Let's Play Ball! Opening Day In-Game Blog!

3:03PM
We're now just over an hour away from the 2008 Marlins season, and I'm already getting excited. Can Mark Hendrickson shut down the potent Mets lineup? Will the Marlins rattle Santana in his first NL start? They're certainly the underdogs, but I have a good feeling about today.
Also, it was nice to see Miggy knock his first homer for Detroit. They seem to love him there.

3:45PM
The first pitch is approaching soon. I'm sure Mark Hendrickson had no idea he'd be starting Opening Day, but I kind of like that. Hendrickson has his limitations, but he had a great Spring, and he could be motivated to come out firing. Anybody can win a baseball game on any given day.
I think it will be critical for the Marlins to score early. Santana could feel some jitters, so that bottom of the 1st is crucial (assuming the top of the 1st goes according to plan, of course).

4:06PM
Very classy moment for Jeff Conine. The quote that stands out: "I always considered myself a Florida Marlin." A nice applause for the dapper Conine (who could look better only in uniform). Thanks for all the memories Jeff!

4:28PM
We're underway!

Top of the 1st:
Hendrickson strikes out Reyes to start things off. You couldn't ask for a better opening. Then walks Luis Castillo (who always had a great eye. It's hard to root against him). Hendrickson showing some impressive heat early on. Luis Gonzalez makes an adventurous putout on David Wright (demonstrating the popular view that he's the worst fielder in MLB). 2 out. Hendrickson's thrown a couple good curves too (great first strike on Beltran).
Oh no...Cody Ross proving why CF may not be such a good idea. A horrible defensive play on Beltran's fly to center. He stayed back on the ball too long, then made a feeble attempt to dive for it. If Hendrickson doesn't get Delgado out, this run's on Cody.
Whew! Hanley catches an "unlucky blooper" if there is such a thing. Take a deep breath.
0-0

Bottom of the 1st:
Let's see what Hanley can do leading off here. Santana looks awfully tough. Hanley goes down looking. Uggla a lazy fly to right. Jacobs pops up the first pitch (not smart. He should be patient when facing a guy like Santana). Not the early push I was hoping for.
0-0

As we go into the top of the 2nd, it looks like the Marlins benefit from a low-scoring affair. Keep it at 1-1 and let the improved bullpen try to win it.

Top of the 2nd:
Quick first out on popup to catcher. Treanor shows good patience. Hendrickson denied what should have been strike 3 on Church. It doesn't matter, because he gets an easy dribbler to the mound. Hendrickson looks fantastic...could he be this year's Carl Pavano? Another popup to Treanor. I'm very impressed so far.
0-0

Bottom of the 2nd:
Can the Marlins put up a better showing this inning? The bottom of the lineup is going to be a question mark all year, especially now without Hermida. It's critical for Willingham-Cantu-Ross to have career years. Willingham starts it out with an average fly to center. These aren't good ABs. Cantu needs to learn more patience at the plate. He lofts another lazy fly to center. I have a good feeling about Ross today. Let's see what he does. Weak grounder down the first base side. Great pitching, poor hitting the story through 2.
0-0

Top of the 3rd:
Nice to have Santana leading off. (Apparently Santana is a good hitter, they say). Ross makes the catch in CF, but looks uncomfortable out there. I'm worried. Reyes hits it hard his second time up, but right to Willingham. This is the worst defensive alignment in MLB, no question. Look for a lot of balls to drop in.
Oh, Luis. A bunt just like the old times. Gets on with 2 outs. He could be running. Yep, and he takes second on a high throw. I miss the old Castillo days. Ross makes another play and we move on. Marlins dodge a possible run. Good work.
0-0

Bottom of the 3rd:
I've been very critical of the Luis Gonzalez signing. I just didn't see how it made sense with this team. I hope he proves me wrong, though. He flies out to center, but not a bad at-bat. Here's Treanor (what a likable guy), known as Mr. Misty May to some. He flies out to right. The Marlins aren't exactly among the league leaders right now at 0-8. Hendrickson looks completely out of place at the plate, but we'll give him a bye. He goes down after a slight battle. Still scoreless.
0-0

