Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 3:10:00 A.M. EDT
Friday evening, the fictional Fall Classic venue shifted 10 miles from Yankee Stadium to the Mets’ baseball playground—Citifield Park—for game three of the subway series—even at one game each.
For this tie-breaking third game, Mets’ skipper Nicholas Stix chose Tommy Lasorda to be his guest bench coach. Lasorda, in turn, insisted on bringing along HIS coaches from the one, memorable, Met game Lasorda managed in May—those coaches, of course—his old friends, “Frank Sinatra” and “Don Rickles.”
Once again, the task to find lookalikes for the two superstars, was successfully completed by assistant GM Allard Baird and once again, celebrity impersonators Brian Dupree (Sinatra) and Mike Walter (Rickles) filled the bill and they—along with Mets’ greats from the past were introduced in pre-game festivities. A moving tribute to Tom Seaver—with career highlights—was shown on all the big screens around the park.
After a brief pause, faux Frank Sinatra walked to the mound to sing the national anthem, a rendition that received loud, sustained applause and cheers. He then announced, “Hey, we have two New York teams in the World Series baby, so we HAVE to do, “New York, New York”—right?”
The crowd went berserk—and perform it he did—for ten rousing minutes. He left to a standing ovation.
Afterwards, in the dugout, Mets’ announcer Ron Darling talked to Lasorda about “Sinatra” and “Rickles,” as they sat nearby.
“Look at these two guys, will ya?,” Lasorda exclaimed, “they haven’t aged a day in 30 years. What the hell is your guy’s secret?”
“Sinatra” laughed and replied, “Godfather, if we told you—we’d have to kill you.”
“Rickles” added—“And at Tommy’'s age, that would be easy—all you’d have to do is walk up to him and say, “BOO.”
By the time Darling was ready to ask the 93-year-old Lasorda another question, Godfather was thirty seconds into his 8:15 p.m. nap.
Then it was time for baseball, and game three was for those fans that like to see offense. This wasn’t “perfect” baseball, but it was exciting baseball—starting with a six-run first inning by the visiting Yankees—topped by a ten-run response from the Mets in the home half of the first. A five-run Yanks second, a four-run Mets third.
And that’s how it played out, the entire game. Eight home runs by the Yankees (Aaron Judge with two round-trippers), and seven by the Mets—the difference being two grand slams by Mike Trout, the second of which pushed the Mets’ two-run lead to six after eight innings. Pete Alonzo chipped in with two home runs on the night, as well, and five RBIs.
A shaky ninth by new closer Michael Wacha was successfully completed and the 30-25 final gave the Mets a 2-1 Series lead.
“That was fun,” Mike Trout yelled out in the winning clubhouse.
Joe Torre said, “It wasn’t fun,” in the losing clubhouse.
Tommy Lasorda woke up for the last out and said, to reporters in the post-game interview, “Ya know, baseball is a much faster game now than when I managed the Dodgers.”
“Rickles” laughed and said, “Tommy, we won—you ready to go get some broads?”
“Always ready,” Lasorda said, drifting off into his 11:45 p.m. nap.
“He’s always ready—but we never get those broads. He’s been married 70 years. Only Frank gets the broads.”
And with that, the day, the game, and the press conference were done.
“That WAS fun,” said manager Stix, “damn fun.”
Next game is scheduled for Saturday night with Jordan Montgomery (11-2, 2.90 ERA) facing Steven Matz (13-4, 3.30 ERA).
-GRA
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"JETS TO STEAL METS MANAGER" RUMOR OVERSHADOWS METS' VICTORY IN GAME 4 AS MATZ BAFFLES YANKEES 5-1
After three extreme games of World Series baseball,the New York Mets were more methodical today,using stingy pitching and timely hitting to beat the Yankees 5-1 in windy,crisp conditions at Citifield Park and taking a 3 to 1 Series lead Saturday night.
The game itself,however,took a backseat to the astounding rumor of the 0-7 NY Jets offering their head coaching job to Mets manager Nicholas Stix--but only if he accepted the offer as soon as the World Series was completed.
"I love the Jets and I love the Mets,"said Stix,"but I'm trying to finish what I have started with this great, one hundred percent,White baseball team and there'll be no further comment on the Jets matter until the Series is completed--ideally with a Mets win tomorrow."
Jets GM,Joe Douglas confirmed he had expressed interest in stealing Stix away from the Mets,hoping,as he put it,"that Nicholas would turn the Jets around in the same fashion as he did the Mets.We want him coaching next Sunday's game."
If anything,the Jets are worse off than the Mets were,with zero wins at the moment--compared to the one win Stix inherited with his baseball team.
There is no documentation of a pro football franchise hiring a baseball manager as a head coach.
As for game four itself,Mike Trout went 4 for 5 and Ryan Zimmerman and Paul Goldschmidt went deep with solo homers--more than enough for Steve Matz,who was in control all the way.He scattered five hits through eight innings and Michael Wacha had a 1-2-3 ninth to wrap up what was,a very non-stressful victory.Compared to the previous game,you would have needed dynamite to wake Tommy Lasorda from his nap during this contest(if he was here),it was that uneventful.
The next contest,game 5,is scheduled for Sunday night,though rain is in the forecast.First game starters Jacob deGrom and Gerrit Cole will face each other in a rematch of perfect game pitchers from Wednesday night.
Many loose ends that need tying--we'll find out very shortly how this story wraps up.
--GRA
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