FACT AND FICTION

So which game of Friday's two-stadium doubleheader between the Yankees and the Mets was most indicative of the Mets?

A 15-6 thrashing of the Yankees in Game 1, where the Mets' hot bats (most notably Carlos Delgado, with a team-record 9 RBI) bailed out a pitching performance by Mike Pelfrey that wasn't so great, but gritty enough to keep the team in the game long enough to pull out the win?

Or the 9-0 shutout in Game 2 by the Yankees, where retread Sidney Ponson gave up five hits and walked four, but the Mets couldn't push anything across while Pedro Martinez* battled through five and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs and walking five himself?

Unfortunately, and no surprise here (I'm getting tired of being so negative, but how else can I look at this season), Game 2 was certainly more 2008 Mets than Game 1.

The common denominator in the two games (besides, I guess the two teams) was the Yankees pitchers. Game 1 - Dan Giese - a reliever, mostly, making the start, and Game 2 - Sidney Ponson - who's Sidney Ponson. In other words, two pitchers the Mets by all rights should have smoked.

And there were times in Game 2 it looked like the Mets would chase Ponson early, and cruise to an easy win. They loaded the bases twice in the first three innings, and Ponson got out of all of the jams he pitched himself into. I was half-watching the game, half-doing other things, and I kept looking up and being shocked that there was no score, the way the Mets were getting on base.

But, this being 2008, I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised. Because this is just how the year has gone. Every time the Mets have shown flashes of life (like scoring 15 runs in Game 1), they come right back down to earth with a thud and remind everyone why they're no better than .500.

And this might be a subject for another day - but the last two starts by Pedro Martinez* have been incredibly disappointing, mostly because of the promise they have shown. Pedro* goes for about four innings, and looks great, then hits a wall. It's tough to watch, because he really starts laboring after just four innings.

Just another example of the high expectations for the 2008 Mets that turn up nothing but disappointment.