Now Batting, Atlanta Right Fielder....

The Mets got revenge on the Braves the other night, beating Atlanta 7-2, the same score the Metropolitans were beat on the previous night.

Atlanta is old. I don't know if it's their old-ass manager, or I'm just so sick of seeing them.

Atlanta is still very scary, though. I can handle the Phillies, the Marlins and the Nats. But Atlanta has been like an older brother the last 15 years. You know, from 5 until you are 20 you have almost no chance of beating him unless he slips up.

Well last year, we turned 21 baby. We discovered that youth and power and speed that the Braves had enjoyed for seemingly every year. The Braves are going to be dangerous all year. Say what you want about how old Bobby Cox is, but that guy has had the whole NL's number for a long time. I think the Braves are a prideful organization, much like the Patriots in the NFL. They haven't forgotten the way the Mets handled them last year, especially when it counted late in the season to wrest away the first NL East division title in 14 years.

And that is a problem. Older brother has declining skills but is more wiley than ever. I don't think Willie Randolph gets intimidated by any other skipper.

With baseball's very limited playoff window, if you don't win your division you are finished. Granted, the Wild Card teams have been very dangerous of late, including several of the recent World Series victories, notably the Marlins and the Red Sox. But I think baseball needs four more teams in the postseason. One more series in the first round. I think the NBA allows too many playoff teams, and the NFL does it just right - 4 division winners and 2 wild cards per conference. MLB has 30 teams, NFL has 32.

When I see a blotter that is discouraging to Atlanta, I always get excited. But no amount of injuries or setbacks is enough. When August and September get here, Atlanta finds ways to win. My hate doesn't wash right past respect, so I merely loathe them and wish to avoid them all together. Of course, when Atlanta had their Big 3 pitching, that caused a lot more dread and hopelessness. But those guys are no more. I guess I have a lingering nervousness about the specter of who Atlanta used to be, but their strong start has the Mets on their toes. It is going to be a fretful regular season because Atlanta and New York will probably stay within 4 games of each other coming down the stretch. Not like last year's whoop-ass that we put on, really putting the division away far before they actually called it.