Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Games 35, 36, & 37 - Mets

San Diego Padres 5, Mets 4
Mets 4, Padres 2
Mets 3, Padres 2
Record: 16-21

While I am certainly happy about the Mets winning any series, (a) I feel like it should have been a sweep, and (b) due to the Extra Innings scheduling I was only able to see the loss (coincidence?). Friday night I watched the Mets battle back from a couple of deficits but fall short in the end. Rondell White had staked the Pad Squad to two separate leads only to see them disappear, once when Robby Alomar hit a two-run shot (literally a few seconds after they flashed back to his 1st career homer -- in a Padres uniform, also hitting right-handed, and eerily similar to the swing and result that ensued moments later), once when Rey Sanchez drove home Joe McEwing. But David Weathers, who seems to get weaker each time I watch him, gave up a two-run job to Xavier Nady (yes, that Xavier Nady) to make it 5-3, and with two on in the bottom of the ninth Met legend Messy Jesse "Met is Short for Methuselah" Orosco struck out Alomar to end it. Annoying was when, on Sanchez's RBI single, Cedeno rounded second, fell down, and was thrown out to put a serious damper on the rally. Annoying and bizarre was the play where Alomar swung at a pitch that hit him, but the ump made no call and the Mets scored as the ball rolled to the backstop. The ump then had to piece things back together, and he subsequently sent Sanchez back to second. While the ump looked like a moron, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was bewildered why Alomar would have actually swung the bat. Anyway, they didn't score again that inning, and, after a quick phone call to my brother-in-law to figure out what in the hell had happened, I was pretty much resigned to accepting this as a loss.

My quarrel Saturday and Sunday was that the Mets garnered comeback wins while I was relegated to ESPNews ticker status, much like my colleague. Indeed, it's no way to follow a game. You might as well just bite the bullet and wait for the morning paper to save yourself the angst and agitation. Anyway, on Saturday New York came back from two deficits once again and the game went into extras. In the bottom of the 10th Mike Piazza sent a rocket over the left-field wall. I saw it on SportsCenter . . . dammit. On Sunday San Diego notched a pair in the 1st but were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. In the bottom of the 8th, Cedeno tripled and scored on a wild pitch. Benitez came in and allowed two hits and three stolen bases (didn't I hear something about Piazza moving to 1st?), but closed it out for his 11th save.

Today the Mets head to Coors Field for three, then four in Pac Bell. Met trainers are rumored to be foregoing working out the pitchers' arms in favor of their necks, as they may strain something whipping their heads around in the next week. Then they head back east for 12 quick ones against the Phils and Braves which will either bring them right back into the thick of things or (more likely) have them selling off what they have like a Sunday yard sale. Stay tuned.