Welcome Back, Kotter

Game 101 & 102 - Mets

Mets 6, Phillies 3
Mets 3, Phillies 1
Record: 55-47

To those of you on the Metropolitans' roster who heeded my stern but impassioned badgering, strapped it on, and contributed in meangingful ways as the Mets snatched sole possession of first place in the relatively woeful NL East (not relative to the NL West, where winning records are clearly verboten) . . . to you fellas:

You're welcome.

To my brother in blogging, Nicholas, who both questioned the ability of these Metmen and scoffed at the notion of my ability to get into their noggins -- all while admirably assessing his own team's pitfalls and predicting some sort of tumble:

I told you so. (And you told me so.)

And a few other transmissions from this pocket of MLC . . .

To Billy Wagner:

Welcome back. (Now please don't say anything to the press about the Phils and jinx us all.)

To Ollie Perez and John Maine:

Welcome back. (Now please pretend you're throwing against Phillie hitters from here on out.)

To Gabe Kotter:

Welcome back. (Your dreams were your ticket out.)

To Aaron Heilman:

Welcome back. (To the win column. Been a while.)

To Carlos Delgado:

Welcome back. (To professional hitter status. Been an even longer while.)

To Gabe Kotter:

Welcome back. (To that same old place you laughed about.)

To the New York Mets:

Welcome back. (To 1st Place. Maybe treat it a little more valuably than you did last September.)

Well the names have all changed since I hung around (Nick Evans, Robinson Cancel, Pedro Felicianothankyou, Brian Stokes, Ruddy Lugo), but those dreams have remained and they're turned around. Who'd have thought they'd lead me (who'd have thought they'd lead me) back here where they need me (here where they need me)? Yeah, they tease me a lot, 'cause they got me on the spot.

Welcome back.