Quick hook?

Claudio Vargas, hmmm. Well, he pitched well last night, didn't he? I'd like to think he duplicate that performance against a better hitting team, but last night he put the team in a position to win. In fact, I was hoping Willie would leave him in even after he walked Dukes in the 7th. He had pitched out of any trouble he was in throughout the game. The only big error was the home-run by Zimmerman. Having said that, I can't kill Willie for going to Heilman with one on and one out. If Heilman can't be used in those situations, he can't be used and needs to go (either by trade or to New Orleans to get fixed).

And it's easy to pin this one on Heilman, but where were the bats? Tim Redding mowed them down. It wasn't like the earlier games where the Mets left loads of runners on base. Last night there were few enough runners.

And, you'd like to think that a 42-year-old player would be a little more subtle in criticizing the ump so that his hot bat can be in the line-up late in the game when it's needed.

*****

Wayne recalled how Rockies' pitcher Mike DeJean got on his case one day in August when Wayne was broadcasting for Colorado. The reason? Wayne happened to mention before the game that no Marlins catcher - Colorado was playing Florida - had homered all year. And, during that game Ramon Castro went deep off DeJean and DeJean blamed Hagin for it.

Ryan Church's brother left for a tour of duty in Iraq yesterday.