GAMES 96-98: I Really, Really Hate the Mets

Astros 5, Mets 4

Mets 10, Astros 3

Mets 8, Astros 3

My enmity for the Mets may be irrational, but it's long-lived, with its roots in my childhood when the two teams were born together in the 1962 expansion. I'm pretty sure I didn't hate the Mets then - I was just a little kid and didn't have any insight into the other teams that the Astros were losing to in those first years. But by the time that the Mets were Miraculous, a few seasons later, the seeds of my dislike were sown. And by the time that I moved from Texas to Maryland some 20 year later, I was primed to hate the '85 and '86 Mets who kept my team from the glory they deserved. Okay, I'll admit that it's probably just jealously, call it sibling rivalry. But I really, really hate the Mets.

So it's even more bitter that it was the Mets who kept the Astros from capitalizing on the weekend opportunity to grab the Central division lead from the Cards. With the Phillies squashing the Red Birds, it was Houston's chance to zip ahead. Instead, after eking out a close one on Friday night, the Astros lost big against the Mets.

Meanwhile, the Cubs are on a four-game winning spree, taking the division lead from the Cards, and hoping to continue their streak against the visiting Astros. Should be a great battle though - starting with Zambrano facing off against the hottest pitcher in the league this month. Oh yeah, folks, that would be our very own Wandy Rodriguez.

Freakin' Mets.