How Fitting

Training camp opens today, and not a moment to soon. In a mere few days, there will be hockey played at Madison Square Garden, albeit the preseason variety. The way the Mets are going through the motions, just the sight of the Garden ice is something to look forward to.

I was not at Citi on Tuesday/Wednesday, but had the pleasure to be there Thursday, the most miserable of the three value dates. That place was dead (yet somehow in the middle of the game, the Shake Shack line was still wrapping around, just not outside the line barriers). If you wanted to go to the field seats late in the game, you could have. The staff almost felt sorry for us and were not checking tickets. Ah, the one benefit for your team stinking it up- good seats and small crowds. Still a few more home games to attend- is there anything to look forward to?

We can see Angel Pagan trotting out to the outfield day by day, with Jerry showing absolutely no discipline for each and every boneheaded mental mistake. I don't care if he's taking care of it in-house. Don't put him out there in the next inning. That's what we want to see. Are you worried about his confidence or that of Bobby Parnell, who continues to take a beating in his Bad Bobby starts. There were two Good Bobby starts, but a lot more the other way. He's making Oliver Perez look consistent.


Last night, you knew Cole Hamels would eventually shut down the Mets. The Mets knocked him around twice already this season. An outing like last night was bound to happen.

It's time someone just drills Chase Utley, making it count. This guy has been leaning over the plate forever and enjoys getting nicked on the elbow. What's there to lose? A pitcher getting thrown out? We have a deep (number of people, not talent) bullpen. Suspension? Who cares? Philly baserunners? We're going to lose anyway.

Are we done with the red hats already? Seriously. How about next season we bring back those navy blues and teams have options to wear the red or the blue.

Chase Phucking Utley

When you're at the game with your mother-in-law and it's still tied after nine innings and its pushing 10:30 on a worknight, you kind of know you have to go. Don't get me wrong, I've converted her to full blown die-hard (although she seems to be taking a fairweather liking to teams like the Red Sox and Red Wings). If the game was brisk and going into extras, maybe you get a 10th inning. As it was the Phillies were held scoreless during the walk to the car, but two of the biggest plays of the game were described by Wayne Hagin in the car- Jayson Werthless robbing David Wright and Chase Utley hitting his second homerun of the game in the Jody Gerut corner. They hit cheap homeruns at CBP and find a way to get them at Citi.

The bottom of the 11th was watched at home, always the weirdest feeling, one that I'm not used to and refuse to experience under any other circumstances. Sticking it out for the 16 inning classic back in May 2006 on a Tuesday night was one of the better recent experiences in Flushing. By the way, that walkoff homerun was against Ryan Madson, who shut the door last night.

I guess Charlie Manuel does not care too much about matchups. He stacks three lefties in the lineup, perfect for Pedro Feliciano in the 8th, and then keeps J.C. Romero in the game with 1st and 2nd one out in the 8th and Sheffield and Wright coming up. Speaking of Wright, there was a stat flashed on Citivision last night before that Wright at-bat that showed him hitting .370-something in the 7th or later. We are still waiting for that memorable hit late in the game.

Welcome to Citi Field: Mets 1, Phillies 0

Johan vs Chan Ho. Sounds like trouble. How many times to you see a lopsided pitching matchup like this one but it never turns out the way it is supposed to? But Johan did what he's been doing all season, and you have to go back to a game last July before you find a less than stellar start from him.

Chan Ho Park however, was nothing like his last start vs the Mets last week. Five innings of no-hit ball?

Why the hell does Jose Reyes continue to slide headfirst into firstbase? The day will happen- following the slide, the trainer will come out, he's out of the game, we find out about a fracture or torn ligament the next day, and he's out several weeks.

Chase Utley hit a ball that was clearly out in Citizens Bank Park, but a harmless flyout yesterday. Take that!

For the second straight day, the Mets benefit from a throwing error by the opposing thirdbaseman, this time scoring the only run they needed in the 9th inning. Thank you Pedro Feliz.

Great job by Pedro Feliciano in the 8th inning with JJ Putz not available, striking out Ryan Howard. Other than the K, a flyout to the warning track in left field would have been just as nice.

He Slid! Mets 7, Phillies 4

A game is never over in Citizens Bank Park. The Mets have been blowing multiple-run leads in pitcher's parks. What's there to feel safe about a 5-0 lead in that place? As the lead was cut to 5-3 you were thinking this is awfully familiar, but it was a pleasant surprise to see them hold on.

Parks like this is just what the doctor ordered. Daniel Murphy hit a first inning homerun, and David Wright had a couple of hits. One of those hits scored Carlos Beltran, who in a close play at the plate actually slid into home!

Chan Ho Park continues to look like the guy who was one and done with the Mets two seasons ago. Since he's on the Phillies, that's a good thing. How long will he be on the Phillies is another story.

Whether it's his penchant for not moving a muscle if a pitch comes close to him, hitting a homerun vs the Mets, or his greasy hair, I can't stand Chase Utley.

I know KRod has to live on the edge, but would it be too much just to see one 1-2-3 inning? OK, to be fair, ball 4 on Utley should have been strike 3.