The Mets beat the Cardinals again last night, begging the question of how high they intend to build my hopes and dreams before crushing them to shards.  Not a whole lot to write home about in what was generally an enjoyable game, but I'll toss a few things out:

* During commercial breaks, MLB.TV displays a computerized baseball bouncing around the screen with "Blip!  Blip!  Blip!" noises, like a sports-themed Pong.  This was strangely hypnotic for about thirty seconds, but by the fifth inning we were amusing ourselves by reciting our own commercial jingles during the breaks.  It may have been the only game in Major League history to be (in our minds) sponsored by Folger's coffee, Jell-O, Speedy Alka-Seltzer, and Farfel the Nestle's Chocolate Dog.  Of course, we tossed in a few beer commercials and Bob Seger singing "Like a Rock," so the more traditional sponsors wouldn't feel left out.

* A misplay in the outfield by a man named Skip Schumaker, who sounds like he should have been a character in a 1940's screwball comedy, gets the Mets their second run.  That's two straight games in which an outfield error has cost the Cardinals.  Coincedence, I'm sure, but you usually expect a tight defense from them...

* El Duque pitches well and drives in a couple of runs, too.  His health and effectiveness is a big key for the Mets this season.  In the seventh, he gives up a homer and a couple of solid drives and one of the people I'm watching the game with suggests that when Hernandez starts to lose effectiveness, it goes quickly.  But just glancing over his splits from last season, the numbers don't seem to support that... El Duque was rather effective as the game went on.  But we all form those little impressions, I guess.

* Why isn't Aaron Heilman in the starting rotation?  I've been asking this for over a year now, and I've never heard a satisfying explanation beyond a general "We like having him as a setup man."  Well, yeah, I like having a setup man, too.  I'd like having a third starter even more.

* Speaking of setup men, Scott Schoeneweiss, whom I've always liked, gets us into a jam, intensifying my bullpen fears begun by Joe Smith yesterday, but Heilman gets Pujols to save our bacon.  Does this invalidate my previous comment about him?  Not really; I'd still rather see him do that three times a game.  Anyway, then comes Billy Wagner to close.  Ever since that game against the Yankees last year when he sel####estructed with a four-run lead, I've never quite trusted Wagner.  I can't explain it: His stats are good, and every closer melts down ONCE in a while, right?  Benitez used to do it all the time.  But the heart knows no logic.  The mystical bonds of trust have been broken.  Talk to me 50 saves down the road, maybe I'll feel differently...

John Maine pitches tonight.  Here's where we'll start to really tell about 2007...