Here we go again

Yup, it's September. Oh, fateful September...

One year ago, I remember thinking the Mets were all but a lock for the playoffs, a thought process which still haunts me to this day. The Mets enter September 2nd of 2008 with a two game lead over the Phillies, a scary thought after what happened in '07.

Am I worried? Yes. The bullpen is still a crap shoot, though they've put together some better outings lately. Ryan Church doesn't look nearly as ready as we all hoped he would. I fear this team may have peaked too early.

But, things are looking up too. Daniel Murphy is really seeing and hitting the ball well, and is a surprisingly effective call up. Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran both seem to be settling into a groove, one that has them performing and hitting with power and consistency. Luis Castillo is back, and isn't stinking up the joint. He looks more fit and more prepared, though he still looks like he's in pain 95 percent of the time.

The starting pitching has been the one dominant force on this team over the past few weeks. They've been turning in quality performance after quality performance. Whether it's Pedro Martinez seemingly returning to form, even if that form is a little worse for the wear, or if it's Mike Pelfrey blowing right by his previous innings high, and throwing consecutive complete games.

Whether it's Oliver Perez rocking back and forth on the mound, thanking his lucky stars Rick Peterson is elsewhere and he can finally just rear back and throw. Or if it's Johan Santana, cursed with yet another no decision, but keeping his team in the game and providing them a chance for a win.

He could easily have been a 20 game winner this year, if a few things went his way, but alas, he is not. People must look beyond his record to see what numbers he's put up, and you see he really may be worth all that dough.

So far, so good. The Mets have been playing great baseball since the break, unfortunately, so have the Phillies. There are only 24 games left to play, so this is going to come down to the wire.

It's scoreboard watching time. This brings a whole new aspect to the game, and I kind of love it. Not only am I entirely engrossed in what the Mets are doing, but now I constantly check the state of the Phillies, their players, and especially the score of their games.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is September and if you're reading this, you're probably a Mets fan, so buckle up, it's going to be a crazy fun ride to the finish.