August 31, 1969

Candlestick Park - In the first game of a Sunday doubleheader, Tom Seaver delivered one of the most dominating pitching performances of the season. Seaver pitched a complete game shutout against the Giants while striking out 11 batters and giving up just seven hits. It was Seaver's 19th win of the season against just seven losses. With the win, Tom Seaver tied Jerry Koosman for the most wins in team history. Jerry Koosman had won 19 in 1968, the most wins by a Met pitcher ever till Seaver tied him on this date. Seaver also drove in a run with a single in the Mets 8-0 route.

Jim McAndrew pitched nine innings in the night cap but unfortunately the score was tied 2-2 when he left the game. In the 11th inning, Ron Taylor walked in the winning run to give the Giants a split of the doubleheader.  

Record 76-54, second place 4 games back of Chicago. The Cubs won sweeping the series with Atlanta. The win combined with the Mets doubleheader split increased the Cubs lead in the east to four full games, two in the loss column. But the good news was the Mets gained quite a bit of ground on the Cubs in the last half of August. On August 14th, an off day after being swept by Houston, the Mets fell to 9.5 games back. But by the end of the month, the Mets had picked up 5.5 games on Chicago. With one month to go, it would still be a tough battle ahead. There were 32 games left in the season for the Mets to make a run at what many would have considered impossible when the season began way back on April 8th. 

August 30, 1969

Candlestick Park - The Mets got out to an early lead by scoring a run in the second inning. Don Cardwell started for the Mets and pitched well but walked in the tying run in the bottom of the third. In the sixth, Jerry Grote singled in the go ahead run. In the bottom of the 7th, Willie McCovey doubled in the tying run. With the score tied, the game went into extra innings. In the top of the 10th, Donn Clendenon hit a home run to put the Mets ahead 3-2. Tug McGraw retired the Giants 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 10th getting the win.

Record 75-53, second place, 3.5 games behind the Cubs who won again. Ken Boswell scored 2 runs going 3 for 4 in the game. 

August 29, 1969

Candlestick Park - Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal shutout the Mets allowing only 4 hits as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Mets 5-0. Gary Gentry gave up four of the five runs en route to his eleventh loss of the season.

Record 74-53, second place 3.5 games back. The Cubs won their game against Atlanta.

August 28, 1969

The Mets were off on this date 40 years ago. The Cubs salvaged the last game of their series with the Reds increasing their lead over the Mets to 2.5 games and remained even in the loss column.

August 27, 1969

San Diego Stadium - In the first inning, Padre right fielder "Downtown" Ollie Brown homered off of Jerry Koosman to give San Diego a 1-0 lead. After the home run, Koosman gave up a single. That was the last hit for the Padres the rest of the evening. The Mets scored two runs in the third and two runs in the sixth to win the game 4-1.

Record 74-52, second place 2 games behind the Cubs who lost to Cincinnati again. More importantly, the Mets who at the middle of August were 9.5 games back of Chicago were now even in the loss column. Koosman's stellar pitching performance was matched at the plate as the Mets starter went 2 for 3 and scored a run. The win also marked the most the Mets had ever reached in a season. The Mets won 73 games in 1968, the most in their history until this evening's game.

August 26, 1969

San Diego Stadium - The Mets were scheduled to play a twi-night double header against the Padres. This trip marked the second visit to the west coast, a common practice during that era.

Tom Seaver was on the mound for game one. In the second inning, the Mets ace gave up a two run home run to Padres center fielder Cito Gaston. But Donn Clendenon answered Gaston with a two run blast of his own in the top of the fourth to tie the game. The Mets got two more in the sixth when Cleon Jones doubled to score two. In the seventh, the Mets broke the game open when they delivered four runs. Swoboda led off the inning with a homer then the Mets strung several singles together to score three more. Seaver gave back two in the bottom of the inning but completed the game for his staff leading 18th victory of the season. The Mets won 8-4.

In the nightcap, Jim McAndrew who had been pitching well of late, threw a gem against the Padres, shutting them out in a complete game effort. He allowed just five hits and no walks while striking out six. The Mets scored single runs in the 6th, 7th, and 9th for the 3-0 victory.

Record 73-52, second place 3.0 games behind the Cubs who lost to Cincinnati this day. With the win, the Mets swept their 8th doubleheader of the season.

