Pedro Martinez in his first game back threw 5 strikeouts over 5IP, allowing 2 earned runs, and finally hits the 3000K career mark.

The Mets won 10 to 4 over the Reds, for a recap check out our good friend Rob over at Amazing Mets (sorry, I missed most of the game), or get a box score at yahoo.

From what I hear, great game. Pedro was good for a first game back, the bats were hot, and we can finally have a chance to win more than four in a row. Lets Go Mets.!

John Delcos, who does a tremendous job with his blog for The Journal News giving fans instant access to the clubhouse, relays this quote from David Wright.

Delcos also notes that the many players watched the Phillies and Marlins game in the clubhouse after sweeping the Braves with great interest.

What a wild week it was, and now with Pedro pitching tonight, this has been the biggest emotional roller coaster for me at least, all season. At the same time I'm ecstatic to have Pedro back, I'm anxious as hell to see how he will perform. I'm a nervous freaking wreck over here.

Richard Grossinger's book “New York Mets : Ethnography, Myth and Subtext” is
a series of essays on the best and most interesting years of
the team, particularly 1969, 1973, 1986, and last year's abbreviated
run.

Mets pitcher Terry Leach and author Grossinger's own experiences
play a pivital role in the book which explores the way that being a fan of the team can being both exhilarating and excruciating.

Grossinger looks at how much baseball has changed over the years and laments the current money-ball
scenario some call baseball today.

Terry Leach has a book of his own, written with Tom Clark, called “Things Happen For A Reason : The True Story Of An Itinerant Life In Baseball”

Leach's book is a fascinating insight into what it is like to fight for a job in Major League Baseball, and gives an insiders look at what happens behind the scenes during one of the most storied years of Mets history.

Leach was a journeyman pitcher for the Mets and the Twins in the 1980s
and 1990s, and the book documents his roller coaster of experiences in
baseball. Leach's struggle to survive makes for a unique reading experience from the perspective of one of the Mets lesser known characters.

I've never even seen him pitch, but I already hate Joba Chamberlin.

Rick Ankiel's return as a position player is without a doubt one of the best stories of the past few years.

When was the last time Billy Wagner had a 1-2-3 inning?

Last week's series in Philadelphia was more depressing than a Smiths album.

Second best quote of the week:  “Who's pitching?  Jose Mesa?“  - Keith Hernandez after noticing that the Marlins had hit back to back home runs against the Phillies.

Best quote of the week: “I take it back.” - Keith Hernandez after being reminded of Jose Mesa's continued attempts to bean Omar Vizquel after Vizquel criticized his performance in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series.

If Guillermo Mota has a second consecutive good outing I see a Dixie cup in his immediate future.

I don't care if he has any real talent, but Alfredo Amezaga needs to play for the Mets one day.

It would be really nice for the Mets to make the playoffs in a year the Yankees did not.

Is there anything we can do to help the Mariners?

And we all wanted to see Phil Humber pitch on Saturday.   Go figure.

Someone should come to Shea with this sign.

If Pedro Martinez struggles this afternoon, 2 to 1 tomorrow's back pages read: “Labor Day.”

I'm no rocket scientist, but after hitting 41 home runs against us isn't it about time someone put one in Pat Burrell's ribs?

If anyone on the Mets ever poses for a picture like this, I quit. 

If my wife finds that picture on my desktop I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do.

If you
enjoy Sidd Speak,
head on over to The
Metwork for some more good times.

In Glavine Smoltz IV, Tommy gets to finally notch a victory as the Mets sweep the Braves. Glavine pitched 6, walking three, and giving up five hits and 1 run for the victory. Sosa took down three in a row, two on strikes, Heilman had a scoreless 8th, and Billy made it interesting but pulled off the save. Wagner allowed one run, threw over the 1st about 30 times, but still got the save.

I think the last few throws over were purely to piss off the Atlanta crowd. I think their boos fuel him.

David Wright's HR was most of the Mets scoring. After Reyes singled, Castillo moved him over ona  bunt that was almost hit safely. Wright followed with his homer, and Beltran had a double right after, but couldn't find his way home. Alou scored earlier on a sac by Glavine for the other Met run.

Alou was ejected late in the game after taking a few steps towards the ump (coughcoughumpoverreactioncoughcough) after questioning a call. Endy replaced him in left.

After that last series in Philly, sweeping the Braves feels good. Well, anytime you sweep the Braves it feels good, but after struggling against them all year round, to see the Mets hit them, and to see the Mets pitch against them, it was nice.

Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, its old man baseball day at the Ted.

Glavine is 11-6, 4.15, with a solid outing in a no decision his last start in Philly.  He tossed seven innings of shutout ball but between a struggling bullpen and a lack of Mets offense the team lost the game.  He no decisioned in his last start against the Braves, a six inning three run outing, to bring him to 5.35 ERA career against his former team. Smoltz is 12-6, 3.06, and shut the Mets out over seven innings last we…met. He's been solid lately, keeping it to three or less runs, and lasting at least six, and as many as eight full, in his last five starts. His only blemish in the last ten starts is a seven run (five earned) affair against the Rockies.

SS Reyes
2B Castillo
3B Wright
CF Beltran
1B Delgado
LF Alou
RF Green
C Lo Duca
P Tommy

Thanks to his recent surge and sucess, Delgado regains his old friend, the five spot.  He's 3 for 7 with a double and 2 hrs for the series. Meanwhile, he's .289 with 4HRs career against Smoltz.  Green will get the nod, and before you rant about Millz being the General and all: Green is .552 career against Smoltz, including three doubles and a homer. Green has also proven the better hitter against ace pitching (while he often goes 0 for 4 against rookies). So it is, on paper, a smart move. Having spent 15 days on the DL, Paulie will play the day game, despite traditionally sitting.

Game time is 1:05, catch it on SNY, TBS, WFAN.  And as always, come on by the Hot Foot Bleachers, to talk the game, Mets baseball, and your predictions for who will finally break the Curse of Nolan Ryan and throw a Mets no hitter.

In The New York Times, Martin Johnson looks at how some teams have been using starting pitchers in a relief role in place of the side sessions they normally throw between starts to stay sharp.

I wonder if Professor Rick has ever considered this. I know I would feel much better about seeing El Duque out there in a big spot rather than Mota.