A Braves' Fan Teetering on the Edge of Insanity

Raise your hand if you've ever heard of the term "death by 1,000 cuts."

Well, if you haven't, I'll rewind my DVR so you can see the fourth inning of today's Mutts err...Mets-Braves game.

[insert religious figure of choice here]!!!

Matching their production against Derek Lowe for the season (five runs and 10 hits) in one inning...and then some (eight runs on 11 hits), the Mets made minced meat of an obviously disgruntled Lowe on the 18th.

The only good thing about the D-Lowe debacle was that he was in my opponent's starting rotation today (that 14+ ERA is going to be hard to bring down).

In a game that seemed to be going the Braves' way (4-0 heading into the inning with big Matt Diaz and Adam LaRoche homers), this Met-like meltdown was even harder to bear.

I don't get how an offensively-challenged team like New York can manage to have every player except for one (Daniel Murphy) muster a hit in one inning.

It just doesn't seem possible.

But, I guess when you put together all of the pieces that set up this disgraceful inning (Derek Lowe hurt/blistered, the Mets coming in with nothing to lose, and the Braves already turning cruise control on), it seems a little more believable.

Those reasons still don't take away the sting I felt with each blooper, dribbler, and occasional slash that missed gloves and found holes that never usually exist.

I don't think this is a microcosm of the 2009 Braves' season.

This team normally has strong starting pitching and rarely gets embarrassed, but this game's score versus the 9-4 game the team put together the yesterday looks a lot like April and May's team.

That's not to say this should be expected night in and night out, but this is beyond disheartening with the play the Braves had been exhibiting over the past two weeks and three-and-a-half innings.

Barring a very un-Braves-like four-run comeback, this is a tough loss.

No, this is a suicide-invoking (note the use of a hyperbole) loss.

Entering a stretch where every game could mean the season...yeah.

Better put the pajamas on boys; bad swings after a big inning are making the lackluster Mets look good.