What's the Best Hand?

So, lots of talk and speculation about who will be a Met next year. I have opined on the A-Rod/D. Wright controversy and my vote remains the same. A vote for A-Rod is like a vote for Ron Paul, theoretically flawless but failing to account for anything more than cold, hard logic. And baseball and life sadly don't quite work that way.

Bottom line, we need to pick up a few new cards. Here are a couple of my wishes for the 2008 Mets:

- We need pitching, so we need to focus funds on pitching. Whoever. Whatever. Whenever. However. Dontrelle Willis. Even if he is a little sketch.

- 86 LoDuca. I decided his attitude became a hindrance, not a help. Worse than Billy Wagner with the mouth and like half the performance. Let's look at Jorge Posada, who is a free agent and a fantastic hitting year. I know he's not young, but I think he's still got 2-3 good years left (although he wants 4).

- Leave David and Jose where they are, they are doing a good job.

- Try and keep Castillo, the Reyes/Castillo combo proved to be a highlight in the disaster known to you and me as September.

- Ciao to Shawn Green and Carlos Delgado. They both underperformed this season. If I have to choose one to keep, I would say Green as he is a member of tribe (which is good for business) and was clutch in August.

Rumble, Rumble

The rumors are at a fevered pitch, re: A-Rod and my boyfriend.

I know that I was a little enthused about this a few weeks ago, but now my feelings have changed... I know he's a great bat, but when I think about our untimely demise in 2007, I can't help but think what we lacked in all of this was leadership and maturity. We had David, we had Mosies, but what we need is more leadership. And I'm not sure if A-Rod is all that. Look at the whole things with Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS. We need grown ups who can bring a positive attitude to the team. Is this A-Rod?

My Facebook status says it all...

RIP 2007

It's over. Boston won. I have many a friend who had a spring in their step this morning (albeit a tired one), relishing the Boston win combined with enjoying the arrogance of A-Rod and that Scott Boras character.

Nonetheless, one of my favorite people in the office (our intern), asked me today if I thought the outcome was an indicator of the dominance of the American League over the National League. I had to weigh the facts. While last year was an NL victor (the Cardinals), the last 10 years have been dominated by the AL. But what I decided is the Colorado Rockies probably didn't represent the best the NL had to offer. Why you ask? They were good, but not the best at anything. The best hitting in the NL? The Phillies. The best pitching? San Diego.

It's not that I don't like the Rockies; I'm just not sure they were the best team in the NL in 2007. Oh well, is the WS about the best team anyway? Not necessarily. Sometimes these types of contests are not indicative of the best in show. Look at some of the past Presidential races.

Gone Baby Gone

At first, I missed the Mets. Then, I missed baseball. Now, I miss my blog.

I suppose it is like a drug, this blogging thing. I found it cathartic, I found it enjoyable. But now, it has gone the way of bike riding and summertime strolls.

I am watching the World Series tonight, but it's hard to watch and not root for anyone. I am not going to pull a lame Rudy Giuliani on all of you and feel some burning loyalty to the National League (although I do think the DH is the ultimate in wussy).

No Mets, no rooting. No Mets, no blog. Gone Baby Gone.

Baseball, I Miss You...

I'm still watching, but it is not the same. Not the same at all.

I gotta like the spunk of those Rockies, I mean who doesn't like an upstart? It's all kinda Ron Paulish, who while crazy, once in a while says something that warms your heart. I like that Holliday guy, I wish that Matsui would've been half as good as a damn Met. I kinda like 'em.

My heart is too heavy to even THINK about rooting for someone else. Could I? Can I? No, I can't. But I still like baseball and I miss baseball so I'll keep on watching.

A New Boyfriend?

Tonight, the Times is reporting that A-Rod is going to opt out on his contract with the Yankees. This may seem a little bit like suggesting to a Chilean socialist in the 70s that they should go out on a date with Pinochet's best marksman, but A-Rod is one of the Yankees best weapons and one strategy to beat them is to disarm them.

The bigger problem? What about my first love?

Slasher

Who doesn't love a little irony? The knife that slashed the Phillies throats last night came from none other than Kazuo Matsui. For those of you who read this because you love me and find me funny, but don't know a damn thing about baseball, click here. For those who love me, blah, blah, blah, but are too lazy to click anywhere, Matsui was once a Met, came to us with the pomp and circumstance (but reduced cost) of Dice K, and delivered worse than our bullpen this September.

And last night? A 5th inning triple that helped to get the Rockies on high. And the Phillies to go down.

Hangman

Tonight's games are the NL's version of hangman. You know who's leg I am hoping to draw on tonight? Yes, you guessed correctly.... Jamie Moyer. And I'll take Jimmy Rollins too if I can.

We'll see later. But for now, it looks like its may be Rich Hill, Lou Pinella and the Cubs.

Lovin' No One

You know I am happy about the Rockies pounding the crap outta Philly. I am working through my feelings about the 2007 baseball season. I am over sadness, now I am into anger. Not anger at the Mets, but anger at the Phillies. This has been a recurring theme throughout the season, depending on how close on our tail they were. But now, full on rageahol.

Another thing pissing me off? People trying to convert me to their teams. I have been pitched Boston (very aggressively, BTW), sometimes the Yankees (trying the you're a New Yorker kinda logic), even the Indians (this was someone preying on my anti-Yankees sentiment).

I heart no one. And if I was going to remotely heart anyone right now, it would be the Rockies for taking those Phillies down and TBS for being so beautiful in HD. I'm watching right now and it looks like the pitching disease is ravaging all of New York.

Fairytales Do Come True

Yes, I am still sitting shivah for the Mets (which means that you can't make mean jokes for a little while), but I am kinda, sorta watching playoff baseball.

I am not rooting for anyone, but after seeing the preview coverage, as well as stuff about last night's games, it's clear the story of baseball is alive and well. In the political world, all flacks want a consistent story to tell in order to create loyalty, action, a whole host of things. It is no different in baseball. The title of this season? Fairytales Do Come True.

