So, obviously, Carlos Delgado has a career game yesterday, at least the first one.  At the start of the second game, upon his introduction, the Shea faithful stood and cheered.  One of the guys that sits in front of me turned, rolling his eyes and muttered “Band-wagon fans.”  After two months of booing Delgado’s play, suddenly the fans are giving a standing ovation. That doesn’t make them band-wagon though.  That makes them good fans.  They could have ignored it, they could have clapped politely, instead they stood and acknowledged Delgado’s outstanding and atypical performance. It wasn’t waffling, it was giving credit where credit is due, just as some of the booing has been placing blame where the blame should lie.

Now Delgado may have upset some of the press because he was unwilling to discuss the day in one on one interviews.  Why?  The talk radio guys I heard the morning seemed baffled by it, but yet it seems very much in keeping with Delgado’s normal m.o.  He doesn’t take curtain calls for doing his job, and with the way he has performed to this point for the Mets in 2008, a 9 RBi day is really just him doing his job.  Sure its special production, and if he had been driving a few runs every day or even on most days it might be special to him, I think, but one 9 RBI game doesn’t make up for all those runner’s he has left stranded.  I’m sure he appreciated the fans acknowledging the act, but does he need to strut around like he did something amazing?  I don’t think so, and based on his past behavior, I’m betting he doesn’t think so either.  If he drove in a handful in the evening, maybe he might have changed his tune.  Until he becomes the guy he was signed to be, though, I bet he is going to do his best to go about his business, and I think that is a good thing. I hope Carlos has a few more days like yesterday before we see Andy Phillips playing first base everyday.

So, the good thing about last night, after being as Shea  on Tuesday for one of the worst games I have ever seen, was the energy.  Shea Stadium was full, with even the very last seat of the last row in the upper deck being occupied. There always is excitement for the Subway Series as much as the media says they are tired of it.  To top it all, Pedro was pitching for the Mets and he also always brings a buzz.  Couple that with the Yankees running a reclamation project out to the mound, and the afternoon game results and  Mets fans had some reason to be excited.  Yankee fans always have some reason to be excited.  Its been a long time since I sat on the edge of my seat at Shea, and both teams gave that gift to those in the stands, at least for a few innings yesterday.  Sidney Ponson was pretty good, and got better as the game went on.  Sir Sidney though, was pitching for a job.  Pedro, for his part, isn’t the guy he used to be, and though he did pretty well for awhile, particularly adjusting to the new type of pitcher he has to be, wasn’t the Pedro anyone hoped to see.  His ability to dig deep and find a little extra to make that out pitch seems to be gone.  He can still be effective, he just needs to know that he can’t dial it up, ever.  Without that skill, he needs to rely more on command, and he still has that, he just isn’t sure of it right now.  Still, he and the Mets kept me excited about the game despite having the bases loaded twice and failing to score a run in the early innings. The problem came, just as it came for many, when the key hitters for the Mets began to phone it in.  The Yankees pressed, and the Mets gave way.  When it doesn’t come easy to these Mets, it falls apart and they go home.  Even if the Phillies collapse completely, as they have lost 8 of their last 9 and the Braves fail to put up a fight,  I don’t think the Mets have the fight to make it out of the first round of play-offs.  The Yankees on the other hand, don’t relax or give up.  That even showed in the day game.

The fans at the game last night were great.  Trying to cheer for each team throughout.  When either stadium is full here in NY, there is an electricity that is unmatched, and events like the Subway Series guarantee excitement. I only saw one fight as well, and I think that was between two Yankee fans so had little to do with the rivalry.  When a “Let’s go Yankees” cheer got going though, rather than countering with a “Let’s go Mets”, fans chose to use the “Yankees suck” response. If the Yankees suck when they are up 7+ runs, what does that say about the Mets? Guess it says the Mets suck more, and they have classless fans.  The other response I heard was a chant of the afternoon games score, which is not only living in the past, but opens the door for a “26 rings” response.  If we are living in the past then the Yankees have everyone beat.  The only response to a “let’s go Yankees” is a much much louder “lets go Mets” or else Mets fans are just bitter.  Not how any group of fans wants to show themselves, is it?