Coming into Philadelphia with a six game lead, the Mets were given a four game series to knock the Phillies out of contention and solidify the NL East. In the four game series the mighty New York Mets asserted their dominance over the division by…getting swept in four games straight?

That’s about all you can say. Sure the games, well almost all of the games, were seemingly competitive. Save for Monday’s game, they were winnable. It would pointless to recap the key moments. Winners get it done when the game is on the line and chance usually favors the best team. I’m not suggesting the Phillies are a better team; they’re just the better team right now and the Mets just handed them momentum, confidence, and worse, realistic hopes of the East title.

I hope the Mets all got a good look at the Phils dog pile of Chase Utley after capping the four game sweep. I hope they felt like I felt and don’t forget it. I hope it embarrasses them as much as it embarrasses me. I hope it burns…badly. Then they get as angry as I am and they take it out on the Braves.

Not that this Mets fan is in panic mode; it’s more like nervous mode. A two game lead is hardly comfortable. And it’s not over yet. Willie, the veterans, somebody needs to shake up this team. The Mets are heading to Atlanta for three in the dreaded turner field and suddenly we could all be having flash backs to the late 90’s that are all too real. Bad dreams…

A quick note.

I am excited to see Pedro Martinez return to active duty but how unrealistic is it to think that a pitcher coming off surgery that hasn’t pitched in what now is an entire year at the major league level, and really in a year and a half on a regular basis regardless of his resume? Don’t misunderstand, I really look forward to Petey’s return and I like the Mets better with him than without him. But even if he is Pedro of old, he only pitches every fifth day. Pedro’s clubhouse presence may turn the ship, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Silver lining time for any Mets fans on the ledge, ready to jump. The Mets are competing for something other than past Met team’s records for the first time in a while. That concept seems kind of foreign now, doesn’t it? You remember that, don’t you? When a division title wasn’t a certainty.

What’s so great about that, you ask?

Mets to need to start playing dominating baseball, the likes of which we fell in love with in 2006. All year, we’ve been hearing, “as soon as this team gets healthy…” and “When Moises Alou gets back…” Well he’s they’re back and he’s back, let’s go!

If the Mets continue their standard trend since June, a war of attrition so to speak and use wins over Cincinnati, Washington and Florida to coast into the October while the Atlanta and Phillies fall apart, does any clear thinking Met Fan give decent odds of a World Series title.

Oh yeah, back to the silver lining thing. Teams that fight for their playoff lives in September seem to battle harden early. (See Cardinals, 06, White Sox 05, Red Sox 04, Marlins 03, 97.) A dogfight slugfest may be exactly what this team needs to awaken that baseball giant that’s been seemingly napping all season. It’s time for the Mets to come out of that penthouse suite in that ivory tower called NL East for an old fashioned street fight. Winner take all, loser go home.

The Mets need to figure out what the hell their problem is and fix it in a hurry. Besides Delgado, no one has played outright poorly. When the offense is clicking, generally the pitching isn’t. The Mets don’t have “it” whatever “it” is that made this team seem unbeatable last year. Quick name three walk off wins off the top of your head:

1. Castillo’s walk-off
2. Benitez’s Meltdown
3. Umm, uhhhh, umm…

Its time for this baseball club to play to its talent level. Philly’s got the momentum; the Braves have the edge in the historical aspect of the Mets at Turner Field. What do we have?

1. Reyes
2. Castillo
3. Wright
4. Beltran
5. Alou
6. Delgado
7. LoDuca
8. Green/Endy/Lastings

If three any of those three guys go on any kind of consistent hot streak, watch out. We all know what our boys are capable of, now its time to prove something. Were the Mets, it’s always going to be hard. Buckle your seatbelts, we’re going to Atlanta.

Yee-Ha!