I'm not sure who is a bigger fairytale team: the Rockies, a non East coast team that was nowhere near first place and had a blazing fall, a crazy duel against the Padres (which they won); the F*#cking Phillies (don't need to fill you in on that one); the Cubs, who came back to bite the Brewers in the butt; and of course, the Yankees, who I poked fun at all summer (who I don't like, won't root for, but have to admire their determination).

The only hard part in the fairytale is that nearly all of the teams are in the NL. Oh well, at least MLB will have one fairy to get us to watch the WS.

Sitting Shivah

It's dead. Over. And I did not really talk about it today and asked everyone in the office (the boys really), to not talk to me about baseball today. They didn't.

The rabid NY media have already started feeding on the corpse of the 2007 Mets, so I won't be too harsh as I join the group 'o buzzards. But what I will say is that I don't think Willie deserves to be fired. I think the end result was a team that had a lot of talent, but ravaged by injuries could never again quite find the full glory of those sweet spring days.

Pitching was always a nagging problem and in the end it took us down. Aging pitching, along with young pitching with tons of potential proved to be the wrong combination for a long season. The older bodies couldn't hack it, the younger ones proved to be too inconsistent to deliver every time (although I think both John Maine and Oliver Perez were highlights of this team and will deliver for years to come).

Oli and Johnny were not the only highlights.... David Wright was spectacular all around and we'll see more of him next year. Mosies Alou, at 41, was key to keeping us even half alive in the second half of the season. The youngins' --- Endy, Anderson, and Milledge all have lots of potential.

Just a bit on attitude: Post All Star Break there was definitely a slide in the attitude of some of the players. And this is the thing that lost it for the Mets. They collapsed on themselves.

It doesn't change how sad I am. I will watch the playoffs and will occasionally post my thoughts about them. But I won't be rooting for anyone, my season has passed.

This IS How It Ends

Indeed, it is over.

I have been beyond words, near tears and just generally in shock about what has conspired today.

I will write more when I am able, but today I am grieving. It is especially painful because despite the ups and downs, I never would have believed it could lead to a conclusion like this one. The last few weeks, the terrible weeks after I got home from Italy, the ups and downs that could have rivaled Sybil.

Maybe that was the problem. It's smooth and steady that wins the race. What is needed to be at the top is the ability to stay sharp enough to stay there. And it ain't easy - anywhere and everywhere, not just baseball.

When I'm old, I know I will recount the 2007 baseball season to whatever crazy lunatics will listen. Thanks for listening.

Amazin'

I started yesterday determined not to let baseball dominate the day. I had a party to prep for and a good friend who needed my attention.

We are out shopping and a random dude says to me, hey, you know they are up 4-0. Ah yes, I am wearing my Mets hat. Addiction resumed, thank gawd for the blackberry and auto refresh. And it just kept getting better; emails started to come in, people started calling. I watched the last 2 innings of the Philles- Nats....

Amazin'.

As long as you control your own fate, anything is possible. And that's where we are today. As FOI (Friend of Oliver & I) MEC reminds us, this is exactly why Tommy is here. Do your thing Tommy G and make the Mets fate what you want it to be.

This is where politics and baseball are different; at the end of the day in politics, there is something emotional that impacts people to choose you and transcends your physical ability to campaign or raise money. At the end of the day in baseball, your ability is all you've got. That and your own emotional state. Yesterday was the turn on that one and there has never been any doubt about our ability.

So let's show 'em what we've got.

Finding Inspiration Where You Can

In times of stress, you hunker down and try to find hope. I did that this morning, reading the myriad of Mets bloggers out there. Saw lots of things, but this is my favorite from Metsmerized... yesterday on SNY, a tarot card reader saw a game being played in Philly on Monday.

We all find our ways to get through. I am going to take that one, why not?

Note: I was going to put a picture, but I decided I don't know enough about tarot and what if I pick the wrong one? Silly, but at this point, one has to consider these things.

It's Not Just Us

New York Magazine reports that the very talented, sadly beautiful, kinda country (though I am not) singer Ryan Adams melted down in Minneapolis.

Oli's not alone. Still believin'.

Note: Thanks to an O& I reader for the Ryan Adams tip!

P.S.

Have been reading some of the post mortems and I am not going to dwell on the loss, I am going to focus on the opportunity. We've got three more games, so Mets, show me why you got my hopes up all season. Show me what all these baseball bloviators have been ranting about since the spring.

I know it's there, I spent April until two weeks ago with it. Don't Al Gore on me, now is not the time. Ya gotta believe.

No Dessert for Me

So gang, we are here. We made it through September and we are on the verge of embarking on October baseball, my favorite part. It was so close, I could taste it on the tip of my tongue, smell the ruminations of it as I pulled out my sweaters and boots.

I am supposed to be enjoying this, it is supposed to be delicious, it is supposed to be like dessert, after a long season of struggle, triumph, victories, defeats. But no dessert for me. I am stressed, sad, hurt, angry, upset, sugar deprived and just generally on suicide watch at this point.

How can it be that we dominated all season long and for the last two weeks we look like the Rockford Peaches could take us down? I just can't understand how we could come so far, but it could all feel so faraway. I know if you are reading this, you know what I am talking about.

I know we have all lost confidence in the Mets pitching, but some words from pitching coach Rick Peterson in tomorrow's Times:

“It doesn’t make sense to think about the past for the next four games,” Peterson said. “The present is really a good place to be.”

Baseball's no different than anything else - One day at a time, one day at a time. It's all I've got.

Haven't We Been Through This Before?

Last night I gave up once the pitching did, so probably somewhere around the 5th inning. But we all know how the story ends. Not so good. Swept by a team that has been swept more than the floor this season. Pretty, it ain't.

