13 innings to beat the Mets??

What can I say, Charlie Manuel looked like a genius last night. In a game that started out with Jamie Moyer only lasting 3 innings while allowing 6 runs the Mets somehow blew a 7-0 lead. Every button Charlie Manuel, the Phillies manager, pushed worked. Now you have to understand that I think good old Charlie is a country hick who somehow as a major league manager, but with the way he managed last night you would think he's a hall of fame manager. Pinch hitting Carlos Ruiz for Pedro Feliz saving Eric Bruntlett for later was just extraordinary. I don't know how he thought of it, but I'm very glad he did. The game ended with all the drama you could ask for, the Phillies were out of position players and pitchers while the Mets only had 1 position player left on the bench. Shane Victorino laced a lead off triple down the right field line to start the 13th and the Mets elected to walk the next 2 batters to get to the pitcher's spot in the lineup. The Phillies already used Cole Hamels who is their best hitting pitcher (has a .266 ba) so they had to send fellow starting pitcher Brett Myers to the plate with the game on the line.

Myers has had a very up and down year in Philadelphia as he was the Opening Day starter then got demoted to the minor leagues making a start in every level possible Class A Clearwater, Double A Reading, and Triple A Lehigh Valley. To his credit Myers finally got his game back and since returning to the Phillies right after the All-Star Break has only lost 1 decision. So let me set up the scenerio for you. Bottom of the 13th inning bases are loaded and a starting pitcher is coming up to pinch hit! Myers worked the count full (3-2) trying to distract the Mets' pitcher but had no such luck and ended up striking out looking. Charlie Manuel instructed Myers NOT to swing, who tells a hitter not to swing the bat?? With no outs Manuel did not want Myers to hurt the club by hitting a ground ball double play and that would essentually kill any chance of a rally the Phillies were working on.

If you can recall last season the Mets had a 7 game lead with 17 games left in the season and blew that lead, they blew the largest lead ever. And going into last night's game had a 1/2 game lead on the Phillies. Now the Mets are back in 2nd place and the Phillies are hoping for another first place finish this season.

Just a few interesting notes on the Mets have blown 22 saves this year alone, including 10 in the 9th inning. Before joining the Mets Billy Wagner was the Phillies closer and has 7 blown saves. For whatever reason the Mets bullpen cannot seem to hold onto a lead. I can't help but laugh because the Mets are built to win now and they just can't. With David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran all on the same team you would think they would be a World Series contender every year, but they are not. I guess there is still only 1 team in New York that matters...the Yankees. As for the Phillies they are just coming back from a trip to the west coast that included the Reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins calling Philadelphia fans "frontrunners." Rollins did not have good timing as he was in the mist of a 4-46 slump but before tonight's game was 9 for his last 10. Rollins understandibly so got booed by his hometown fans but when the game was on the line in the 8th inning he received a very warm and welcoming standing ovation.

Philadelphia fans are in a class all by themselves and while can come off as being pompus are extremely passionate. And that is a topic for a later time