Bang Bang, We Shoot Them Down

Steve Trachsel won his 14th game of the season against only 5 losses. I think that information, more than the Mets' 15 hits, more than Carlos Beltran's career highest 39th homer and career highest 109 RBIs, more than Kaz Matsui getting three hits and stealing a pair of bases in the Mets 10-5 pounding of the lowly Colorado Rockies last night is the most intriguing information of the evening. Trachsel is a phenomenon, number one with a bullet, the "ace" of the Mets new motley starting rotation.


Beltran gives thanks for a handful of career-highs.

And by motley starting rotation I mean without Pedro, without Glavine, without El Duque; losses which would have crippled most teams but only present the Mets with more young and more journeyman arms to hurl with. Trachsel, Cy Young? John Maine? Mike Pelfrey? Dave Williams? Oliver bloody Perez? Do you SEE what they're doing here with this smoke and these mirrors?!


Trachsel doing the crab pose...


By giving up only 3 runs in 6 innings of work, Trachsel lowered his ERA below 5.00 and raised his record to an unbelievable 12-1 in 15 starts since June 9, his 5th in a row. The Mets are now 26-7 in Trachsel's starts. As usual the Mets provided plenty of support and as usual, Trachsel did his best to give back the lead but the offensive outburst by his teammates was simply too overwhelming for a man of Mr Kim's stature to handle.

Better news still came the confirmation that the ump's reversal the other night against the Phillies and for David Wright was sufficient to send the wheels of efficiency spinning back in the right direction. Wright had three hits in four at-bats last night including a triple and a trio of RBIs and as predicted by Willie Randolph, the decision appears to have righted the young Mr Wright.

It is possible the Mets could average double digit runs the rest of the season. Would you want to face this batting order? Jose Reyes hitting .448 over the last week. Lo Duca hitting a quiet .370 in that same period. Endy Chavez .435, Carlos Delgado .429 (and 10 RBIs in 7 games) Carlos Beltran a trepid .279 yet 3 homers and 7 RBIs, Shawn Green hitting .316 and David Wright warming up to getting hotter than them all.

Eight extra base hits; two homers, two triples, four doubles. To hell with Tinkers to Evers to Chance. This is double to triple to four run smash. This is a juggernaut. This is...well, not the World Series yet but the excitement is certainly, tangibly building.

Is it good or bad that it feels as though the Mets are playing with house money?

On the one hand, no worries in any of these games. Even if the Mets were to go on a prolonged losing streak before season's end we are still virtually guaranteed the postseason and have only the results in the postseason to worry about. That's a massive step in the right direction after all these season being counted out by August.

On the other hand, because there are no worries, because we hold such a gargantuan lead, none of these games "really" matter. Were you "really" concerned when Trachsel gave up two singles sandwiched around a walk to load the bases in the bottom of the third with no outs and the Mets clinging to a 4-1 lead? Were you biting your nails when Aaron Heilman made an appearance in the 9th that opened with a walk and then a double to Matsui? Did you become frantic an out later when Garrett Atkins doubled in two runs to narrow the lead from 10-3? Of course not. Two run scoring double in the bottom of the 9th? Hahaha. No worries. You see? We're becoming almost casual simply by virtue of our 15 1/2 game cushion over the Phillies.

So it's time to set some NEW GOALS FOR THE REGULAR SEASON:

1. There are 32 games left in the regular season. The Mets should set their target at 100 victories, possible 103 if they win 70% of the remaining games fielding their Norfolk starting 8.

2. Build their NL East lead to 20 games.

3. Consider, for the purposes of Pedro, Glavine and El Duque that these remaining 32 games are mere warm ups for the post season, like Spring Training to the regular season. Just enough appearances and just enough innings to pronounce them fit to crush the National League opponents on the motorway to the World Series.

4. Give Paul Lo Duca a rest for crissakes. Granted, he's only played in 100 games but he's 34 years old and he deserves some time to play the ponies and pull some more fit bachelorhood birds before the serious part of the season begins.

5. Get Trachsel enough starts to have a shot at 20 wins on the season. That might means skipping a turn or two for Maine or Dave Williams or Mike Pelfrey but this guy has a chance for a record. In 1938 Bobo Newsom won 20 games with a 5.07 ERA for the St Louis Browns. And before that, in 1930, Ray Kremer won 20 games with a 5.02 ERA for the Pirates, highest ever in the National League.

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