In the words of Admiral John Stockdale in the 1992 Vice Presidential
debate, "Where am I? Why am I here?" My road here is longer and
stranger than the Mets and the answers are as follows:
After drinking lucky wheat grass shots in Union Square enroute to Game
1 of the NLDS two weeks ago (which seems like an eternity ago), I gave
Steve the tickets to Game 7 since I was running low on vacation days at
work and to ensure SteveAndTheTank.com representation at the game.
Due to events beyond my control, I asked Bernard to switch shifts with
me. They are as follows: (1) Mets forced a Game 7 (I thought they
would win in 6 thus the NLCS would have ended Wednesday evening); (2) Steve's
girlfriend Kathleen who can not make it as she is studying for the CFA;
(3) Eric thankfully made it to work Wednesday night -- I wasn't sure if
he was going there since he was working on a restore on Tuesday and only
slept 5.5 hours in the last 48 hours. If he didn't make it in, I would have
had to cover until about 4 or 5 a.m. Thursday morning; and (4) most
importantly, Steve asked me to be with him on Suicide Watch if the Mets
lose God forbid as other family members can not be there to save him
from jumping off the Upper Deck. (His sister Caroline has to baby-sit
his niece and nephew and his Dad is not a big baseball fan as is my
Dad, btw.). If just one of the aforementioned variables was different, I
wouldn't be able to go.
Before Steve mentioned being on Suicide Watch, I mentioned that he
should go with Linda as I am low on vacation days but rethought it as I
was afraid that she may try to take her life too from the Upper Deck if
the Mets lost God forbid. Mets coffins are not yet available. Therefore, I must go as I can't risk losing two of my closest friends and the only
current members of TAARC. After going to Tony Robbins seminars over the
past few years, several colleagues thought I joined a cult. I didn't join
a cult but I decided to start my own to compliment their wisdom as well as
make a few bucks. 
TAARC stands for The Tank's Anti-Aging Running Cult.
For a small portion of your personal wealth, you too can join TAARC.
Game 7 also brings out the extra special super-duper superstition in
me. You say all the prayers, eat all the vitamins, use all the lucky
rabbits feet, and any other superstition you can think of because Game 7
is "Do or Die". Many thanks to Linda for bringing the uniform superstition
link to Steve's and my attention. Let's hope one or more of the Cardinals has
a uniform conflict. Heck, I don't care if the Cardinals have a "wardrobe
malfunction" as long as the Mets win.
Anyway, after working through all these personal and coverage issues,
welcome to Game 7 of the NLCS live from Shea. Play Ball!
Steve and I rejoin some our Game 1 NLDS brethren in the Upper Deck. I am
running late from work while Steve studied for his MBA exam tomorrow.
Baseball is life but you have to pay the bills to.
Game time temperature is 67 degrees. Tonight's starter Perez was a
throw in player in the trade deadline move from Pittsburgh. Eckstein
flies out. Wilson strikes out. Pujols to bat and pops a ball up. Delgado
drops it and Pujols advances to second. Not a good omen! Valentin
makes a catch to end the inning. Whew! Cardinals 0 - Mets 0.
Jose Reyes grounds out to Eckstein. Lo Duca grounded out. Beltran
singled, Delgado walked, and DW singled him home. Green lined out.
Edmonds singled to open the second. Rolen pops up to center. Molina
gets in and 0-2 count but singles to center after Steve and I wave the
rally towels. Edmonds advances to third when Chavez couldn't throw the
ball to third. Belliard throws the bat at the ball that unfortunately
scores Edmonds to tie the game. Perez strikes out Suppan. Cardinals 1
- Mets 1.
Valentin pops up and Belliard and the right fielder collide. Chavez
grounds out to Pujols. Can Perez help his own case? Nope but hits it
hard to left. Still 1-1 after 2.
