I think, as the season goes on, we as fans look for marquee matchups. But then again, you really can’t have a “biggest game of the year” in April or May. One may argue you can’t until at least August.
This is why the only Mets-Marlins series most fans even recollect is the last one, when the Mets had a John Maine-led blowout victory followed by a Tom Glavine-led blowout loss. This is also why the one Mets-Phillies series anybody remembers is the horrendous 4-game series with the Phillies dramatically winning each game and beginning the infamous “collapse.”
This is ultimately why I never use the phrase “biggest game of the year” much, because it rarely is. It’s also why I feel bumping up/holding back starters for perceived “big” games is usually unnecessary.
But when it comes to September, that all changes. And that is why the Phillies moving up Cole Hamels for Sunday’s game is obviously, the smart move. In fact, I doubt they thought much about it, especially with the Thursday off day.
Somehow the Mets have not faced Hamels since April, making them incredibly fortunate. It’s a no-brainer for the Phillies to send their ace against the NL East-leading Mets, especially considering this is the last head-to-head matchup between the two.
But yeah, Yankees-Red Sox in the middle of May? Eh, it’s good theater, but they aren’t “biggest games of the year.” Subway Series, same way. This season even had a good storyline to the Subway Series, and then it still felt a bit underwhelming afterwards.
Pete Lappin (3)
