REDS IN THE FACE

Reds 4, Mets 2 (CIN: 38-32, NYM: 43-26)

Really, the Mets shouldn't be red in the face...they have nothing to be embarrassed about. They were flat-out beaten by a good pitcher Monday night. Bronson Arroyo is having a great year - and he handled the Mets.

Orlando Hernandez pitched very well for New York - that's about his third great start in a row now. So that's big. The bullpen let some runs in late, and it was 4-1 before a ninth inning homer for the Mets...Arroyo went the distance for Cincinnati. The bad news is that the Mets had jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead, but couldn't build on that.

This is just one game. The Mets had won all of their series openers at home until the last home series before the West Coast trip with the Giants, and then the Orioles series, and now the Reds. They lost that Giants series, they were almost swept by Baltimore...I'll be very happy with a split with Cincinnati. I don't mind if the Mets don't play their best here against the Orioles and Reds...if the Mets are going to slump, I'd rather see it now than when they play the cream of the AL East - the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Yankees - all three of whom are coming up next.

A big start for Steve Trachsel on Tuesday night (aren't they all big starts for Trachsel?).

ALL-STAR VOTING: Some big doings in the NL All Star voting. THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes, is finally getting his due - he's now 80,000 or so votes in front of David Eckstein for the start at short. He's not having his best season - but he's lifted his average to .270...and his co-Player of the Week award last week couldn't have hurt.

His co-Player of the Week, one Future Hall of Famer, David Wright, is starting to run away with the third base vote, Wright has topped a million, well ahead of Scott Rolen.

The Player of the Week for last week, Carlos Beltran*, has climbed to the top of the outfield vote. He now deserves it...and right behind him, deservedly, is Alfonso Soriano. The outfield race is tight.

Finally, at catcher, it looks like Paul LoDuca will be starting for the NL. Not a bad representation for the Mets.

THE KID'S KIDS: They're still playing in Florida, and the Mets are trailing Brevard County, 2-0, in the 8th. I'll update that tomorrow.

FANTASY UPDATE: The What If Mets are heading in the wrong direction. We're now tied for last place...and I forget - we're either 7 or 8 games out of the wild card. All 3 games to the Cardinals today were losses. So it's pretty much over. Unless the Mets are planning an Amazin' comeback...but I don't even think the best Mets team ever is that Amazin'...the worst thing about this is how bad my bullpen has been. They have ERA's of about 7.00 each. Just been brutal. I've lost about 10 games in the opponent's last at-bat. It's very frustrating. That's the difference right there.

BEAT THE STREAK: Carlos Beltran* hit a 9th inning homer for the Mets, so I have a one-game hitting streak. Tuesday I'll take Alfonso Soriano against Tim Wakefield, and Wednesday, since I'll be going to the Red Sox-Nationals game, I'll take Mike Lowell (I like taking guys I'll be seeing live). Thursday it'll be David Wright. Just getting a jump on it - I don't know how much I'll be able to post this week - it's the last week of school - my mind may be elsewhere.