I've had conversations with Mets fans and some say, hey, this is what it is all about. Fighting 'til the end, a battle. We're New Yorkers, after all. I said this last year for the NLCS, but you know where we ended up on that one. I still feel the agony anytime Cardinals red flashes before me and I hear Pujlos, Molina, Eckstein. Which I believe I will be seeing and hearing tonight. Sweating already.

Not sure if I could take another replay of last year's NLCS... but I am preparing for the worst.

Moises=Moses

I gave up last night, somewhere in the 7th inning and retreated as depressed as the day before about the state of Mets Nation as I am about the rest of the nation. Thankfully I nearly spit my coffee out this morning as I was reading all about how the boys came back to score 6, yes 6 runs in the 9th.

They still lost, 10-9, but seems like all the boys pitched in to close the gap. Jose the spark, Castillo, my boyfriend, and of course Mosies Alou, who has become the beacon of hope.

Note this exchange from the Times:

“It doesn’t mean a thing,” Lo Duca said. “It doesn’t matter if we lose by eight runs or one. It’s still a loss.” Perhaps 15 feet away, Moises Alou, whose bases-loaded double with one out drew the Mets to within a run, said: “You always want to think about the positive. You never want to dwell on the negative.”

I'm pretty sure Moises is Moses. And you know how my tribe feels about Moses.

Rooting for Atlanta...

I never thought I would do this, but I need to win something tonight. I am rooting for the status quo and hence, an Atlanta victory. Yee haw - 10-6.

Chop, chop. Status quo intact.

No need to tell you what happened with the Mets. At this point, I am praying for a Dewey defeats Truman type of sitch. Sorry for the bad analogy, it's all I've got.

Oh Where, Oh Where Has it Gone?

Our pitching, that is. I didn't want to fully discuss, but last night's super painful 13-4 raping by the Nats is the end of my silence. The sad thing is, I can tell you where- it has gone to the last 156 games and staying in first all season, albeit today by just 2 games.

There were pitchers last night that I never even heard of warming up in the bullpen. And I have been paying attention, I promise.

I just can't believe this is where we are with just a week left in the season. No political analogies; I need to research some great comebacks, cause at this point I can't see any on the current political front.

Gotta Have It

So much has happened over the last few days, so first off I apologize for the Jewish holidays breaking into my baseball commentary. The delay was continued for several hours today due to airplane breakdown. Ah, US Airways, the Greyhound of the Skies.

But am now safely ensconced back in DC after both the Mets and I had a marathon weekend in Florida. I was able to share part of it with the Mets, thankfully and got to see Oli's beautiful pitching job on Saturday.

We took the cheap seats way up, although they were right behind home plate which always makes for a great way to see the game. Dolphin Stadium, while (like RFK) designed for football, was not bad. The amenities are waay better than RFK, which is not a tough standard, sadly.

A win in Florida for the Mets this weekend was probably as important as Florida will be in January for a Presidential candidate - it's just gotta happen in order to even hope you'll get the whole enchilada. They came together and while they didn't get all the delegates, 2 outta 3 3 outta 4 ain't bad. In the end you could argue that a win is a win, even if it was awfully tough to get there. In politics, this may matter less than in baseball. This week will tell on at least one front.

So Close...

I was within a block of my boyfriend and did not see him! Today, the Washington Post reports...

Mets star David Wright touring the Spy Museum and lunching at Clyde's on Tuesday before showing up for his team's 9-8 loss to the Nats. Even though he was out of uniform, fans recognized the latest member of the 30-30 Club (that many homers and stolen bases in one season).

What is killing me is that is ONE BLOCK from my office. I eat lunch at Cyde's and ride my bike by the museum everyday on my bike ride home.

Boo hoo. Oh well... see you in Florida, David.

Half Alive, But Alive Still

8-4, they got it done. It wasn't perfect, but the pitching seems to be alive again (Mike Pelfrey, I misjudged thee). The bats were alive, but the defense remains as sloppy as Fred Thompson's stump appearances.

I am off to the Sunshine State on Friday and I will join the Mets on Saturday with my parents on the holiest day of the Jewish year. Let's hope for the best; I need to believe that somebody up there is a Mets fan, I am kinda starting to wonder. At least we can hope for a better Florida appearance than Thompson endured.

Phillies are still duking it out with the Cards, but we're still at game and a half. It's a big number in New York right now.

32" Flat Screen

That is where I am enjoying tonight's game... 3rd inning, Mets down 2-1, Jose Reyes on 2nd. I am hating the announcers for the Nats; they are talking about the team as if they are hermetically sealed in a bubble and don't know that the Nats are actually 15 and a half games out of first place. That being said, if you were hermetically sealed in a bubble in this series, you wouldn't know the Mets were in first place.

Game update: My boyfriend drove Reyes in, game tied. Believe.

I Still Believe

Naturally, I was beyond distraught last night.... the tying run just yards away from coming home and we still can't manage to win against the Nats. In fact, I considered writing a post with a red flashing light, screaming red alert in my customary chicken little, sky is falling kind of way.

But I ain't gonna do that. Why? The heat is on, it is crunch time. And you can't abandon your peeps now. This is when they need ya the most.

We know this is not about our ability; this is about our attitude. So, in solidarity, I am changing my attitude. No more bitching, no more moaning, I will just be rooting for the Mets. I can only open hope my attitude change inspires others to believe.

I Just Couldn't Cope...

Am watching from home tonight. After the incident that conspired last evening, I thought it best to have a swim, find some zen and take tonight's events from a safe place. My couch. So far, 7-3, Mets.

UPDATE: Johnny Maine melted down; 8-7 Nats. I am foraging for ice cream. Pitching, pitching, pitching, where have you gone?

I Witnessed the Crime

Against the name of the New York Mets last night... Between the bad pitching, nightmare relief, sloppy fielding and too much to eat, I left RFK last night feeling like I had been poisoned.

