STARTING TO SHEA GOODBYE

It's really too bad the Mets couldn't beat the Phillies on Tuesday in their final home opener at Shea Stadium. But I'm not too upset about it, because this picture is friggin' awesome, and I can't wait until next year already:I can't wait to go to that stadium.

And, all right, I'll be honest, it bothers me a little that the Mets lost. There's something a little upsetting about the fact that this was the home opener, a big game, against a team that beat out the Mets for the division title last year...and the Mets still lost.

I didn't see any of the game, so I can't comment on whether or not there was a lack of fire or desire or anything, but it seems like the Mets would have done anything they could to avoid losing this game. They didn't.

I guess Oliver Perez pitched well...but he only lasted 5-and-two-thirds innings, which means Scott Schoeneweis had to come into the game. He gave up 3 runs, only one of which was earned (apparently Carlos Delgado had a costly error). But I don't care what he gives up - earned or unearned - he loaded the bases, and hit a batter in the process - he is the most worthless reliever in baseball right now.

The Mets need to take 2 of the remaining 3 against Philadelphia and send a message. Then they have to beat Milwaukee this weekend (I made a mistake yesterday - I said the Mets were playing the Braves over the weekend - I don't know what I was thinking about - they play the Braves in a couple of weekends.).

I'm all for a more balanced season - I'm OK with the Mets not jumping out to a huge lead in the division right away in early April, so long as they're on top in September....but being in last place, losing three in a row - this has to stop.

WRIGHT WATCH: You knew it had to come back in some form, right? The new Wright Watch, after his fourth double of the season in the home opener, will focus on the all-time doubles record...so it will continue for a number of years. I'm going to see if I can format this so that it will automatically update somehow whenever David Wright doubles. I'll let you know how that goes (I have no idea how to do that - I'm just imagining that would be cool).

2008 SEASON: 4
WRIGHT'S CAREER TOTAL: 145
ALL-TIME RECORD: 792

(Worth noting, by the way, is that Carlos Beltran already has 7 doubles this year.)

A NOTE ON YESTERDAY'S POSTING: I forgot to mention this when I was panning the "New York Magazine" article on the Mets. It lost credibility with me because the writer/editor didn't know how to refer to a bullpen. It alternated bull pen (two words) with (hyphenated) bull-pen. It's neither. It's a bullpen.

CLASSY?: By now I'm sure you're aware that the Red Sox included Bill Buckner in their Opening Day banner-raising celebration. (He hooked in a sort-of-curve for a strike when he threw out the first pitch.)

It is not the fault of the Red Sox that Buckner hasn't been back in this type of situation - I think he's been invited, but has declined mostly. It's because of the fans, and the treatment he was afraid he would receive.

So it was nice that he received a standing ovation on Tuesday...but it's about 20 years too late. Red Sox fans should have forgiven and forgotten long ago. Take it from me, like I did with Tom Glavine and his season-ending performance last year. Or Armando Benitez and Game 1 of the 2000 World Series. Or Kenny Rogers and the 1999 NLCS. Or Kevin McReynolds in 1988. Or Art Howe.........

BIRTHDAY WISHES: Happy Birthday (in no particular order) to Dave in Brighton, Dave in Miami (a once-in-a-blue-moon-when-there's-a-really-good-post-and-the-Southern-Bureau-tells-him-he-should-read reader), and Hall of Famer Gary Carter. April 8th is a busy one.

Due to the birthday relevance, I'll update Carter - the Orange County Flyers' first game is May 23rd. The Flyers are also promoting the heck out of having a Hall of Famer as their manager. They're doing a Gary Carter bobblehead giveaway. I need to find my way out there for it. When's the giveaway for number 8? Why, 8/8/08, of course!