It was a two-hit complete game 7-0 shut out over the potent Yankees lineup, 115 pitches and everything in his arsenal. As he said, “the slider, curveball, just tried to throw as many strikes as I could.” The Yankees could do nothing and seemed frustrated as they returned to the dugout.

Hernandez would not compare his performance to Lee. What mattered was the Mariners once again got two consecutive complete games from Lee and Hernandez.  And it was the second time this season that Lee and Hernandez won back-to[back games.

It was the third straight complete game for Hernandez, two of them going as a win. Lee got the win Tuesday evening in the Bronx, his third consecutive complete game. “It happens, it happens,” said Hernandez about what he and Lee accomplished over the Yankees the past two nights.

Was there an incentive to top what Lee did? “We’re different pitchers,” said Hernandez who has a career 15-3 record in the month of June. The 24-year old native of Valencia Venezuela also had 11 strikeouts and as play concluded moved to second in that department in the American League.

More importantly, as the Yankees have discovered, if the Mariners continue to get this type of pitching from Lee and Hernandez, well they can make some noise in the second half of the season.

“You talk about the impact that Lee has on this pitching staff, I think it pushes Felix,” commented Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. “I thought it was the best pure stuff that Felix has shown in a game.  He really dominated and kept their hitters off balance. It was a tremendous performance.”

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said about Hernandez “He’s as good as we have seen all year. His slider, changeup and curveball, he had it all working tonight. He’s got electric stuff.”

Hernandez finished the month of June with a 4-1 record and a 2.36 ERA and over his last four starts is 3-0 with a 1.26 ERA. “We knew his ability was there,” added Wakamatsu. “The key thing was getting the complete games.  Every time you have an outing like this it’s something to look back on and learn from it.”

The last time the Yankees had back-to-back complete games thrown against them was back in April of 2000 when Toronto’s Chris Carpenter and Kelvin Escobar did it up in Toronto. And it has not happened in consecutive home games since 1991.

Said Girardi, “Good pitching will always beat good hitting; that’s the bottom line.”  For the Mariners the bottom line is getting the rest of their pitching staff to follow in the footsteps of Lee and Hernandez.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

I know our Mets are playing great baseball right now and as much as I’ve had enough of inter-league play, this weekends Mets-Highlanders series should be terrific especially with Big Pelf going tomorrow and Johan going Sunday along with D-Wright and the Mets offense locked in, it should a great three days of baseball but I need to vent here a bit about last nights Game 7 and the demise of my Celtics in the 4^th quarter last night so if you’re here for the baseball only, try back later but if you want to here a grown man bare his soul about his team failing in a Game 7 and the realization that this team of PP, KG and Jesus Shuttlesworth has made it’s last run together, then read on:

I had a bad feeling about Game 6 not just because the game was in LA but I felt this was the Celtics Game 7 for the simple reason, I  never felt the C’s were built to go seven games due to age. Age. It has been the key subject all season when talking about the Celtics. When Danny Ainge went out and got KG from the T-Wolves and added Ray Allen, he said there was a three year window to win an NBA Title. They did it in the first year. Many of us feel, if not for Garnett going down last year it would have been a repeat. This season the dynamic of the team change. Leon Powe was let go and the fat tub of goo by the name of Rasheed Wallace was signed. The old guys were tired of hearing complaints from the young guys (Rondo, Perk and Baby) about how they wanted to do things and in the middle of it all was Doc Rivers trying not to let the clubhouse turn into OZ. This weighed on Rivers so much that he let it be known he’d love to take Doug Collins’ newly vacated spot with Marv Albert on TNT next season (where I believe he’s going) This team played awful in the second half of the season to where they were barely over .500 I attribute that to age, complacency and playing in the worst division on sports, the NBA Atlantic. So how did all this negativity turn around in the post season?

Well, first Doc Rivers (so underrated as a coach) finally got the two factions of old and young together and had a sit down. In 2008 the Celtics embraced “UBUNTU” the African word for family and Doc told them how they have gotten away from that. He then gave the geezers the smack in the face they needed when he told them that this is “Rondo’s Team”. I’m not sure the old guys embraced this altogether as I observed when Paul Pierce was cutting his eyes at Rondo during the Finals when he wasn’t getting the ball, but publicly they went with it as KG said in a post game interview after a game where Rondo had one of his many triple doubles, that it was “Rondo’s Team”.