Pounded would be an understatement. And by the wimpiest guy in our school. Massacred actually, 12- 4. I just hope we live.
I can't decide if I should go to tonight's game, I may end

up permanently damaged. I try to find a high note, but after what I saw last night, it is tough. Really tough. I can't decide if my lingering stomach ache is from the giant hot dog or from how painful the beating really was. Or the fact that our lead in the NL East is now as skinny as Nicole Ritchie when we need it to look more like Britney.

Please come back New York Mets, I miss you.

My Name is Not Chicken Little

Some regular O&I readers have chastised me for not always seeing the big picture, for fretting over every win and every loss. Well I hate to gloat now, but it is getting tighter than the Democratic nomination race will ever be - three and a half games.

Today, complete disaster. Total disaster. Backed into a corner disaster? Maybe. I'll let ya know after I see the Mets here in DC tomorrow night. If that can't beat the Nats, the world really is ending.

New York, I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down

This is a song, in case you didn't know it. And it is how I am feeling after the Mets 5-3 loss today against the Phillies.

I know we are still up, four and a half games up. But, we've still got two weeks to go. All I can hope for is these losses will leave us feeling a little backed into a corner. If have to read gloating comments by that Rollins character, I may puke.

Can't Seem to Catch a Break

What is such a bummer about last night's 10-inning, 3-2 loss to the Phillies is that it has much less to do with skill than with luck. I'm not saying the Phillies suck; clearly they have had a late season surge that would bring envy from most of the political candidates on the stump these days. But one late inning run proves nothing except making the pennant race a little tighter.

My fave quote in all the coverage from last night was from my boyfriend -"A team is most dangerous when they're backed into a corner."

A 5 and a half deep in the hole corner.

I Know the Times Sports Coverage Sucks...

But I have many needs from my paper in the morning, so I read the Times first. My fave thing so far (and not even from regular Mets writer Ben Shpiegel) from today's paper.

"Over the last two seasons, the Mets have been in first place for a total of 313 days, which ranks first in the major leagues. The Boston Red Sox rank second at 260 days."

Who doesn't feel good reading that? Happy Friday Met fans. Consider yourselves psyched for the evening festivities.

L'Shana Tovah

Happy 5768! Sorry I did not get to this yesterday, I spent the evening celebrating the holiday with friends and family in Pikesville, MD. But I will say I find it highly ironic that the one member of the tribe on the Mets, Shawn Green, managed the hit that brought Carlos B home to win on the eve of Rosh Hashana.

It's all good. Shawn Green can still have dinner with his peeps tonight, as the Mets are off.

Ugh, Ugh and More Ugh

I blame the Mets 13-5 meltdown tonight against the Braves on one thing... my own over-exuberance.

As you may recall, I uttered the words post season in recent days (and yes, italics is whispering). No more. We still have 3 weeks of baseball to get through. It ain't over 'til its over, just ask John McCain.

Until September 30th, I am keeping it all in check. I promise. You all won't be able to bear me otherwise.

V is for....

Victory, as in a 3-2 win over the Braves (who are sinking faster than Senator Larry Craig); Valuable, as in David Wright as a possible MVP with a sweet homer last night; and Victory again for Oli, as he struts his stuff trying to score a playoff spot. Yes fans, I am admitting today that what once seemed just out of reach may just be on the horizon.

We still have to get through the rest of the Braves and the Phillies. But we're playing some vicious ball.

Swept Away

The Mets are sweeping me away. And I can only hope after this week, they are closer to sweeping away the division.

I was in a discussion with the yucky Yankee fans at work and they brought up a great point... the Mets are easily the best team in the NL, probably the only team (when they are playing well) that can compete with the best of the AL. I agree, particularly, because of our hitting. The NL West is most certainly a highly competitive division, but that is because of the great pitching.

Let's hope the bats are movin' around like Fred Thompson's campaign staff. And that would be alot.

A Little Something From My Trip...

I told him I would only be nice until October.

A Wash

So, looks like Cincinnati was a wash. Thankfully, Atlanta came back and kicked Philly's butt. No love lost there from me, I can assure you. The Mets are finally riding a wave, hoping they can stay there. Although history tells me it's tough to maintain the balance. Like a campaign, it is not one appearance that typically sinks you, it is a series of bad ones. Or at least your competitors nibbling away at you (Phillies, Edwards, Giuliani).

I am in Boston for work and was fortunate enough to catch the Sox v. Blue Jays. Love Fenway. But at the end of the day, October is coming. And you know what that means? I am a New Yorker through and through. Although not a Yankees fan.

L'Chaim!

Before I get into baseball, a note for you non Jews out there... L'Chaim is a toast that means "to life". If you're a non-Jew rooting for the Mets who is reading this blog and don't know what L'Chaim means, please leave me a comment as I cannot believe you exist.

And we've got a lot to toast.... the sweep, Pedro back and doing alright (fully report in the morn). Bats that are alive and well. We're 5 games up after Atlanta beat Philly, the poetic justice of which I cannot even begin to write about.

All good. And guess who else lost today? The AL Wildcard is gonna be a nail biter. No gloating, just sayin'.

Now I realize this can all fall in a la last week; I just want to enjoy this moment. Delish.

Mailbag

An O and I reader asks, "What is going to happen to you after the baseball season is over and the Mets have won it all?"

Well, we first need to make it through September, which is where my focus is right now. But my feeling right now is that this blog is primarily about baseball and I am not going to try and make it something else.

Now if Oli gets traded, I am screwed! He is on a one year contract right now, will keep you all posted on this.

It's the 9th Inning...

And the Mets are on the verge of actually beating Atlanta 5-1 at the hands of Mike Pelfrey and Pedro Feliciano.

I'm not complaining, not at all. In fact, I am thrilled. Great hitting, solid pitching, lotsa K's. What is there to bitch about? Especially from pitchers who have given me more heartache than love all summer long.

A beautiful two game winning streak, at the expense of Atlanta. But why does it take the brink of failure to find greatness? This week was the verge of homelessness, with the last 2 days like winning the lottery. What do you do? You go shopping and hope it lasts.

