Dashing Through The Humidity

The Chicago Cubs came in and provided the Mets with Christmas in August. They gave the Mets so many gifts during tonight's 9-5 win that the only thing missing was a pony and a tricycle.

The Mets suddenly hot bats accumulated 14 hits...all singles (!) in the romp. But the biggest play was a fielder's choice. I can only imagine what all of Cub-dom is thinking after Todd Walker's bonehead choice in the second inning...throwing home on a slow topper by Tom Glavine instead of taking the sure out at first. That led to Nomar Garciaparra having a sure force out at third base on the very next play only to lose the handle and have no play at all. Then, on Mike Cameron's single to left with the bases loaded, Tom Glavine by all rights and purposes shouldn't have scored. But former Met and new Cub Matt Lawton lollygagged, along with Walker, to let Swifty Glavine score.

The Mets scored six in that inning, and that allowed Glavine to keep the Cubbies at arm's length all night, and more importantly go eight innings and keep Braden Looper and Roberto Hernandez in bubble wrap for the evening. Glavine deserves a bunch of credit for taking the bullet and getting the Mets to the ninth on a steamy night. But don't forget the contributions by the Mets lineup, and certainly don't forget the generous gifts provided by the Chicago Cubs. Merry Christmas to you too, Chicago.

***

The Mets torched rookie Rich Hill tonight for seven runs in 1 and 1/3 innings, and the Mets slapping around a rookie is a much welcomed sight. Miguel Cairo and Mike Cameron's RBI hits in the second came on 0-2 counts.

***

So the final (hopefully) stats on Jae Seo at Norfolk: 7-4, 1.28 WHIP, 4.29 ERA, 111 K's and 126 hits in 121.1 innings, 30 walks, 13 HR's given up, and a .268 OBA. Seo makes his return to the Mets rotation (at least until Steve Trachsel comes back) tomorrow. Kaz Ishii, meanwhile, warmed up briefly in the pen during the 8th inning tonight.

***

Garciaparra was 0 for 4 tonight, lowering his small sample average to .145. Kerry Wood pitched out of the pen for the first time in his professional career, and gave up one walk in an otherwise uneventful sixth inning. Scott Williamson also returned to the bigs for the Cubs tonight, after his second Tommy John surgery. But Tim Kurkjian doesn't think it will be enough.

***

Livan goes freaky again as the Nationals continue to sink like a stone.

***

You have brain-dead talk show hosts whose minds turn to Cream of Wheat.

***

Give Mike Schmidt credit for an honest view on steroids.