Mets Move in on Prey with Tenth Straight Win; Shark Attack Imminent

In terms of southpaws, Johan Santana looked more like Mr. Koo than Jerry Koosman, but their ace's sub-par performance did not deter the New York Mets from pulling into first place last night.

Santana gave up an Aaron Heilman-like five consecutive hits in the fourth inning, his last inning of work, to drop the Mets into a 5-2 hole. But there was Fernando Tatis again, delivering a go-ahead two-run blast to put the Mets ahead 6-5 in the sixth inning.

Even when the Mets' bullpen broke down and allowed a run for the first time in more than 21 innings, there was David Wright.

With the Mets trailing 8-6 and down to their final two outs, Wright delivered a game-tying, two-run homer that scored Argenis Reyes. Carlos Beltran, Damion Easley, Carlos Delgado, and Tatis pounded out successive hits for a 10-8 lead in setting up a Billy Wagner save opportunity that the struggling closer made good on.

Having advocated for Carlos Delgado's departure, it is only fair to point to his contributions of late. Although his proposed replacements (Easley and Tatis) are doing well for the Mets in other spots, Delgado is partying like its 1999. He hit .272 with 44 dingers and 134 RBI during that campaign with Toronto. After a 3-for-4 showing on Thursday, which included a homer and three RBI, Delgado is batting .252 with 18 bombs and 55 RBI following a horrific start.

Even with Santana looking more like a joker, the Mets still came up aces last night and sit tied for first with Philadelphia as the two clubs hold identical 52-44 records.

The Phillies acquired Oakland's Joe Blanton earlier in the day to bolster their beleaguered starting staff, but all the Phillies and Jimmy Rollins could do was watch as their old friend joined them atop the N.L. East.

As for Blanton, I have always been a fan. He is under 30 years of age and has given the A's an average of 209 innings per season from 2005-2007. Still, Blanton's 5-12 record and 4.96 ERA won't be enough to scare the Mets.

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Shark in British Waters: Phil Mickelson shot nine over yesterday in the first round of the British Open, while Rocco Mediate surged to the lead of another major. Salvatore is still predicting that Greg Norman, who finds himself one stroke back, will unleash one final shark attack and secure a major title by weekend's end.

Regardless of whether The Shark makes good on that prognositication, he still makes damn good shorts. Like Giuseppe Franco, I'm not putting my name on the line for something that doesn't work. (Click Here to watch one of our all-time favorites.)

Getting Squirrely with Hobbie Is Invited Back for Encore after Sound Debut

It's my sincere pleasure to implore you to "Get Squirrely" with us once again this week. According to the big board it appears that the John Butler Trio won out - good tune and I certainly can't blame anyone for thinking so.

I also can't "Blame Canada " for anything else these days, and even if I did it certainly wouldn't be music. Our neighbors to the north churn out significant modern rock bands like Wayne Gretzky once shat out goals. One can even say that Canada , namely Toronto , is what Seattle was to music in the decade of the 1990s. What the Bronx was to hip-hop in the 1980s. With Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Islands, Black Mountain, Wolf Parade, and even 1...2...3...4...Feist to name a stately few, these musicians wouldn't just be characterized in "South Park" with nutcracker heads that pop off when they talk. These aren't your uncle's maple leaf musicians (Rush??). These hosers can play.



Not aforementioned is this native Ontario band featured below, "Entire Cities". While their debut EP (titled "Deep River) is one of the freshest, most experimental and creative projects since the kids from Columbia University did it with "Vampire Weekend", you won't find them in record stores in the U.S. or even playing gigs in the States ... yet. Another blogosphere phenomenon, it's hard to fathom that this group will not be heard from very loudly and very soon. With their attempts at classifying their sound obsolete - the closest they come is half-jokingly tabbing it "psychedelic cow punk" - you'll find a softer almost Johnny Cash/June Carter flavored number on this work titled, simply, "Coffee". Two creams, no sugar.

Entire Cities - "Coffee"

We move a little wayward west and a tinge south and wind up in Chicago for another obscure little bar band - albeit American - headed by lead vocalist and namesake Dustin Apodaca. With Biggie's favorite smattering of "violins and mandolins" not to mention an acute rock guitar-keyboard combination (for those Springsteen fans out there) this second city ensemble serves as the absolute antithesis to the arena anthem-peddlers. After hearing this live recording featured below dubbed "Dear Honey" (not to mention a hilarious lead-in story from Apodaca on the origin of the lyrics) you'll want to pull up a stool, grab a beer and singalong - but maybe keep a little closer mind of your wallet.