Oh and P.S., the Mets won. No Billy W, but I am suffering too. In true Metfan form, I have a pain in my arm too.

Meet the Mets, Again!

Now I don't want to get out of control. But last night's 7-1 win over the Braves is what I (and all of you, frankly) have been salivating for all season.

We're back baby! Meet the Mets, Meet the Mets... If you need me to tell you the rest, I can. My mother used to sing it to me when I was a kid.

All the boys were back -Jose, Johnny M, and most important Carlos D's three run homer, the spark that set it all off.

I'm happy. Let's hope we see more of it later today.

Tomorrow is Another Day

I was at work today monitoring the disaster game. I am crazed, as I am about to be out of town all next week for work (don't worry, I promise road blogging) and watching the score go up and down like a roller coaster. To make it worse, I was surrounded by giddy Yankee fans.

Now it should be known that I hate roller coasters. If someone asks me to go on one, I typically will with the end result being my face in a garbage can less than a half hour later. You'd think I would learn and not do this, but like a jackass I try and try thinking the end result will be different. It never is.

That's how today's game felt, but more disturbing than that is how baseball is starting to make me feel. This is worse than an Election Day to me. I can't take the drama, I can't take the agony, I can't take the pain.

I would probably just give up after last night (courtesy of the shamen) and today (courtesy of pitching problems), but I can't. We were hitting like we should and Pedro is back in another week or so. Plus, I have made it this damn far. It's September for gawd's sake and we are still in first place.

I know we're off to Atlanta, so as Scarlett said, "Tomorrow is another day".

AARGH!

Yes, it is in caps. And yes, I am yelling. Not only was luck not on our side in last night's 3-2 loss to the Phillies, it was as bad as a downright curse. Has a shaman put a vex on the Mets or on Citizens Field? It's the only explanation I can come up with to explain Oli walking the pitcher as well as the bizarro call against Marlon Anderson.

Hey Mr. Shaman, there's a guy named CB Bucknor, he's an umpire.... I will look up his address and email it to you.

Matzo Bats are Back (and it's not good)

Why do we always suck the later in the season it gets? Last season September was pretty much awful. But then again, we were waay more than 5 games up and neither the Phillies or the Braves were where they are this year as competitors.

Luck was not on our side in last night's 4-2 loss to the Phillies, with a roller that rolled the wrong way. So it goes. What is more troublesome to me is the recurrence of problems such as matzo bats and relievers that bring no relief. We should be scoring runs; Citizens Park (while lovely) is as small as Barbie's House. We should be adding to our numbers and winning games, not helping that arrogant Jimmy Rollins. Blech.

Frustration. That's all I can say.

And P.S.... welcome back to Endy! Take the kindness now, as I am sure I will complain about you in a few days.

Fall is Here

I was there in late June when the Mets ate the Phillies for dinner. They ate them for lunch too, I just didn't go to the game. They even had snacks the next day.

But you would never have know that last night after the 9-2 pounding the Phillies gave my Mets. It was like one of those Pennsylvania Dutch Country smorgasbords for Philly.

And they got their giant meal. My boyfriend ejected for rejected authority the whole game. The Philles coach was ejected too. It's September friends, even if the calendar says August 28. Heck, ask the Presidential candidates... it's been September for months. Or at least their schedules have seemed like it.

Melting

It's the top of the 6th, Mets down 4-2 against the Dodgers. I wanted to believe that Johnny M. had it goin' on tonight. The beginning looked good, looked real good.

But now, melting like the Wicked Witch of the West.

UPDATE: 5-2, Schoeneweis is pitching, now it is 6-2, a double steal with runners on 2nd and 3rd and gettin' as ugly as the WWW's warts. Ugh.

My Boyfriend is HOT

Ok, I know David Wright is hot, like cute hot, but his numbers are amazin'. According to my friends over at Metsblog.com:

Mets 3B David Wright is the only player in the National League hitting over .300, with at least 80 runs scored, 80 RBI, 20 stolen bases and 20 home runs..... He is batting .403 in 77 at-bats in August, and .373 with a .489 OBP since the All-Star break. He has reached base in 15 of his last 19 plate appearances.

This post is motivated by the wonderful post excerpted above and the very stupid article in today's NY Post. This feeble attempt at lifestyle writing by a sports writer is worse than an actor running for president. Leave the Cosmo crap to those who can pull it off, Mr. Kernan. Thanks.

Plugging Away to October

Instead of watching baseball, yesterday I did a 63 mile bike ride for fun. I realize this is crazy. Today I am exhausted and looking forward to seeing Johnny get his groove back tonight (esp because I am doing absolutely NOTHING today).

Yesterday's 4-3 win against the Dodgers was good stuff. El Duque, as per usual, a beast of the finest order. I would argue he has been the most solid pitcher in our rotation all season. Granted, he has only been back since July, but we have not seen El Duque meltdowns as we have for pretty much everyone else on the mound.

For the closing, the not always predictable Heilman managed to keep it together for the win. But no Billy Wagner yesterday and not a lot of info, except something about a dead arm. Now, I have bitched the last few weeks about Billy and for good reason. But I hope he is back soon, as he is overall one of the best closers in baseball (29 saves, 2.05 ERA) and probably more predictable than anything else we've got. Plus, we'll need him in the post season.

Carlos D out of the funk. We need him back, just as much as we need to keep winning. We're at lucky number 7, let's see how much further we can go.

Ain't Going Down Like That

Last night's 9-8 loss to the Padres was the ickiest kind of loss. It was mostly luck, with a dash of bad pitching on our part (although it could be said that is 90 percent of baseball and probably of life).

But more important than tears, this is a wakeup call for the Mets. As of right now, the Padres are the wild card team. At the end of September, it might be what we have to face in the NLDS. And while this was only a three game series, I can assure you that many a Met will wake up this morning and think about how there is no way... no f&*cking way.... that an outing like that would mean the end of the chase.

Consider this series a straw poll. We know who we need to beat.

