in-game blogger

They say you shouldn't make promises you can't keep, so surely it's potentially dangerous for this blogger to write running commentary on even one Mets game - because, you know, you give a cupcake to even one classmate, and you have to give one to the entire class. In case this analogy is too vague, please don't expect me to in-game blog every Mets game. It just happens to be a Sunday night, and the Mets just happen to be playing their crosstown rivals for the final time this season. So, here goes. Right now, we'll pick it up with the score 5-0 Yankees and the Mets batting in the 4th. Ugh. Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez appears to still have feelings for his ex, and it is hurting his current relationship. Despite allowing 5 runs through 3 innings, though, Hernandez is still in the game and will try to escape further damage. What's going on right now:

Top 4, 2 outs: Check that - middle of the 4th, Yankees coming to bat. Carlos Beltran just struck out on a filthy sinker from Chien-Ming Wang. I might consider this okay if Beltran wasn't already 5 for the last week and a half. It was one filthy sinker.

Beltran hasn't been doing enough of this lately

Bottom 4, 2 outs: Shawn Green makes a nice diving catch in shallow right field on a flare by Melky Cabrera. Green really isn't that bad a right fielder. He's just slow. He must have been playing in.

Bottom 5, 0 outs, 6-0 Yankees: Johnny Damon just did a replay of Game 7 2004, only this time he's done it for the Yankees and without the bearded look. A high fly ball by Damon over the short Yankee Stadium porch in right field lands in the seats for a solo home run.

Would you cut your hair for a million dollars?

Bottom 5, 1 out: El Duque hits Bobby Abreu in the back with a high fastball. I hope it was intentional, but I doubt it.

Bottom 5, 1 out, Abreu on first base: Scott Schoeneweis is warming up in the Met bullpen. Pack it up, boys!

Bottom 5, 2 outs, 2 men on: El Duque's night is officially over. Scott Schoeneweis has come on in relief, and after The Show manages to strike out Hideki Matsui, it's on to the 6th inning. 6-0 Yankees.

Top 6, 0 outs: ESPN announcer Jon Miller points out for the second time in 2 innings that "It's all New York, tonight" at Yankee Stadium for the Subway Series. He must really like that line.

Bottom 6, 0 outs, Robinson Cano on first: It would be really nice if The Show could handle a weak comebacker. I suppose it doesn't matter if he continues to be so unhittable, but...oh wait.

Top 7, 2 outs: I really, really wish David Wright would kill that dopey leg kick that he's added to his swing this year. He's rebounded nicely from a horrendous April, but I'm still longing for the 2006 version of D Wright. Yeah, the one that hit .300 and drove in runners in scoring position.

Too many video games

Top 7, 2 outs, Wright on first: David Wright strikes out, but the ball bounces away from Jorge Posada, allowing Wright to go to first base. Carlos Delgado has just scored Wright with a double, and now Jose Valentin stands at the plate with Delgado on second and the score 6-1 Yankees.

Middle 7, 6-1 Yankees: Jose Valentin hits a sharp ground ball, but right at Robinson Cano. Time to stretch - Delgado is stranded at 2nd.

Bottom of the 7th, 2 outs: Ruben Gotay just made a nice play on a hard ground ball hit by Johnny Damon, only to be outdone on the very next play by David Wright. Derek Jeter hit a hard ground ball to Wright's...right...but David made a nice diving play and threw out Jeter at first. Speaking of Gotay, though, he's been a nice little pick-up for the team. He plays smooth defense, hits a little bit...for a reserve/spot starting middle infielder that the Mets got from the Royals for nothing more than Jeff Keppinger, he's done pretty well. Abreu grounds out to Carlos Delgado - 3 outs.

Top of the 8th, 1 out: Gotay hits a hard single to left. Told you so. Runner on first for Carlos Gomez.

Top 8, 1 out, Gotay still on first, 1-2 count: Carlos Gomez swings at everything.

Top 8, 2 outs: After several weak foul balls, Carlos Gomez strikes out swinging. He's like a dog that's cute but can't stop using the bathroom in the house. In other words, Gomez is talented, he just needs some refining. On an unrelated note, I think "Taiwan Lightning" is a great name for Chien-Ming Wang. Thanks Jon Miller. Jose Reyes strikes out on a 95 mile-an-hour sinker from Chien-Ming Wang to end the inning. I've got to hand it to Taiwan Lightning, he's not bad.

Bottom 8, 0 outs: Stop flipping your bat, A Rod. You hit a double. Just drop it and run. I guess you have to do things your way if you're Alex Rodriguez.

Rodriguez will still need to perform in the playoffs if he ever wants to live this down

Bottom 8, 0 outs: Aaron Heilman gives Jorge Posada a nice-looking straight ball, and Posada rips it over the short porch in right for a 2-run homer. 8-1 Yankees.

Top 9, 0 outs: Chien-Ming Wang is going back out for the 9th - he'll try for a complete game with the Yankees up by 7.

Top 9, 0 outs: Ramon Castro starts things off in the Met 9th with a ground-rule double. Beltran's up with Castro on second.

Top 9, 0 outs: Whoaaa Nelly! Carlos Beltran hits a line drive single to right field that looked like a sure double but will nonetheless score Castro, making the score 8-2. Can't kill Beltran for not getting to second, his quads hurt.

Top 9, 2 outs: David Wright, version 2007, hits into a 5-4-3 double play. For some reason Joe Torre is out to pull the "The Toast of Taiwan" with an 8-2 lead and the bases empty in the 9th. Taiwan Lightning gets a standing ovation as he walks off the field from what remains of the Yankee Stadium crowd, and Mike Myers comes on to face Carlos Delgado.

- Carlos Delgado just struck out looking for the 11th time in 14 career at-bats against Mike Myers, sealing an 8-2 victory for the Yankees. -

I'm actually not too concerned. The Mets looked better this weekend, and didn't really lose anything. They still lead the NL East by 1 1/2 games. Tonight's game wasn't great, but the Mets didn't even play that badly. The Yankees were just on tonight - did you watch Chien-Ming Wang pitch? Not that this was a particularly welcome development, but despite my hatred for the Yankees, Matthew should worry about Matthew and a true Mets fan needs only to worry about the Mets. How's that for some Kindergarten wisdom?

Ultimately, the far more important thing will be for the Mets to take at least 2 of 3 from the Twins this week. The great thing about this cold spell for the Mets is that after 12 losses in 14 games they're only in first place by 3 fewer games than when this whole thing started. All they have to do is start playing .500 baseball for a week or so and they'll be right back on track.

It can only go up from here

Let's see how we can do against the Twinkies, and reserve our judgments for Wednesday night. They may well be unwelcome judgments, but even in that case, we can surely wait until a few days from now to tear anymore of our hair out, can't we?

It'll be okay. With the Mets still in good shape standings-wise, once they start playing well again they'll be sound as a pound. I'm confident in this team. Everyone's saying that the team is confident in themselves, despite the losing. It's only a matter of time before that confidence is rewarded, right? Here's hoping.