Joe Gergan on August baseball for the Mets..]As August sizzles, Mets fizzle As August sizzles, Mets fizzleThese are the times that fry men's soles. It's hot, it's humid, it's sticky, it's exhausting, it's the eighth month of the year. August in New York never has been confused with autumn by any songwriter of note.For major-league baseball players, the season is two-thirds complete. Already, there is wear and tear on their bodies. Now the strain begins to seep into their minds. Pennants rarely are won in August but more than a few have been lost amid the dog days and breathless nights. "It's a grind," Mets first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz said. "The more games you play, the longer the season seems. It's hot and the travel begins to catch up to you. You've got to care of yourself, get your rest, get sleep, but still keep the cardio going."For only a few times in their history have the Mets mastered the art of baseball in August. Yes, the franchise has a losing record overall, but in no other month have the Amazin's lost at a similar rate. Their 11-17 mark a year ago not only effectively erased them from postseason consideration but also lowered their lifetime performance in the month to 560-674, a percentage of .454."Last year was so bad," leftfielder Cliff Floyd said, "I was ready to go to LaGuardia the whole last month." Playing in August is taxing on the best and best-conditioned of athletes. It's even worse when the team has to check the newspapers to find a pennant race.That's when the mental fatigue threatens to overwhelm the physical, or at least magnify the soreness. "When you're in pressure situations or exciting situations, the adrenaline takes over," pitcher Tom Glavine said. "You feel the aches and pains far less."The Mets felt very good Monday night after their first game of the month, even though it required 11 innings and consumed 4 hours, 28 minutes.They took the field at Shea Stadium last night with a spring in their step despite a 90-degree reading and were even more energized after carrying a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning behind Pedro Martinez. Then Martinez departed and the Mets wilted.Game time today is 12:10. Hoo boy."You've got to keep fighting one day at a time," Floyd said shortly before he smote a long home run off the top of the Big Apple just to the right of centerfield in the second inning. "You keep fighting 'til the ninth inning and at the end of the day, you see what happens."It's been five years since the Mets truly prospered in August. They won 20 of 29 in the month and placed themselves in contention for the wild-card berth that they punched as their ticket to a Subway Series against the Yankees. It was only one victory shy of the 21-10 and 21-11 records posted by the 1969 and 1986 teams, respectively. Not only did both reach the World Series but they ultimately prevailed against the American League champions.Such is their position now - last in the National League East but one game over .500 - that a similar surge might mark this as a September to remember. But a repeat of last August or, worse, the 6-21 they experienced in 2002, likely would bury them unless they had the clout to earn immediate transfer to the woeful NL West.Glavine was unaccustomed to playing out the string during the last 12 of his 15 seasons in Atlanta. With first place at stake, inspiration overcomes perspiration. "The mental fatigue is less if you're in a pennant race," he said. "If not, you've got to come to the park with your own motivation.""That's when you hope you've got strong individuals for teammates," said Mientkiewicz, who spent last August with the streaking Red Sox after three consecutive playoff seasons with the Twins and had three hits last night. "This is the farthest out of first place I've been in six years. But we've still got a shot."That shot grew longer last night when the Mets evened their August record at 1-1 with a 6-4 defeat at the hands of the Brewers. Not only did they lose the opportunity to gain a game on the first-place Braves but they fell farther behind the Nationals and the Phillies in their own division. The aches ached a little more.But today's a new day. Pass the sun screen.