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band - "Dear Honey"

Ollie Is to Big Game As Billy Is to...

If Oliver Perez is "Big-Game Ollie," then Billy Wagner is "Big-Game Billy GOAT."

In a scene all too familiar to New York Mets' fans, Wagner inherited a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning of the 79th MLB All-Star Game and quickly flushed it down the toilet along with the National League's hopes for home-field advantage during the World Series.

Wagner amassed six blown saves prior to the All-Star break, including three crucial save opportunities during the same week that ultimately cost manager Willie Randolph his job.

These struggles are nothing new for Wagner. Despite being an accomplished, big-name closer, Wagner has developed a reputation for consistently failing when placed into tight games of great significance. Need more evidence than the aforementioned to buy into this claim? Take a look at his post-season numbers. Click Here for Wagner's Career Postseason Numbers.

Wagner has publicly recognized (at least this guy will tell you that he stinks) how bad he was during the 2006 National League Championship Series. I personally witnessed the gopher ball he served up to the intimidating So Taguchi in a game two loss that turned the tide of the series.

Factoring in the damage done by the big-bopping Taguchi, Wagner pitched 2.2 innings to the tune of a 16.87 ERA while surrendering 5 ER on 7 hits.

In 4.2 innings of career postseason work with Houston, Wagner surrendered 5 ER on 8 hits.

Now Perez, the man who was openly, publicly, and unfairly criticized by Wagner earlier this season after a dud of start, has been just the opposite for the Mets.

Yes, Perez's inconsistency can be maddening and it has been the thing that has prevented this talented (although somewhat screwy) southpaw from being an All-Star. But he has always pitched best against the big-name teams and in the big-time spots.

Perez threw six innings of one-run ball in game seven of the 2006 NLCS, when Wagner failed to pitch a single effective inning the entire series. He is a perfect 4-0 against the Yankees over the past two seasons and is the only Mets' arm to have solved the Braves.

Still, Perez was the brunt of Wagner's criticism earlier this season. Mired in a slump during the time of Wagner's ill-advised mouth-off, Perez has since responded well and his last three starts prove it.

Wagner may be a five-time All-Star closer, but I want Perez in a Pennant Race.

Pelfrey Sends Personal Streak to Six, Mets to Cloud Nine

Colorado's Scott Posednik singled to lead off the game, and that is where the story begins. Actually it is where the story continues.

The story of Mike Pelfrey and the New York Mets had been one of frustration, but has been exclusively elation of late.

The frustrating Pelfrey would have followed up Posednik's lead-off single by walking the next batter. The frustrating Mets wouldn't have made the tough defensive play and would have muddled their way through a lifeless defeat. There were no such people on the field at Big Shea last night though.

After allowing the first batter to reach, Pelfrey induced a taylor-made 6-4-3 double play ball off the bat of Rockies' shortstop Clint Barmes before fanning coveted Colorado leftfielder Matt Holliday.

The bottom half of the first inning was even more refreshing. With a hungry crowd on hand and a national Sunday Night Baseball audience watching from afar, 22-year-old farmhand Nick Evans singled and three-time NL All-Star David Wright walked. Next, centerfielder Carlos Beltran unloaded, launching a three-run bomb over the picnic area.

After seven and a half more innings, the end result read: Mets 7, Rockies 0. Mets win ninth straight game. Mike Pelfrey runs his personal win streak to six consecutive starts with 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 5 K, 0 BB.

Dare I say it? Baseball Like It Ought To Be!

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Sadly, cancer claimed the lives of two well-known, deeply-revered and truly good men this past weekend. Driving home from the Mets' 3-0 victory over Colorado on Saturday, I learned that former MLB All-Star and established broadcaster Bobby Murcer lost his fight with brain cancer. Sadly, only minutes later, I heard that the courageous Tony Snow, a truly remarkable journalist, had fallen victim to colon cancer. After an accomplished career as a journalist, Snow went on to serve the nation as the chief White House Press Secretary before cancer forced him to step aside. We are sorry to see them go.