Running Joke: Zambrano no longer funny

You begin to get the idea that without Victor Zambrano in the rotation, the Mets might still have MLB's best record. Even with him they aren't far off the mark at 12-6, one game behind the defending NL Champion Houston Astros at 13-5 but whilst having what amounts to a probable loss every fifth day isn't decimating to a team with pitching like the Mets, it certainly takes the fun out of things.

And, you might also say, with Jorge Julio throwing another scoreless inning of meaningless relief to drop his ERA down to 7.45, that Victor Zambrano has become the worst Met pitcher on the staff and has gained the distinction with dedication to mediocrity, consistently poor outings and relentless adherence to meaningless post-game phrases like "I'm not frustrated," as though that could turn him into Cy Young material in and of itself.


Our Pot-bellied Pitcher Sucks

The Mets have beauty and greatness when Pedro pitches and the Mets have hideousness and mediciocrity when Victor pitches. Hell, you can't have everything, can you?

Yesterday it was a grand slam off Zambrano which blew the game wide open.

Perhaps unbelievably, Zambrano had retired 22 of the previous 27 batters he'd faced with the bases loaded. Not unbelievable that he'd been in a bases loaded situation 27 times but that he hadn't given up a grand slam until yesterday. Maybe a few walks and a few wildpitches, but not a grand slam.

Well, so much for that streak as well. Brian Giles burst a grand slam off Zambrano with two outs in the 4th and the Padres were ahead 5-0 in a game they went on to win 7-4. Zambrano is 1-2 with a 9.64 ERA. If that doesn't make him a piñata for fan bile and frustration, I don't know what does.

Mike Cameron, who was traded to San Diego by the Mets, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and two walks in his Padres debut which made him, other than Roberts, the only Padre starter not to earn a hit against the Mets yesterday.

On the other hand, Xavier Nady, whom we now believe Omar stole from the Padres for the price of Cameron, went only 3 for 17 against his former teammates with a homer and two RBIs but is still hitting .324 for the season.

Missing out of the Met lineup yet again was Carlos Beltran and his little hamstrings, along with Jose Reyes, who had been hitless in four of his last six games. Making the lineup more comical than just Zambrano on the mound, Kaz Matsui was playing second base and leading off.

So basically, Kaz Matsui leading off and Victor Zambrano your starting pitcher, Willie Randolph gave this game away, gave away the chance at winning a 4 game series in San Diego on the way to face Armandogeddon and the Giants.


Unable to successfully put bat to ball, the Kaz Man puts foot to bat in frustration.

Those Giants just concluded a series in Colorado with a game that featured four hit batters and five ejections, including both managers.

The Mets have a 4-16 record in San Francisco in the last six seasons. Tom Glavine, who has given up one earned run in his last 14 innings, will start the opening game against Matt Cain who hasn't pitched more than 5 innings in an outing.

According to some sources, the Marlins offered D Train for David Wright on more than one occasion. Not surprisingly, Omar quickly rejected it.