Seems like old times

Every team has a bad stretch in them. Maybe the Mets have had theirs. Maybe the turmoil of the previous two weeks was the trial the Mets needed to go through in order to finally get past the collapse of 2007.

Things got 'Bronx Zoo' bad in Flushing. But management supported Willie, the players (more or less) did as well, and after calling each other out and having closed-door meetings, the Mets have been sharp and looked more relaxed than they have all season. They're winning, they're having fun... it's 2006 all over again.

David Wright, who looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders during what we will now simply refer to as "the dark times," broke out of his fink with two home runs, and more importantly, the top 5 guys in the order had 2 or 3 hits apiece. You do that, you should win ballgames. That top 5 included Carlos Delgado, who had 2 hits and made a fine play in the field - I guess his head is clear now.

You also had to like how the Mets scored all 8 of their runs with two outs (now THAT'S clutch) and how they tacked on 2 more runs in the seventh after the Dodgers had cut the gap to 2 runs, and how the bullpen responded, particularly Schoeneweis and Smith. Claudio Vargas pitched fairly well, going 5 2/3 and allowing just six baserunners for the win.

Brad Penny is just awful at Shea and the Mets own him the same way Hong-Chih Kuo owns the Mets. Kuo came into the game like a replacement blackjack dealer, shutting down the Mets' mojo instantly.

We'll see how the Mets do against phenom Clayton Kershaw, but don't be surprised if the Mets
hammer him. After all, he may be a rookie, but he's not a no-name.