Game 73 - Yankees 4, Mets 2

This day started with me headed south to my sister's place to meet my friend Dru, driving up from Sarasota for the briefest of stays. In fact, he was in the city of Atlanta for about a total of 5 hours.

Fortunately for him, 3.5 of that was spent in Turner Field. Well, fortunately if you are a Braves fan since that's who eventually won the game.

Let's run through the highlights.

- Pretty good peanuts, but not worth $6.25.

- Pretty good seats for the upper deck, especially since they were shaded from the outset on a very sunny day that would reach about 94 degrees in the sun.

- Walked around the the patio/bar in center field, had a Sam Adams and watched an inning with a decent view, but the sun beating down.

- Walked behind home plate in the concourse, next to a guy that paid $20 to stand while we paid two dollars less to sit and then walk to where he was and stand next to him.

- With the Sox down to their last out and Mike Gonzalez with two strikes on the batter, some idiot decided that was the time to run onto the field. The problem was, however, that instead of heading for center field and prolonging his 15 seconds of fame, he decided he was a SEC running back and tried to cut back between the two security guards that followed him on the field from the left-field line.

Idiot.

As for the Mets, I'm not even gonna dignify that horrible monstrosity with a response. Sloppy play in the first inning to allow three runs. Horrible at-bats against a struggling Wang and didn't take advantage of the few opportunities they had.

Let's not even get on nine walks in the final four innings, including Frankie walking Mo Riveria with the bases loaded.

To quote the immortal Jay-Z, what more can I say?

Game 72 - Yankees 5, Mets 0

The way this team is playing, the Mets management should hire Harry Doyle.

No, not Bob Uecker, but the fictional character from one of the greatest sports movies of all time.

BTW, Slumdog Millionaire was amazing and Taken is cool cuz Liam is wiling to shoot a man's wife at her dinner table for information.

I'll be at Turner Field tomorrow to watch Brad Penny (I think) vs. Tommy Hanson, then come home and prey my wife lets me watch Livan Hernandez vs. C-Ming Wang.

Game 71 - Yankees 9, Mets 1

I've got nothing to say about this game.

Call it a result of morning Michael Jackson.

Or that CC vs. Pelfrey isn't a fair fight, so to speak.

Or that this was a close game and then the Yanks pulled away late and after warming up with taking two out of three from the Braves, their offense is on point right now.

Add to that the fact that Ryan Church started in center because Manuel didn't trust putting two lefties in the lineup against a lefty pitcher and you've got the formula for a loss.

Did I mention three errors?


Can't do that today with Tim Redding on the mound. He'll need all the help he can get.

Game 70 - Mets 3, Cardinals 2

So much has happened since I kept track of this game on my cell phone with 15 second refreshers on the box score ESPN page and then sent off my last text to Josh, my Cards fan friend to rub in taking 3 of 4 from the NL Central leaders with a completed depleted roster, including a shutout led by an Astros retread making only his third major league start...



First, I found out that Farrah Fawcett died and thinking back, the only thing about her career that makes a blip on the radar would be this photo.
Must have been cold that day at the shoot, huh?

Then I watched some of the draft and looked quizically at the screen when I noticed that the T-wolves took Ricky Rubio, Jonny Glynn and Ty Lawson. How did they get three, actually four first round picks? Why would they spend three of them on point guards? They can't imagine going that small with Rubio and Glynn, can they? I will say this - It certainly opened my eyes and got me to start talking about Minnesota.

Then I heard the news that Michael Jackson died at the age of 50.

I understand as news media outlets, they must talk about the last five to ten years and the legal cases, to which the man was never found guilty. But to do that takes away from the 30 years of Jackson being a musical genius and world icon.

Michael Jackson. Dead.

Pelfrey vs. somebody in The Citi Friday night, I don't really know what else to say.

Game 69 - Mets 11, Cardinals 0

I could talk about Fernando Nieve moving to 3-0 with another quality performance, even though they took him out after six innings...

Then again, they were up 7-0 at the time.

How about the big bats showing up for a blowout win? Granted, they were facing Bobby Thompson or someone like that. Point being, it wasn't Chris Carpenter or Adam Wainwright...

