DRAINED

As a Mets Lifer, I am drained watching these games. They're taking the life out of me one inning at a time. But if these games are draining for me imagine what it's like for the everyday players.

Think about it. Before a single pitch is thrown every batter in the Mets lineup knows that they've got to score 7-10 runs to guarantee a victory. And even that's not a guarantee. In the back of their minds they know that no lead is safe and that every inning they've got to keep adding more runs.

The hitters are pressing. They're tight. They're over anxious. They're off their game. Case in point is Luis Castillo who never strikes out and never swings at the first pitch, but he did both of them last night. Of course Castillo shouldn't even be playing right now if you ask me, but that's a whole different story.

The starting pitchers are drained too. They've got to throw no-hit, shutout baseball from here on out just to give themselves the chance to win.

I can't imagine the mood in the clubhouse today. I can't believe how painful it must be for Jerry Manuel to walk out to the mound knowing the next guy he brings in has an 80% chance of blowing this game wide open.

This season has been draining, and this last week may just suck the rest of the life out of Mets fans and their players.