) on Wed, 04/13/2011 – 6:45am.
Kelly Stinnett also played for the Mets more than 10 years apart(1995/2006).
Sid 10
Submitted by gored82 on Wed, 04/13/2011 – 7:46am.
In that photo, you can tell it was spring ’87 (not ’86) by the script “New York” on the road jersey front. The ’86 road jerseys had “Mets” on the front.