Groundhog Day

Haven't we been here before? Last night's 7-5 loss (which I caught most of on TV... jet lag is still nipping at me, hence the 5 am post) to the Padres was kinda painful to watch because I have seen precisely this before. The bats were performing beautifully, with the Jose, Luis, Carlos show doing what we need it to do...finally! But again, no relief from that damn ex-druggie Mota.

Now, I have bitched and bitched about our relief pitching, but I am fully disgusted now. We had a good chance to beat one of the best pitchers in the NL last night and it was our relief pitching that sunk us. It is late August, which is just too late to still have this crap happening. The bats are alive, it's time for the relief pitching to get with the program.

My only consolation is that both Atlanta and Philly lost. Phew. Enough of my rant. As reader MEC will remind me, it is about that and not about just one game.

Back!

Things are getting back to normal. I am home and today I got out of bed at 6 instead of 4 (jet lag), Carlos Beltran is the beast we know and love, and the Mets won a crazy ass game 7-6 against the NL Wild Card leader Padres.

Some things are still out of whack: Johnny Maine not even lasting 6 innings and giving up 3 runs. Billy Wagner giving me indigestion (while this is not uncommon, it is out of whack). Women fighting hand to hand combat in politics. Going to bed last night before Sportscenter.

I guess all a girl can do is watch, wait, hope, and try to stay up later.

What I find interesting about last night's game is the players (other than Carlos B), who made stuff happen. Names we didn't hear in April and May - Lastings Milledge (ok, there was the bad rap record...), Luis Castillo, Marion Anderson, and Mike DiFelice. All of these players were clutch and all of them are new. It's a testament to the talent of these guys, the team, the coaches, and Omar.

The next week or so will test 'em for sure - SD, LA, Philly and Atlanta. But it's all good.

It's All Good

Good news ... found bag. Better news... Mets beat the Marlins. None of my stuff appears to be missing and the Mets bats are coming along as good as my tan - which is quite nice now.

Off to Pittsburgh without a catcher. I believe we can beat them. DeFelice almost not making the game is like a flashback to 1986 when so many players would get throw out, they would rotate the pitcher.

Times change, but crazy crap still happens.

Lost

I'm making this quick... in Barcelona, Alitalia lost my bags somewhere between Milan and here. The Mets have lost 2. Blogger is in Spanish. Lost, lost, lost.

Now the good news, which I am much more focused on... the sun, my favorite beach in the whole world in Stiges, and Carlos B is back.

Going to the Alitlia website now to track my lost Dolce and Gabana skirt. Besos.

Tight, but it Fits

Tight. Last night we eeked out a 4-3 win against the nefarious Braves. It's still a win, so I am going to focus on that. I am not going to micromanage the situation, a la an insecure politician. Instead, I am going to focus on El Duque's good pitching, nice bats from the new boy and Shawn Green's 4 for 4 night... nice! I don't think I didn't want to mention Billy Wagner here, as it will just ruin the groove. But man, that guy makes me more nervous than a truss bridge.

They've just got to keep it up. After all, Mets fans are lucky these days, right?

I leave today for sunny, beautiful Barcelona, where there is a lot of technology, so it may be possible to both keep up with the Mets AND maybe even blog about it.

Now That Hurt!

I tried to write last night, but the pain was just too great. A tough one. A spanking. Worse than being Mike Gravel, left out of last night's Presidential debate. 7-3 loss to the Braves.

I'm blaming this on my upcoming vacation, which starts tomorrow. A lack of focus by the Mets, a lack of focus by me.

I'm trying to keep it together.... to not let the pessimism, the weight of the years of losses pile up and blind me to a couple of things.

1. We've stayed in first place all season. This does not happen to crappy teams. This happens to teams that have a shot at the playoffs.

2. We have been ravaged by injuries by our first string of players and we have still managed #1.

3. We have some amazing talent and I have to believe in it. But more importantly, they need to believe in themselves.

I guess all this madness comes from being so close, yet so far. Yes, we are in first place, but our lead just shrunk by a game, something we could ill afford. When you're ahead, anything that chips away at that lead, that threatens it, hurts more than never being there in the first place.

Sigh. It's gonna be ok. We'll both be back. The Mets before me, I hope.

Shaken, Not Stirred

I just got home from the music festival and am beyond wiped out. It's the top of the 6th and Tom Terrific is closing in on 300. I am closing in on sleep. I may have to go to bed before I can witness the magic.

And while I am thrilled for Tommy G and I am soo happy he is a Met today, I just remember that he once was one of the banes of our existence. Bygones. He stayed with us, so he is now one of us. Trying to be loyal, despite what politics has tried to do to me.

But quickly... the Jose/Luis cocktail is a lethal one if mixed just right. And tonight, a double base steal is shaken, not stirred. Just like I like it.

Double Time

I know this is a big baseball weekend... Barry, A-Rod (Who I must give props to... I am no Yankees fan, but A-Rod is an exceptionally talented ballplayer and I have to give him that. And normally I wouldn't, but c'mon. Youngest player to hit 500? Impressive.)

Mr. Viagra's next shot at 300 is also happening today. And the Mets are again on national TV. But where I am? Not watching baseball.... I have been at the Virgin Music Festival in Baltimore. The hightlight was yesterday when I was wearing both a Mets hat and a Mets backpack, I had two guys come up behind me and furiously fanning me in the 90 degree stickiness while yelling, "We love it, double time." Mets fan are everywhere.

Very awesome and much less upsetting than Johnny Maine's meltdown yesterday. Look, he's young. Yesterday is a reminder that our typically stoic, extremely talented 25 year old pitcher has as much experience pitching as some of the peeps running for President have in public service.

Just sayin'....

Guess Who I Think I Saw?

No, it's not the ghost of FDR or anything like that. It's the New York Mets. The top of the NL East NY Mets, the team with the best record in the National League. They played yesterday and I don't think I've seen them since maybe May, before I went to Italy.

