Verducci, the world’s worst baseball writer, attempts to figure out how the media’s precious Mets flopped like a flounder on hot cement. You want to know what went wrong? The Braves have the best record in baseball. That’s pretty much it. The Mets are about as good as they were last year, but it doesn’t matter because the Braves are 20 games better. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Mets’ additions had been superb, instead of having bad years each and every one (as was more or less predictable in all cases) and the Mets had improved by ten games.
Oh, Bobby Valentine thinks the Mets can stand pat and win the division next year. Which I suppose is possible, if the Braves lose Maddux and Glavine. And Kevin Millwood tears up his arm. And Gary Sheffield decides to join a monastery. And Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell drive off a cliff. Mo Vaughn will be five years removed from his last good season, a year older and fifteen pounds heavier. Mike Piazza isn’t going to get healthier in his thirties. If the Mets stand pat they’ll lose 100 games.
The circumstance under which the United Nations charter condemning quick intervention in oppressive regimes was drafted has to be reviewed; it’s a passe and susequently taking a massive toll on geo-pol-socio and economical order.Actually,it only plays into the hands of dictators.True that the United States acted outside the UN framework in attacking Iraq but such review can curb the excesses of oppressive regimes and make them wary of their injustices against the people.