Hurt

Games 41 through 44 - Mets

Mets 5, Red Sox 3
Mets 3, Red Sox 2
Red Sox 12, Mets 5
Mets 5, Nationals 2
Record: 24-20

The Red Sox play the Mets for the first time in years, and we have nothing to say about it. Huh.

I think Rob and I are both still recovering from a long weekend of traveling and drinking . . . and following that series the best we could while doing so. What a difference one swing of the bat makes. Without Omir Santos's deep fly that eked over the Monster (and an umpiring crew whose TV's backed it up), we're talking about the Mets dropping 2 of 3, losing another series, and Mets Township is fearing mightily for the future.

Okay, we're still fearing for the future, but we are glad to have taken a pair from one of the league's premier clubs -- one that's playing at a high level these days. No rest for the weary, however, because . . . well, here's tonight's lineup:

1. Angel Pagan, CF
2. Luis Castillo, 2B
3. David Wright, 3B
4. Gary Sheffield, LF
5. Fernando Tatis, 1B
6. Fernando Martinez, RF
7. Omir Santos, C
8. Ramon Martinez, SS
9. Livan Hernandez, P

Oh, my.

If you saw this in March, you'd have fallen off your couch . . . into your own vomit; as it is, only knowing that Omir Santos might possibly be the best catcher on the roster is heartening. The rest is just as troublesome as we would have feared.

Reyes & Church are on the DL with Delgado now. Beltran is bruised and will miss a few games. Daniel Murphy is . . . I don't know why he's not playing, maybe because Jerry Manuel really, really hates platoon advantage. All I really know is that playing the lowly, craphazard Washington Nationals gives the Mets a puncher's chance of managing a few wins while the meat of their lineup sits out, and even that might not be enough. Yikes.

And what I've glossed over thus far, what Wheelhouse Jerry gleefully (okay, so it was as gleeful as he gets) e-mailed to me today, is the fellow currently manning the 6-spot and right field. Fernando Martinez. Prospecto numero uno. Time to give the team a boost, kid, so here's an inspirational message from an old friend:

You know, you never handle your luggage in the Show, somebody else carries your bags. You hit white balls for batting practice. The ballparks are like cathedrals. The hotels all have room service, and the women all have long legs and brain. They're really hot, and so are pitchers. They throw ungodly breaking stuff in the Show, exploding sliders . . .

Best of luck, FMart. (Terrible nickname lifted from MetsBlog. He needs a new one, and God, I hope it's not "KMart." Ramon Martinez may have trademarked that one.)