NEW YORK -- The Phillies are hearing voices from the past. They'd like to think the Mets are, too.
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| The Phillies might be poised to make another late-season charge. (AP) |
Schmidt, the Hall of Fame third baseman, sent an inspirational e-mail to the current team in which he said that the Mets "know you're better than they are."
"Well, that part's true," Rollins said, as matter-of-factly as he could.
What makes this an issue, of course, is last September's Phillies comeback (as it's known in Philadelphia), or Mets collapse (as it's known everywhere else).
What makes it an issue is that a year after the Mets couldn't hold a seven-game lead with 17 games to play, there's every reason to believe they could blow a two-game lead with 21 games left.
The Mets have been dealing with this all year, of course, but never more so than this weekend. Never more so than now, with the Phillies in town for the last time, and with the Mets trying for the wins that would get them past the memories.
They know nobody in New York will count anything as being won until the Champagne is being poured.
"Sure, we've got some things we've got to confront," manager Jerry Manuel said.
"Nothing's going to take that (memory) away until you win," closer Billy Wagner agreed.
The Phillies know it, too.
"I think it's only natural (that the Mets will think about it) -- if we win all three games," Rollins said. "If not, they'll take a deep breath."
Rollins admitted to having read just the start of Schmidt's message. Some other Phillies claimed not to have read it at all. But it doesn't matter much whether they read it, and it doesn't really matter whether the Mets read about it.
