HURRAY!!!!!! WE’RE AVERAGE!!!!!!!!

I usually don’t like to celebrate mediocrity but a 3-3 road trip was as good as I expected from the Mets as they faced one of the best teams in the league and the hottest team in the league. Now it’s home to meet the Not So Fabulous Baker Boys of Cincy who are in much disarray, eight games out of first place, so Friday would be a good time to stop the two steps forward, two steps back approach the Mets have been saddled in since the last half of last year to now and start a nice run. This hovering at the .500 level should not be tolerated but What Me Worry Willie always seems to find the silver lining in this win one lose one approach.

Angel Pagan looks like he did Omar Minaya a favor by going head over heels into the stands yesterday and coming up with a bum shoulder. Pagan says it’s no biggie but I’m sure the MRI he takes today will show (Wink! Wink!) a strain or contusion that will land him on the 15 day DL as space is needed to activate Matt Wise and add him to the bullpen which will now become resemble an octopus with eight arms in it.

Speaking of the Red Legs did you know they hire a human to play their mascot? Really, this guy who was in a costume playing Mr. Red Legs fell off a cart in the outfield and his fake head fell off. I can’t believe the Reds use a man in a costume to be their mascot. How lucky are we Mets fans to have a real life being as Mr. Met as out beloved symbol.

A tip of the Mets cap to Carlos Gomez as he hit for the cycle last night. Gomez is hitting .282/.306.427 with an AL leading 13 SB. His OBP is low as he has walked only 3 times this year but he has played a fine centerfield for the Twinkies and just looks more comfortable every game. Just think he will price himself out the Twin Cities in a couple of years and maybe the Mets can get him back. Yes, I feel the same way about Scott Kazmir as well.

During yesterdays game Gary Cohen made reference to Gimp Castillo being more productive as a 2 hitter than an 8 hitter. The numbers show that as true:

#2 .258/..361/.290

#8 .182/.308/.182

Now the best part of the 2 hole for any Mets batter is you see lots of fastballs but Castillo as Gary noted does look more comfortable batting behind Reyes as he runs deep counts plus with Church showing a potent stick it might be wise to leave Gimp in the 2 spot and put Church in the 5 hole followed by Grandpa Moises this way you don’t have three lefties in a row if you went Church, Delgado, Schneider.

The AL MVP CY Young ROY for the AL are up at Baseball Happenings. Here are my picks:

AL MVP