Running Out Of Words

It's like back in the early 90's, when Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do" was played on the radio over...and over...and over again. And only when it was played for the ten trillionth time did someone realize "You know, we think we may have overdone it."

I wonder if my the end of the week you're reading this blog thinking "Man, Metstradamus is slipping...he's writing the same thing over...and over...and over again. Well folks, there's only so many recipes for Loser Kiev that I can cook up for you. There are only so many words in the English language that I can think of for "The Mets dropped another one to the Atlanta Braves tonight at Turner Field."

Le Rencontré a tombé un autre l'un à l'Atlanta Courageux ce soir au Champ de Turner.

Het Ontmoete dat laten wordt vallen een andere een naar het Atlanta Trotseert vanavond aan Turner Veld.

L'Incontrato ha fatto cadere un altro un all'Atlanta Coraggioso stasera al Campo di Turner.

Das sich Getroffen lassen fallen ein anderer Ein zu das Atlanta Tapfer heute Abend an Turner Feld.

Det Møtt falle enda et et til Atlanta Modig i kveld på Turner Felt.

It's one thing after another for Det Møtt as tonight's 3-1 loss...dare I say it, may have signaled the end of the line. What else can you think as Pedro Martinez, Det Møtt's silver bullet, turns out to be a blank as the lineup has failed him as they have failed every other starting pitcher a countless number of times down the stretch.

What else can you think as the Braves make the smartest move of the trading deadline by acquiring Kyle Farnsworth, who mowed down Det Møtt without so much as a peep tonight, while Omar Minaya's idea of fortifying the bullpen is getting Steve Nash's evil twin to throw a 80 mph fastball magnified to Miguel Cabrera's bat.

What else can you think as the following conversation takes place after the sixth inning:

Castro: All right boys, we got out of that one...only down by a run.

Randolph: What are you talking about?

Castro: It's 2-1, right?

Randolph: No Fluff, it's 3-1!

Castro: How?

Randolph: Giles scored from second on the groundout by Franco!!!

Castro: (Deep in thought) Ooooooooh, that's why the crowd was going nuts on a 1-3 putout...he sco

Randolph (Cutting off Castro) YEEESSSS HE SCOOORRRED!!!!

Fluff has been an offensive surprise, but he's made the two biggest bonehead plays of the season...along with having the biggest head in the league.

Ladies and gentlemen, I don't want to be Chicken Little, but it's late enough in the season to think about getting the shovel from the back of the garage and scooping a heap of dirt on Det Møtt's 2005 season.

Wrong Chop

This is the song that never ends
it just goes on and on my friends
some people started singing it
not knowing what it was
and they continued
singing it forever
just because
it is the song that never ends
it just goes on and on my friends...

-Lamb Chop

The Braves have the Tomahawk Chop. Meanwhile, the Mets hit like Lamb Chop. And thanks to Larry Jones, the song known as the Tomahawk Chop song hummed by half full crowds at Jane Fonda Field goes on, and on, and on.

It's the song that never ends.
It just goes on and on, my friends.

I'm not going to blast Willie Randolph for leaving Steve Trachsel in to start the eighth inning. I won't even blast him for leaving him in to face Larry. But I will ask this:

Has Randolph lost faith in his bullpen?

It was a tie game, but Roberto Hernandez is the eighth inning guy, and has been around all season, unlike Trachsel. But Hernandez has been used much less frequently since his blown save against Milwaukee about a month ago. Perhaps Randolph is saving him until now, but if now is the time to burn your best, why not burn your best to start the eighth? It was a curious move.

Could it have been that Larry Jones has a .241 average off of Trachsel, while batting two for two against Hernandez in his career? We know Willie is high on those numbers.

It's the song that never ends.
It just goes on and on, my friends.

And then there's the lineup.

Cliff Floyd had opportunities to come out of the phone booth and become Superman. But today, he was Clark Kent. Victor Diaz and Jose Reyes got two hits each. Carlos Beltran drove in the first run of the game, but struck out in the ninth. And John Thomson beats the Mets again. 5-0 since 2003, and although he didn't get the win today, he still pitched much better than he ever should (in fact, if we're going to keep Colorado Rockies out of the Hall of Fame for playing in Coors Field, how about keeping all Braves pitchers out of the Hall because Leo Mazzone makes ham and egg pitchers into buzzsaws!) John Thomson, Met killer...no matter what jersey he wears (including the Mets jersey).

It's the song that never ends.
It just goes on and on, my friends.

I was prepared for this team to surprise me. Archie Bunker's Army warned me. Be prepared to be surprised. And I was, I really was...even after Andruw Jones hit a ball that could have shown movies...it was that long a flight. Even after Larry homered (making it the 48th time the Jones boys homered in the same game) I looked for some hope...any hope. I was prepared to the point where I actually cheered out loud when Marlon Anderson had a pinch hit single in the ninth.

But then I remembered...

It's the song that never ends.
It just goes on and on, my friends.

Beltran made the final out once again, and the Mets remain, for now and for the foreseeable future, lamb chops.