When the playoff’s started the one thing the C’s had going for them was pride, Celtics Pride. You can’t get away from it. It’s one thing that separates the Celtics from any team in pro sports, just about every night there are a few legends in the building to watch the team play. Tommy Heinsohn is there every night doing color commentary on TV. Cornbread Maxwell is on the radio side. Bob Cousy shows up most nights in the stands with some time on TV. When they are called to duty, the legends all show up, Havlicek, Cowens, Sam Jones and of the King of the Celtics, the greatest player in the history of basketball, Bill Russell. These great Celtics in the tradition of Red Auerbach, let this team know they are not the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavilers but they are the Boston Celtics, Basketball Royalty. When you take to the parquet floor you not only represent the Celtics but you represent us and we do not like to lose or be embarrassed.

Between the Old Guard’ words and the motivational ways of Doc Rivers letting them know the Ubuntu was missing and that a second title from this group will put them in the Celtics Pantheon. It almost worked.

Back to last night, it’s been awhile since I watch a game on the edge of my seat and the last minutes standing up (Super Bowl 42 Giants over Pats) but I was pacing the floor pleading with Ray Allen to find some legs on offense to make a shot, for Rondo to do his Rondo act and charge to the basket with his reverse lay up, for KG to grab an offensive rebound and go up strong and slam it down and take the foul then scream FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK into ABC’s camera’s, for Paul Pierce to burry a 3 and put a dagger into the Lakers heart (and give Jack Nicholson a heart attack) I wanted 2008 to happen one more time. Just…..one…..more….time…………………….

The problem that plagued the Celtics all season, holding a 4^th quarter lead was a problem again last night. When you look at the rebounding totals it’s easy to say the C’s got out worked and in a way they did but when you are in your mid 30’s as the Big 3 are as well as ‘Sheed, your legs are as shot as the shocks on an old Buick, there is only so much lift you’re going to get. As the team played lock down defense in Game 7, it cost them on the offensive end, especially Ray Allen and ‘Sheed who were spent. There are no Jamie Moyers in the NBA.

So now what ? Well I think Doc will move on to TV for awhile and wait for Stan Van Gundy to get fired and then take over the Magic. I’d bet that Danny Ainge hires his pal and former Celtic great, Kevin McHale as coach. Ray Allen will not be resigned and hopefully Rasheed Wallace retires as he stated after the game last night. I haven’t looked at the salary cap situation but knowing that the Celtic ownership, it is committed to winning, it make take a year or two of retooling but I’m confident the Celtics will get back to the Finals sooner than later. Thank you Celtics for a great post season and to Pau Gasol, Take a Bath you skeevy looking fuck.

Game 7 tonight in Phonyland, Please, Please oh Lord Red Auerbach, with no Perk the C’s must go with Sheed and Baby with some Sheldon Williams as well, will it be enough? Give Rondo the Power of the Shamrock tonight, Give KG the use of two good knees for one night and turn Ray Allen back into Jesus Shuttlesworth.

We need BANNER 18 tonight and I want to see Jack Nicholson drop dead right in his seat too

The Daily Line (seen on VERSUS) sat down with Darryl Strawberry to talk about among other topics,  playing baseball in the 80’s, drug use back then and the sad saga of Lawrence Taylor. Check out the video right here

Check out The Daily Line tonight at 11PM ET right after Canadians-Penguins Game 7 on VERSUS

Trying to write something creative this morning and it’s just not happening so I’ll just throw some shit on the wall see what sticks:

If Jose Reyes is 100 % healthy then why not let him start on opening day? Why is it even a question? His legs don’t seem to be any problem so if his thyroid levels are fine then why wouldn’t Jose be at shortstop on Monday?

I would love to be in the room when soon to be Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z sit down and talk to LeBron James about joining the Brooklyn Nets. Mr. Prokhorov is going to be the most newsworthy sports owner this town has seen since a big blowhard ship builder from Cleveland rolled into town.

This Monday has been renamed Monumental Monday. Opening day at $iti Field. The NCAA Final and two hour episode of 24.  I’m busting sweat just thinking of how the Jack Bauer, Dana Walsh  interrogation scene will play out.

Major tip of the BLUE Mets cap to Shannon Shark over at Mets Police for uncovering the Fanwalk faux pau naming Sid Fernandez the winner of Game 7 of the’86 World Sereis when it was actually Roger McDowell who earned the win. At the time that game was over, we really didn’t give a rats ass who go the winner to tell the truth all I remember is pandemonium in the streets of Queens and that for one on the dozen or so times in my life I woke up the next day in my bed having no recollection of how I got home.  Ahhhhhh good times. Also Mets Police is recruiting for the Blue Cap Army to meet up Monday at $iti Field.

