Poof

...And watch everything disappear. Two-thirds of it, at least. It being the Mets lead in the National League East, which stood as high as 7 as recently as Sunday afternoon.

No more. We fans may have preferred a September cakewalk to a high-stress pennant race, but on August 31, 2007 we're officially poised for the ladder. After an absolutely vile 4-game sweep at the hands of the Phillies, we've gone from 6 up on Monday to just 2 up heading into a three game series in - where else - Turner Field.

Turner Field? More like, Citizens Bank Park. Aye...

How ironic, how fitting. Give the Phillies credit - they achieved their sudden 4 game bump in the standings by doing exactly what the Mets haven't been able to do all season, completing a key sweep rather than calling it a series at 3/4. 3/4 for the Phillies this week would have meant a still-comfortable 4 game lead for the Mets on August 31. Instead the Phillies took care of business, and a sweep blew the NL East race back up. None of this even keel, winning series bs; the 'Fightins went in for the kill.

How fitting because with the Mets season at least hanging pretty close to in the balance, the next stop is Turner Field. The Mets' personal house of wax. And this weekend's pitching matchups don't exactly favor New York. John Maine - 4-4 with a 5.43 ERA in his last 10 starts - faces off against Tim Hudson - 15-6 on the year - tonight. Mike Pelfrey goes for his first win of the season against 7 losses tomorrow. Glavine pitches Sunday, but it's opposite Smoltz, so you're still worried. And of course, the bullpen, where after another disaster yesterday the number of reliable Met relievers has officially hit rock bottom.

Country Time blew it again yesterday

What a terrible week. The Mets get swept, the Yankees sweep...against the Red Sox, no less. They're probably going to make the playoffs - it's rough.

In sickness and in health, or something like that. Hopefully this weekend will be penicillin, or some sort of other equivalent antidote, to the ear infection that was this week. We're about to see what the 2007 Mets are made of, and while I didn't want it to have to happen this way, I'm kind of excited...

(Photos courtesy ennex.com, atlantaphotos.com, prosportsmemorabilia.com)