August 25, 1969

The Mets traveled to San Diego for their second west coast swing of the season. But while the Mets were off enjoying their flight, the Cincinnati Reds held on to defeat the Chicago Cubs by a score of 9-8 at Wrigley Field. The Cubs lead over the Mets was reduced to 4.5 games.

In this most forgettable season, another event occurred to drive home the point that their must be a curse on the Mets in 2009. Yesterday’s game ends on an unassisted triple play, the first time it ever happened in the National League. It could only happen to the Mets. It could only happen this year when Murphy's Law (not Bob Murphy, the other Murphy) is proven day in and day out at Citi Field and any other NL ballpark where the Mets happen to be playing.

What else can go wrong or happen to this club. I shudder to think of it. Maybe the Mets would be best to forfeit the rest of their games and go home. Go home and hide. Stay indoors. Don't come out till next spring.

What harm would it have done for the baseball gods to allow the Mets to come back and win this one game for their fans? It wouldn't have made any difference. The Mets aren't going anywhere anyway.

There they were, having fought back all day scoring seven runs to come within two. They had overcome the deficit that Oliver (how do the Mets get rid of this guy) Perez created when he allowed two three run bombs then was pulled after going 3-0 against Pedro Martinez all in the first inning. Then in the bottom of the ninth, the Mets get two on with no out with Jeff Francoeur up. Frenchy hits the ball up the middle but the Mets runners are attempting to steal. Instead of the line drive going through to the outfield, the ball is caught by Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett who immediately steps on the bag then tags Daniel Murphy who was charging from first. Unbelievable. Not really though. Not the way this year has gone.

In a season where the wheels have completely fallen off, it's not that shocking really that the game ended like this. It is so amazing though when you think it can't get any worse, it does.

The Mets are now ten games under .500. A while back when it was obvious the Mets would not be going to the post season, I stated my simple goal for the Mets would be to finish at or above .500. Forget it. That won’t happen either. For the Mets to end exactly at .500, they would need to go 24-14, 10 games over .500. Do you feel confident that could happen with Oliver Perez, Bobby Parnell, Tim Redding, and Mike Pelfrey in the starting rotation? Do you think it could happen when your fifth hitter is Corey Sullivan?

The last time the Mets were ten games under .500 was on August 30, 2004, almost five years ago. That year, the Mets went on to a 71-91 record. Only the Montreal Expos were worse in the division.

And for those of you who say remember 1973 I say give me a break. Yes it’s true. The Mets were ten games below .500 on August 24, 1973, 36 years ago. But here’s the difference. The division leading Cardinals were only three games above .500 and were not running away with the division. Also the Mets starting staff was comprised of Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman, and George Stone. With all due respect to Johan Santana, this year’s staff does not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the ’73 team.

If the first batter in Citi Field history hitting a lead off home run off of Mike Pelfrey to yesterday’s unassisted triple play to end the game doesn’t convince you this season is over, I’m not sure what will.

But look at the bright side. In yesterday's New York Post, Fred Wilpon was quoted as saying Omar Minaya will be back as GM next year. That's got to make you feel better, no?

August 24, 1969

Shea Stadium - Heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mets trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers by a score of 4-3. In the Mets seventh, they loaded the bases with three consecutive hits knocking out LA starter Don Sutton in the process. Ron Swoboda doubled off of reliever Jim Brewer clearing the bases giving the Mets a two run lead. Catcher Jerry Grote followed with a single driving in Swoboda. The Mets scored four runs in the seventh giving them a 7-4 lead. Cal Koonce shut the Dodgers down the rest of the way as the Mets swept the series.

Record 71-52, second place, 5.0 games behind the Cubs. The Dodgers lost all six games played at Shea Stadium in 1969. The Mets finished the ten game home stand with a 9-1 record. Most importantly, the Mets picked up 4.5 games on the Cubs during the eight days of the home stand.

August 23, 1969

Shea Stadium - The Mets led 2-0 going to the eighth inning, one run as a result of an Art Shamsky home run. In the top of the eighth with a man on, The Dodgers' Willie Davis tripled in a run then scored on an error by Cleon Jones to tie the game at two. Don Clendenon walked in the bottom of the ninth. Jerry Grote doubled to deep center, Clendenon scored from first base to give the Mets the 3-2 win.

Record 70-52, second place 5.5 games back. Jerry Grote batted in two of the Mets three runs going 3 for 4 on the night.