The bigger point is without our resident college basketball expert, Mr. Kris, this site won't be able to give its readers (all two of you and Thanks Mom for your support) a quality 2009 NBA Draft coverage.

I can direct all you NBA fans to Disciples of Cylde for their thoughts on it. Only problem with that is the fact that most everyone that pods that cast hates college basketball.

Let's start at the top with the Clippers and Blake Griffin. As someone who actually watches and loves college basketball, I can say that I actually never watched Oklahoma play. I heard about Griffin during the year and it only led to my belief that big men from the Big 12 are usually highly overrated. Biggest case in point is Marcus Fizer, an Iowa State product who led his team to the Elite 8 with Teaneck's own Mike "Boogeyman" Nurse and completely fizzed out at the next level.

However, when I talked to Kris about Griffin, he said "He's got the athletic ability of Amare (of the Suns) with another 25 pounds of muscle. He's an athletic freak."

I hear all that and watched a brief draft preview on ESPN and the thing they said is Griffin needs to work on his post game and defense. When I hear that, I hear he'll prosper in a quality team environment. That is not the Clippers, so I'll stand by this statement - Tyler Hansborough will have a better career than Griffin.

Tyler may be 24 and not have a lot of "upside", but he's also gonna hit a 15-foot jumper, he's gonna get to the foul line, can defend his position and will give you nothing but effort every time you call his number.

In my opinion, this draft will fill rosters with rotation guys and average players deep on the bench. I don't see any breakthrough players here. Hasheem Thabeet is tall and that's about it. He'll block shots and grab tall person rebounds, but is that worth a top 5 pick?

Stephen Curry is gonna be a great player in the right system. Kris said he reminds him of Hersey Hawkins. A quality guard you can't leave alone behind the line that won't hurt you with stupid moves on or off the court.

I'm the wrong person to ask about Jonny Flynn, mostly because he went to Syracuse. But he is a scorer and can push the ball from the point. Drawback is he's barely 6-1 and hasn't been asked to play man to man defense from that 2-3 zone. But a reported 40-inch vertical makes him an interesting pick wherever he goes.

I'm not sold on Jreu Holliday, Gerald Henderson or DeJuan Blair, mostly because the Pitt power forward is 6-7 and won't be able to push around players in the post as easily as he did in the Big East.

I keep hearing how Ty Lawson is gonna drop down to the middle of the first round. I'm curious why. Was he too good leading the Tar Heels to the national championship? Was it too obvious that UNC struggled without him at the point? Did he not show a great ability to get to the hole, push the ball and distribute? If Flynn's height isn't an issue, why would Lawson's?

As I said before, this draft will be full of players that will fill roster spots for years but I don't think anyone here will be a All-Star game lock. Maybe a couple in the Slam Dunk contest or 3-point shootout, but the actual game? I think not.

I think I would like to find a bar or television set with Extra Innings Thursday afternoon when the Mets-Cards series ends with Carpenter vs. Santana. Can't wait to watch the highlights on the 6 p.m. ScoreCenter.

More importantly, it seems that will be the time to hear about all the trades as NBA GM's realize there's nothing much to gain from this draft and move pieces around with what they already have...

Wow. I almost got through an entire post about the draft and didn't mention Ricky Rubio. Here's the main thing about him, regardless of where he goes - HE'S 18 YEARS OLD AND HAS BEEN PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

While Brandon Jennings went to Italy for the money and because he wouldn't have qualified to attend Arizone, Rubio has been playing against grown men for the past four years.

He may be thin, but he's still got time to grow and work out. The biggest thing will be getting out of his current contract, but someone will get it done and he'll be lighting up highlight reels in the fall.

Game 68 - Cardinals 3, Mets 0

Actually, the score for this game could have read:

Joel Pinero 1, Mets 0

Or how about?

Joel Pinero's hits 2, Mets hits 2

I guess this is the type of stuff I should get used to, but that Joel guy has our number, at least lately. Anytime he faces us, he seems to dominate for a average guy on a good team.

