It's No Fun When the Muts Suck as Badly as They Do This Year

In 2007, the Muts blew a 7 game lead with 17 left to play. They came into spring training last year claiming that they were the team to beat in the National League, and the Phils again surged from behind to catch them last year. Of course, the Phillies won the World Series last year. Phillies starter Cole Hamels said it all last winter when he declared, "For the past two years they've been choke artists."

This spring, after signing Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez as their closer, the Muts were yapping again. "Of course, we're going to try to win the division. Of course, we're going to be the front-runner. Of course, we're going to be the team to beat," he boasted. "I don't want there to be a controversy or the other ballclubs in that division to take it personally or take it in a bad way. If they ask me, 'Oh, which ballclub is going to win the National League East?' It's going to be the Mets. Easy question."

The Muts, of course, are 59-72 and 17 games behind the Phils, firmly entrenched in fifth place in the National League East Division. They can take consolation that they are better than the horrifically bad Washington Nationals, but that's about it. They have had injury after injury, and most recently, lost ace Johan Santana for the rest of the season to elbow surgery.

The Mets have sucked so badly for most of the season that you haven't heard any yapping out of them. They've been smart enough to keep their big yaps shut. The Phils have a large and comfortable lead and will have to work hard to blow it. I have to admit, though, that it's been more fun watching the Muts melt down the last two years. Too bad that they won't get a chance to do so again this year.