The Deal That Keeps On Giving

Tonight at approximately 7:12 after Kyle Davies sets the Mets down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Victor Zambrano will take the hill for the Mets with the purpose of helping to save them from a dreadful road trip.

Say it with me: The Mets' hopes ride on Victor Zambrano.

Not to make you all feel worse, but tonight's Mets starter could have been Tim Hudson.

Instead, Tim Hudson is shutting the Mets out.

Last night's 4-0 Braves victory, their 3,000,000th vs. the Mets at Turner Field, provided yet another reminder of how badly the Mets handled trade deadline day 2004, and how incredible John Schuerholz is at doing his job. Wouldn't it have been great for all the Mets (and for Billy Beane) had the Wilpons realized that 2004 was down the tubes and they had kept Kazmir, and used him to, oh I don't know, acquire Tim Hudson from the Athletics? Pedro, Hudson, Glavine as your third starter, Benson, and Heilman? And Billy Beane goes into the season with Zito, Harden, Haren, Blanton, and Kazmir?

Nope. The Mets trade Kazmir for a project, and Moneyball trades Hudson to the Mets chief rivals for Charles Thomas (who is hitting .103), Juan Cruz (who has an ERA of 7.94) and Dan Meyer (who has an ERA of 6.62 for the Sacramento River Cats).

Now make no mistake, I said Zambrano could win tonight and I stand by it. But the way the Mets' bats are going it could be another game like last Friday's where Zambrano falls victim to a lack of run support (and suspect defense). Cliff Floyd hasn't had a big hit in three weeks, Mike Piazza is an anvil, we all know about Mientkiewicz, and as long as Willie Randolph insists on batting David Wright and his .300 average behind Marlon Anderson the Mets won't see a baserunner until at least the third inning tonight.

And long term, the Kazmir for Zambrano deal will be won decisively by...the Braves (Especially if the Braves wind up signing Kazmir as a free agent down the line)!

Life just isn't fair, is it?