Eckstein doubles to left. To the cheers of "Mookie's not your father",
Preston Wilson (really his step son) strikes out. Pujols is
intentionally walked and wisely so. Encarnacion is in an 0-2 count. Rally flags awaving and Encarnacion grounds out into a 5-4-3 double play as Steve
requested.
"Swing batter swing" and Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" blare on the
speakers in between innings. Springsteen could put on an entire full length
concert during the long TV commercials.
Jose flies out and Lo Duca grounds out to third. Beltran flies out to
left. Still 1-1 at the end of three.
"Meet the Mets" plays in between innings.
Edmonds flies out to left. Rolen pops up to DW in foul territory on a
98 mph fastball. Molina is up and there is a "Cow-Bell Man" sighting.
Molina flies out to right. He must have sublimilally surrendered to
the thousands of white flags in the stands. Still 1-1 going into the
bottom of the fourth. You know what that means -- time to go to the
restroom.
Delgado works out a walk. DW up with no one out. Delgado out at
second on DW the force out. Green is out. Valentin is HBP. Chavez lines
out to left.
Rain drops start to fall in between innings.
Belliard singles to left past Jose. Suppan sacrifice bunts him to
second. Eckstein is HBP. The Met bullpen begins to warm. "Mookie's not
your daddy" cheer starts as Preston Wilson steps to the plate and
strikes out on three pitches. Pujols comes up with two outs while the fan to
my left and I say walk Pujols while Steve says pitch to him. Steve is
right as Pujols pops up to Jose in short left field.
Demons need to be purged as tonight is Steve's tenth wedding
anniversary and the seventh anniversary of former NY choke artist Kenny Rogers
walk with the bases loaded for the Mets against the Braves.
In a surprising move, Perez up to hit. We all thought Willie would
have pinched hit for him. Perez hits a shot to left field. Reyes flies
out center. The fan to my left offers his 21 year old sister to Lo Duca
if he gets a hit. Steve nor The Tank condone this; we are journalists.
The center and left fielders collide on Lo Duca's fly out to left.
Still tied going into the top of the 6th.
The only justification for keeping in Perez is a match-up or Willie
thinks it is going to extra innings. Bradford warms up while Encarnacion
grounds out to DW-Delgado. Edmonds comes up as the rain slows down a
bit and grows Edmonds should have been out on 2-2 but works out a
walk. Willie comes to buy time and strategize. Rolen hits a shot that
should have been a home run but Chavez catches it where the Tank practiced
on Saturday, July 29, after the Run to Home Plate. Chavez throws to
Valentin who throws to Delgado to get out Rolen. Double play instead of a
home run! Steve and our friends feels that the Mets can't lose. It was
better than the two runners out on Game 1 of the NLDS. If the Mets
lose God forbid, Steve will kill himself regardless of what I do to
prevent him.
The play was shown several times in between innings. Still 1-1 going
into the bottom of the 6th.
Beltran grounds out to Suppan. Delgado works a 3-1 count after a high
pitch and bouncing ball. Delgado walks on 3-2. DW is up and swings on
an 82 mph slider. Suppan is up to 77 pitches. Steve wants his arm to
fall off. On a routine ground ball to third, Rolen throws the ball
away. The stands are shaking as Delgado advances to third and DW to
second. Green is intentionally walked to load the bases. Meeting at the
mound while the screen with the crazy guy in the raincoat beckons
everyoine to get out of their seats. "Let's Go Mets!" the crowd cries out as
the stands still shake. This is only the second time in Steve's 1,000
plus times at Shea that the stands shake -- the first was a Rolling
Stones concert. Steve reveals his month-long premonition that Valentin
will be a post-season hero. On a 1-2 count, time is called. Steve and I
demand a balk Valentin strikes out which is better than a A-Rod
quadruple play. Steve reminds me that there are no hits as Chavez comes up to
a hero's welcome. Chavez swings on the first pitch and flies out to
center to end the inning. Still 1-1 going into the 7th. I am going on
the record again that the Mets, Yankees, and any other extreme weather
team need a retractable roof like the Seattle (rain) Mariners.