Either way, I could use a Harry Doyle line here, but a ninth inning single throws off teh "One hit. All we got was one God damn hit?!"

I'm going to sleep like the Mets' bats did tonight. Maybe they'll wake up for Fernando Nieve and he'll improve to 3-0. Then again, I wouldn't anticipate it.

Game 67 - Mets 6, Cardinals 4

Able to get a big win tonight before a national crowd...

Add to that, got to hear proof of how much of a moron Steve Phillips is. The fact he still gets credit for David Wright, like noticing a gap-hitting third baseman with a good glove was hard...

He was talking about how Redding didn't have anything to worry about after Pujos cracked a laser past David Wright for a double. How Redding should throw a curve to Ludwig and then we all watched when he crushed that same pitch, the one that Phillips called for, for a 2-run homer to get the Red birds within one...

But what was even better was the Mets getting another run in the next frame. Did you know the Mets as a team, without Delgado and Reyes and now Beltran (who didn't see this coing?), are second in the NL in batting and on-base percentage?

They pounded out 14 hits, four by Omir Santos himself, but I was most impressed with Daniel Murphy. He's up to .254 now, but it's clear that he's a bit more comfortable about everything. The kid can hit and I just hope he's able to stay in the lineup...

On a completely separate note, I was tricked into a Facebook page. I can see why the world is on it, what with the ability to see pictures of people you haven't thought about in years and send a short message about whatever you just did (Or is that Twitter?).

I really shouldn't say anything bad about it because I was on for a lot longer than I wanted to be...but I also pay way too much attention to Mets baseball and I don't see this battling with that.

Anyway, good win. Gotta go back out tomorrow and get another one with Livan Hernandez on the hill.

Game 66 - Rays 10, Mets 6

This is the fourth straight series loss for the Amazing and amazingly, they are actually closer to first place then they were when this down streak started...

It's been a strange season and it's only gonna get worse before it shows any signs of getting better.

I mean, David Wright is batting .349, but there's not a Met fan alive who really looks forward to him at the plate late in a game with a runner on second base...And he's batting about .330 in those situations.

Carlos Beltran leads us in homers with EIGHT, but is slugging .527 and will be taking an MRI on Monday for a knee that if it goes out, you might as well call it a season...

Then again, you would think with all the injuries and the failed experiments like Daniel Murphy (I still think the kid can hit, but they didn't just leave him in the lineup. Instead making sure to get Fernando Tatis some at-bats...Huh?) and the whole corner outfield platoon (Cuz for as great at Sheffield has been, he's batting the same as Ryan Church (.276) although with significantly more RBIs)...

Did I fail to mention Luis Castillo, who's hot start has allowed him to cool off at .270 with a .365 OBP. The 34 runs are decent for a top of the lineup guy, and it's just enough to make us forget that we could have had Orlando Hudson (.315 BA, .388 OBP, 43 runs scored) as late at Valentine's Day for as little as 4 million a year.

But that's revisionist history because that would have meant either finding a taker for Castillo, coming off his worst year ever, or eating the rest of his amazingly lucrative contract for being a slap No. 2 hitter with a pretty good glove at 2B. If you make the move five years ago, no one blinks an eye. Then again, that's when Luis was hitting .296, five points higher than his career average...

Sit on that for a second and then think about the fact that right now, the best three pitchers on the team are Johan Santana, Livan Hernandez and Fernando Nieve...

And the bullpen, which has been top of the heap all year, has gone into the tank with Bobby Parnell hitting the first major rough patch of his young career. The kid was untouchable for a while, but in 2/3 of an inning against the Rays (he pitched in all three games) the flame-thrower allowed six runs (all earned) on seven hits with just one strike out.

He also got roughed up by Baltimore, so it's either the American League can hit the fastball or he's hit his first wall. Either way, his struggles have made the loss of J.J. Putz visiable. Parnell was supposed to pitch the eighth, but now who do you turn to? Sean Green? Feliciano? It's a tough question to answer with anything that breeds confidence...

And with all that negativity, with all the problems and interesting numbers like Wright has 88 hits and 69 strikeouts in 252 at bats. Do the math people, that's 157 over 252, so I can say with certainty that D-Wright will either get a hit or strikeout 3/5 of the time.

