Are You Bloody Kidding Me?!

"It's only a game. It's not like nobody's gonna die here or anything like that." --Carlos Delgado trying to play down El Duque's calf injury just prior to Game One of the Playoffs.

Nobody's gonna die? How does Carlos Delgado know this? At the rate the Mets starting pitchers are going down they might be well advised to take out a few extra life insurance policies.

So El Duque injures his calf jogging in the outfield and might not start Game One for the Mets. This is the price a team pays for an elderly starting rotation.

Although the Mets to a man seemed to be nonchalant there is almost no way this can not bring them down a hair. Or perhaps it will reinstill their determination? Time will tell but this newest blow is almost too much bad luck in one month for the Mets rotation and even though they've had a wild array of names cast in the starting roles this season, with the playoffs here there is no time to recalibrate.

Here's hoping that if El Duque doesn't make it, John Maine recasts himself as the reluctant rookie hero in Game One. Just don't bother bringing Trachsel back, that's all we ask. Go with Maine or don't bother playing...

Oh Maine could be quite a story indeed, rookie pitcher in his first playoff game pitching a gem, I can almost see the headlines now...