I’m uncertain about the “urgency” issue. It looks to me like, if anything, several of the players are pressing (Reyes!) lately — and that only happens when urgency has entered your psyche. So although from the outside it appears Willie hasn’t shown urgency, I don’t know that if he did, it would necessarily be a good thing.

Baseball’s tough … as soon as you start trying a little too hard, you fail. There’s a fine line between calmness and indifference. Ask Manny Ramirez — he seems to have it figured out.

obviously Willie has nerves of steel….(or doesnt care). Ala game 1 of the NLCS last yr, at 4 2/3 IP, I might have gone to the BP. But yes thats second guessing…but then it would show a sense of urgency with the season on the line.

“These are big games for us and I think our guys know it,” Randolph said. “We do feel some urgency, I think.”

I think? This quote obviously proves he really hasn’t communicated that urgency to the players. He’s just assuming they know.

Matt Chico’s win last night was his first on the road in 13 starts this year.

The Mets are only 5 games over .500 at home this season, the worst distinction of any first place team in MLB.

But on the bright side, Glavine is 6-0 since the break and has a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings against the Nationals this season. Also, Shawn Hill has been scratched from his start on Wednesday to undergo arm surgery. Mike Bacsik is penciled in instead. That may not necessarily be such a good thing, though, seeing as how the soft tossing lefties (Seddon, Chico) have slowed us down recently. Bacsik also has a 1.74 ERA in 10.1 innings against the Mets this year.

Joe: I second your comments about Belliard. Even back in last year’s World Series, it seemed like he had a bone to pick with the Mets and took it out on our pitching staff. I would say he comes in 4th on the list of most dangerous Met-killers playing today (after Burrell, Chipper, and Rollins).

Harvey, go root for the Royals or something . . .