Mets looking like Cubs’ biggest worry
1 comment August 22nd, 2008
A week or so ago, the Brewers, with CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets fronting a lineup second only to the Cubs’ in power hitters, seemed Chicago’s only near-playoff equal in the National League. Not anymore. Not with Mets lefthander Johan Santana in the midst of one of his typical second-half runs. Santana has back-to-back starts of 9 and 7 innings with no runs allowed, either earned or unearned. His ERA for the season is down to 2.64. It’s 1.49 in five August starts. Pedro Martinez is even showing signs of life, with an ERA just above 3 in five August starts. The Mets are now the No. 1 team the Cubs should try to avoid in the playoffs. Especially because it seems like bad karma that Carlos Marmol made the All-Star team this year while Santana, the best pitcher in all of baseball, was inexplicably left off the roster. Santana would be a shoo-in Cy Young pick this year if the Mets’ bullpen hadn’t blown a ninth-inning lead for him five times this year.
