They're Playing Baseball! (and not peeing)

Fox broadcaster Tim McCarver tested by 20-inning marathon between New York Mets and Cardinals
Bob Raissman/NY Daily News

If the sand in that imaginary hourglass outside Citi Field continues falling in the same direction, Saturday evening's 20-inning, 6-hour, 53-minute Zero Fest in St. Louis will end up being the most memorable Mets game of the season.

When the grains settle, many Mets fans will swear they saw every pitch of the 2-1 win.

There is still so much left to discuss about what went down Saturday. Questions to be answered. Like how did home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor have the stamina, in an intense situation, to make it through the marathon?

What about Yadier Molina? The Cards' catcher went the distance Saturday and was behind the plate Sunday night, too. Where do such recuperative powers come from?

Was Tony La Russa falling asleep? Was that why he allowed Cards pitchers to bat twice with the bases loaded?

These questions - extremely valid ones - pale in comparison to inquires that must be directed to the broadcast booth. This is where a column goes in the toilet, literally.

In the 17th inning, Kenny Albert, Fox's play-by-play voice, informed viewers that his partner, Tim McCarver, had left the booth in the seventh inning. Albert did not specify if T-Mac took a pause for the cause, but those familiar with the situation say he did. Albert also reported: "I have not left the booth in 17 innings."

At that very moment, all chances of Albert landing that big-bucks Flomax endorsement deal went down the tubes. What was not known at the time is that Albert is practiced in the "art" of retention. In July 1998, he worked a 17-inning Indians-Mariners game and did not once visit a Kingdome bathroom.

"And I did not go during the entire game (Saturday)," Albert said yesterday.

How is he able to do (or not do) this?

"It's all mental," he proclaimed.

Albert explained he always has to "go" at halftime of football or basketball games and between periods of Rangers radiocasts.

Man that is just amazing. I swear if I were the play-by-play guy on that broadcast I would have either pissed during every commercial break or had a Gatorade jug (ala college roadtrips) sitting right under the desk. Trust me, Tim McCarver would have seen more junk in the booth that nite than he would have seen coming from the mound. I guess I just don't have Kenny Alberts' bladder control and I never will. But maybe if I'm famous I can score that Flomax endorsement one day.