R.A. Dickey Is Quietly All About Quality

Shhh.  Don't tell anyone.  But R.A. Dickey is quietly approaching a few Mets greats in the team's record books.

With last night's 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, R.A. Dickey recorded his 14th consecutive quality start (minimum of six innings pitched with no more than three earned runs allowed), dating back to last year.  It is currently the longest such streak in baseball.

Over the streak, which began last July 25 in Cincinnati when Dickey allowed two earned runs in 6⅔ innings in a 4-2 victory over the Reds, Dickey has been phenomenal.  In those 14 starts, Dickey has posted a 2.40 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.  However, due to poor run support, he has only received credit for six victories during the skein.  How impressive is Dickey's quality start streak?  He's about to reach rarefied air with it.

In 1985, Dwight Gooden started his Cy Young campaign with 17 consecutive quality starts, a streak that ended on July 4 when he was pulled after 2⅓ innings because of a rain delay (long-time Mets fans will remember that game as the Fireworks Night game in Atlanta).  Gooden also closed out the 1984 season with four consecutive quality starts, giving him a team-record 21 straight quality starts over the two seasons.

Tom Seaver holds the team record for most consecutive quality starts in one season.  From June 13 to September 13, 1973, Seaver recorded 19 straight quality starts.  Ironically, the streak could have ended on July 4, as Gooden's did 12 years later, when Seaver allowed five runs in 7⅓ innings against the Montreal Expos.  However, because of an error by shortstop Ted Martinez (who was filling in for the injured Bud Harrelson), two of the runs were unearned.  Therefore, Seaver's quality start streak was allowed to continue as he only allowed three earned runs in that Independence Day loss to the Expos.

Although Seaver's 19-game quality start streak in 1973 is the longest such streak for a Mets pitcher over one season, it wasn't the only time Seaver recorded 19 consecutive quality starts.  In 1971, a year in which Seaver was robbed of the Cy Young Award by the Cubs' Ferguson Jenkins - Seaver went 20-10 and led the league with a 1.76 ERA, 289 strikeouts and 0.945 WHIP, while Jenkins went 24-13 but had a 2.77 ERA and led the league in hits allowed (304) and home runs allowed (29) - Tom Terrific ended the season with 16 straight quality starts.  He also recorded quality starts in each of his first three appearances in 1972, giving him 19 quality starts in a row over two seasons.

Now R.A. Dickey is working on a quality start streak of his own.  After ending the 2011 season with 12 consecutive quality starts, he has begun the 2012 campaign with two more.  If this stretch of good pitching continues, he will reach legendary Mets pitchers Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden by Memorial Day.

Tom Seaver.  Dwight Gooden.  R.A. Dickey.  Prior to last July, one of those names would not have belonged with the others.  But when it comes to quality starts, those three names might be forever linked together in Mets lore.  Not bad for a converted knuckleball pitcher who only had 18 career quality starts prior to becoming a Met.

25 Years Later: The Nineteen Innings of Fireworks Night (A Song Parody)

Twenty-five years ago today (and tomorrow), the Mets and the Braves hooked up in a 19-inning marathon at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium that ended at 3:55 AM.

The game featured multiple rain delays, was started by Dwight Gooden (in one of his rare poor pitching performances from his incredible Cy Young Award-winning campaign) and was closed out by fellow starter and current SNY analyst Ron Darling.

It featured a cycle by Keith Hernandez on a day when he also made six outs (The 'Stache went 4-for-10), eleven plate appearances for Lenny Dykstra (groundout, flyout, single, groundout, single, single, strikeout, walk, groundout, sacrifice fly, flyout) and winning pitcher Tom Gorman giving up two extra-inning, two-out, game-tying home runs. One was a 13th inning two-run shot by Terry Harper and the other was an 18th inning solo home run by reliever and one-time slugger Rick Camp (who slugged the ball one time in his career, much to the delight of Chief Noc-A-Homa) to send the game into the 19th and final inning.

Whereas many other noted journalists and respected bloggers have their own memories of this game, Studious Metsimus would like to celebrate it as only we can, with a musical tribute to the game. Of course, it's an "a cappella" song, meaning there's no music, but you know what we mean.

In honor of Independence Day, we can't think of a better song to use in a song parody than "The Twelve Days of Christmas". For all those who watched and/or listened to the game, (I did both. I was only twelve at the time and my parents would have killed me if they knew I was listening to the last ten innings of the game on a Walkman I conveniently hid under my pillow. Even after the game ended at 3:55 AM, I couldn't go to sleep for another nine hours. My mother never questioned me when I decided to take a "nap" a little before 1 PM. You'll hear more about this "nap" within the song.) I hope this song brings back memories of one of most Amazin' games in franchise history. If you never heard of this game, then just think of the song as Christmas in July for Mets fans. If you don't remember the game and you don't celebrate Christmas, ummm, well...

Anyway, here is "The Nineteen Innings of Fireworks Night" for your reading and singing pleasure:


On my first thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
a memorable victory.

On my second thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my third thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
three poor Doc frames,
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my fourth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my fifth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my sixth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my seventh thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my eighth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my ninth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my tenth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
ten extra innings.
Nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my eleventh thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
eleven times up for Lenny.
Ten extra innings.
Nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my twelfth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
twelve pitching changes
Eleven times up for Lenny.
Ten extra innings.
Nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory!

Sure, this song was named "The Nineteen Innings of Fireworks Night" and I only went up to "twelve" instead of "nineteen" (as in the original "Twelve Days of Christmas" song), but honestly, if I had gone to nineteen instead of twelve, this song would be longer than the game the played 25 years ago today, on the night of July 4 (and the morning of July 5), 1985.



The 1985 Mets might not have won a championship, but they provided many memories that have lasted for a quarter century and will last for many more years.

As the 2010 Mets and Braves prepare for a second half that should provide more memories in this renewed rivalry, just remember one thing. Whenever you complain about a game seemingly lasting forever, it could always be worse. Just ask the players and the bloggers who still listen to Mets games on a Walkman (guilty...) who experienced the 1985 Fireworks Night game from Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta.

From the Studious Metsimus staff to our readers, we'd like to wish you all a Merry Independence Day and a Happy Second Half!

Shea Stadium/Fireworks photo taken by David Whitham (DGW Photography). Explosive photo, Dave!