The lead is slim, but I'm glad to see the Mets back in first place. I've been in the progress of moving and only following games via txt message updates. My expectations for the Nationals and Pirates series' were to win at least five of seven games. Now I think we can take all seven.

With the Braves and Astros coming up at home the Mets have a chance to build this lead. The schedule gets tough after that. I think that the eleven games starting August 26th can make or break the entire season.

i assume you used to be in new york, due to the website, but idk. regardless, where to now? maybe you're coming to philly and we can hate the home team together!

I was sweating bullets last night as Eddie Kunz was pitching. A couple of years back the Mets blew a big lead in the ninth after a great start by Pedro. Thank heavens it didn't happen this time. This series of games against the bottom dwellers has been a godsend. Let's keep it rolling.

Johan only let in 3 hits today, walking none and fanning 7. It's pitching like this that keeps my stress levels low and my shirt dry (even with the AC off). If the starting pitchers can keep going deep into games until Wagner gets back, we shall be all right in the stretch. Now on to hopefully watch the Phillies lose and extend our lead to 3 games.

on a side note, who's this guy that the Mets picked up from the Nats? is he any good?

I like the sound of six in a row. Don't you? I don't care that the wins are coming against the cellar dwellers. Winning teams should beat the cellar dwellers. So the Mets are getting it done. Also glad to see that Johan Santana registered another W. If Johan can get to 15 wins and keep his ERA down he may have a chance at a Cy Young Award.

I am a little bummed about the Billy Wagner situation. We're going to need Billy back soon and it looks like his return is a big ? right now.

I could tell that the bullpen was really, really trying to blow that lead last night. they really were. only problem is, whenever they try to do something, they can't do it, so we ended up winning. but nobody worry, right? we just traded some minor league infeilder who had missed his chance at the bigs and was already 30 for some bullpen help from washington! whopee!only problem is, we just got another crappy releiver. his name is luis alaya and he won't be an injury risk and is very durable, but he has a 5.77 era this year and is 1-8. yes, 1-8. there was only one releif pitcher in the whole major leagues with more losses than aaron heilman (who is 2-6), and out of all the releif pitchers in the world, that is the one that omar decided to trade for. don't get me wrong, i love omar and think he's a great gm, but i don't know if our bullpen just got better or worse.

That is the first game i can remember in the past 3 years that reyes has not been our leadoff guy. i guess that means he was due for a rest, huh? manuel is big on keeping the guys fresh, so i'm ok with that. hey, if we're playing the pirates, it shouldn't matter, right?

another pathetic bullpen performance. bullpen comes in with a 2-0 lead, they leave with a 5-2 loss. to be fair, the bats were terrible with RISP again (sound familiar?) but still, completely pathetic. all around terrible performance today against a team we should stomp.

that being said, we did win 6 of 7 on the road trip, all with 4 of the 9 everyday starters out and wagner out as well. other than today, a great job by the mets to take advantage of the lull in the schedule to take the lead in the division.

We still have 7 home games against Atlanta and Houston, two very beatable teams, and then we go to Philadelphia for a chance to really pull away in the division. If the Mets offense gets going and our starters keep going deep into games (easier when Maine gets healthier), we can easily take at least 6 of those games. Not to mention that the Mets still have a great opportunity to make a run between the 5th and 21st of September. I think we're still in very good shape.

The "break" is definitely not over but it's also no time to let up. We got creamed by Houston down at Minute Maid so we know that these teams can be dangerous even though their records are not too hot. The more games we can make up before playing the likes of Milwaukee and Philadelphia the better.