Custer Thought They Were Friendly Indians Too!

What is most frustrating about trying to make sense of the Mets complete ineptitude in Atlanta is this: At least in Yankee Stadium you could have blamed ghosts (until October of 2004 when a bunch of idiots slayed them for good).

Who do you blame at Ted Turner Field?

Colorized midgets from "The Wizard of Oz"?

The ghost of Kent Mercker?

Prayer at the altar of Mike Bielecki's cleats?

No, the Mets come complete with their own "ghosts of Turner Field". No assembly required, batteries not included. Some restrictions may apply, mileage may vary, and of course...ALL SALES ARE FINAL!

If the Mets don't come up big, all sales will indeed be final.

Monday: Steve Trachsel (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. John Thomson (3-4, 4.80 ERA)
Tuesday: Pedro Martinez (13-6, 2.90 ERA) vs. John Smoltz (13-6, 3.02 ERA)
Wednesday: Tom Glavine (10-12, 4.00 ERA) vs. Tim Hudson (12-7, 3.38 ERA)

The bats need to git goin' (is that how they say it down south?) That's the only way. Yeah, Trachsel aced his start this season, but if Trachsel comes back down to earth (which a reasonable lad would have to expect), he needs cushion. In fact, all of the Mets starters need cushion. Not a lot, but just enough so that the rotation doesn't have to be perfect to get by.

John Thomson was a Met in 2002. Do you remember? I remember being in a bar for John Thomson's first Met start, against Arizona. I remember Thomson being absolutely atrocious...to the point of being Charlie Brown where line drives strip him down to his skivvies.

So I drank. And I drank some more.

I quickly forgot about Thomson.

Now of course, he's a Brave...and he's 5-0 against the Mets since he left...and 4-0 against them since becoming a Brave (who isn't?) I can't get John Thomson out of my head. The Mets season is hinging on beating this guy...not to mention a couple of slugs named Smoltz and Hudson.

In Atlanta.

Talk about the cards being stacked against you...oh sorry, they're after the Braves.

How Did I Miss This?

Dayn Perry listed the top 10 overrated players in baseball 5 days ago. How I didn't see it until now is beyond me, so forgive me if this has been discussed to death already. I just have one question...

Victor Zambrano was listed as the fifth most overrated player in baseball this system.

Who, exactly, is rating him high?

Mrs. Zambrano?

Has Dayn Perry not read a single thing Mets bloggers have been saying? (I guess you can ask the same question regarding Perry's second most overrated player: Carlos Beltran).

Heck, has Dayn Perry not read a single thing that the mainstream New York media has been saying?

Meanwhile, Perry lists two former Mets on the list of ten most underrated players in baseball. That would be Jason Bay (2) and Dan Wheeler (10).

Plop Plop Fizz Fizz

Oh what a relief Jae Seo is.

And oh what a relief some offense is.

Fast, fast, fast.

With today's 7-1 Mets win and the Phillies getting pummeled 6-1 by the Nationals, the conversations about what the Mets should do to get ready for the 2006 season are put off for a few more days.

But Sunday's game directly correlates to what the Mets need for 2006. Is it a coincidence that the Mets finally see some offense the day they get some production from the two hole? Kaz Matsui gets three hits and scores two runs, and the Mets put a seven spot on the board today. One of the things that the Mets desperately need is a consistant contact hitter in batting spot number two. Painful to think how much closer the Mets would be with any consistant production, the production that was advertised, from Kaz Matsui.

Now guess what lies ahead?

That's right, Atlanta, which means more indigestion. So keep those pills handy.

***

Two home runs in two days for Cliff Floyd, including today's missile over the center field wall. Might he be coming out of the phone booth?

***

Had an interesting back and forth with Kyle a reader from Newport News (I'll never get used to that...I have readers!) It centered around the in-game decisions vs. the handling of the lockerroom by Willie Randolph, and in comparison to Art Howe.

I think something else that hasn't been touched on is the in-game management by Randolph, vs. the responsibility of the player that Randolph uses to get the job done. Yeah, you can blame Carlos Beltran for his inadequacies this season...but because it is a lesser player like Shingo Takatsu, it's easy to put all the blame on Randolph for using him. Takatsu, and anyone else who is placed in a situation where they are expected to produce, deserve some of the onus for not producing. Not all, but some.

Now if someone has proven to be consistantly useless, such as Tattoo You Graves, is placed in a big spot and fails, that's on Willie.

***

Hate List Update: The White Sox have also taken some Alka Seltzer, and are breathing a sigh of relief.

For As Much As I Complain About The Mets...

...please know it's all in good fun.

In New Orleans, a place that I was just in a mere 10 weeks ago, life is not fun.

So in case some of you aren't aware, I have some links in the sidebar to ways that you could help.

Of course, there's the Red Cross.

Also, Kyle Turley, who played a few years for the New Orleans Saints, has set up a fund through his foundation.

And because I am an animal person, I also want to let you know that you can help the animals that are also being rescued in the Gulf Coast.

Thanks, all.