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Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Mets Beat Nationals Last Night, 11-3
Washington’s Loss Attributed to Errors Behind the Plate
Washington’s Nationals—off to a miserable start this year—were no match for the dominant New York Mets, who beat them 11-3 last night. The Mets, who were terrific in 97 games last year, though unable to seize the pennant, are already off to a fabulous start with a .701 winning percentage, and are everyone’s favorites to win the pennant this year, if they can get by St. Louis, one of last year’s standout teams. The Mets’ popular manager is one of the main reasons for this surge in confidence.
Washington’s catcher Alex Gardner, playing in his first major league game allowed 12 passed balls, a major league record[1]. His errors led to a large number of unearned runs by the already formidable New York Metropolitans lineup who piled up 11 runs to crush the hapless Nationals, a relatively new club in the league. Gardner, 0 for 3 on the night, was placed on assignment to the minor leagues later last night by an angered Nat’s manager “Holly” Hollingshead, who will probably replace him today with John Humphries, who hit a somewhat shaky .112 for the Giants last year. He is also scouting a new young catcher from Brookfield, MA by the name of Cornelius Magillicutty (nicknamed “Connie Mack,”) [2] known for his sure fielding rather than his hitting.
The one-sided victory was no big surprise to baseball fans. The Mets’ lineup includes a hot-hitting first baseman who is hitting .354 this year [3](besting his .326 average of last year), and who is third in the league in home runs and doubles. David Orr is leading the league in hits this year.
The Mets’ shortstop is a great base-stealer [4]who had a career-high number of doubles and triples last year, and a .305 batting average. He is expected to lead the league in walks this year. A few years ago, “Candy” Nelson played part-time second base, but is now settled in as the regular Mets shortstop and a fan favorite.
The Mets’ third baseman is third in the league in hits, and fourth in doubles, with a .314 batting average. An outstanding fielder at third base, he is expected to some day develop into the league’s “golden glove” player at that position. The already-legendary “Dude” Esterbrook is in only his fourth year in the majors.
Completing the stellar infield at second base, the Mets have Dasher Troy, another switch-over from the Giants, who is a good all-around player, hitting .264 this season.
“Chief” Roseman is the power-hitting center-fielder who is batting .298 this year, and Steve Brady, who batted .271 last year, with 6 triples, is in right. The Mets have Ed Kennedy starting in left and Bill Holbert is their catcher.
Their pitching staff is a little thin this year, with only two world class starters, Lynch and Keefe, but those two hold the team together. “Smiling” Tim Keefe led the league last year in complete games, (68), innings pitched (619), and strikeouts (359), with a 2.41 ERA for the Mets. Jack Lynch last season pitched 29 complete games with 119 strikeouts, but is already piling up a heap of Mets wins this year.[5] Contrary to rumors, the American Association League has stated that it will not be removing the ban on overhand pitching any time soon.
The Mets’ home stadium, the Polo Grounds, is slated for renovations, as a March storm blew the roof off the grandstands and deposited it a block away. They share that stadium with the National League’s New York Giants.
Around the American Association Baseball league: Fans of negro baseball (which has always been popular in our Nation’s Capitol, by the way) are still in the throes of celebrating the first black man to play in the major leagues, whose official “day” was May 1st of this year. That man, 27 year old negro ball player Moses Fleetwood “Fleet” Walker, played his first major league game as a catcher with the Toledo team last week. “Fleet” allowed two passed balls, and committed four errors and went 0-3 in his first game. He has since then played very well, and may soon be joined by his brother, Welday Walker. Several conflicts have already arisen over “Fleetwood’s” historic breaking of the color barrier,[6] however everyone seems to agree it was an historic occasion, and many feel it was long overdue.
That’s the Mets news for today, May 11th, 1884
* * *
[2] That player, Cornelius Magillicuddy, or Connie Mack, was to debut on 9-11-1886 with the Nats. He later became a manager for Philadelphia.
[3] All current season averages for 1884 are based on year-end averages.
[4] He would accumulate 29 steals during the 1886 season!
[5] Jack Lynch and Tim Keefe would go on to win 37 games each in that great 1884 season. Those accomplishments were overshadowed somewhat by Guy Hecker’s 52 wins, including both ends of a double header on July 4th. The AA was not to lift its ban on overhand pitching for many years to come.
[6] Weldy Walker did join brother Moses in Toledo, but no other negro ballplayers were admitted to the major leagues until 1947, the year Jackie Robinson became Rookie of the Year at the age of 28.
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