Seo shuts the door, then exits stage left...

They call 'em the Amazins. Jae Seo's season has truly been Amazin.

It's also been thankless, as after one of the best Met starts this season, he was sent down to Norfolk to make room for Kris Benson. It doesn't make what Seo has done any less amazin.

Flash back to the spring of 2004. Seo was coming off a halfway decent 2003 debut season (9-12, 3.82 ERA, 110 K's, 46 BB's) when Art "Don't Know" Howe decided to not only take Jae Seo out of the rotation, but send him to the freakin' minors. Yeah, Seo had a bad spring, but the minors may have been a little harsh. He had a terrible July and then was taken out of the rotation again in August before coming back to take over for the injured Victor Zambrano. Seo ended 2004 with a 5-10 record, and a 4.90 ERA. He had 4 more walks in 2003 while pitching close to 70 less innings. With Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, Kris Benson, Steve Trachsel, Victor Zambrano, AND Kaz Ishii ahead of him, who could blame Seo if he came up and couldn't (or wasn't motivated to) do the job? Who would expect anything out of him?

Well, what Seo has done has truly been a surprise. After going 7 innings, striking out eight and giving up only one hit against the Phillies tonight, Seo's ERA is down to an even 2.00, and he stands at 2-1. You would expect this out of supposed hall of famer Tom Glavine, not Jae Seo. To get anything this season out of Seo is a pleasant surprise...let alone seven innings of one hit ball.

Unfortunately for Seo, the prophecy is this: if he keeps pitching this way majors or minors, he's going to earn his way to a spot on another team's rotation. Say that big time number two starter becomes available via trade before the season is out...Seo would certainly be used as a chip to get that starter while his value is high.

"Seo" far though, he's pitching as if he wants to be nowhere else.

Unfortunately, he will be somewhere else. Norfolk, to help make room for Kris Benson (who starts on Thursday afternoon), and Mike Cameron.

Funny game, isn't it?