METS HAVE WRIGHT-ZAMBRANO

Mets 6, Cubs 1 (NYM: 57-54, 6.5 GB [3 GB W.C.]; CHI: 54-57)

I suspect loyal followers of johnnymets.blogspot.com took advantage of the national exposure the Mets received this weekend (FOX on Saturday, ESPN on Sunday) and watched the Mets, not needing my daily blog updates. If not, here's a quick recap.

Sort of last-minute, I attended Friday night's game between the Mets and Cubs - which featured the return of Nomar Garciaparra and Kerry Wood from the disabled list for the Cubs. The wife and in-laws were treated to a 9-5 Mets win. The most important part of that game was the fact that Tom Glavine gave the Mets 8 innings, providing rest to a much-overworked bullpen after the disastrous Milwaukee series.

Saturday, the Mets sent down Kaz Ishii and called up Jae Seo, and Seo again dazzled (as he always does in his start after a call-up). The Mets beat Greg Maddux, 2-0, and David Wright doubled. The bullpen pitched particularly well - Roberto Hernandez struck out Triple Crown candidate Derrek Lee on three pitches, and Braden Looper pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. I missed this game due to a matinee showing of Mamma Mia with the wife and the in-laws.

Sunday Night Baseball. Mets-Cubs. The Mets finish off the sweep with a 6-1 win. Another strong outing by the starter - Victor Zambrano goes eight innings, giving up just the one run. He bounces back nice from his disaster against the Brewers where he gave up about seventeen homers in two innings of work. The Mets again got to double digits in hits - ten in all. Three of the hits belonged to Cliff Floyd, who homered, and Future Hall of Famer David Wright had three RBI. THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes, continued his quest to best DiMaggio, extending his hitting streak to 20 games. And, dare I say it, Carlos Beltran* may be coming around. Beltran* was just 1-for-3, but he made things happen when he got on base. He reached on an error by third baseman Aramis Ramirez in the first inning, an error caused by Beltran* busting it down the line on the routine grounder. He came around to score from first base on a single by Floyd. Good stuff. His next at-bat he walked, and scored on a Wright sacrifice fly. Then he singled to right, and scored on a Wright fielders' choice. Of course, in his final at-bat, Beltran* grounded into a double play, and was booed by the crowd.

A big sweep by the Mets. We're really going to see what the Mets are made of coming up. After an off-day on Monday, the Mets go to San Diego. This is the beggining of two West Coast road trips in three weeks. The Mets exposed the Cubs these past three games - the Cubs made a run to get to .500 coming into the series, and the Mets swept them. The Cubs are done. The Mets now have to avoid any big losses, and show they're for real by winning out West. The Padres and Dodgers are two beatable teams. Then the Mets come home to face the Pirates and Nationals before going West again to play Arizona and San Francisco. All very winnable. It's put up or shut up time for the Mets. And there's no better way to get that all started than with Pedro Martinez* on the mound Tuesday night.

A couple of comments about the Shea experience. First of all, Sunday night was Pedro* bobblehead night, and I didn't get a bobblehead. The Mets are the only team that holds a bobblehead night and gives them only to the kids in attendance. Tonight I think I realized why - they give them to the kids, and then have a ton left over for all the employees. And I get screwed. One of the few things the Mets do that really ticks me off.

Also, I can't stand how baseball crowds are so dependent on "scoreboard noise" to make noise at ballgames. I'm guilty of it sometimes too - you just don't make noise sometimes at the game unless the scoreboard is telling you to "GET LOUD" at certain points in the game. Of course, at certain points in the game the crowd is getting loud anyway, because there are two strikes on a batter or whatever, but too often the crowd will be sitting quiet, then the scoreboard flashes the sign when the pitcher is looking in for the catcher's sign, and then the crowd roars, and then it dies down all before the pitch is even delivered. At least if the crowd is going to respond to "scoreboard noise", sustain it through the pitch to rattle the pitcher. I get bothered by that - I long for the good old days when the crowd decided when to "GET LOUD".

Also, Mets "fans" are now trying to chant players' names during at-bats. For instance, "Mike Pee-ahh-zaaa". Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. "Mike Pee-ahh-zaa." Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. It's a blatant rip-off of when the Yankees fans do their stupid little roll call in the outfield. I hate that and I hate the people in the stands at Shea who are trying to do it with the Mets. Get your own ideas.

ELTRAN*'S: 26-91 (.286 AVG.), 3 HR, 16 Runs, 15 RBI, 4 SB

WRIGHT WATCH: No doubles Sunday night, but one on Saturday.

SECOND HALF: 7 SEASON TOTAL: 29 TEAM RECORD: 44

THE KID'S KIDS: No games on Sunday in the Gulf Coast League. As the season draws near an end, the Gulf Coast Mets are 6 games in front, at 25-13. August 25 is the last day on the schedule. I will keep you posted on wheter there is a post-season.