Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 53 - Mets

Mets 5, Phillies 0
Record: 24-29

The Phillies have to be kicking themselves. The Mets' lineup is scaring nobody, except maybe Mets fans, yet they knock out 5 earned runs on 9 hits (6 of them doubles) in a game their ace started. Kevin Millwood was decent, but for a guy who threw a no-hitter a month ago, this array of non-hitters had to look like a chance for more history. And Steve Trachsel is solid, but the Phils' hitters looked helpless against him. So they drop the second series to the Mets in two weeks. And I win myself my fourth case of the good stuff. This time I'm thinking Utica Club.

So tonight is the marquee match-up of Tm Glavine vs. Greg Maddux for the first time. It's probably more marquee than competitive, in truth. Glavine is coming off a bad loss to the crappy Braves and a blister on his index finger, while Maddux is hitting his stride. More importantly, since both guys are usually gamers, is the respective batters on each club. A hitter-for-hitter comparison is something of a joke, with the Mets clearly on the butt end.

Rafael Furcal, SS ------------- Roger Cedeno, RF
Marcus Giles, 2B ------------- Rey Sanchez, SS
Gary Sheffield, RF ------------ Ty Wigginton, 3B
Chipper Jones, LF ----------- Cliff Floyd, LF
Andruw Jones, CF ----------- Jeromy Burnitz, CF
Robert Fick, 1B --------------- Jason Phillips, 1B
Javy Lopez, C ---------------- Vance Wilson, C
Vinny Castilla, 3B ------------ Marco Scutaro, 2B
Greg Maddux, P -------------- Tom Glavine, P

Yikes. Are these two teams really in the same level of professional baseball? Jae Seo goes against "The Little Bulldog" Mike Hampton on Saturday, offering little relief after Friday night's challenge. Sunday night's ESPN game features Al Leiter and Shane Reynolds (whom the Mets tried to sign early this season but low-balled). We in the Mets' faithful are praying for comments like "Well, you don't play the game on paper" or "That's why you play the games" or even "Holy crap! Who knew the Mets were capable?" to be uttered by the SportsCenter geeks come Monday.

Have I mentioned my distaste for the fargin' Braves?