Mets Rally Too Little, Too Late As Dodgers Hand Them 8-5 Loss

Another late Mets rally falls short… It’s becoming a common theme so far in the second half.

Starting pitcher gets bashed, bullpen allows more runs, Mets try to catch-up, Mets run out of outs, game over.

I am fully aware and can truly appreciate all of the careful thought, the endless calculating, the hours of scouting, that nerve-wracking audition, and the mind-boggling, brainstorming that led to the determination that Miguel Batista was the clear and convincing choice to give the Mets their best chance to win today’s game.

We had four former or current GM’s, four former managers, and three different pitching coaches, and countless scouts come to that conclusion. Who am I to argue? Instead let me shift gears…

We are the best baseball fans in the major leagues… We are the most engaged baseball fans in the major leagues… And of course we are also the most vocal and knowledgeable baseball fans in the major leagues… That’s why I decided the web needed a Mets Fansite all those years ago. We are so freaking awesome!

I mean it’s so cool being a Mets fans, I really don’t know why anyone would want to root for any other team. How could you not love everything that we are and everything we represent?

How many fan bases ever organized a Don’t Trade (fill in the blank) Day? Or rallied outside their team’s executive offices screaming and chanting with a local shock jock for the team to go after Manny Ramirez and K-Rod? The Wilpons spent a billion dollars to build a new stadium and within three years we had them building a Mets museum, rearranging the furniture, shortening the walls and painting everything from black to Mets blue.Take a bow Mets fans… We Rock!

I’m bringing all of this up because I nearly peed in my pants when the game started and Miguel Batista was greeted with an absolutely resounding outburst of boos before he even took threw the first pitch. I’m sorry, I felt terrible for Miguel, but the other part of me just couldn’t help laughing especially when the camera panned into the outfield where a huge outstretched banner read in big bold letters, “We Want Harvey!”

You just knew right then and there what would happen next, AND IT DID!

Before you could bat an eyelash or take your first sip of a frosty brew, it was 4-0 Dodgers and Batista was done after three innings. His exit was even more unmerciful as his entrance was. Miguel, here’s my advice to you… Go get drunk tonight, pack your bags, and good luck wherever you go from here. And in the words of that weird British woman who hosted the game-show The Weakest Link, “Good-Bye”.

Meanwhile, our old friend Chris Capuano who we nursed back to health and then decided not to bring him back because he wanted a two year, $10 million dollar deal, quieted the Mets bats once again for Los Angeles in what was really a tough game to watch. Cappy improved to 10-5 and his ERA now stands at an enviable 2.81 for the season. Yikes!

I thought Terry Collins was pulling my leg last night when he said he was going to use R.A. Dickey as a reliever in between starts. Guess what, the dude was dead-serious! In came Dickey, and out went his pitch to little Juan Uribe who blasted a two-run job out of the park. Yes, that Juan Uribe, the guy who is batting .189. You think Dickey was pissed?

Anyway, the Mets lost this game 8-5 and I’ll spare you any remaining gory details. (There were plenty.)

As you can plainly see, I’m not one for writing recaps. Like the great Bob Murphy, I only prefer happy recaps.

But in the spirit of all the other MMO Recappers who work diligently all season long, I will give the customary Game Ball to you – the Met fan. Today you told it how it was. You showed a lot of grit, passion, fire and swagger and I’m glad to count myself among you.

Tomorrow’s another day… Lets Go Mets!

P.S. Satish get back soon…