One Drop

Games 57 through 59 - Mets

Phillies 5, Mets 4 (11)
Phillies 6, Mets 3 (10)
Yankees 9, Mets 8
Record: 31-28

Does this kind of crap happen to other teams? Doesn't it seem like it only happens to the Mets?

Just when the thoughts of Ryan Church missing third began to fade away, another T-ball Special by the Mets invades the highlight films and blooper reels. Luis Castillo single-handedly (bitter pun intended) lost the game against the loathsome Yankees last night, dropping the would-be game-ending pop-up.

It was much worse than any words here could describe it. Think Buckner. Durham. Timmy Lupus. Jackie Smith. Robin Williams in The Best of Times. Chevy Chase, Jerry Lewis, TJ in right field after too much pregame in the parking lot. Hideous.

And so the Mets continue to defy the "just one game" philosophy. These kinds of losses have carry-over, and enough of them are making everyone see this team as cursed, crappy, or at the very least critically lacking in concentration.

It's obviously not just Luis Castillo's embarrassing drop. (Though there are few forums worse for that to have happened than Yankee Stadium. Poor guy.)

Or Church's gaffe at 3rd. (Memo to Jerry Manuel: your staunch support of Castillo for a very bad mistake is great; it just stands in stark contrast to the near-mockery you gave Church after his mistake. Way to be a dick who plays favorites.)

Let's remember that Carlos Delgado -- yes, he played this season -- dropped an even easier pop-up in the 9th inning a couple of months ago, but he was lucky enough to dodge the heat when the Mets held on for the win.

Let's remember the easy drops by our outfielders -- almost every regular out there has dropped a ball that led to a run, runs, or even a loss. It keeps happening.

D-W, for all of the incredible hitting he's been giving us -- and it's been awesome -- has made some severely costly errors of his own. We don't have to even get into Ramon Martinez; while he had so many muffs and boots they started calling him "Ugg," he's not the caliber of player from whom we expect strong play. And by "strong play" we mean "adequate fielding that most AA fielders can muster."

So what's the problem? Can you accurately point the finger at Jerry Manuel? Or is it Omar Minaya's fault? Or, and it pains me to say this cockamamie theory is gaining more credence, is it the Curse of the Wilpons? Are we destined to see our team wallow in miserable mediocrity, title-less unless you count "Kings of the Dipshits" for as long as this brain trust owns and operates it?

I don't know. I only know that my first question in this post was answered last night after the Mets game. Highlights from around the league included a bone-headed play by Milton Bradley who threw the ball into the stands with two outs -- costing the Cubs, who lost the game. So yes, these asinine things do happen to at least one other team: The Chicago Cubs. That's the comparison . . . the team cursed (or at least crappy) since 1908. Sweet.

Buckle up, Township. It could be a rough ride.