What a week it has been for us Mets fans. When I wrote my article last week, it probably was the lowest moment any of us have had since Yadier Molina decided to rip our hearts out in Game 7 last year.

When I wrote last week, the Mets had just come off four abusive losses in Philadelphia and only in first place by two games. I encouraged everyone to not lose faith and that this team would recover. I did not think this would occur against the Braves that following weekend but it did. The Mets ran off five straight wins after the last demoralizing loss in Philly before losing yesterday 7-0 with their “B” team out on the field.

The reason for the Mets coming together could be the rant that Joe Beningo did on Thursday after the game. The reason could have been some secret tirade in the clubhouse that none of us knows about. Personally, I think it was the realization that it was finally crunch time and that it was do or die time. They realized that they had to go into Atlanta hungry as a team and sure enough, things worked out quite nicely as we all know.

The magic number is now 19, the division lead is five games, and there are 23 games to go. I am anxiously awaiting October and playoff baseball. Nothing is set in stone yet, but things are looking good. With that being said, I will not be happy until the magic number is zero. Read More...

Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles have traded ex-Met Steve Trachsel to the Cubs for two prospects.

The Orioles today traded veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel to the Chicago Cubs for Triple-A reliever Rocky Cherry and Triple-A third baseman Scott Moore.

Cherry, a 28-year-old right-hander, was 2-0 with a 4.59 ERA and seven saves in 43 games for Triple-A Iowa. He also made 12 relief appearances for the Cubs, going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

Moore, 23, batted .265 with 19 home runs and 69 RBIs for Iowa. He appeared in two games for the Cubs and went hitless in five plate appearances. He played 16 games for the Cubs last season, hitting .263 with two homers and five RBIs.

Baseball America named Moore, the eighth overall pick by the Detroit Tigers in the 2002 draft, the Cubs' seventh best prospect after last season.

Both players are expected to join the Orioles in Boston when rosters expand tomorrow.

Trachsel, who the Orioles signed just days before spring training when they learned that Kris Benson would likely need shoulder surgery and miss the entire season, went 6-8 with a 4.48 ERA in 20 starts for the Orioles.

He allowed three earned runs or less in 17 of 25 starts and was especially good in August, going 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA. Today marks the last day for teams to acquire players that are eligible for the playoff roster.

This is a great trade for Trachsel, he moves from the bottom of the AL East to the thick of the NL Central. Trachsel figures to be a big part of the Cubs' playoff chase. The Orioles also benefit by unloading an aging pitcher who does not factor into their 2008 plans. In exchange they acquire a reliever (Cherry) who could help reshape their horrible bullpen and some infield depth (Moore).

It came to my attention earlier this year when MLB released the 2007 schedules.

From June 5th to July 1st, the Mets will play 8 straight series against 7 of the best teams in baseball.

June 5-7: Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies
June 8-10: Mets @ Detroit Tigers
June 11-13: Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers
June 15-17: Mets @ New York Yankees
June 18-20: Mets vs. Minnesota Twins
June 22-24: Mets vs. Oakland Athletics
June 25-28: Mets vs. St. Louis Cardinals
June 29-July 1: Mets @ Philadelphia Phillies

You'll notice that the mets will play all 4 of last years AL playoff teams, as well as the reigning World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals, last season's NL Wild Card team the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the wild card runner up and division rival Philadelphia Phillies twice.

Coming into this season, one could argue that in this stretch of games the Mets would play arguably the 7 other teams (aside form the Mets) who could conceivably make the playoffs.

I have no way to check this, but I am almost positive no team has ever played every playoff team in one season, let alone all of them back to back.

Of course a lot has changed since then, almost nobody expected the Cards or Yankees to play as poorly as they have.

The Mets were swept in the opening series of this set of games by the Phillies, the remaining seven series will essentially make or break the Mets season. It's time to separate the PRETENDERS from the CONTENDERS.

We shall wait and see...

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