Those aren't great numbers and yet, that's what they are and the numbers don't lie. We're still only two games back of first place. Then again, we're going into a series against the Cardinals with Tim Redding starting on Monday Night Baseball on ESPN.

That's the best face for a national showcase, your No. 5B starter.

Game 65 - Rays 3, Mets 1

Hate to lose a Santana start, especially when he pitches well.

Hate to miss a game on national TV, especially when I don't have MLB Network right now and the ace is on the mound.

It was the type of baseball game I love, but I was with people I "love" more.

Either way, it's clear this team is just trying to tread water until something happens. Whether that is Reyes coming back, Perez returning as a dominant force in the rotation or Minaya making a trade is still to be determined.

The schedule and rotation determines that Mike Pelfrey goes today in hopes of capturing a series for the first time in over a week. That's important to me on Father's Day.

Game 64 - Mets 5, Rays 3

A good solid win, simple and plain.

Another quality start from Fernando Nieve. It's still early, but we might have found a replacement until John Maine and/or Oliver Perez get healthy. Just like Livan, I'm not looking for Satchel Paige every time out, but six innings plus with less than three runs will get to the pen, which is another story...

With the injury to Putz and the revelation that Bobby Parnell and his 98 MPH fastball are actually human has put this pen into flux, to say the least.

Tonight, Parnell allowed two runners in the seventh, then Feliciano allowed a two-run double to allow Tampa to get close. Sean Green allowed runners in the eighth, but with two on, he struck out the next two to get out of the jam.

Frankie returned to Hollywood in the ninth and I almost forgot about Ryan Church's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to plate the extra run. Similar to David Wright's double in the third to plate another run. It's the ones like that that win ball games and get teams within two games of first.

This division is wide open right now. The Flithies are struggling because their lack of starting pitching is finally catching up to them. The Marlins will probably turn it on come August, but right now they are barely treading water. And I'm not even going to respect the Braves enough to finish...

This is our chance to jump up and get some right now. Which means the Saturday start by Johan on Fox Saturday baseball is a big one. It's a game that I would really like to see us win for more than just the win. It would give us the series, it would put the pressure on the Flithies and with just 98 games left you can't give away anything.

Game 63 - Orioles 5, Mets 4

Frankie finally blew one.

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Just a shame it had to take place today with the Flithies getting swept by the Jays and a chance to move just two games back...

Nevertheless, couple of good things. Ryan Church with a big hit and Daniel Murphy with a clutch double to score a run late and give them the lead.

Shame to see David Wright struggle like he did, but he was also white-hot for about two weeks so there was eventually gonna be a cooling off period.

Another quality start from Livan, who reached the seventh inning and is giving nothing but innings from the bottom of the rotation...

I haven't mentioned anything about Sammy Sosa cuz I'm still trying to formulate my thoughts, but I do know that I'm sick and tired of "leaked" information. It's just annoying and that's coming from a journalist.

I don't fault them. I fault the lawyers that gave up the goods and I hope they all get disbarred and outcast from the profession. But something tells me that's not gonna happen.

Something tells me that Fernando Nieve won't pitch as well as he did last time out against the Yankees, but you never know and I can only hope for the best...

Game 62 - Orioles 6, Mets 4

I don't like putting the blame on the manager for any one loss, not with 25 guys that are actually between the lines playing the game...

However...

This one, and I hope at least the beat writers beat on this point for the Thursday edition, should fall completely at the feet of Jerry Manuel.

Let me start by saying that he seems to have this team on his side and deals with the media well, both very important things when coaching in New York.

Howevr, he's been harped on about being a bad game manager and tonight was proof positive.

The Mets were down 4-2 when they loaded the bases with one out. Alex Cora walked to force in a run and due up was rookie Fernando Martinez.

I don't care what he's done in the past game, past couple of weeks, none of that matters. With one out and the bases loaded, what's the one thing that can kill a rally dead?

Martinez is a young hitter and he might have struck out in that spot, but with his speed it was gonna be tough to double him up. Plus, if he does K, Beltran is behind him in the lineup and you have one more shot.

