1. I am not sure if that 100-year drought is going to end, but the Cubs definitely have a strong team. Their two-game sweep of the Mets revealed that they have a strong offense, even without having completed the long-rumored trade for Brian Roberts and with Alfonso Soriano out. Kosuke Fukudome is a patient, professional hitter and he helps bring some on-base skills, especially from the left side, that were really needed on this roster. Carlos Zambrano is an ace. Carlos Marmol (.188 ERA and .146 batting average against) is among the majors’ best set-up men. Kerry Wood has given up one run in his last nine outings. If Wood can stay healthy, he and Marmol would form an overpowering end game.
2. I have a better question then when is Pedro Martinez coming back. What kind of Pedro Martinez is coming back? With all the mystery about where Martinez is in his rehab for a bad hamstring, we have lost touch with that the Mets might be waiting for a myth — the pitcher who used to be Pedro Martinez. We keep assuming that if he can get on the mound regularly that Martinez has the combination of moxie and pitching intellect to make even inferior stuff work. But just how inferior is the stuff going to be? There is just so much that the National League and big Shea Stadium will cover up. Pedro may heal that hamstring, but will he have enough stuff to make it worthwhile?
3. Most days it seems Jerry Koosman is more likely to pitch for the Mets sooner than Orlando Hernandez.