I have decided for the rest of the year (or at least until further notice) when doing my recaps I am going to switch it up a little more and try to make it slightly more entertaining. I will continue to do a quick recap of the game, but instead of going on and on and on about the specific details I will assume you all saw at least most of the contest. After I recap I am going to go through a few new features that will help give you an idea of what I go through when watching the telecast, and at the same time allow me to share my opinion of some of the highlights of the game. I hope you like it; please, let me know.

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I picked a great game to change up the way I write these recaps, because after that game I want nothing more than to compose a quickie and go the heck to bed. It was an absolute thriller; to the fan without a vested interest possibly the game of the year in New York. But the final score read Cubs 9- Mets 6, so after 10 innings of heart-wrenching, gut-busting, tear-jerking baseball I was left with my mouth agape and my shoulders slumped.

The Cubs led early 1-0, but a 5-run 3rd inning capped by a grand slam off the bat of Carlos Delgado gave the Mets and Oliver Perez a 4-run cushion. Of course, the pitchers couldn't hold it, and by the time Perez's book was closed he had allowed 5 runs himself and the game was tied. Ollie left with the score 5-3. But Duaner Sanchez came in and let both inherited runners score.

The Cubbies took the lead in the 7th off Brian Stokes on an RBI double from Alfonso Soriano, and that's when the minor heart attacks began with the thought of losing the lead in the wild card running through my head. Little did I know the stress was JUST beginning.

The Mets had runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the 7th, but failed to score. In the 8th they had runners on first and third again with nobody out, and almost blew it again. They ended up loading the bases with two outs, and luckily scored the tying run when Jeff Samardzija walked new super sub Ramon Martinez (Ramon had 2 huge at bats in this game and made a sparkling defensive play at second base). But the inning still ended in bitter fashion when Jose Reyes grounded out and failed to put the finishing blow on Chicago.

It couldn't get any harder to swallow, right? WRONG! After Luis Ayala got through the top of the 9th, Daniel Murphy led the bottom off with a line drive triple into the gap that rocked Shea to its core. The heart of the order was up, and the win was in the bag...except David Wright struck out, and after Delgado and Carlos Beltran were walked, Ryan Church grounded into a fielder's choice that failed to score a run. Ramon Castro struck out to end the inning, and it completely deflated the team and the fans.

Ayala, pitching in his 2nd inning of his 3rd straight game ran out of gas in the 10th, allowing 3 runs on an RBI hit from Derrek Lee and a homerun from Aramis Ramirez. The bats went down 1-2-3, and there ya have it- the WORST loss of the year in a season that has had 50 terrible losses. I am speechless, I am disheartened, and I feel like I am going to cry. I just can't take it anymore.

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Where I Watched/Who I Watched With: I watched the first 3 innings by myself in my apartment on the same chunk of leather couch I have now seen about 115 games this season. My girlfriend came home and watched part of the middle innings with me, then went in the bedroom to leave me alone again when I started yelling expletives at Duaner Sanchez. In the 9th and 10th I was forced to watch standing up and pacing around my living room, throwing pillows and sulking like a baby, and I am not ashamed to admit that.

Turning Point: There were about 35 near-turning points in this game, but as much as I love him the final one was David Wright failing miserably in the clutch in the bottom of the 9th. With no one out and the winning run on 3rd Wright struck out, and that run never ended up scoring.

Highlight: Carlos Delgado launching a fastball from a rattled Carlos Zambrano into the bleachers for a grand slam, his second salami of the season to give the Mets an early 5-1 lead.

Lowlight: Three hours and 7 innings after Delgado's homerun, Aramis Ramirez returned the favor with a 3-run shot in the 10th that put this long, brutal game away.

Least Valuable Player: As horrible as David's K was, and as bad as some of the pitching was, I gotta give the LVP to Ryan Church. The man looks lost at the plate, and he choked about 3 times tonight going 0-5 and failing in the clutch several times.

Post Game Depression: I exaggerate a lot when talking about my Metsies, but this is no embellishment: This is THE MOST despondent I have ever been with this team, and other than the infamous last game of 2007 it might be the most down trodden I've felt from a regular season loss in a long, long time.

Quote of the Night: "That's called getting undressed... I didn't mean that literally. It's a phrase." -Keith Hernandez, after a line drive by Ryan Theriot almost took Oliver Perez's head off in the 5th.

Ulcer Meter (Scale of 1-5): 5++ I created the idea to do this "ulcer meter" yesterday, because I always joke with my friends that these games give me ulcers. Well I did not expect that the first night of this feature would be the most stressful game of the entire season. I guess we set the bar high, and let's see if the team can ever surpass this. I wouldn't be surprised.

Playoff Picture: I have never been a bigger Chipper Jones fan or Atlanta Braves fan as I was today. The Bravos took care of the Phils once again 10-4 largely in part to Larry's pinch-hit 3-run homer. Of course by the end of the night I almost didn't even care anymore. The Mets remain 1.5 games out of first with 4 games to go in the season. (The Phillies are off tomorrow, and have 3 games left).

The Brewers beat the Pirates for the 2nd straight night behind C.C. Sabathia on three days rest, winning 4-2. They now pull into a dead tie with the Mets for the NL Wild Card.

Rizzi's Rant:

I thought I had a few more things to say, but for the first time all year I am left completely speechless...