Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images
R.A. does it again. This story really can’t get any better.
Dickey pitched eight shutout innings to garner his sixth straight victory. No other pitcher in Mets’ history has started their Met’s career off at 6-0.
I have to admit, I was a little disappointed that he didn’t get the opportunity to go the distance. Jerry Manuel decided to have Francisco Rodriguez pitch the ninth because he had not had work in quite some time.
Manuel had this to say about the decision:
I know that we have to keep Frankie on some type of game regimen and it’s a difficult, difficult decision that you hate to deprive a guy of a complete-game shutout.
I understand Manuel’s reasoning and admire his commitment to making decisions for the long-term. I’m not sure I would do the same thing.
That’s probably why I’m writing this blog instead of sitting in the Mets’ dugout making these types of determinations.
Dickey’s emergence is one of my favorite things about this team’s success.
Not only is his personal story an interesting one, but he has very quickly helped us forget about the constant roller coaster ride that Oliver Perez and John Maine gave us.
Side note:
Photos of Dickey give me a chuckle.
If you didn’t know he was a knuckleball pitcher when looking at his action photos, you would think he is throwing the ball 100 mph based on how he looks like he is letting out a primal yell when he is releasing the ball.
Maybe that’s one of the reasons why he has been so effective. His delivery (including the grimace) combined with the unpredictable movement of the knuckleball makes him difficult to hit.