Needless to say, Manuel turned to a different Fernando. Tatis, that is who promptly grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Now, you have killed your rally AND weakened your defense by putting a career infielder into left field, replacing a guy who if he's up for anything it's for speed and outfield defense.

All in all, it's a crappy move. I'm sure you could argue that Tatis is better equipped to make contact or drive the ball to the outfield to plate at least one run, but he's also prone to get doubled up. All in all, it was just a real stupid move and it backfired.

And with Scott Richmond (on my fantasy team, by the way) shutting down the Flithies, we squandered an opportunity to move within two games of the top of the division.

Now I've got to pin my hopes on Livan Hernandez (5-1, 4.33 ERA) to make sure we don't lose our third straight series.

Game 61 - Mets 6, Orioles 4

Did you know that David Wright is leading the league in hitting, batting about .360?

Did you also know that he's adjusted his swing to aim towards the gaps due to the depth of Citi Field?

How about the fact that Fernando Martinez is likely gonna stay up with the big club for the rest of the year?

That would mean that between Martinez and Bobby Parnell, we've pretty much drained our minor league system of any big-league ready talent...

That's a sad state, but I've got to hope that the lower levels are stacked. But then again, the majority of those players are a crap shoot anyway. Just like anyone that not in the big leagues...

As for the game, gotta love Frankie in the ninth, that Pelfrey (there's another young prospect up and playing right now) was able to pick up a win despite not getting out of the sixth and with the Flithies loss to the Blue Jays, we're only three games out...

But if you want to listen to reports that the sky is falling, be my guest.

Me, I'll just hope that Tim Redding, who did go seven strong last time out, can outpitch the O's Japanese import.

Game 60 - Yankees 15, Mets 0

Believe what you want to, but I tuned out of this game in about the fourth inning...

That was after Johan Santana proved to be mortal, or remembered that it wasn't the second half of the season so he couldn't spot his fastball well enough to set up the change...

It was 4-0 and the Mets, to their credit, came right back and loaded the bases against an erratic A.J. Burnett, who also couldn't spot his fastball. Then Alex Cora got up and held his swing on a wicked slider, but the third base ump punched him out.

I screamed and my wife came to comfort me, but I knew that was the beginning of the end. Burnett remembered that his slider was absolutely disgusting today and used it to strike out Castillo, then Beltran lined out to short and the inning was over.

An inning where they should have scored at least once, if not twice, ended with another blank slate and I was done.

It reminded me what I wrote after Friday night's game, that I can't wait for the NFL season to begin if I'm gonna have to go through this for the rest of the summer...

I could look on the bright side - the fact that despite a 2-4 week against two of the best teams in all of baseball we're only four games behind the Flithies, but there's not much to hold onto there...

How about it's another year of woulda, coulda, shoulda...We shoulda won two of three from the Flithies, we coulda taken two of three from the Yankess, we woulda been about a game out headed into an offday and a trip to Baltimore...

But that's the problem, dealing every year with all these things that didn't and don't happen. And this just isn't the past two seasons. You could go back to 2006, when they did win the NL East and went through the dramatics of that NLCS...

I could go back a decade to the Bobby Valentine years and missing the playoffs by a couple of games in 1998 by losing five straight to close the season including a three-game sweep in the ATL...

Wow, I had totally forgot that.

I'm gonna go to bed now, a little more sad that I really needed to be.

Game 59 - Mets 6, Yankees 2

This is the standard this season, huh?

They have a horrible loss, one that would decimate any other team, is washed away. David Wright has a couple of clutch hits, adding to his league-leading batting average. Gary Sheffield proves his bat speed is still there with a no-doubt blast...

And we ride three Fernando's to a gut-check win in the Table Tennis field in the Bronx.

And if Johan Santana goes out tomorrow, like he is Johan Santana, and we pull out a victory over the Bombers...

Well, that would be a 3-3 split against the Flithies and the Yanks with a decimated roster. That would be a good sign since they're headed for rougher waters and would be something for Mets fans nationwide to hold their head up high about...

Then again, if the Yanks pound Santana into the dirt like a punk, I;lll be left to cry myself to sleep.

