It's Shea Or Never

The unused sheets of plastic hung above the Mets' lockers are beginning to remind me of the miles of duct tape and plastic sheeting the American federal government once urged its citizens to purchase to protect against a hypothetical terrorist attack.

For the third time the Mets needed only a victory over the much-maligned Pirates or a Phillies loss to the Houston Astros and for the third time, neither happened, moving the NL clinching party back where it belongs; Shea Stadium.



"It’s a little disappointing," Manager Willie Randolph was quoted as saying. But, he added comfortingly, "I’m not going to cut my wrists or anything."

Did he really need to reassure us of that?

I wouldn't say it's disappointing, I would say it bordered on the absurd. Not just losing three in a row to one of the crappiest teams in the National League. But the Phillies sweeping the Astros. The last time the Phillies swept the Astros in Houston was in May 1995 at the Astrodome. The odds on that happening must have been bloody astronomical...

But now on to the serious news, the alarming news: For the third day in a row, a Pirates left-hander beat New York. The Mets have lost 13 of their last 18 when lefties started against them and are 23-21 overall - compared to 67-37 when facing a right-hander. The horrors!

Break out the duct tape and plastic sheeting!

Really, this is nothing to be hysterical about. Have a look at the standings.

The Astros and the Colorado Rockies are the ONLY National League teams with a better record than the Mets versus lefties and look where it got them.

Sure, the Yankees are an impressive 30-16 versus lefties and the Tigers, 31-18 but that's something for Tom Glavine to worry about in the World Series, not us.

What the Mets should really be concerned about in light of a 3-0 loss to the Pirates closing out a three game sweep by those Pirates, is popping the corks on flat champagne.

"Warm, cold, warm-cold; it's not gonna have any fizz when we do open it if this goes on," Tom Glavine worried after the game.

On a more sober note, another loss and it won't be champagne being chilled in anticipation, it'll be absinthe to drown the sorrows.

Now comes the punchline: Steve Trachsel pitching for the title clincher...



*****

Although he started Stinnett. Milledge and Woodward, it appears Willie Randolph, at his own peril, ignored my suggestion to start the entire second string against the Pirates yesterday.

With two more hits yesterday, Milledge has had five in his last nine at-bats and is hitting a more robust .294 during September.