Another Manic Monday....

...and I have to admit that due to FF (that's family functions, for the uninitiated) over the past weekend, I didn't get to see much of the games, but I do know that we left a ton of men on base, didn't pitch very well (although that ballpark out there doesn't help, for sure), and were just able to squeeze out a split of the four-game series with Cincinnati...BUT, and this is a big BUT (a big ol' but), the Phillies haven't played much better, and we are now tied for first place in the NL East.

I've started to wonder a little bit whether the team's honeymoon with Jerry Manuel is over; I don't think so; I'm just inclined to think that the hangover from the All-Star break affected the team, especially the pitchers, whom we all know are nothing if not creatures of habit, maybe not as much as, say, the Steve Trachsel Uncompromising Schedule of Routines, but basically, pitchers moreso than position players need, no, CRAVE, their routine. And the All-Star break fucks that up, royally, which is, in my mind, another reason to scrap the whole fucking All-Star lollapalooza whoopdedoo, but that's just me, and maybe some of you.

Anyway, we move onto the upcoming series with the Phillies at good ol' Shea Stadium. I'm really starting to feel the end nearing for the old girl. I have to say that I'm so happy they're not blowing her up; I just could not take that. The ol' girl deserves a gentle, more compassionate end such as she is going to get, and I'd love to have even a little piece of her as a keepsake of the treasure of Mets memories I have had for the past 38 or so years.

As for the Phillies, I'd like to see the Mets set the tone for the rest of the year by showing the Phillies that despite their success of last year, and our failure at the end of the year, they are decidedly NOT the team to beat. And speaking of beat, in the immortal words (sort of) of the immortal Ramones (definitely), let's Beat on the Phillies Brats....WITH OUR BASEBALL BATS, and let's go, Mets!