On that 20 Greatest Game segment on MLB, they showed the video on the play from behind Buckner, zooming in on the glove. It was apparent that the edge of the glove did indeed stop in motion as Bill was getting himself set to catch the ball. Fantastic bit of history and indeed back luck on his part. The ball went right past the area where Buckner’s glove had been pulled in by the dirt. Had the leather not been as soft, it would have landed right in the pocket.

I too wonder if Mookie would have been able to beat him racing to the bag but at least we all know now that the final play did not come from Bill either being unable to get to the ball or had his eye too much on Mookie running hard instead.

This is what makes baseball so great. Of course, I’d feel lousy if it happened to us and not the BoSox. Of course, we all kind of know the feeling with Timo Perez not running hard and being thrown out in the first game of the 2000 Subway Series.

I saw that Game 6 special on MLB network last year on the countdown to the 20 Greatest Games. Buckner, Mookie, Bobby O where there. I listened to Buckner’s explanation of why that ball went through. Wasn’t exactly sure what he was saying, had to listen twice. I got the impression to this day Buckner isn’t exactly sure what happened there…..As a Met fan, I’m just thankful it did.

You make some very good points on your own about game six. I’d like to add something that was just as important to the Mets making that two-out comeback as those three singles that won’t get lose in the box score. It was the look of fear on Calvin Schiraldi’s face trying to nail down that final out. It was Bob Stanley having control problems before that pitch that went to the backstop. It was also the webbing of Bill Buckner’s very soft glove being stopped by the infield dirt that caused the ball to go through his legs – he was in position, his hands were in the correct area to catch it, but the infield dirt caused his glove to be two or three inches out of position.

So who is the real hero of the come from behind victory? Possibly the grounds crew who could have made the dirt a bit too hard near the first base area. LOL

Even Reggie Jackson’s post seasons numbers evened out to his career norms. When you look at Wright’s career stats with RISP, RISP2/O, late and close, High leverage, they all about even out to his career averages. Those do change from year to year and game to game though because of sample size and situations. Do I think that Wright has been affected by the pressure more since the collapse? I think so. Do I think that with more AB’s in clutch situations his numbers will continue to match career norms? I think so.

‘Look at game 6, whose hit was the most “Clutch”?’

Most non Met fans will forever remember Mookie’s at bat and the ball going through Buckner’s legs. Buckner doesn’t make that error, it’s anyone’s guess if he beats Mookie to the bag. If he does, game remains tied and goes on. Who knows if the Mets win?

For those of us who saw it, the 3 singles before Mookie were what kept that inning alive and allowed the tying run to score during Mookie’s at bat. Anyone one of them don’t get a hit, game and series over.

I understand the Wright ‘non-clutch” arguments…the past few years, Wright approach at that plate caused him to fail consistently in the big spot.

The problem is, we can’t define clutch because it’s so subjective and you can’t be clutch without your teammates backing you up.

Whose hit was the most clutch?

-Wrights RBI?

-Torres hit to get on base to score the run?

-Murph’s 2 strike hit to move Torres into scoring position?

-Because Bay walked to load the bases instead of chasing bad pitches, was that clutch”? (Probably not) but I heard guys on SNY bashing Bay for walking in that spot, but he never got anything to swing at. What was he supposed to do? Is taking a walk instead of swinging at a bad pitch and K’ing or grounding out any less clutch?

-Couldn’t you argue that any hit in a tie game is clutch?

-Did the excellent work by Santana and the bull pen make Wrights hit more or less clutch?

-Bay hit two hard hit ground balls that if were hit to the right by two feet, they would have been hits, and if Wright’s hit was to the left a couple of feet, it would have been an out. How can we judge “clutchness” when we are talking about milliseconds differences in timing?

-Bay hit a long drive that came up short with runners on while he had two strikes on him, no it won’t be considered clutch, but was it non-clutch? or did he break even? I mean he didn’t wave at strike three or ground out weakly to short, he made pretty good contact that came up short.

-Can a guy really score 80runs and/or 100RBI without being a little clutch?

-How many times do you have to get that big hit to be considered “clutch”? especially when failing 2 of 3 times gets you in to the HOF.

-Is a run in the 1st worth less that a run in the 6th or 9th?

I personally try to look at it in two ways….

1. If a guy contributed to a win, no matter if it was a two out Grand slam in the 9th or a hit in the 1st to move a runner into scoring position…it’s a team game, all players need to contribute. Look at game 6, whose hit was the most “Clutch”?

2. To me a clutch player is the guy I want on the bump or at the plate when game is on the line. Sure, everyone is going to fail at times, while they will also succeed at times too. It’s about who you FEEL is the best guy in that situation.

Wright hasn’t been that guy the past few years, though I think was once that at one time. We can argue why that’s the case, but the past isn’t as important as the future. If Wright keeps the approach that I saw yesterday, then I have a very good feeling about him.

That being said, would it not feel wrong to you for you to be rooting against one of the Mets and for a player of another team? Or are you so used to rooting against Wright that it’s second nature?

You love to hate the Mets because if things were going well, you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. You NEED something to complain about.

Wright gets a GW RBI? So what? He failed in the 1st inning. Yeah, that’s a fans perspective alright.

Yet the first thing you do is ask/tell USFM how wright’s was clutch and right away started saying how some would consider not to be etc.. All i said was that you forgot how he failed in the first inning, i too am a mets fan, i see things for what they are, he’s an ok player, not a leader, a superstar or anything else you guys wanna peg him to be, he’s someone who in big spots FOLDS like no other, that is all i have said about him and i am sticking to it UNTIL he proves me wrong, and i hope he does.. simple as that..