"I Was About To Snap"

Pedro can snap as long as his calf doesn't.

Pedro Martinez, with a chance to pitch the Mets into their first division title in 18 years, pitched three innings of very spring training like baseball in his first game back from his calf injury as the Mets failed to clinch on the field Friday night. But forgive me if that's a little further from my mind tonight.

After the bottom of the third, Pedro appeared to be on the verge of tears in the dugout, and had to be consoled by manager Willie Randolph. Now Pedro is only proving himself to be a sensitive man of the new millennium. Unfortunately, his meltdown after his meltdown left everybody wondering if he was hurt again. Willie Randolph said he was fine. All of the Mets hierarchy said he was fine. Rick Peterson said he was fine. Then Petey said he was fine, that he was just "about to snap".

So why am I scared?

Could it be that many of the same Mets front office types insisted that Orlando Hernandez was fine too before a late August start was pushed back due to injury? Could it be that Petey doesn't have the luxury of a second spring training to get ready for October 3rd or 4th? Could it be that if Martinez can't go, Steve Trachsel would have a guaranteed spot in the postseason rotation? Could it be that I haven't had anything to be scared about in the last four months and the baseball gods are playing catch up with my emotions?

Could it be all of the above?

After the game, Martinez advised the Mets fan base against "throwing in the white towel", so that's what I'll do. But if Willie Randolph has a soul, he'll be ready to come to my house at a moment's notice to console me in my hour of need. Because we need Petey. And Petey apparently just needed a moment. Good thing it was just a moment, because I don't think any of us wanted to see him snap...because who knows how much damage he could have done with that red whiffle bat. Remember, it's all fun and games until you take an eye out (then it's just fun.)

And while you're at it coach, please console Paul Lo Duca, because unlike Pedro, Undertaker actually did snap on home plate ump Jeff Kellogg after Paulie was punched out (not literally) in the fifth. Paulie, I gather, would go straight for the wooden bats if he ever decided to snap for higher stakes. And the results wouldn't be very pretty at all.

Speaking of not pretty, Pat Burrell hit a grand slam off of Roger Clemens in a matchup that for Met fans is a vortex of suckdom. It was all the Phillies needed as they beat the Astros 4-3, to keep the magic number at one. With the Phils playing a day game and the Mets going at night, this brings about a situation where the Mets could clinch the N.L. East while in their hotel room. So if you're walking the streets of New York tomorrow, and a total stranger pours champagne or some other form of cheap alcohol on your head tomorrow, you'll understand. Please find it in your heart not to have me arrested.