My PTSD

Yesterday was the most loveliest day so far in 2008. The temperature in DC was nearly 80, amazing sunny skies and a lovely breeze AND the Mets were atop the NL East for the first time since last year's "special time". But it's only April, so I spent the day on my beautiful new bike and caught the extremely tense last two innings of the game against the Philles.

I'm sure I've written about how I want to be a pitcher in my next life. I'm not sure, however, if I would not end up suicidal if I were to actually become a pitcher. The idea that you can almost give the other side the game in the 8th inning, as Heilman almost did yesterday, would induce me to a pawn shop or a pharmacist for sure. Who can take the tension of knowing that YOU lost it? Gave the shit away! But then I realized that you need a whole posse to back you and unless the ball goes out of the park (which is no too hard in Philly), you are not alone with the burden.

But none of this happened. Heilman pulled through, Wagner pulled through, the outfield pulled through. I think I just have PTSD from last year. Deep breath. One day at a time.

Praying for a Surge

The Mets have had a lovely week thus far, pounding the Nats in a manner reminiscent of Desert Storm. Pitching, alive and well, even Mike Pelfrey. But tonight, it is now 11 pm and things are starting to look more like the more recent foray into a large, oil filled country in the Middle East.

It's the 12th inning, the Mets barely scrambled to the 2-2 tie in the 8th. It's not the pitching. Again, we are suffering from the bats that are as flat as matzoh. Passover is Saturday boys. I need my surge today. It may or may not work, but if it's all you got, it's all you got.

Bitter Boos

Life took over for a few days (while the Mets crumbled and bungled), but now I am back, baby! Not going to bring you the now rancid leftovers of the last two days, but the chattering on Mets blogs and even the notoriously lame NY Times sports section is the boo. For you non-rabid Met fans the 127 137.5 million dollar pitcher, Johan Santana, was booed by Met fans on Sunday for a less than 127 a 137.5 million dollar worthy appearance. He's not the only one - Mets fans will boo at any sliver of ineptitude, particularly from pitching.

The Times asks if this because of last year's collapse, which I don't think it is. Met fans always booed. We are a rowdy, angry bunch. Bitter, some might say. Not just from last year but from two decades of not making it. And the last time we did, it was with the meanest, craziest, nastiest guys in baseball. What the hell do you expect?

I just hope our bitterness doesn't drive us to guns or religion. Or the Yankees.

They're Alive

I saw the NY Mets last night - capitalizing on every error by the hated (but not reviled, I save that for the Braves) Phillies. Now where the hell were they this weekend?

8-2 and the bullpen held it together. Pelfrey held it together. The bats sort of performed (not so much as the Phillies bullpen melted down, but I'll take it).

Change in momentum = change in attitude= wins. In life and in baseball.

Three Makes a Trend

And we're almost there.... Yesterday was a repeat of what we saw with the Braves. The relievers that bring no relief giving up the hard earned lead of the starters. That and again with the stranded runners.

The Mets are starting to look a little bit like the Democrats. Where is our Obama now? Not that he would be a guarantee of victory in the fall, but at least we could bump up our win/loss record.

Early Spring Torture

Yes, tortured today with the Mets getting creamed by the Braves. The source of torture? Death by pitcher. The same pitcher I raved about just days ago - Johnny Maine. Johnny only led me down to the dungeon. The true pain came from the middle relievers that haunted me all of last year - the S's... Smith, Schoeneweis. But the best - Sosa, who gave the Braves a grand slam. Goodbye.

The pisser in this, aside from the damn pitching, is the Mets leaving so many runners stranded on base. This eluded them last season and today aided in the trouncing.

I ordered the MLB package which seems a little sadistic after today. 160 bucks for nearly daily torture.

Early for Ugh

I'm trying not to meltdown, it's early for a meltdown. Maybe Pedro's injury last night was an April Fools' Joke? It wasn't. This seems worse than Howard Dean's scream was for the Democrats - or at least how it scream seemed in January 2004.

We still got Johnny, we still got Ollie. As long as our Johnny isn't like the Dems Johnny, we should be all fine.

Crocodile Tears

The only tears that came from last night's 3-2 win by the Nats is that the new stadium is finally open. While I am part of a group of taxpayers that is financing 94 percent of a stadium in a city that doesn't have functioning public schools and potholes that threaten my daily commute, I am not bitching. No more institutional food, no more seats with posts in the way. Now that's progress.

And hey, now the Mets are a half game up on the Braves...

The Bitch Is Back

Yes, yes, I realize it has been too long. Too many months where you have been starved of Mets news through the eyes of a lunatic woman who only marginally knows about baseball. But the good news is, I am back!

I did not write during Hot Stove season, only because a gal needs a break. Last season was so... well, you know. I just needed to step away. But I am bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for a fantastic season. And right now super hot on Johnny Maine, who has has a super duper spring training, keeping his ERA under 2.  While in end of last year was not easy for anyone, it was his first full season pitching in regular rotation with the Mets and that experience will take him far this year. Keep your eye on him, he just may be our Obama (or at least that is what I am telling all the dudes who are looking for picks for their fantasy teams).

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.