Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Games 127-129 - Mets

Dodgers 2, Mets 1
Mets 4, Dodgers 0
Mets 2, Dodgers 1
Record: 57-72

The pitching has been something of late (after being something shoddy for much of the year). The Mets, more specifically Al Leiter, Steve Trachsel, Tom Glavine, and a few relievers, allowed but three runs in three games to the Dodgers. True, the Dodgers are hitting .210 in batting practice. True, the Mets only managed seven runs themselves. And true, they only took two of three. Knock it off, I'm trying to make a positive point here! [It's been a long year, and I think some psychological baggage has developed.

Before this series, the Metropolitan arms surrendered just five runs in three games to the Padres and eight runs in four games to the Rockies. Steve Trachsel was named the NL player of the week, allowing nary a run in his 16.3 IP. The Mets did nick up L.A.'s wildcard run a tad, as requested here. And Roger Cedeno's hitting .280! (His OBP is only .333, but what can you expect for a mere $4.875M?

Look for this proud roar of ferocious play to fade to a quiet whimper of exposed inexperience just as Leo the Lion fades into Virgo the Virgin. Flexing their collective muscles against the lower tiers of the NL West is one thing; if they can do it against the playoff-caliber NL East opponents, it'll be something far greater. The next two weeks are a redux of that late May fortnight against Atlanta and Philadelphia which was supposed to make or break the Mets' season. (What a bust -- New York went 7-5 and it still signaled the end of the 2003 team.) The Phillies are in the heat of the wild card race, currently tied for the lead with Florida, and they'll be fighting for every win. Meanwhile, the Braves are killing the ball, they've got the shoo-in Cy Young in John Smoltz or Russ Ortiz (though if Kevin Brown had even trace amounts of run support, he'd get the nod) and they're just running away with it. It won't be easy, by any means, but it would just be so nice to beat up on these teams. Hell, it's always gratifying to beat the stinkin' Braves. If nothing else, start a brawl with those bastards. Meanwhile, playing spoiler to the Phils would give a little meaning to this otherwise lame-duck season.

Oh, yeah, and let's not forget: there's beer on the line in them there Mets/Phillies games.