Month: June 2008

Image via Wikipedia

Fernando Tatis has electrified Mets fans with his offensive ability over his short stint with the Mets, 19 days to be exact. In that time he’s managed two game winning hits in the last four days. His “late and close” hitting has been impressive and New York Mets manager Willie Randolph sure needed it.

Randolph was called on the carpet by the Mets owners less than a week ago for running the highest paid team in the National League into a sub .500 record. I don’t know the exact contents of that conversation or if an ultimatum was given to Randolph. But I’m sure that one was was implied by the Mets owner. Randolph was left needing a player to make a difference quickly. I doubt that he ever thought that player would be Tatis.

Tatis has been in and out of the major leagues for the last five years and spent the entire 2007 season at Triple-A New Orleans. His presence has been felt like a bolt of lightning striking energy into an unispired Mets team over the last three weeks. He came through with a run scoring single off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jonathan Broxton yesterday in the eighth inning. And he hit a two run double on Wednesday against the Florida Marlins to secure a 7-6 win in the bottom of the 12th inning. The Mets had fallen behind by one run in the top of the 12th. Continue reading “Fernando Tatis Proving Late And Close Ability”