Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 74 - Mets

Marlins 8, Mets 4
Record: 33-41

The free-fall continues. Roger Cedeno hits a homer and steals a base (look out, he's now in the 2-2 Club), all for naught? There just isn't a lot to say right now about these Mets. The Sunday night loss still hurts, and it seems to have carried over nicely into this week, draining the remaining energy from the club. And its fans.

Today's posting features the last time I am mentioning Armando Benitez's name until he is traded. Typing his long name (even longer if I were to include the derogatory epithets I'd like to add) over and over again when he has brought so much irritation to me . . . every letter is now punched in with many more newtons of force than is good for this keyboard. So, in an effort to minimize tech support calls to this desk, if I have to refer to the lame-duck closer at all, it won't be by name.

Here's a question to ponder: which Met (or Mets . . . I'm kidding) will be chosen -- obviously not voted -- to represent the team in the 2003 All-Star Game at U.S. Cellular Field? Bonus points if you know right off what city is home to U.S. Cellular Field. On that note, a quick glimpse at the mlb.com page dedicated to the Mid-Summer Classic ballot brings a look at the header, a 1"x5" banner that boasts no fewer than four (4) corporate sponsors (U.S. Cellular, FOX Sports, Topps, and NEXL). There has to be some corporation out there willing to pay me to watch the damn game, right? Not that my baseball world is confined to my team, but despite FOX's attempt to dramatize the event ("This Year It Counts!") with all of the emotionally gripping inflection that they hype their regularly scheduled reality TV programming, I'm largely unenthused to watch a still meaningless -- especially if you're a Mets fan -- game featuring one at-bat or 2/3 of an inning of Mets representation. But at least it's fodder for discussion.

So, who should it be? Perhaps I should restructure that question: who should it be, Seo? I think Jae Seo has been one of the few semi-consistent pluses in a sea of minuses this year. Cliff Floyd probably deserves acknowledgement for his solid contributions while playing hurt. I actually can't believe, with all of the All-Star voters in the NYC area (who clearly are stuffing the ballot box with Yankee votes -- Bernie Williams is the 5th-highest AL outfielder?), that Floyd can't break into the leaderboard of 15 OF's. Ken Griffey Jr., who gets hurt every time he cleans the dirt from his spikes, is 9th-highest? The only Mets on their respective positional leader charts are Piazza (hurt since May, still out) and Alomar (crappy since last May, still crappy). Every year the All-Star voting results are a desperate cry to revoke the electoral rights from the proletariat. And again I'm on a tanget.

So, who should it be? I think, upon reflection, my point is that there really aren't any deserving Mets this season. Ty Wigginton has played much better than anyone expected, but his numbers aren't there. Floyd is really the only hitter with the stats and respect to expect inclusion. Seo has been the only regular starter with an ERA under 4.00 (his is currently 2.66), and the bullpen has been hit or miss. I think Floyd gets the nod, then bows out to rest his Achilles tendon, and Jae Seo is the New York Mets' representative at the 2003 All-Star Game.

What should Dusty Baker really do? Say F-you to everyone in New York and select their douchebag reliever who finishes games . . . sometimes, depending upon how putrid his pitching is that day.