An Ankle and an Ankiel?

t was Jonathan Niese’s turn to stink up the joint and he took full advantage of his opportunity. I didn’t get to watch today’s game, busily translating old 8 mm films to DVD’s (which is a whole story in itself) but I did turn on the old transistor radio on my kitchen shelf to get little snippets and updates and they were the most depressing little clips imaginable, putting just another aura of gloom on an already dim day.

First snippet…Niese has been pitching well but there’re men on first and second and up steps Adam LaRoche…and it’s a home run, a 3-run homer for Adam LaRoche….second snippet….and up to the plate steps Adam LaRoche, Adam smacked a 3-run homer in his first at-bat, and the pitch…and it’s another 3-run homer for Adam LaRoche, Diamondbacks lead 6 to nothing.

And it was back to the old birthday parties, Communions and Confirmations featuring old people suddenly young again, smiling and dancing and all shielding their eyes from the glare of the lights, those incredible lights that could put halogen to shame.

There’s nothing bright about the Mets right now. Win a game, lose a game, not even a Jason Bay to be mad at, just another day at CitiField, except this time they got totally blown out so there would be no big comebacks on this day. And all the tomorrows for this team will depend upon the farm and whatever this sometimes tired-looking bunch can muster.

Not the Yankees though. With no salary cap to speak of, the Yanks went merrily on their way picking up one aging star, one big bopper and a once-terrific pitcher who now appears third on their depth chart in the latest Yankees roster report, right after Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain.

So now an avowed Yankee-hater such as myself can just hope against hope that percentages don’t carry the day for those guys in pinstripes, that Austin Kearns won’t hit dinger after dinger into that right field porch, that Lance Berkman won’t come through some night with a big hit in a crucial spot, and that Kerry Wood won’t become re-invigorated in front of big crowds at Yankee Stadium.

But what am I complaining about? The Mets got new players too. That they haven’t contributed as much as these Yankee pickups doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t add an un-definable something, maybe a hard-hit ball from the redoubtable Mike Hessman or a nice catch from Jesus Feliciano, maybe some Chris Carter or Josh Thole odd contributions along the line.

The good pitching had to end sometime. I was beginning to think Dickey and Niese were going to keep on rolling, but only Dickey kept it going for one more game. Niese didn’t come through today but, then again, Takahashi did his part yesterday so things haven’t been all bad. Even Pelfrey pitched a little credibly before that and Santana, well, he got rocked but how often can that happen?

We’ll all find out tomorrow when Johan faces the Braves Tim Hudson in Atlanta. A win in that first game could surely pick up my hopes. If all those young guys could just pretend they’re really still in the friendly confines of the Citi, who knows what could happen?

Lowered expectations of this young team could help them play more loosely, to just go out and have some fun. I know I’ll be happy if they can just be competitive more days than not. And really, that’s something they’ve been able to do. Not today, of course, today they got blown out but, for the most part, they’re almost always in games to their last dying breath.

And the transition pains are over. Beltran’s been back some time now as has been Castillo. Jason Bay’s been out for a few games now too and stands to miss several more now that he’s been put on the DL. So, although there are some new faces, those faces are at least all in the same organization. That alone should promote some esprit de corps among the troops, some spirit that won’t show in the box score necessarily but could translate into W’s rather than L’s down the stretch.

Interestingly enough, the Mets are still just 6 ½ games behind the Braves but are 7 ½ behind in the wildcard standings, the Giants, Phils and Reds all seemingly getting tougher in the last ten games or so. But all those teams seem beatable, despite their own recent acquisitions. Those additions might help but some won’t. Percentages tell me so.

The Braves for example picked up Kyle Farnsworth for their pen and Rick Ankiel, that former Cardinal quasi-star, somebody who could just as easily be bad as good. The Phils big splash was getting Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros but he managed to get shelled by the lowly Nationals in his Phils debut the other day. And Ryan Howard just sprained his ankle.

So, while I’m no longer expecting some kind of post-season activity, unless it’s just the announcement of a new management team, I am expecting some inspired play from these guys. Just hearing Dickey talk about how happy he was to be part of this Mets team picked up my spirits. Conversations with Ike Davis seem to have the same effect. There seems to be a genuinely good feeling for one another in that Mets clubhouse.

If I’m disappointed about anything, it’s those relievers. The likes of Valdez and Acosta are not the answer to anything, except maybe “name two Mets pitchers who have no stuff.” Elmer Dessens and crazy Ollie don’t exactly inspire confidence either. I think even the most understanding of Mets fans could have expected a little help in the pen, even if it were to bring back a Mejia of Igarashi.

But they don’t call this time we’re in the “dog days of August” for nothing. A bunch of guys trying to make their bones might weather such times better than would veterans.