Game 58 - Yankees 9, Mets 7

I thought I was bad after yesterday's loss. Now I'm just sick to my stomach.

I sent out a text moments after watching the high (or low) lights on ESPN, the same one I'll see replayed over and over on Fox for Saturday's game and on TBS for Sunday's game and mentioned in every columnists article in tomorrow's papers across the Tri-State area and probably brought back up in a couple of weeks when they're either close to the Phillies after this long stretch of tough games or when they're 12 back after facing this gauntlet of a schedule...

It's losses like this that make me want to forget about the baseball season entirely and just wait for NFL training camps to open up. That make me look forward to serving as a freelancer covering high school football games and tossing my Friday nights out the window for $75 a shot.

It's pathetic and there's very little that can be said. Frankie did his job, the team did their job and David Wright, who's batting over .360 right now by the way, came through in a clutch situation against one of the best closers in the game, in a tight spot like the same one Met fans like myself have been critiquing him about for the past two seasons...

Note: Mo Riveria is the greatest closer of all time, but right now in 2009 he's just one of the best. No longer the hands down best and there's really no argument about this.

As for the ninth, you had to know that Derek Jeter would get a hit. That was without question cuz that's what he does against us. But the intentional walk to Tex was surprising. Then again, all the hate all you Yankee fans have for A-Rod only helped any Met fans resolve about the final outcome.

See, if Castillo catches the ball, the columns would remind the reader how much of a choke A-Rod is in big games and how the Yankees are slipping right now. They might have even remembered that Joba didn't make it to the fifth inning on a night when the bullpen really needed a rest.

Instead, they'll all write about how the Mets are finding new ways to lose and with Fernando Nieve on the mound, on national television no less, how Omar needs to go and find a new starter. How this team was horribly made up and what is this guy doing on the mound in such a pressure situation.

I'm sure someone will mention how they needed rookies like Johnathon Niese and Brandon Knight down the stretch last year and what's the problem with the team's minor leagues that the best they could come up with is a former relief pitcher they picked up for nothing after the Astros decided they didn't need him to help them be four games under .500...

I don't even know if I'll try to make the time to watch tomorrow's game after this. And even as I type this, I know I'll be looking for an empty TV set around 4 p.m. because I love the pain.

Maybe my wife should find a paddle and one of those straps with the ball for my mouth.

Game 57 - Phillies 6, Mets 3 (10 innings)

I'm just disappointed right now.

Mets found a way to lose. In extra innings, no doubt. Even with Tim Redding going seven strong innings no less...

Then I stayed up and instead of reading my library book, The Watchmen, I watched the Magic figure out a way to give up another game and end the NBA Finals with another overtime loss.

At least I can hang my happy hat on the fact that today, I used a company vehicle to complete a task that was just for me...

So maybe this was my punishment. Maybe I had to suffer, that the worry the rest of the trip about me losing my job wasn't enough.

Life sucks that way and something tells me that the Yankees are gonna make life suck for John Maine in that matchbox of a stadium in the Bronx.

Game 56 - Phillies 5, Mets 4 (11 innings)

First and foremost, what a game...

I really felt I could start again with that, especially since I feel about the opposite. They managed to leave 15 men on base, including 88 in the final four innings.

OK, it felt like 88 but it was just eight.

Painful to listen to, but I did.

And now I'm tired. And scared I have to depend on Tim Redding in the rubber game of this series.

Jeez, Tim Redding.

Game 55 - Mets 6, Phillies 5

First and foremost, what a game.

I was lucky enough to get a clear signal on my XM and listened to a large majority of it and all I can say is, what a game.

The scary thing is the amount of runs the Mets left on the board. Ryan Church failed to bring home a runner from third with one out. There were others who had similar at-bats and it took a RBI double from Johan Santana to put them back up...

Granted, that was after Santana had given up a couple of home runs to give up the lead, the killer was a two-run bomb by Jimmy Rollins.

There were seven home runs in the game, a new Citi Field record. What that really says is when you pull the ball, you can hit it out. It's the gappers that will hold. what that says about Church's homer in the seventh, I'll soon see on Baseball Tonight...

