There are great games in baseball every nite and last nite in Miami fans got to see one of them.
It started off with Anibal Sanchez weaving his way in and out of trouble but completing five scoreless innings, behind the Home Run bats of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. You knew the 2-0 lead would not hold as the Mets bats were not going to remain silent off the Marlins’ pen. And so Carlos Beltran launching a Home Run off Dan Meyer was no big surprise, but it lent drama to the play that was developing.
The Mets tied the game in the top of the 7th when they could have broken it open. Pinch hitting with the bases loaded, Fernando Tatis had to settle for a Sac Fly when he just undercut a Leo Nunez fastball. And Nunez was surely a bullpen star for the Marlins in this game, getting out of a bases-loaded, one out jam in the 7th and then retiring David Wright in the 8th with a runner on second.
Still, the real story of the night for the Marlins was again Emilio Bonafacio, whose multi faceted play this first week is taking this town and the major leagues by storm. Going back to opening day, when he led off the game with a line drive single and stole second, to his inside the park homer, he has been electric. And again last nite. After Bobby Parnell retired two Mets easily on fly balls in the bottom of the seventh, Bonifacio, batting lefty, took the Mets by surprise when he dropped a one hop bunt down the third base line. David Wright was caught flat footed and the Fish had a two out runner. Parnell then threw over to first a half dozen times to hold Emilio.
It started off with Anibal Sanchez weaving his way in and out of trouble but completing five scoreless innings, behind the Home Run bats of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. You knew the 2-0 lead would not hold as the Mets bats were not going to remain silent off the Marlins’ pen. And so Carlos Beltran launching a Home Run off Dan Meyer was no big surprise, but it lent drama to the play that was developing.
The Mets tied the game in the top of the 7th when they could have broken it open. Pinch hitting with the bases loaded, Fernando Tatis had to settle for a Sac Fly when he just undercut a Leo Nunez fastball. And Nunez was surely a bullpen star for the Marlins in this game, getting out of a bases-loaded, one out jam in the 7th and then retiring David Wright in the 8th with a runner on second.
Still, the real story of the night for the Marlins was again Emilio Bonafacio, whose multi faceted play this first week is taking this town and the major leagues by storm. Going back to opening day, when he led off the game with a line drive single and stole second, to his inside the park homer, he has been electric. And again last nite. After Bobby Parnell retired two Mets easily on fly balls in the bottom of the seventh, Bonifacio, batting lefty, took the Mets by surprise when he dropped a one hop bunt down the third base line. David Wright was caught flat footed and the Fish had a two out runner. Parnell then threw over to first a half dozen times to hold Emilio.
Did no good. John Baker blooped a short fly into left field, and it found turf in front of Murphy; Bonifacio came speedsliding into third base. Parnell had no chance against the red hot Hanley batting next. Ramirez would line a tie breaking single into center field, but Bonifacio’s surprise bunt is what launched the inning for the Marlins.
As it applies to Fantasy, Bonifacio’s success is killing Cameron Maybin’s expectations, who has been dropped to 8th in the order. First, when Maybin gets on with two out, you can’t have him run because you do not want to start the inning with the pitcher leading off. Second, already known as too much of a free swinger, the impatient Maybin is not getting good pitches but is swinging at them anyway. Third, he is not in the ‘heart’ of the game or the lineup to generate runs scored.
This was not the way it was supposed to play out. Gaby Sanchez was supposed to play first base, He got hurt in the Spring and was in the minors on Opening Day. Jorge Cantu moved to first, and it opened up a slot for the long awaited prospect, Dallas McPherson, 42 homers last season in Albuquerque, a powerful left handed bat the Marlins needed after trading away Mike Jacobs. But Fredi Gonzalez and the Fish surprisingly cut McPherson, announcing to the surprise of everyone that Emilio Bonafacio, second base eligible in roto leagues, would get the nod as the starting third baseman. I, for one, thought it was a fluke; a stop gap. It is not.
Bonifacio is demonstrating the talents you need in a lead off hitter, speed, bat contact, situational hitting. And opponents are woefully underestimating him. One week does not a season make, but I am one roto fan kicking myself in the butt for not seeing the dimensions of the game Bonifacio is bringing to the table. Before long, it may be Cameron Maybin sent to the minors for more seasoning. Who knew?
As for the game, Lindstrom came in and picked up where he left off Wednesday, yielding line drive after line drive and a game tying hit in the top of the 9th. No surprise there. You can’t just throw fastballs. You have to mix it up. He has got to learn that. In the meantime, fantasy friends, if you have Lindstrom, buy Nunez.
So what happens in the ninth, you ask? Brett Carroll lines out. Some guy named Emilio Bonifacio hits a chopper towards shortstop, but the kid beats it out, of course. Moments later, after a walk to Hanley, Jorge Cantu ropes a one hop line drive base hit to left field. With Uggla on deck, maybe you hold Bonifacio at third with only one out and the bases still loaded. But this kid is racing around home and sliding into the plate by the time the Met left fielder throws the ball.
Emilio Bonifacio. Starts the go ahead rally not once, but twice. Wins the game with his speed, with his bat. Wins the fans with his heart. He is on his game. More so than me. I don’t have him in a single league.
As it applies to Fantasy, Bonifacio’s success is killing Cameron Maybin’s expectations, who has been dropped to 8th in the order. First, when Maybin gets on with two out, you can’t have him run because you do not want to start the inning with the pitcher leading off. Second, already known as too much of a free swinger, the impatient Maybin is not getting good pitches but is swinging at them anyway. Third, he is not in the ‘heart’ of the game or the lineup to generate runs scored.
This was not the way it was supposed to play out. Gaby Sanchez was supposed to play first base, He got hurt in the Spring and was in the minors on Opening Day. Jorge Cantu moved to first, and it opened up a slot for the long awaited prospect, Dallas McPherson, 42 homers last season in Albuquerque, a powerful left handed bat the Marlins needed after trading away Mike Jacobs. But Fredi Gonzalez and the Fish surprisingly cut McPherson, announcing to the surprise of everyone that Emilio Bonafacio, second base eligible in roto leagues, would get the nod as the starting third baseman. I, for one, thought it was a fluke; a stop gap. It is not.
Bonifacio is demonstrating the talents you need in a lead off hitter, speed, bat contact, situational hitting. And opponents are woefully underestimating him. One week does not a season make, but I am one roto fan kicking myself in the butt for not seeing the dimensions of the game Bonifacio is bringing to the table. Before long, it may be Cameron Maybin sent to the minors for more seasoning. Who knew?
As for the game, Lindstrom came in and picked up where he left off Wednesday, yielding line drive after line drive and a game tying hit in the top of the 9th. No surprise there. You can’t just throw fastballs. You have to mix it up. He has got to learn that. In the meantime, fantasy friends, if you have Lindstrom, buy Nunez.
So what happens in the ninth, you ask? Brett Carroll lines out. Some guy named Emilio Bonifacio hits a chopper towards shortstop, but the kid beats it out, of course. Moments later, after a walk to Hanley, Jorge Cantu ropes a one hop line drive base hit to left field. With Uggla on deck, maybe you hold Bonifacio at third with only one out and the bases still loaded. But this kid is racing around home and sliding into the plate by the time the Met left fielder throws the ball.
Emilio Bonifacio. Starts the go ahead rally not once, but twice. Wins the game with his speed, with his bat. Wins the fans with his heart. He is on his game. More so than me. I don’t have him in a single league.
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no relief pitching will spell doom for the fish
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