Top of the 4th:
Beltran ropes a double to left. The first well-hit ball of the day. Marlins in trouble here. Hendrickson gets a tough no-call on a 3-1 curve, then walks Delgado. We're hearing the usual Let's Go Marlins followed by Let's Go Mets...at least the Marlins' one lasts longer (but is it louder?). Pagan unties this game with a hard shot down the third-base line. Mets lead 1-0, 2nd and 3rd with no outs.
Another RBI, this one from Church. 1st and 3rd, nobody out. Hendrickson suddenly getting smacked around. Jacobs with a great stab at a liner, almost gets two (Church just evaded the tag). It would really help to keep this 2-0. Santana squaring to bunt (would only advance runner from first to second...guy on third would likely stay put). After two strikes, he gets him swinging! Two outs. Reyes knocks in another. 3-0.
Castillo walks (on base all 3 times). Wright breaks the game open with a bases clearing double. 6-0 Mets. Beltran lines out, but the damage is brutal.
Mets 6, Marlins 0

Bottom of the 4th:
How do you score six runs against Santana? The Marlins have to chip away (right now, just get a guy on base). Can Hanley start a rally? What began as a dominating performance for Hendrickson turns into a disaster. Very poor 4th inning. Bad pitch selection, inconsistent control. This guy - much as we wanted to believe it - is not a viable opening day starter. He's a fine 5th in the rotation guy. Why should we have expected more out of him?
Hanley earns a walk. Good job! Will he be going here? Uggla with a soft grounder to the right, Hanley to second. Jacobs with a weak popout to second. 2 down. Willingham needs to deliver here. The Hammer HOMERS!!!!! First hit of the game is a HR! Marlins trail 6-2! That's the "chipping away" I was talking about. They'll need to keep doing it. Cantu retired. Still, a good inning.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Top of the 5th:
Delgado grounds out. Pagan flies out. So does Church. Perfect rebound inning for Hendrickson. Now the Marlins have to score some more.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Bottom of the 5th:
They get Jeff Conine in the booth, who exhibits his usual class. Cody Ross pops out for the first out. The Marlins bullpen is getting warmed up. Luis Castillo with a rare bad fielding play. He throws it late and almost into the Marlins dugout. Schneider makes a fantastic play to keep Gonzalez on first (blocks it from reaching the dugout). Gonzo gets to second after all on a wild pitch. Treanor draws a walk. Good eye. 1st and 2nd with 1 out. This could be a big chance. Jason Wood comes in to PH, ending Hendrickson's up-and-down day. The stat sheet won't be kind to Hendrickson, but it was only one bad inning. That's the way it goes.
Wood strikes out (somewhere Amazin' Amezaga is having a laugh. He has been critical of Wood since Day 1). Can Hanley come through? Not this time. The Fish waste a good opportunity.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Top of the 6th:
Nolasco now in the game. He should be the 5th starter once the Marlins begin a natural rotation. Schneider grounds out. Santana hits a decent fly, but he's retired. Reyes singles. He tries to run and he's caught! If nothing else, the Marlins get Reyes his first CS of the year and help Hanley get to the All-Star game (though Reyes should get it regardless because of the NY fans).
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Bottom of the 6th:
Uggla with a very poor AB. Caught swinging badly for the third strike. Santana now hits the 80s in pitches, so he could be out soon. If they can stretch out this inning, maybe he'll be done after 6. Jacobs not helping the cause. He joins Uggla in the K factory. Willingham grounds to short on the first pitch. Both a bad inning and a foolish one.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Top of the 7th:
Nolasco still in. He gets Castillo to ground out to second. Wright comes through with another double. The Marlins can't allow him to score here if they want any chance. David Wright caught stealing 3rd! Treanor now 2 for 3! He gets Beltran on strikes. Good inning.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Bottom of the 7th:
Cantu starts things off with a single. Ross flies out. Why not show some more patience? This hasn't been Cody Ross's finest day. A guy in Polo pours onto the field going after a ball. Now that's the Opening Day spirit (Do the Marlins know that?)! Gonzalez grounds into fielder's choice. Treanor, in yet another weak Marlin at-bat, goes down swinging. Side retired.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Top of the 8th:
Nolasco comes out for a third inning. It makes sense, since he won't be starting for two weeks. Delago opens it up with a pop out to short. Nolasco looks very sharp with his offspeed stuff. He's starting to look like the 2006 Nolasco...you know, the one who actually pitched. Nice battle going here with Pagan. Pagan outlasts him, takes Ball 4. Ryan Church is robbed by Hanley (not known for his defense). Still, it probably would have been an easier out for a better SS. Pagan out at second, Church at first on the fielder's choice. Schneider hits the ball fairly well, but within Willingham's reach. Nolasco throws 3 scoreless innings.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Bottom of the 8th:
Outs becoming a factor here. The Marlins need to score four in two innings. Is it likely? No. Can it happen? Certainly, and it's most likely to happen here in the 8th, with a PH and then the top of the order. Alfredo Amezaga steps to the plate! Let's face it...the Marlins have a weak bench.
With Matt Wise coming in for Santana, the time is now. How about Amezaga! He starts it off with a base hit. That must make Amazin' Amezaga very proud for his namesake. Hanley disappoints again with a popup to Reyes. A substandard day for Hanley, to say the least.
Reyes makes a poor decision, trying to get Amezaga out at 2nd when he should have gone to first. Both runners are safe. 1st and 2nd with 1 out. We have a rally, and Wise gets taken out.
Scott Schoenweiss, MOT replaces Wise. He gets Jacobs to hit a weak grounder to first. This is the rare case of Jacobs benefiting from his own ineptitude, as something harder may have been a double play. Marlins have 2nd and 3rd with 2 out. Jorge Sosa will now come in for Wise. Willingham will have to try and be the hero again. He goes down swinging. Ugh.
Mets 6, Marlins 2

