RMJ 229 October 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 ● Off-day In Houston

If it weren’t for the media, I would not have the team workout today. Tomorrow is our first home playoff game in eleven years, and it could be our last for a while.

Rob Matwick feels that we need to get all the coverage we can, and I agree. But I also realize that one more session of BP-and-infield is not going to make a hill of beans against John Smoltz and the Braves.

We will win or lose tomorrow; what we do today will have no bearing on the outcome.

The mood in the clubhouse was light and lively. I opened two big boxes that had been delivered to my office. They were both from the television channel Comedy Central. Seems this channel has taken our division — and especially, our team — to heart. Perhaps it is something akin to the love the Mets generated in the early years: lovable losers. So bad they were funny.

We aren’t that bad, but the concept is the same. We’re the best of the worst — and for that distinction, I have been sent 50 Comedy Central caps and a case of champagne.

I put the caps our in the lunchroom, and the players started wearing them. I gave away the champagne, bottle by bottle.

Mike Hampton posted a lineup for tomorrow’s game. He had himself leading off and playing center field. The rest of the positions were also filled by pitchers. And why not? Kile and Hampton had one-fourth of our hits in the series, and half of the RBI. They were batting .667.  

 

I held a meeting to thank the players for efforts.

“I’m not conceding anything,” I said. “There will be 50,000 people here tomorrow, screaming their heads off. If we get some momentum going, we could sweep these guys. How many times have we won three in a row this year? Lots of times, right? Well, we can do it again.

“But just in case we don’t, there are some things I want all of you to know — and I know I won’t feel like making a speech if we lose. So here it is:

 

I didn’t know if I could do this job when I accepted it. I thought I could, but I wasn’t sure. I knew it would be difficult, and it has been. But you guys have made it a whole lot easier by giving us your best effort throughout the year.

I’m not blowing smoke. I’ve been on a lot of teams and covered a lot of teams in the last 30 years, and I have never seen a team play harder, day after day. This is the biggest compliment you could pay me, and I want you to know how much it means to me and to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I know the coaches feel the same way about you guys, and I feel the same way about the coaches.

Something special happened here this year. And it didn’t just come out of thin air. It came out of hard work and dedication.

I know some of you guys have been unhappy about playing time. I know some of you feel like I could have used you more, or given you a better chance to succeed. But except for a few isolated incidents, you have not complained. Instead, you have kept your feelings to yourself, for the good of the team.

Again, this is not a concession speech. When we win the World Series, I’ll make another speech. But I just wanted to make sure these things didn’t go unsaid. And now I’ve said them. Thank you.

 

Gerry jumped in and said a lot of the same things. I think our words were taken as they were intended, and not just dismissed as a bunch of BS. We had to chase the media out of the clubhouse, so we could have the meeting. Naturally, they wanted to know what was said — and I told them.

Batting practice was mostly fun. Some of the lefthanded hitters hit righthanded, and vice versa. Biggio, Bagwell, Bell, and Berry put on an impressive power display. I’m hoping one or two of them do the same tomorrow.

Privately, I am concerned about tomorrow’s game. Smoltz could overpower us. I would really hate to get swept after spending seven months to get this opportunity.