The Revolving Door

As things get later and later, and these games become more and more important, it oddly seems that there becomes less and less to say about the games themselves. We already know what kind of games the Mets seem to play. Opening up this weekend in Atlanta, with now a pair of teams that need to be watched, the Mets have come out and played a hearty game and a lifeless game, with no clear in-between.

Friday night could have easily been an unmitigated disaster, after storming out to an early lead, Oliver Perez didn't hold it, the game drew late, the bullpen was heavily and frighteningly involved, and somehow, the Mets pulled it out, thanks to some late heroics by, who else, Daniel Murphy. With Philly's loss in Florida, the Mets stormed back into 1st place by half a game, and extended a tenuous Wild Card Lead

Saturday, the opposite. Pedro Martinez put the Mets in a hole and they really couldn't climb out of it, putting forth one of those performances that just makes me tear my hair out. Of course, Philly won a rather stupid game in Florida, so things just shifted right back.

The race for the NL East is little more than a revolving door at this point. Both teams go out, play, up down left right whatever. It's hard to know which Mets team will show up, but, like I said, you know what you'll get. They either hit and leave things up to chance with the bullpen, or they don't hit and lose a frustrating game to a pitcher they should be pounding. I don't know anymore and I'm beginning to lose my patience with these games, because they always seem to happen at the least opportune time, like, when the Mets have played well the previous game, or when they need to stop a winning streak, or when one of their better pitchers are throwing.

It's been going on all week. I'm becoming a complete basket case, and that really shouldn't happen until October. But, then again, there's no guarantee that there's even going to be an October. The prevailing thought, at least if you listen to WFAN, is that Milwaukee is cooked and the Wildcard race will be academic, both the Mets and Phillies will duke it out the last week, and the loser takes the Wildcard. There's a happy-talking shithead on WFAN who roots for the Cubs, and he seemed all too happy to take on the Mets in the NLDS. But a lot of weird things can happen, and usually do, when that calendar flips, so I wouldn't get too cocky just yet.

Besides, there's plenty of opportunity for the Mets to figure out a way to screw this one up. I know the Cubs have clinched and they'll likely rest up a lot of players this coming week, but that's no guarantee of anything. The Cubs also play the Brewers in Milwaukee over the final weekend, while the Mets get the Marlins. The Marlins don't like the Mets. We know this all too well. They'd love nothing more, I'm sure, than to come into New York, kick the Mets in the nuts and shut down Shea Stadium for good.

Basically, there's just no margin for error. Or at least not much. It's very easy to worry about the upcoming week, but I guess I should really just worry about today, at least as far as the way things stand right now are concerned.