Winners and Losers...

A reminder and a gripe - First, several people won books. I've heard from three out of five. If you haven't contacted me yet, raise your hand. You'll probably need to go through my website "Contact Steven" page. Not sure my profile has a useful email. I'll have to check.

Then, the Mets. Do they really need to trot out Guillermo Mota every night? Really? The man has an ERA closing in on an even 6.00. In his lifetime he has had 23 save opportunities and blown 16 of them. It is almost inconcievable to me that in their entire farm system the Mets don't have a single arm that is better. There again, one of the guys they brough up with the expanded roster has an ERA over 20.

If this bullpen is really as good as it gets, then you have to wonder what the entire Mets farm system has been doing this year (and last). What have the scouts been doing? What has Omar Minaya been doing the past couple of months? Really? Can't make a single trade that might bring a live arm? Of course, the thought crosses my mind that I should ease up on Minaya - he's made good deals in the past and besides, maybe he just hasn't been watching the Mets play...Or reading up on their meltdowns in the papers...

On yet another hand, maybe the bullpen collapses that have become a pretty much nightly event are intentional. Helps build suspense in the season...and camaraderie among the starting pitchers.