It’s a three man race to grab the 25^th spot on the Mets roster. The candidates are Mike Jacobs, Frank Catalanotto and Chris Carter. Very tough choices. The first one I’d dismiss in Jacobs who is a hit a home run or miss guy and a not very good first baseman. It was commendable of Jacobs to put on the catcher gear and volunteer to be the emergency catcher. How often do you need an emergency catcher? Carter has earned the name The Animal for Jerry Manuel and Catalanotto is a savvy vet who can play just about any position on a baseball field. If I had to make the choice, I’d take Frankie The Cat.

Who? Raul Valdes Who? Raul Valdes Who? Raul Valdes

Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome the new and improved LMILLZ

I don’t look at Darryl Strawberry as being a quitter for leaving The Apprentice, it’s more like he was bored and tired of the stupid tasks he was asked to do. Whoever signed off on making this show two hours should BE FIRED! Thank God for TiVO. By the way as soon as Cyndi Lauper and Summer Sanders are fired I’ll be done with The Apprentice.

So long Chris Coste, Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out!

It looks like the new McFadden’s at $iti Field is going to be THE place to be.

OH WHAT A NIGHT

Where were you on October 25^th 1986? I was in my living room in our brand new railroad flat in Bay Ridge watching one of the great comebacks not only in Mets history but all of baseball history.

We haven’t seen a Daniel Murphy post in a while so thank you John “Metsradamus” Coppinger for bringing up Murph and remember what will happen when you mess with The Murph.

A Mets minor league pitcher Rafael Castro died of a heart attack at the Mets Venezulan academy. It’s sad when anyone dies like that but the fact that Castro was 18 years old is stunning.

The TV remote will get a good workout tonight as Game 6 of the ALCS goes up against the New York Football Giants and the Phoenix by way of St Louis and Chicago Cardinals at Giants Stadium.

If the Angels can get ahead of the Highlanders early like they did in Game 5, then it will unleashed the panic stricken Joey G to go one pitcher per hitter and deplete his bullpen. If you’re a Highlander fan you have to be concerned that the Great Mariano has to sit down with Phil Hughes and give him a pep talk as it’s clear Hughes has that deer in the headlights look about him and that the total clusterfuck that is the Joba Chamberlain Experience has been ineffective to the point, if you’re the Angels the key here is to get to the Highlander pen.

Not to break balls or anything but the baseball fan in me wants an Angel win tonight just to have some Game 7 drama.

 

Johan Santana had a very difficult time in the first three innings finding the strike zone as he had neither command of his fastball or change up in the first three innings whether this was due to his mechanics or the ineptitude of home plate ump Ron Kulpa  I’m not sure but after giving up a walk to Chris Carpenter in the 4^th Santana all of a sudden got locked in and took control of the game. The mark of a great pitcher is when he can’t get his best pitches over for strikes he still finds a way to stay on top of his game and work his way through until he figures out how to get those pitches working or has a plan B and gets that to work. No panic, no fear that’s Johan Santana.

 

Ryan Church is lucky J-Man didn’t take out his blade and cut his ass after yesterday’s game. Manuel has put the challenge to Church by putting him the clean up spot while Sheffield recoups from his cortisone shot to his knee. So far the challenge not met by Church. With Daniel Murphy on second and Luis Castillo on first, D-Wright had an outstanding at bat. After looking at two called strikes, Wright bared down and then let two balls go out of the strike zone to even the count 2-2, the next pitch Wright just missed (a fastball I believe from Kyle McClellan) and then took the two more pitches for a base on balls. Outstanding at bat. Of course after that Tony LaRussa made yet another trip to the bullpen (and had me make a mess out of my score card) lefty Trever Miller to face Church.

 

Now here was Church’s time for redemption in the game as he misplayed a ball hit by Rick Ankiel in 6^th as he broke in the tried to get back and the ball sailed over his head for a double and Ankiel eventually scored the Cards second run so with the bags drunk it was Ryan Church in the spotlight (“Church bells may ring, ding –dong-ding, church bells may ring, ding-dong-ding”)  time to show the manager, the fans and his teammates the he is ready to step up.

