Master Index of Archived Threads


12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

G-Fafif Jan 08 2010 09:56 PM

MLB Network is running Games 3, 5 & 6 of the 1986 NLCS from noon to midnight Saturday. Perhaps the Jets and Bengals could reschedule.

Ashie62 Jan 09 2010 08:48 AM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

I'll take the Jets, but thanks

Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2010 02:45 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

I just finished watching Game 3, the first time I had seen that game in 23 years which, since I'm 46, was half a lifetime ago. Also, Shea Stadium was exactly middle-aged that season; it was 22 years since it had opened in 1964, and 22 years until it would close in 2008. As the Mets quickly fell behind 4-0 in the first two innings, I found myself trying to remember how I felt at the time. Did I feel doom and gloom, or was my 1986 self confident that that extraordinary team would find a way to come back? When Darryl hit that 6th-inning three-run homer off Bob Knepper, I jumped out of my seat, even though I knew it was coming. Lenny's walkoff homer game me goosebumps. I clapped my hands so hard I frightened the dog, whose great great great grandparents probably hadn't even been born in 1986. As Darling struggled through the first two innings, my 2010 self was wondering how many pitches he had thrown. The announcers (Keith Jackson and Tim McCarver) never said a thing about it until after Ronnie had completed his 6th and final inning. (Jackson said, in passing, that Darling had thrown 93 pitches.) They never gave a pitch count for Knepper. And speaking of Knepper, I found myself surprised at how many batters he faced after the Strawberry homer. That was 2010 perspective again; I've grown accustomed to the quicker hook that starting pitchers get. Seeing Hojo in the dugout congratulating Darryl after the homer seemed like an anachronism, since there have been so many times in more recent years (although not so much in 2009) that I'd see an older Howard Johnson do the same with David Wright or Carlos Delgado or Carlos Beltran. After Dykstra's homer, they showed a shot of Shea from the air, focusing on the "Baseball Like it Oughta Be" sign along the top of the stadium. (Remember that?) What struck me was the loud thumping sound coming from Shea. How well I remember that, and how nice it was to see and hear it again. Another flashback memory was a shot of a vendor selling those little puppets of a puppy in a Mets cap, and when you open and close its mouth the blower expands and you hear a squeaking sound. Remember those? I think my sister had one. Boy, that was fun. What a great way to spend a cold January afternoon. I'm TiVoing Games 5 and 6, so I'll be sure to replicate today's experience two more times this winter.

Edgy DC Jan 09 2010 03:35 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

What came from the sound system after the homer? It's getting harder and harder to remember a baseball world without "Rock 'n' Roll, Part II."

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 03:52 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="Benjamin Grimm":2moigvhl]Another flashback memory was a shot of a vendor selling those little puppets of a puppy in a Mets cap, and when you open and close its mouth the blower expands and you hear a squeaking sound. Remember those? I think my sister had one.[/quote:2moigvhl] Ah, "Met Mutt." Still have mine.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2010 04:09 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="Edgy DC"]What came from the sound system after the homer? It's getting harder and harder to remember a baseball world without "Rock 'n' Roll, Part II."

I think I heard Kool and the Gang, but I'm not sure. It was very noisy.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 07:07 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Hey, going to the 9th in Game 6 ... NOW!!!! At this point, a crowd was gathering at the TV I was watching -- mostly guys assembling before heading off to the dining hall for dinner. Get the F out of here, I was thinking, beside myself with woe. Hopeless.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 07:11 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Yeow. A good CF sets up camp beneath Dykstra's leadoff 3B

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 07:20 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Terrific turns at bat by Dykstra, Hernandez and Carter. Amazin considering how easy it'd been for Knepper till now.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 07:28 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

I'd forgotten about Lanier and Dickie Thon losing their tempers here in the 9th. What a massive swing in mo.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 07:30 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Come on, Danny. Take a strike here.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 07:32 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

