BACK ON TRACH

Mets 8, Reds 2, in progress in the 8th

Here's an encouraging sign - a really good start for Steve Trachsel. Trachsel went 6+ innings (unfortunately, the "+" was leaving with the bases loaded in the 7th), and was very, very effective. He even hit a home run!

Duaner Sanchez got Trachsel out of that 7th inning jam, giving up just one run, pitching very well in the 7th and then staying on.

After being beaten up by former Mets this weekend against Baltimore, it was a former Met who helped the Mets blow this game open in the bottom of the 7th. David Weathers came in for Cincinnati, walked a batter, gave up a 2-run homer to Xavier Nady (his first hit since coming off the DL), and allowed the Mets some breathing room....they led 8-2 after 7.

I'm going to take advantage of the big lead to get to bed early. I'll miss Wednesday's game because I'll be at the Red Sox-Nationals game, so I won't post. Thursday is a day game...I'll post Thursday night.

I'm assuming the Mets hold onto the 6-run lead with just 4 outs to go right now...that means 4 more wins to reach 16 in June!

INTERESTING NUANCE: I noticed tonight for the first time that David Wright has a little bit of a Nomar Garciaparra thing going on in between pitches when he's at bat. After every pitch, he tucks his bat under his arm, tugs on each batting glove, then adjusts the neck of his jersey, and lets out a deep breath.

I told The Wife about this, and it wasn't news to her. (Not surprising to me, I guess, that she studies Wright's every move.) I guess she watches different parts of the game than I do.

THE KID'S KIDS: Monday night Brevard County added 5 more runs after I signed off, and beat St. Lucie, 7-0 (the ol' 10-hit shutout for B.C.). It's just a one-game lead for the Mets now in the division, and it's time for Hall of Famer Gary Carter to turn on that managing skill. So far, so good - St. Lucie is leading tonight's game 2-0 in the 8th, giving up just one hit.

FANTASY UPDATE: Well, the What If Mets are officially done...losers of two out of three to the awful Chicago Cubs. They won the first game, 22-2, and I was thinking, OK, that's more like it....only to lose the next two. It's embarrassing, really. The wild card leaders right now are the Southern Bureau's Washington Nationals, so maybe we'll start following their results.

BEAT THE STREAK: Amidst the (real) Washington Nationals getting killed at Fenway Tuesday night, Alfonso Soriano got a hit off of Tim Wakefield. So a 2-gamer for me. Mike Lowell Wednesday night.