Both Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez marveled at the prescient Ron Darling last night. In the first inning, Darling had noted how it would be a good time for Mets starter Mike Pelfrey to fake a pickoff throw to third and first in order to possibly get Ryan Zimmerman starting too early on the 3-2 count. As if on cue, Pelfrey did just that. Later in the game, Darling noted how the poor command of Nationals reliever Henry Rodriguez could make it difficult to complete an accurate throw when fielding a bunt. Pitches later Rodriguez threw away Ruben Tejada‘s sacrifice bunt and set the stage for Daniel Murphy‘s game-winning single. This performance capped another great night for the SNY broadcast team, specifically Darling, who won another Emmy for his work on the broadcast.

Despite the struggles for the Mets on-the-field, the broadcast booth has never been an issue even in the darkest days. The SNY trio has always made it worthwhile to tune in for even the most meaningless September game. If it’s not Darling providing top-rate analysis, you can listen to the dry sense of humor of Hernandez, or the historical perspective of Cohen. They have become a part of the modern Mets viewing family like Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsey Nelson were during the inaugural seasons.

Darling, in particular, has risen to become a broadcasting star. You can hear him on TBS broadcasts throughout the year, including the postseason. I find this interesting since he was probably the least popular of the three when he came over from Washington in 2006.

I grew up watching Darling pitch for Davey Johnson‘s mid-80s Mets teams. I guess you can call him the #2 behind Doc Gooden, but consistency was always an issue. Looking back, Darling was more Dillon Gee than Al Leiter, pitching about league average most seasons. He battled himself most games (think Mike Pelfrey or John Maine), and probably wouldn’t have been as successful if not for the dynamic team around him.

There have been four Game 7′s in team history, and Darling has started two. Both were disastrous outings in which he didn’t make it past the fourth inning. His performance against the Dodgers in 1988 was particularly ugly (1 inning/6 runs), leading to questions about why Johnson didn’t bring Dwight Gooden back on short rest. Some even mocked that he was more interested in appearing on the cover of GQ, then improving his performance on the mound.

He didn’t leave on great terms. He was banished to the bullpen in 1990, and traded to Montreal for Tim Burke the next season. After two weeks up North, the Expos sent him to Oakland. There he would be rejuvenated under Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan, winning 15-games in 1992.

By the time Darling figured out how to pitch, his body was no longer up to the task. When fans would think back to those 80s glory days, Darling’s name wasn’t the first thrown out there.

That has changed, as his performance in the booth has led to a new career in New York, and with that, a completely different Q-Rating with the fan base. When I asked the readers in February who should be the next Mets player elected into the team’s Hall of Fame, Darling finished second to Mike Piazza with 71% support. That was more than Jesse Orosco, whose thrown glove will always be synonymous with ’86.

Why the success? Darling knows the game, as evidence by his analysis last night. The conversation with Hernandez and Cohen is natural. He is one of those rare announcers with a humble demeanor in the booth. He knows more than you, but doesn’t want to remind you of that, as he rather tries to engage you in understanding his point. Baseball is a nightly marathon that you need to connect with a broadcast team on a personal level. The SNY trio has accomplished this in a big way, and I think Darling’s persona provides the balance that brings them to another level.

Amazing how far Darling has come since those final Mets days in 1991. He is not only a top national broadcaster, but has put himself into the pantheon of team history for his work with SNY.

I don’t think I would have ever predicted that.

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I had a chance to speak with Darling on my radio program back when his book “The Complete Game” was released in 2009. You can listen below.

Want to know where to find Mike Silva now? He Host's the "Weekend Watchdog” on Long Island’s ESPN affiliate Champions Radio (96.9/107.1FM Suffolk) go to http://weekendwatchdog.com to listen and interact with Mike at mikesilvamedia.com

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Tags: Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Ron Darling, SNY, Washington Nationals