3-2 to Heep and Dave Smith is all over the place. COME ON, Danny.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 07:35 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Ah, dammit, Heep. Swung at ball four twice.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 07:42 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Similar to Grimm, above, I'm struck by differences in sensibilities between what I see today and what I saw then. Today, I'd be kinda mad and have a strong feeling of doom at Heep's whiff: Met teams of recent vintage have been absolutely hopeless in tied-on-the-road situations, espexcially after letting the opponent off the hook, though back in 86 I was oddly confident at least once we tied it and afaicr, not mad at Heep at all. Seems crazy that Smith is back there in the 10th.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 07:50 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="John Cougar Lunchbucket":f7y10f04]Similar to Grimm, above, I'm struck by differences in sensibilities between what I see today and what I saw then. Today, I'd be kinda mad and have a strong feeling of doom at Heep's whiff: Met teams of recent vintage have been absolutely hopeless in tied-on-the-road situations, espexcially after letting the opponent off the hook, though back in 86 I was oddly confident at least once we tied it and afaicr, not mad at Heep at all. Seems crazy that Smith is back there in the 10th.[/quote:f7y10f04] Very true on all counts, especially the Heep-K doom. I was ten years old then, so I have no idea what I was thinking at the time, but I'd bet I was pretty confident. And you're right on Smith too. No way he's back out there for the tenth inning in 2009. And Roger throws five innings here. No way that happens today either, not with everyone else in the pen rested.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 07:52 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Bottom 10th: Tremendous play by Hernandez and McDowell to get Ashby there. They made it look easy but dayum. More perspective: McDowell throwing like a guy who's one day going to need elbow surgery.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 07:54 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Actually, I forgot Smith's spot was due up this inning. Considering he's their big gun, it makes sense that you give him three more outs, especially with no tomorrow, despite the wildness.

Edgy DC Jan 09 2010 08:05 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Charlie Kerfeld thinks, "If the staring pitcher is throwing as well as Mike Scott, I can start in on the celebratory booze by inning seven." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC2y3RmQUdw

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 08:12 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

That's a great play by Ray Knight. I actually expected McCarver to refer to it as "Jeter-like," though.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 08:18 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Someone remind me, when I burn this to DVD later... make sure I delete that whole "best shortstops of the decade" thing, start to finish. It made my eyeballs burn.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 08:34 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Matt Galante coaching first base for the 'stros. Nice peg out by Carter on Bass running in the 12th.

Frayed Knot Jan 09 2010 08:59 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="seawolf17":2gvxmwzr]That's a great play by Ray Knight. I actually expected McCarver to refer to it as "Jeter-like," though.[/quote:2gvxmwzr] Knight had learned that play from watching film of the 12 y/o Jeter.

Frayed Knot Jan 09 2010 09:04 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 09 2010 09:32 PM

[quote="John Cougar Lunchbucket":18ej5ptg]Yeow. A good CF sets up camp beneath Dykstra's leadoff 3B[/quote:18ej5ptg] That hit amazed me more than any other in the series. Dykstra hits it one-handed with his butt flying out and in the worst hitters park in the majors ... and it just kept carrying and carrying. I think Hatcher was as fooled as I was by the swing, got a lousy jump and then never had a chance once he finally figured it out.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 09:06 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

I forgot Yogi was an Astros coach.

themetfairy Jan 09 2010 09:07 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="Frayed Knot":3nzmjvor][quote="seawolf17":3nzmjvor]That's a great play by Ray Knight. I actually expected McCarver to refer to it as "Jeter-like," though.[/quote:3nzmjvor] Knight had learned that play from watching film of the 12 y/o Jeter.[/quote:3nzmjvor] LOL

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 09:09 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

14th: Hatcher HRs off the foul net. Just a magnificent backwards trot up the first base line. An all-timer. Then, as now, I was appreciative to him for keeping the game going.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 09:13 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="John Cougar Lunchbucket":64czg6ny]14th: Hatcher HRs off the foul net. Just a magnificent backwards trot up the first base line. An all-timer. Then, as now, I was appreciative to him for keeping the game going.[/quote:64czg6ny] I was/am much more appreciative to Denny Walling and Glenn Davis for keeping the game going.

Frayed Knot Jan 09 2010 09:20 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

There's the stereotypical Mexican build with the big barrel-torso which makes some look fat even if they're not ... and then there's Aurelio Lopez. Dude was major league fat.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 09:21 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Jesse's scaring me here.

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 09:24 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

How much can Jesse really have left? He threw two innings last night, and I know it's the playoffs, but you have to get somebody up here. Who else was in the pen, except Sid? Sisk?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 09:29 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Nother brutal and costly judgement in CF by Hatcher

Frayed Knot Jan 09 2010 09:32 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Two bad reads by Hatcher, two horrid throws from Bass

seawolf17 Jan 09 2010 09:35 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

So now you have Orosco coming up. Probably very little chance a manager lets his closer hit in this spot in 2009. Do we remember Doug Sisk differently if Davey sends up Ed Hearn, the Mets don't score any more runs, and Sisk shuts down the Astros in the bottom of the 16th?

Frayed Knot Jan 09 2010 09:37 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

[quote="seawolf17":383qt38i]How much can Jesse really have left? [/quote:383qt38i] You're going to find out the answer to that real soon ... not much.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2010 09:50 PM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Even Elster's giving him the business.

Frayed Knot Jan 10 2010 07:17 AM Re: 12 Hours With the 1986 NLCS

Nh, Elster was just telling him to check out the hooters on the chick in the third row.