Nice to see you guys, I missed you. 12-4 against the Brewers. Hey, I remember you. Some of you guys are missing, but you are just like those guys from the spring.... You are fast, you pitch well and most important, you score.

Willie said it, “Scoring early and adding on, that’s the key.”

Welcome back.

Tommy G, the Actor

Just poking around this morning and stumbled on this very funny ages old advert starring Tommy G. Check it out.

Ouch!

Sometimes it hurts to watch Billy Wagner. I realize the numbers are on his side. The guy is probably one of the best closers around, with something like a 1.39 ERA. But sometimes watching him is like watching Russian Roulette scene in Deerhunter - ouch! And tonight when the tying run came onto the plate, I kinda felt like when Christopher Walken has the gun in his mouth.

In the end, it was all ok. Oli continues to be a beast. 11 strikeouts. Hot. 8-5 win hot.

Hurry Up and Wait

Poor Mr. Viagra... no win last night. The relievers bringing no relief to anyone. Maybe Gange and Cordero look more worth it after the haze of last night's 13th inning loss? Maybe. We'll probably see one of them in the postseason (or at least a girl can hope). But ya can't go back to yesterday at 3:59, can you? Three games ain't much. But it's where we are today. I don't love it, it's not August 2006 but I still believe.

Stressation

Yes, it is a made up word. Stressation. It's how I describe my feelings when I think about August baseball. Now shit starts to matter. To really matter. And with the Braves and the Philles picking up some pitching (although Julio Mateo is no prize) , a girl's gotta sweat a little. Plus, the Braves picked up some hitting too.

Now I realize that part of all of this is Kabuki theater, kinda like politics... there's a whole game going on here that everyone has to play. It's late in the season and if you're not in first place than you have to speak like it is inevitable that you may end up there or as a Wild Card or whatever it takes to be a contender. Even Dennis Kucinich believes he's got the stuff. I mean, why else would he get up in the morning and do it?

But the Braves are talking bold. And they won against Houston tonight. But I'm not gonna fall prey to the hype. If I did that, I would have thought Howard Dean was gonna be President.

I gotta believe, but I said it kids, Stressation.

And Mr. Viagra is aiming for 300 tonight, but he's down 2-1 in the 6th. More stressation.

Time to Trade in the Honda....

The Mets are off tonight, headed to Milwaukee and what I expect will be a tough series for the boys from Queens. But clearly the news of the day is the 2nd base upgrade to Luis Castillo, a hot prospect indeed. I think Gotay really tried, but in the end, this team needs more than a Honda to be where we want to be come the fall. And a three-time Golden Glove winner is more juice than your standard V-6; it's kinda like a Porsche.

While injuries have ravished our defense, in particular 2nd base, it can't be denied that we need a little dynamite added to our batting lineup. We need another .300 plus hitter... my boyfriend David is close, but none of our other bats have been able to come through this year - the Carloses or Shawn Green specifically. I can' t wait to see the Jose/Luis cocktail at one- two... let's hope it really is as delicious as it looks to be today.

What the Hell is Going On?

Alright, this has gotten worse than the staffing shuffle for a presidential candidate. Seriously. Pitchers pinch running is like communications staffers becoming foreign policy advisers or schedulers becoming campaign mangers. But I guess it has been done before. But done well? Entirely another question.

And welcome back Phillies, you are on our butts again. And it is not going to get easier for us.... the Brewers, Cubs and then Atlanta. And with no first string catcher, outfielders or second baseman plus the non-relief pitching staff, what's a gal to believe? Oh also, did I mention that not a single regular playing Met is hitting above .300 right now? Not even Reyes at .299. Sorry to pile it on.

We'll see what happens today, but having a hard time being optimistic. I am going for a swimming lesson as a way to manage my own DL inducing injury.

Worse Than Getting Dumped

Tonight's 6-2 loss to my adopted home town, cellar dweller Nats is a little worse than last night's loss against the Pirates. To me, it is worse than dumping. It's "I dumped you because you suck." There's no not you, it's me.... it is much worse. It's like being Milhous.

And yes, in case you are wondering, I did go see the Simpsons movie.

Poor Oli

Oli's little meltdown against the Pirates just goes to show you that as much as you want to show your ex that you are thinner, cuter, and overall better than when you dated him/her, it just doesn't matter. You'll always be one one they dumped.

Even if your new partner is waaay better looking... like well over .500 better looking.

Mr. Viagra on His Way to the Big One

The big news from last night's game is Tommy G's victory and the next step being 300 wins, which is clearly big news. It's big company for Mr. Viagra, now the Mets just need to help him win another World Series.

Kicking the Pirates butts has been a good thing. Everyone needs the boost of beating up a weakling, a la slaughtering of one of baseball's worst teams, the Pirates. The good news? Next on deck for the Mets is the hometown Nats, another team that should prove a relatively easy sweep. Confidence building heading into August. We need it.

By the time the Mets get through their emotional booster, the trading deadline will have passed. I know I have been bitching and moaning about our relievers, our hitters, and occasionally even our starters. I'm done complaining; there's nothing better out there. I'm sticking with the ones who brung me, unlike John McCain.

Who's Your Daddy?

Yesterday was beautiful everywhere. In LA where the Mets won 4-3 in 10 innings and even in Washington where I am still only riding my bike due to injury (yes, my Mets empathy extends to physical states.... I'm on the DL too).

While Jose Reyes' trip out west got slightly better yesterday (nice triple), David Wright has just been on fire. The fundamentals - great hitting and running - have made the difference, especially in this series against the Dodgers. This was an important series to win, if only to remember come the fall.

Plus, it is kinda nice to beat the father you never really knew. At least I guess that's what the Dodgers are.

Carlos Satisfies

Carlos Beltran knows how to take care of the ladies. Two run homer. Believe!

