With 5 hit batsmen, 15 Met hits, Pedro getting threatened by an angry bat-weilding Guillen, and Delgado hitting his second homer in as many games, the real story was the old man that wasn't even in the line up. Julio Franco's diplomacy and statesmanship diffused a very volatile near-brawl and more importantly played matchmaker between a brooding Carlos Beltran and 20 Million Met Fans.
When Guillen got plunked for the second time, you could see in his eyes that he wanted blood. Franco approached him near first base, put his arm around the angry National, and talked him down. What a Mensch!
Two innings later, Franco really earned his keep, showing us all how experience, good judgment and class can help a team as surely as clutch RBI or a game saving catch. Here's how. It was abundantly clear clear to anyone watching that Beltran felt hurt by the booing he took on opening day, never moreso than after his homer last night. He sullenly sat on the bench as the fans begged for a curtain call. His face said it all "F-you for Booing me, F-you for your fair weather friendship, F-you in general."
What should have been a great moment for Carlos was instead something that was just feuling his anger. Fans are always up for a battle with a moping/sensitive/indignant player, and if left to brood, the Beltran snubbing could have easily become an early chapter in a long, drawn-out melodrama. Even with so much good going on with this team, "Crybaby Carlos" would have been the back-page story in every New York paper for the next 2 months.
Seeing two months of drama about to unfold, Franco approached Beltran and urged him to oblige the fans with a curtain call. Beltran wanted no part of it. The elder statesman wasn't taking no for an answer though and did not relent till Beltran sucked it up and went out for a bow. In a 20 second chat, Franco probably diffused months of fan abuse and may literally have added 15 points to his year-end average. "Our Fans just want to be a part of it", said a diplomatic Franco, "I told him to just go out there and wave, embrace it".
If you don't think the Met fans can crush a guys spirit, give Roger Cedeno a call. Julio Franco, You 'da Man!
As for stuff that took place on the field, Met pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, David Wright got 3 more hits, Delgado started a 2 game HR streak and Reyes reminded me of what a beautiful sight it is to watch him leg out a triple.
My favorite Keith Hernandez line of the night was his anecdote about Ron Hunt and how the 1962 Met second basement had an influence on Keiths life. "Because of him, to this day I still can't drink Kahlua."
Finally, am I the only one who, whenever they mentioned Schneider (the Nationals catcher) kept thinking of Pat Harrington?
