Nervous Met Fan

Its 5:15 in the morning. I'm supposed to be sound asleep, but its just not happening. I'm 36 years old, and I've come a long way from my most intense days as Mets fan, but I feel I've regressed overnight. I'm nervous and once I woke a few before 5 AM there was no turning back. I was up for good. I don't have the highest hopes for this flawed Mets team, but I am certainly not ready to shut it down today. Get me to tomorrow is my "one day at a time" goal for today.

Do I think its going to happen? I am not sure.

This is the third time in the last 10 seasons that the Mets have gone into the last day of the season in a flat-footed tie for a playoff spot. In 1999, they beat the Pirates and played the Reds the following night in a one game playoff. Al Leiter's pitching gem propelled them into the playoffs and they made a really good run, going down in game 6 of the NLCS. But, its last year, of course, that is front and center in every Mets fans' mind. Like 55,000 or so other people I found my way into Shea Stadium last year for the season finale. Before I had even settled in to my seat, it was 7-0 Marlins and the team's chances were toast. It was tough to swallow, and I can't help but fear something like it happening again.

Ollie Perez is taking the hill today. A brilliant but confounding talent, he'll be going on 3 days rest instead of the normal 4. Its always such a wild card (no pun intended) when you have to throw a pitcher on short rest. Yesterday could not have gone better. Johan Santana outperformed everyone's expectations and tossed a complete game shut out on 3 days rest. One of the great pitching performances in Mets' history. I won't attempt to predict what Ollie Perez will do, I only say that it is a source of my uncertainty about today. There are several factors that indicate he'll do well.

1) He's a big game pitcher. Mets fans know that Ollie steps up when the pressure is on. Think about game 7 of the 2006 NLCS or some of his starts against the Yankees and Phils this year.

2) He's pitched well on 3 days rest before. That game 7 in 2006 was on short rest. He went six strong innings that night.

3) He did not throw a lot of pitches in his last start. (Of course, the reason for this, was that he did not pitch well, and got replaced early in the game.)

4) A win today could net him an extra 20 million dollars or more in his pending free agency this off-season. I'm sure Scott Boras has reminded him of this. Will he use that as motivation? Perhaps. (Thanks to my sister Mary for bringing this up to me.)

5) Perez is 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in five starts versus the Marlins this season.

6) Crowd support. The Mets fan will come ready to make a lot of noise today, and Ollie has to try to channel that energy into a little added adrenaline to get him through the start. (Thanks again Mary.)

Of course, no matter how well Perez pitches today, the Mets are going to have to score some runs and more than likely get some big outs from their beleaguered bullpen. Several of the Mets best hitters have good numbers against Scott Olsen, the Marlins starter.

So, analysis aside, the Mets gotta find a way to get a win today and then hope for a little help today in Milwaukee, where interestingly enough, CC Sabathia will also be taking the hill on 3 days rest. The Brewers have worked him so hard this year, and will be leaning on him once again on this ever important Sunday. Mets fans best hopes lie in CC not having his best stuff today.

A one final note about the games today. The Mets have scheduled the ceremonies to celebrate the closing of Shea Stadium for AFTER the game. A curious choice, made more so by the fact that no one knows what the mood is going to be like after today's game nor do we know what inning it will be in Milwaukee when the Mets game ends. Suffice it to say that it could be joyous, miserable, or undetermined and tense as 55,000 plus, keep two eyes on the Brewers game and no eyes on the elaborate ceremony. I hope the Mets have a plan to show the Brewers game on the big screen and are smart enough as a franchise to delay the ceremony long enough so that it can be given full attention. Win, lose, or draw.