Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 58 - Mets
Just Can't Get Enough

Twins 5, Mets 3
Record: 28-30

Earlier this week: Manager Art Howe is not a fan of interleague play. "It's not a level playing field," he said. "We play the Yankees six times. Who do the Marlins play? Tampa Bay?"

While I agree wholeheartedly with his assessment of the unfairness in this scheduling, and while I love the out-and-out slag of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization, it ain't exactly "Win one for the Gipper" now, is it? (Very timely reference, no?) If the Mets spend even one half-second, one half-brain-cell thinking about the better-with-every-game Yanks on the horizon, or have one-half a negative vibe, this interleague stint could be a disaster. One that could ruin the season.

Whatever the cause, the Mets have been flat in the Twin Cities. They did manage to come up with a couple of runs late, but it was pretty much over when Steve Back-to-Back-sel gave up consecutive bombs in the 4th. One highlight was newly promoted journeyman Gerald Williams (last spotted charging Pedro in Tampa) sending a solo shot over the fence in the sixth; one lowlight was him fanning with two outs and the bases bloated a couple of innings later.

The Mets hitters apparently hadn't read the papers that explained in gory detail how Johan Santana had been pounded like a gavel his last four starts. Continuing in the Good Samaritan tradition, the Mets resuscitate yet another sagging performer; they're the Quentin Tarantino of MLB. Nifty.

My cohort and I are both off for a few days, paying homage to a great leader fallen -- the recent passing of Bonzo Gipp. Okay, not really, but we probably won't be heard from in this space. Enjoy the silence.

(Did I just quote Depeche Mode??)