Bradford comes in the top of the seventh to face Molina. After several
foul balls, Molina thankfully flies out to left. No one warms in the
Cardinals bullpen while Belliard grounds out to Valentin. Suppan almost
beats out a ground out to Reyes.
"God Bless America", "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", and "Lazy Mary" are
the soundtrack to the 7th inning. Steve goes to the restroom but
doesn't stay long enough.
The earliest I have gone to the rally cap. The rally horn goes off a few sectionsover. Tucker pinch hits for Perez as Suppan gets to 90 pitches as Steve hopes.
Tucker hits the ball off his foot and the trainer comes out. An
elderly Cardinals fan is razzed. Steve reminds me to vote absentee while he
will be in Barcelona on business on Election Day. Tucker flies out to
center. Reyes grounds out to first while a fan in front of us wears a
real helmet -- not a regular hat. Maybe he is afraid of getting hit by
a beer bottle. Lo Duca grounds out to Eckstein to end the 7th. Still
1-1 going into the 8th.
Heilman to face Eckstein to start the 8th. Eckstein grounds out to
Delgado. Five outs left. Scott Spiezio is pinch hitting for Preston
Wilson, Mookie's not real son. Spiezio and his obnoxious Cardinal Red
goatee strike out. Pujols is up and now Steve wants to walk him. A little
Met fan behind us says throw it down the middle. After a near heart
attack, the Tank educates and corrects the young lad. Pujols walks on
the unintentionally intentionally walk. Encarnacion is up and thankfully
strikes out.
Time to go to restroom after "Sweet Caroline" blares out as the XM
Satellite Radio 8th Inning Song.
Beltran walks. La Russa goes to the bullpen to pull Suppan and brings
in Flores. DW is up and another fan from my row recognizes near the ATM and
tells me to go back to the restroom. They are learning the Restroom
Superstition.
The Tank walks out to the stands as Delgado is calling out on strikes.
DW is up. The ump is making questionable strike calls. DW strikes
out. Green makes a great cut on the first pitch but grounds out to
Pujols. Still 1-1 at the end of 8.
Steve and I agree NOT to bring out Wagner in the 9th.
Heilman returns and strikes out Edmonds. Rolen singles past Reyes to
left. Molina homers to left field. A freaking .216 career hitter. The
kid behind us starts to cry. Shea is otherwise like a morgue. Belliard
grounds out to Reyes. John Rodriguez comes in to pinch hit. The guy behind
us starts to leave but Steve and the Tank and his crying son convince him to stay.
Steve makes the Titanic reference on those who passed on the dessert tray.
Rodriguez grounds out to Delgado to Heilman. Cardinals 3 - Mets 1.
The fan to my left notes that it will either be a historic comeback or
the first Game 7 loss at home.
Twisted Sister's "We're not going to take it" blares over the speakers.
Wainwright comes in to face Valentin. As we see fans stream out past
right field, Steve references the Jets miracle comeback against the
Dolphins on Monday Night in 2000. "Oh, yea of little faith!" As the Tank
asks for a "bloop and a blast", Valentin hits a Texas league single to
right center. Chavez is up as the rain comes down and hits to left.
The stands shake again as Cliff Floyd comes to the plate. Swing and a
big miss. High for ball one. Called strike two. Ball two and Molina
throws to first and Chavez gets back in time. Fouled back. Floyd is
called out on strikes. Reyes lines out to center. Lo Duca needs to
"zone and drive" a pitch. He works a 3-1 count with two out and two on.
He walks. Beltran comes up with the bases loaded and the Crazy Guy in a
Raincoat from "Network" tells everyone to get up. Two strikes on
Beltran and he strikes out looking. Final Score: Cardinals 3 - Mets 1.
Posted by a depressed but thankfully not suicidal Steve and The Tank
reporting live from Game 7 of the NLCS at Shea.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry