Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Games 29-31 - Mets

Mets 9, Milwaukee Brewers 3
Brewers 3, Mets 2
Mets 5, Brewers 3
Record: 13-18

The season was only 28 games old and the Mets had two losing streaks of five or more games. But taking two out of three -- even from the hapless Brew Crew -- gives you reason to believe. The media focus this weekend was on the rumors (that the media generated, for the most part) that GM Steve Phillips is very close to being clipped. Maybe the Mets require clubhouse distractions to do well -- the team has been far too congenial off the field and, in turn, complacent on it. Across town, the Yankees seem to have controversy as a prerequisite to actually playing baseball, and they're 23-8. How about some bad blood? I believe Rickey Henderson is doing time in the Independent League -- he's got to be able to get on base as often as Roger Cedeno, plus he can infect the clubhouse with some ill will. The 1986 Mets were said to be the kind of club that took 25 separate cabs from the hotel to the ballpark. I know chemistry is something every team strives for, and this team seems to mesh pretty well. That's landed them in last place thus far. We probably won't see Timo & Art brawling a la Reggie & Billy, but maybe there will arise some more questions about the sexual preferences of Piazza & Alomar? I know, I'm grasping at straws here. I should just be glad they won a series at all.

The Dodgers come to Shea this week, followed by the Padres, then the Mets go to Coors Field. There should be a handful of wins in there, though the pitching match-ups versus L.A. aren't pretty. Between Odalis Perez, Hideo Nomo, and Kaz Ishii, I smell a no-no somewhere in the next few days.