 

Miller seems to have a bit of the yips as he can’t find the strike zone and falls behind 3-0 to Church. Ok now Ryan take a strike here, atta boy. Ok now it’s on a platter for you 3-1 and the pitch………..A CALLED STRIKE!!!!!!!!! Ryan, you are batting in the coveted clean up spot, the bases are loaded, it’s the bot of the 8^th and a 1 run game WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TAKING ON 3 AND 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

Now realizing he’s not up there to leave it up to Tatis, Church swings at the next pitch and fouls it off. Now Church is digging that back foot in the batters box determined to get a hit here but Miller just rears back and blows one by Church who took a huge swing and missed but at that point it didn’t matter this at bat was done at 3 balls 1 strike. Want to bet that Church sits tonight against Sabathia ? If he got a hit there lefty or no lefty he would have earned the start but after that at bat and the play in the 6th inning Church will sit tonight and it’s deserved.

 

The more I go to $iti Field the more I love the place (don’t worry we old timers will always have Shea in our hearts) how can you not. I know it has its faults (see Mets Police for those as he is the Elliot Ness of Mets fandom) and management (are you ready for this) seems to be listening to it’s fan base (S-H-O-C-K-I-N-G I know!) First thing I saw walking in I looked at the scoreboard in right/center and guess what? The lineups were posted ! YA-HOO!. Then in the 8^th inning no Sweet Caroline (HURAYY!!) but Meet The Mets (HURRAH!) now I do have a little bone to pick, how about playing the whole Meet The Mets song? Why do the butcher and the baker and the people on the street always get the short end of the stick all the time?

 

I was no fan of Michael Jackson’ when he was alive so I’m not mourning his death today but I was shocked that he died just for the fact that he is the same age as me. I know it’s not polite to speak ill of the dead but the guy was a walking freak show which was not the worst of his sins, those he will pay for it he hasn’t already. I do feel sorry for him in that he didn’t really have much of a life which again proves my mother theory that even if you have a lot of money that doesn’t mean you’re rich and if that’s the case Jackson died broke in more ways than one.

 

Now someone I was a fan of was Farrah Fawsett as were many young men back in the 70’s. Show of hands how many of you fella’s had this poster in your room (my hand is up) and how many of us looked to date girls with that blonde hair in a flip (hand still up)

 

 

I was thrilled to come home yesterday and see that my copy of Greg Prince’ book “Faith And Fear In Flushing” had arrived. As soon as I saw the front cover I knew that this is THE book for Mets fans to add to their library as nothing sums up Mets fandom like the picture of Gary Carter and Ray Knight hugging after Game 6 of the 1986 World Series and the bottom picture of Yadier Molina watching Aaron Heilman’ pitch in the 9^th inning of <reaches for a Kleenex> Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS go out of Shea Stadium. Best of times, worst of times indeed and isn’t that what being a Mets fan is all about?

This book is more about what it’s like to be a Mets fan and how it is that we became a fan of this team. In fact Greg, shows we are more than fans, this team in imbedded in our DNA we are so hooked we couldn’t leave if we wanted to.

My family and friends know how I live and die with the Mets and they get their jollies by asking me “What team would you root for if the Mets cease to exist”?  I usually turn red and start cursing as that is akin to asking which of my two children I love the most.  As there are no other kids I could ever love like mine and I could never live and die with another team like I do with the Mets.

As far as I’m concerned this book is a must read for all the younger Mets fans. You guys need to know the history of this organization. You need to see your roots. As much as we all love David Wright and Jose Reyes you need to know about Roy Staiger and Teddy Martinez. As much as you all wear your 31 PIAZZA and 17 HERNANDEZ you have to learn about 31 PARKER (Harry) and MILLAN (Felix) and by reading Faith And Fear In Flushing you will be a better educated Mets fan.

This book is for the REAL Mets fan. The fan who couldn’t wait to attain drinking age to have a cold Rheingold  or  open a bank account at Manufacturers Hanover or pick out a car at your NY, NJ Fairfield County Plymouth dealer. The fan who feels that the 7 train is the ultimate stretch limo. The fan who sits in the Upper Deck of Shea and brings his sandwich and can of soda (placed in the freezer the night before and wrapped in tin foil for the ride to Shea) The fan who no matter how bad things are going in there life can smile at the sight of Mr. Met and feel secure that Gary Cohen and Howie Rose are on the job brings us the sights and sounds of Mets baseball. The fan who could sit and listen to Jane Jarvis play the Thomas Organ and for all of us who look to the late great Tug McGraw when things look hopeless and say YA GOTTA BELIEVE!