Nymr83 wrote: But it seems more that the Mets' aches are self-inflicted � self-inserted, to use Cora's uncomfortable metaphor. The bats have completely vanished on the road trip The difference between getting shut down by great pitchers (Lincecum, Zito) and being in a batting slump is solely the degree to which the writer wants a positive/negative spin on the team in his article. worth a bounce to this page.