Glavine

Mets 11 - Rockies 0

I remember watching Glavine struggle early in the year and wondering if he was really done. It wasn't just that he was giving up tons of hits and runs every time out, it was the fact that every hitter was just sitting on the outside pitches and serving them to the opposite field. Glavine was unwilling and unable to come inside, which for all intents and purposes made a pitch on the outside corner the equivalent of a pitch down the middle.

Game after game went by with the same thing happening, and it got to the point where I stopped watching Glavine's starts -- they were as painful as a root canal. But to his credit, he made adjustments and changed his pitching style -- not an easy thing to do for a guy who broke into the league when I still had a full head of dark hair. He began to throw some curveballs, come inside more, and the results were a Tom Glavine that actually was fun to watch the second half of the season.

The kids are alright...

David Wright hits two home runs last night and reaches 100 RBIs in his first full season in the majors. Watching him develop over the course of this season, I found that I had to constantly remind myself that he's still a kid. I remember when Strawberry first came up, and how exciting it was to see a real home-grown budding star. For all of his obvious talent, there were many times that Daryl's immaturities showed. With Wright, though he's had ups and downs, especially in the field, you see a guy that's stronger and more advanced mentally. He'll need that, because it's not easy to be a 22-year old superstar in New York.

We all agree that Jose Reyes has had his ups and downs this year, but do we really stop to appreciate it that after 2 years of injuries and listening to Mike and the Mad Dog snicker about this kid's misfortunes, he has played in 158 games this season without a serious injury? We'd like to see him grow and develop more discipline; the only way he's going to do that is by staying on the field. Bravo to you, kid.

And finally, Jacobs goes 3 for 4 with a walk and a home run in last night's game. The more I see this kid the more I like him. He strikes out too much, but he has some patience and will take a walk. He goes to the opposite field. On the FAN last night, Omar Minaya made a good point that although he has a long swing it stays through the zone for a long time. I just like this kid -- I'm not going crazy and calling him a sure-thing superstar, but I really think he can help us. He's more than just a September wonder.