SWF seeks Starting Pitcher

All I want for my 34th birthday is some decent Mets pitching. If you watched or are watching Today's impending loss to the Dodgers, you'll understand why. Sosa (remember all the S's, particularly scalped?) gave away David Wright's beautiful 4-0 lead to an 8-4 trailer (in the 8th). That's not just giving it away, he Deanified or McCained, a la 2004. Total implosion.

I'm done. And I don't give a damn about Barry. Nothing can save my boys today. So even with Oli's filthy night and Glavine's chaos night, we're goin' down today. Bottom line, I need solid pitching more than a need a boyfriend.

UPDATE: I am also seeking someone who can hit, get on base, and score. The Mets have the ability, we just haven't seen it in a while. Kinda like having a boyfriend that never takes you out.

Driving in Reverse, But Moving Forward

So, we pounded the crap outta LA last night, 13-9. I was out beginning my birthday celebrations and was in no state to view Sportscenter either tonight or this early morning.

I did, however, have a chance to read the postmortems as I enjoy my day off and what is striking is the reversal of fortune that is last night. Everything that was good was bad and everything that was bad was good. Sele relieved, bats performed and Tom Glavine couldn't get it up. When have we seen that all season?

Somedays it all works (or fails to work as the case may be) as you expect and then, wham! It's all reversed. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, but our starting pitching has been precarious all season with injuries and the cobwebby spot for Pedro we have been forced to spackle with Triple-A'ers that have been inconsistent, to say the least.

I like some pieces of the reversal. The hitting is delish. To see Shawn Green actually hitting gives me hope for all my tribes.

Star F@#ker

Sorry about the slack in writing. It is summer, my birthday is this week and along with that comes a plethora of people, parties, events and other whatnot.

But I did wake up this morning, saw the beautiful 7-0 Mets win against the power Padres and Peavy and realized that finally the Mets are star f@#kers. Not only did El Duque throw a filthy game, the Mets bats were able to shut down a top performer like Peavy.

It may be the extra batting practice, who knows. But it appears there is a Passover reprieve. It's my birthday on Friday, so keep it up. I miss bread.

Atlanta lost, so we're 2.5 up. Movin' on up.

A Thousand Cuts

I was on the phone with my Grandma this morning and she asked me what's goin' on with the Mets. She had noticed that their lead in the division has been eaten up and was concerned. For those of you that don't know, they are up from the Braves just game and a half. A lousy game and a half. I cannot even use numbers to describe it as it is so meager.

It's hard to pinpoint just one thing that got us here. I was thinking about this today as I was having lunch and reading today's Washington Post expose on the collapse of the McCain campaign. The article cites rivalries within the campaign as the catalyst, which is not surprising with the elephantine sized egos that you come across in politics. But that sort of stuff breeds all kinds of other even nastier, pettier and more damaging things. In the end, things collapse under their own weight and while you can try to pinpoint the crux, it is ultimately death by a thousand cuts.

For the Mets right now, they are suffering from about 520 cuts - injuries, matzo bats, and no relief relievers. Not sure how the personalities fully factor into this; after all the Mets are not the Yankees with their soap opera like dramas and subplots worthy of a Page Six spread.

Nonetheless, I went on and on about this over the All Star break. So no more moaning and groaning. We know the diagnosis. Now it's time for relief.

Hot or Not?

Times they are a changing'. I have been thinking over the last few days about the brave new world. The Yankees are struggling, last year's World Series winning Cardinals are 7 and a half games out in the NL Central, John McCain is on life support as is John Edwards. What was once hot is not.

Now the big news out of the Mets clubhouse confirms this trend - Ricky Henderson, Lastings Milledge and the end of Julio Franco and Rick Down. Clearly the Julio thing is the right way to go. We saw nothing out of him and at this point, we need the slot in the rotation for a bat that can perform.

We'll see if this works. Tonight's 3-2 victory over the decidedly unhot Reds (basement of the NL Central) may be a smolder. It is nice now, but think there's another heat wave coming.

Halfway to the Fall

It's halfway through the baseball season and not quite halfway through the Presidential primary race, so some thoughts on both.

The Mets record is basically on pace from last year, with one disturbing difference- injuries. We have lost some of our best hitters and pitching staff to breaking bodies. I understand, it happens. But if we're gonna make it through the rest of the season and come out on top after playing the tough NL teams like the Dodgers and the Padres, heck even the Braves and the Phillies, our boys need to get to feelin' better.

Injuries are kinda like losing your staff, a la McCain today. But, the future prognosis of the Mets is probably better than McCain's.

I don't want to just be a crapper. The early part of the season was delish. The injuries really hurt our momentum, we just need to find our groove and get back to it.

Our relief pitching continues to lag. The three S's - Smith, Sele, and Schoenweis, as well as Heilman and Mota, must have an average ERA over 3. Somedays are good, but others have been disasters. We need some solid relievers we can rely on.

Our bats continue to be as flat as matzos. And it is way beyond Passover. It's nice to see Carlos Beltran finally hitting, but right now the only regular hitter above .300 is Jose. David Wright is nearly there, as is Shawn Green, but if we are going to the top come October, we are going to need to see the Carloses cracking 'em outta there.

Batting is like the fuel of the win, kinda like money in politics. I wish the Mets were like Hillary or Giuliani in their respective races, but they're probably more like Obama. Doing ok in the money race, but remaining competitive because of lotsa other things.

Bring It On!

Last night, I went with my neighbor to see the Nats v. Brewers. I mean, who would not want to see the team with the best record in the NL? Well, they didn't play like it. Sloppy fielding handed it to the Nats 5-4, but the Brewers scored 2 beautiful out-of-the park home runs in a football designed bowl that is hostile to the bat, to say the very least.

When we left the game, it was the 12th inning for the Mets, 3-3. I got home about 45 minutes later, the game was still going. Nuts. The Mets effectively played 2 games last night, with pitching for 17 innings. I'm happy to see the fight in them, to see pitching and fielding that kept Houston at bay for that damn long. And then, finally, victory.

I see the fight, I smell the fight, I taste the fight. Bring on July!