Cammy To The Rescue

Well in the long run, this four game series solved nothing...just as this season has solved nothing. 2-2 against the Braves, 46-46 on the season. I personally get the feeling that after 92 games, we still don't understand the true identity of the New York Mets.

This series was supposed to show Omar Minaya once and for all whether to buy or sell. Instead, it tells him to hurry up and wait. The Mets were a bad hop and some great Braves defense away from sweeping the series. Instead, they remain in the vast wasteland known as five hundred. This is going to make it an increasingly difficult trade deadline for Omar Minaya, although it shouldn't be.

But let me say this to get it off my chest (yes, more hate). There might be no pitcher in baseball that is more satisfying to defeat for me than Mike Hampton. (Roger Clemens might be the only one to be up there on that level.) You all remember the Hampton story...he was a free agent after the 2000 pennant winning campaign, and he went from a winning organization in the Mets, to a team that plays in a ballpark that's hell for pitchers, and Hampton's Rockie career helps prove that.

The Rockies offered him a boatload of money and he took it, which isn't really the issue. The issue is not only the fact that Hampton refused to return phone calls from Mets players and management types right before he signed with Colorado (be a man, right?) but Hampton's lame excuse of going to Colorado because of the school systems. Isn't it funny how the quality of the schools in Denver went down as Hampton's ERA rose? That had to have been the case right? Because during the 2002 season, Hampton basically whined his way out of Colorado and wound up with Leo Mazzone for a career rebirth in Atlanta. Coincidence? Or do you smell a rat? And if you don't believe me, check out Mike Hampton's fan club, and tell me how many fans he has.

But Hampton was fried today in his first stint back from the DL, and he couldn't even get to the third inning. Mike Cameron was the catalyst today, sending Jose Reyes to third on a perfectly executed hit and run to right field, then putting the game away with a two run HR to right field in the second. Tom Seaver, and say what you want about him as an announcer, was absolutely on the ball today. If Mike Cameron just worries about going to right field, he's a much better hitter. It's obvious that Cammy has done it all season, and his average and OBP has risen as a result. He still strikes out about as much as he has at about a K a game, but he's as good an average hitter as he's been, and he's making productive outs.

So the Mets season is saved again, for now.

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Looks like Mayor Bloomberg was a key component of Al Leiter's return to the Yankees. Wonderful. Oh Mayor Bloomberg, the Mets need a middle reliever. See what you can do, Mr. Impartial.

Then fix the trains. And while you're at it, fix Philip Humber's arm and make yourself useful if you want my vote for re-election.

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Doug Mientkiewicz will shave his head like David Wright if he reaches the .250 mark. Insert Rey Sanchez joke here.

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Finally, Kaz Ishii is being skipped in the rotation due to tomorrow's off day. With Pedro's efficient outing today, might he be moved up to skip Ishii again?