Down The Stretch They Come

By Ed "In Westchester" Semlies
Posted Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Less than 40 games left. Before games on Monday, the lead stands at five over the Phillies and five and a half over the Braves (with the Mets owning a game in hand over the Braves entering Monday’s action, increasing to two after the game). This long season is nearly at an end. How will it wind up? That is the question that is gnawing at the mind of all Mets fans today.

As trite as it may sound, the next two weeks are the key to the season. This week, the Mets are home for three against the Padres and three against the Dodgers. Those two teams are potential playoff opponents. Given the Mets' abysmal home record this year (32-27 ain’t getting it done at home), it is not a given that they can pick up a couple of more games on the Phils and Braves this week. During this homestand, they face Young, Peavy and Penny, three tough pitchers. It is vital that they go 4-2 over these six games. Meanwhile, Philly is playing the Dodgers and the Padres in reverse order of the Mets of course, while the Braves have four against Cincy and three against the Cards. Like I said, 4-2 is a must this week, to ensure we at least maintain the lead. Keep in mind the Phillies may get Utley back soon.

Then, we get to the fun next week, four in Philly and three in Atlanta. Those seven games could make or break the season. If the Mets can win both series, we are looking at first a bigger division lead, but more importantly, getting the Braves monkey off their backs. The pitching matchups aren’t official yet, but for the Philly series, the Mets are going to throw Lawrence, Glavine, Perez and El Duque. Against the Braves it looks like Maine, Lawrence and Glavine (unless of course a certain rehabbing pitcher is ready to come back in place of Lawrence). Again, it appears trite, but those two series will basically determine the season. Win them, and the lead grows. Lose them, and they risk falling out of first. Of course, they will still have 3 more games versus each team at Shea starting September 10, so I may be writing something similar then.

The next two weeks are going to make or break this season. These are four very tough series against top tier teams. Win, and the angst of fans will be reduced (not gone, because our angst can never totally leave, we’d bitch if we won the World Series unless it was a 4 game sweep of shut-outs, and even the, we’d find something to complain about). Lose, and the phone lines to the FAN will be buzzing, and web-sites will be shutting down left and right.

In any event, I’m going to enjoy the games for the next two weeks. I hope you all do the same.
 

Ed "in Westchester" Semlies contributes to FU every Tuesday,