As the sun begins to set on what appeared to be a magical season, we cannot forget all of the good that came out of the improbable first half.
On June 1, 2012, Johan Santana did what many thought would never happen. He threw the first ever Mets no-hitter, and gave many fans a “where were you when…” moment.
There isn’t a Mets fan out there who will forget June 1st. Whether they missed it, were on a train, driving a car, at a party, at the game, or sitting alone on a couch – we’ll all remember that moment.
However, a part of that moment we cannot forget is the effort made by Mike Baxter in the 7th inning. Baxter is a league minimum player who grew up idolizing the Mets just like all of us.
The 27 year old graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, NY put his body and potentially his career on the line to preserve the possibility of the 1st ever Mets no hitter.
In Baxter’s 40 games this year, he’s shown to be a valuable bench player. He’s put everything into each at bat, and clearly every play on the field.
He likely won’t ever be an All-Star, and might be a guy who bounces around from team to team during his career.
However, nobody can take away that moment from him. The moment in which he displaced his right collarbone and fractured rib cartilage to save Johan Santana’s no-hitter.
It will go down in the box score as a 0 for Yadier Molina. It will go into the play by play log as a “line out to left field,” but we all know the truth.
That is why on August 7th, or whenever Baxter gets his first at bat at Citi Field – I’m hoping everybody in attendance stands up and gives this hometown kid the standing ovation he deserves.
