With the Mets in all intents and purposes done for in the playoff race...I have taken time out to check on other teams who are in the hunt. If the season ended today you'd have the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers and Rockies (wild card) in the playoffs and the matchups would be Dodgers vs. Cardinals and Phillies vs. Rockies. You can't count out the Giants, Marlins or Braves from the race either. However, for me it's not just about the race to see who makes it...I also want to see if and how teams "choke" if you will. I had gotten tired of people talking about the past 2 Septembers in regards to us and now it's time for someone else to take the fall.

The past couple of days we have seen some pretty epic meltdowns, both of which I took great humor in. Monday night, the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies had a game that went into extra innings. The Giants were seemingly in control in the top of the 14th after scoring 3 runs. 4-1. Game over right? Not so fast...they walk the RELIEF PITCHER (Adam Eaton) and then give up a walk off Grand Slam to Ryan Spillbroughs to lose the game 6-4. Man, that's a way the Mets would lose a game but since it wasn't us...I took sick satisfaction in that loss, especially considering I had lost some respect for SF over the past week or 2.

Last night, our arch-nemesis Philadelphia Phillies went across the state to take on the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates and weren't having an easy time with them. The did score two runs in the top of the 9th to take a 4-3 lead and you're thinking...ahh great another night in which they praise the "Fightin Phils" on another comeback victory. However, Brad Lidge (whom I affectionally call L.O.L in honor of his so-called moniker lights out Lidge) comes in and in 6 pitches, not only blows his NINTH save of the season, but allows a walk-off HR to Andrew McChutchen. 6-4 Pirates win. Now, the Phillies may be in control of the NL East with a 7 game lead with 38 or so games left...but hey, maybe they can choke down the stretch? Plus, no matter how bad the Mets are, watching Lidge fail is a victory in my book. Lidge could have TEN blown saves but we won't go there.

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost again last night to those same Colorado Rockies. Their division lead is now down to 2 games. Wasn't it at one point in the double digits? Yet, all Baseball Tonight can do is discuss how resilient and on fire the Rockies are...rather than discuss how the Dodgers are on the verge of a meltdown.

Oh, and Aaron Heilman last night gave up a Grand Slam to Elijah Dukes of the Washington Nationals. Although he was only charged with one run, watching the man implode in an opposing team's uniform satisfies me. Should be interesting seeing the Cubs 6 times over the next 9 games by the way.