After I put Naomi down...

And now, I've sat down in front of a Magic lead in the fourth quarter of game three, so I'll leave it with this - In this series, we have to win at least two of the three games.

One down, Pelfrey has to pitch better today and we'll go from there.

Game 54 - Mets 7, Nationals 0

So the Mets end a 12-game run against the "lower end" of the National League with a 7-5 record. After winning 5-of-6 at home, the Pirates swept them at PNC and they took 2-of-3 from the gNats...

Speaking of which, with a 5-1 record and a 3.88 ERA to date with 67 innings pitched in the No. 5 hole, how great of a signing for next to nothing was Livan Hernandez? He's not the next coming of Tom Terrific (Mr. Seaver to the rest of you) but he's doing nothing but getting the job done and providing innings, especially when he's against the "lower end"...

They socred five in the first against the immortal John Stammen and just held on. Could have increased the lead a couple of times, but what's done is done and now they get an off-day before the mid-season stretch that will likely determine how much of a player Omar will need to be before the trade deadline.

The biggest thing is not the Subway Series. In fact, I think with that Wiffle Ball Bronx home, it means even less. No, the biggest series to date will start Tuesday when Johan Santana defends the Citi against JA Happ (4-0, 2.66 ERA). The 26-year old has pitched well, but this is a must-win for the Boys in Blue and Orange.

On Wednesday night, everybody's All-American soft tosser Cole Hamels will face Mike Pelfrey, who was lit up like a Christmas tree last time out. Before that, he was throwing lights out.

The series finale will pit the ageless Jamie Moyer, who we've seen twice and tagged for a total of 12 runs in 12 innings, against the great Tim Redding, who can't be expected to last through the fifth inning as far as I'm concerned...

Sad to say, but we really could have used Oli here. He usually picked up his game when the spotlight was turned on.

Then at the Broxn, then to Camden Yards and back home to face the AL champion Rays. Maybe they'll throw Kazmir and we Met fans can all imagine what he would have looked like wearing white.

St. Louis, Yankees again, to Brewersville for three before facing the Flithies again, then the Dodgers come to their home away from home and Cincinati to close out the first half of the season.

While it could be argued that we don't need starting pitching, I don't know where you put another bat in the lineup. I mean, I know you would likely send Church to whoever to clear a corner outfield spot but what does that do to Gary Sheffield's playing time?

I know, I know, I'm leaving out first base as an open trade option for a bat but that's because it just doesn't make sense. You leave Murphy there for two reasons: 1) to see if the kid can hit and field at this position for next year and B) what do you do if you trade for Nick Johnson and Delgado returns in the final two months of the season? With Murphy, at least, you could sit him down, platoon him or send him down. Now you can't do that with an Aubrey Huff, can you?

OK, since we started this with a schedule discussion, let's close it with a similar one. The looks of the cooks is that this roster will be loaded for August and September with all the healthy bodies back and don't let Billy Wagner come around for the final 45 games...

Imagine this: John Maine struggles early, but grits his way through 5.2 innings against the Flithies on Friday, Sept. 11. (Just a date I picked at random). Pedro Feliciano comes on to strike out Ryan Howard to get out of the sixth and there's nine outs left. Jerry Manuel thinks "Do I go with Bobby Parnell now or use Wagner for this frame, then Parnell and then Frankie?"

It's something to rest happily on, Mets fans, I can say that with pride. I just hope it's a decision made with the team still in contention.

Game 53 - Nationals 7, Mets 1

I just don't know what to say.

I was eating dinner and didn't get to my XM and when I did, the score was already 7-0.

I checked out GameCast and saw they hit into four double plays in the first five innings. That's call a rally killer folks, no need for any funny words to add to the facts...

So, what else is in the news?

Red Wings are up 3-2 after blowing out the Pens before a packed house and 17 people watching at home.

Thanks to the Dodgers, we're only three games back of the first-place Flithies, who head to Shea to start next week and will see a rested Johan Santana on the hill. Can't wait for that...