Top of the 9th:
Matt Lindstrom gets the call. I'm expecting a great year out of him. Let's see how he performs in his first game (against his former team). He gives up a soft single to Marlon Anderson (who came on strong last year after joining the Mets midseason). Treanor throws out Reyes at first, Anderson to second. TERRIBLE PLAY! Wild pitch that Treanor throws away when attempting to get Anderson at third. Anderson comes all the way around to score. 7-2 Mets. AWFUL! Castillo chops out to second. David Wright walks. With a full count on Beltran, Uggla makes a diving stop to his left and throws him out at first.
Mets 7, Marlins 2

Bottom of the 9th:
Last dance. Last chance, for a win...against Heilman, who has dominated the Marlins in the past. The Marlins' hopes lie with a questionable Major Leaguer, Jorge Cantu. Cantu doesn't help his case by striking out on a bad pitch. At least he has a hit today. Cody Ross can't say that for himself, as he swings right through strike 3 as well. Luis Gonzalez bounces one to Heilman for the final out. Game over.

Final Score: Mets 7, Marlins 2

Final Thoughts: Not a particularly exciting game, and not one the Marlins should feel any pride for either. A lackluster effort on offense, matched with a decent showing from Hendrickson outside of the 4th inning. Having one bad inning isn't an excuse, though.

Ricky Nolasco may have been the lone bright spot. He pitched three scoreless innings, giving hope to the Fish Faithful of a return to prominence. Kudos also to Matt Treanor (even though he flubbed the play that led to the 7th run), for throwing out two runners, including Reyes.

A disappointing game, to be sure, but just one of 162. A win tomorrow and they're right back at .500. Let's not be hasty. As for the Mets fans, they have to be feeling good about Santana. What a great pickup.

Thanks for following along with me. All comments are appreciated.