Paul Lo Duca Speaks

Listening to Paul Lo Duca in his week radio interview with Joe and Evan on WFAN gave me a lot of confidence. First off he said there can be no excuses, about injuries or whatever, they're just not playing well. He mentioned an attitude adjustment, about how maybe they were coasting a little and they're realizing it's not going to be as easy as last year. He also brought up how Willie had been talking to them about and it and stressing some stuff trying to get them going. A lot of his statements make me feel like this slump is coming to an end. On a related Paul Lo Duca note, somehow the Mets fans have been lazy, and the Dodger fans have been pushing for their catcher, who I'm not going to deem with a name. You can vote 25 times per email address, so get out there and continue to vote for Paul, who's fallen out of the lead in the All Star voting.

They asked him if he thought he should be batting second, and about how Reyes needs protection and all that. He basically said it doesn't really matter, it's not the order that's the problem, it's that they need to start getting hits at the right times. Which is true, were they driving in these guys with two outs and when they've got guys on, no one would be debating the line-up that much.

He also addressed Cole Hamels a little bit, who basically was upset over how Lo Duca acted after his home run the other day. This was the third of three consecutive home runs off him, to put the Mets up 3-2. He said he “could give a rats-you know what” about Hamels or his statements. That if he upset him, he's sorry, but he could care less. It was a big home run while they were struggling, and he got excited. That it's different than when he got upset at A-Rod for watching his home run when the Yankees were up by a lot and it was mostly meaningless. He knows that he'll see Hamels again, and if he gets thrown at, he'll happily take first base.

I've been saying it all week, but obviously the Mets are going to get out of this. I think the Yankees will probably falter a bit again by this weekend. I think we can play them tough and do well, especially considering their bullpen sucks and we're facing Clemens and Clippard. So all you pessimistic 'woe is me' Mets fans out there, chill out. Sure this isn't last year, but don't forget that we lost last year. This is also not 2003. This is 2007, look forward, not back. Look up, not down.