I'm watching one of the final episodes of Pushing Daises, a great show that was asked to put up great ratings. I really don't know what it was losing to, but clearly intelligence isn't important on network TV...

I've got to hope that the Magic show up tomorrow night against the Lakers. They can't go to Orlando down 2-0 and expect to head back to LA, yet alone head back up 3-2...

OK, I'm gonna watch "The Wrestler" now, with hopes that Livan Hernandez gives another come from nowhere performance like Mickey Rourke supposedly did.

Game 52 - Mets 3, Nationals 1 (10 innings)

I just knew that Tim Redding would pick it up against his old team.

I just knew that this team would find ways to put numerous runners on base, most in scoring position and only score one run early on a groundout by Fernando Tatis.

But good to see Wright win the game, especially after a couple of balls dropped in for a very productive 4-for-5 evening and any blast to right center field usually means he's seeing the ball and being patient at the plate.

OK, I don't have much more and the dose of NyQuil (see Walmart version) is starting to kick in. I was happy to see that the rainout forces Santan to get an early start against them and still have something for the Yankees in that band box next weekend.

If I've got it right, he'll pitch the first game against the Flithies next week and the finale in the Bronx.

Needless to say, John Maine goes tonight and has been pitching well as of late. let's hope that trend continues...

Game 51 - Pirates 11, Mets 6

It's raining frogs.

It's raining frogs.

What can I say? Back to you.

I could change that to...

Mets get blown out.

Magic get blown out.

What can I say? Back to you.

It would be even better if I complained about no flying cars, but wha to think about when I've got little to deal with on this day, the day of your daughter's first funeral or wedding.

OK, what can I really say? I missed this game outright. I was watching the NBA Finals and the Magic were up, I turned away and when I came back they were down. Each time I went back to the game, they trailed by more.

At least Jameer Nelson came back and played well. I wish I could say the same about a lot of other things...

I wish I didn't have to look to Tim Redding to stop the bleeding. Jeez, at least he should have some motivation going against his former mates.

Game 50 - Pirates 3, Mets 1

This could hurt a lot since it's a huge waste to ever lose a Johan Santana start, but...

It was bound to catch up with us sometime. I mean, even in this game Ramon Martinez, over-37 year old infielder supreme Ramon Martinez, went down...

Maybe the team was thinking about the upcoming NBA Finals and how the world will pick the Lakers, despite the Magic winning twice in the regular season (doesn't count), that LA has little to no answer for Dwight Howard (Has no post game and can be neutralized) or the fact that Jamir Nelson in uniform on the bench will be a big help (the Lakers are the better team).

Clearly, my general hatred for Kobe will have me rooting for the Magic, but what can I do besides wonder if the team will push back Santana's next start so he faces the Flithies early next week...

Meanwhile, I've got to look to Mike Pelfrey to end this losing streak.

Game 49 - Pirates 8, Mets 5

So I'm gonna blame this loss on J.J. Putz and my wife.

Putz will take the brunt of it since he seems to lack the motivation to perform at top quality as an 8th inning man. It means that Omar is gonna have to act fact, ship him somewhere as a closer and promote Bobby Parnell into the 8th inning role.

Simple solution to a possible problem down the line. And you might as well make the move now, although it will be hard to determine exactly what the team needs. One could argue that they need a 1st baseman but we should give Murphy a chance there to see what we'll need in the offseason. I mean, I think Murph is the answer and we should be good with him and Tatis over there for the season but...

I guess then you could say we need a corner outfielder, but when everyone gets healthy we would have too many with Beltran, Sheffield (who's earn a place to at least platoon with his carrying of the team lately) and Church.

Which leaves me with the need for a starter and the best one out there than might be available would be...

(Drum roll please)

Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Yes, he's on the DL now but I'll take a Brandon Webb down the stretch to pair with Santana and the first chance to sign him long term for Putz and whatever else.

My wife takes the blame cuz I was listening to the game (and watching on Gamecast) and she decided she wanted to take a bath but was waiting for the game to end. I turned off the game and just like that, the piRats score five in the eighth to take the lead.

That's OK. With the stomach bug going around the clubhouse, it's good to know that losing streak killer Santana goes tonight.