Just When I Thought It Was Intolerable to be a Phillies' Fan. . .

The Mets made it more intolerable to be one of their fans.

There they were last night, with a four-run lead, and on the cust of trailing the Phillies by only a half game with four to play and leading the Brewers in the Wild Card race by one, when they blew the lead and then failed to score in the bottom of the ninth after putting a man on third with no one out. The Cubs prevailed, 9-6, in ten innings.

Ouch.

Double ouch.

Of course, don't count the Phillies out. The Mets play the pretty good Marlins this weekend at Shea (the same squad that took 2 out of 3 from them in Shea on the last weekend of last season), while the Phillies host the gritty if last-place Nats. Who knows, Manny Acta's team could storm into Citizens Bank Park and take three from the home team? It's unlikely, but the Phillies stunk the joint out last night against the Braves, losing 10-4 in a pathetic game. A win last night would have put them 2 1/2 up with 3 to play. That looks a lot better than being a game and a half up with three to play.

One thing is for sure: Omar Minaya will spend serious bucks in the off-season to upgrade the Mets' bullpen, while the Phillies will hunt for at least one more starting pitcher and a leftfielder, unless, of course, they re-sign Pat Burrell.