Lefty Specialist

Terry going with offense over defense by playing Flores at short and Johnson at second. Cespedes batting cleanup. Game time. Please put all sharp objects in a secure place.

The difference in excitement is that the Nats expected to cruise into the playoff as a WS favorite, only to find themselves playing mediocre baseball. Mets fans had little to no expectations of the playoffs, and find themselves 4 games up. However those same fans are mindful of one of the more painful September collapses in major league history, and are acutely aware they've lost 2 1/2 games off their lead in the past 72 hours.

Boras wins. The Mets lose. It's like he's got a lot of money riding in Vegas on the Nats.

I'm predicting the third as Niese's meltdown inning, where a double play doesn't get turned or a strike doesn't get called and he gives up 4 straight hits. Will I watch? Yes, with Bromo-Seltzer at the ready.

The Daily Jeter piece is a lame attempt at ass-covering. I'm suuuure he wrote it himself. You know, if he pitches like crap on Tuesday, it'll get very ugly. All the spin and damage control won't help. And he'll have no one to blame but himself.

Not full-blown panic yet, but a fair amount of unease.

And d'ouble fuckaroonies.

Well, fuckaroonies.

Let Harvey pitch the 7th.

Fman99 wrote: It's Bartolo's world. And we are all caught in his gravitational pull.

Gwreck wrote: 23 Ya know, just keep winning and it don't matter what the Nats do. And, of course, Fuck You Ichiro.

"Remember kids, Numero Uno is more important than you. And no refunds on those Dark Knight shirts."

Gwreck wrote: There are three possibilities I see here: 1. The Mets never properly documented the discussions with Harvey and the medical staff about innings limits and/or never had these discussions. Unlikely, but the Mets haven't earned the benefit of my doubt on much. Barring this, 2. If Harvey has now decided that he will not pitch after 180 innings, he is an insubordinate employee. The Mets will suspend his ass, dock his pay, and do who knows what. The union will file a grievance, which the Mets should win (barring the circumstances of #1 above or #3 below), and the Mets will need to trade him this offseason. Harvey becomes Mets fan enemy no. 1. 3. Harvey is in some fashion hurt. As for #1, I'm assuming Harvey can count. He had to know that once he was pitching regularly he'd be bumping up against 180 innings. He didn't just say, "Oh shit, I'm almost to 180, I better tell Scott!" in the middle of August. There's been gallons of ink spilled about how the Mets were carefully limiting his innings, and gallons more about how Harvey didn't like those restrictions. He came across as a gamer, a warrior, then. Now he comes across as a bullshit artist more worried about his future payday then his team. As for #2, the Mets won't force him to pitch. That'll be bad for everybody. As for #3, if he's hurt, he could have said so and avoided all of this. So I don't think that's an issue. But Sandy should start soliciting offers right now and let a bidding war begin for his services in the offseason. Preferably someplace that the Mets won't play much. Colorado would be ideal (as punishment). Lots of good young players in Oakland. Send him far away.

I'm done with Harvey. Trade his ass for a package of useful players who won't quit.

Kirk Niewenhuis.

Matt Harvey. Oh, sorry, that's NEXT year.

Prado always seems to hurt the Mets, no matter where he's played. I have no numbers to back this up, just my gut feeling, as I am incapable of gathering such arcane statistics.

David needs a day off, Terry.

David comes up small. Grrrr,

They REALLY need to figure out how to get through the 7th inning.

Rockin' Doc wrote: You know. I'm really going to miss Cespedes next year, but I'm enjoying him while the Mets habve him. This. He's Carlos Beltran circa 2004. Fun to watch.

CESPEDINGER!!!!!

Okay, they closed the gap and Plumbing Fixture is near 100 pitches. This is doable.

I think everybody with a microphone will be sticking it in Matt's face right about now. He's going to have to say something.

Conforto batting cleanup! Fascinating.