Does The Fun Ever Start: Cubs 9, Mets 5

The well of ways to say the Mets suck is starting to run dry. Tonight, Jon Niese showed why he may need a little more time in the minors and the Cubs showed why they're the team to beat in the National League.

Jason Marquis drove in more runs -- 5 -- than the entire Mets' team. The Mets' first run was scored by Carlos Delgado on a Marquis wild pitch, so their offense technically only gets credit for four runs batted in on the night. Marquis knocked in four on the fourth-inning grand slam and another on a groundout an inning later.

Duaner Sanchez and Aaron Heilman pitched a scoreless inning apiece to get the ball to the Mets' closer. Just like they drew it up in March. Except that in this reality, the Mets were already out of it when Sanchez and Heilman entered the game and they handed the ball to Luis Ayala and not a real closer. This is also ignoring the fact that for the better part of this season, Sanchez and Heilman have thrown very few scoreless innings, especially in games the Mets weren't already en route to losing.

The Cubs are going with Sean Marshall tomorrow, as the Mets counter with Johan Santana. Suffice it to say, this is kinda sorta an important game.

Big winners: Ryan Church, +9.9% WPA, Daniel Murphy, +7.3% WPA
Big losers: Jon Niese, -44.4% WPA, Luis Castillo, -6.3% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Murphy RBI double in 2nd, +10.9% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Marquis grand slam, -18.4% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -48.2%
Total batter WPA: -1.8%
GWRBI: Jason Marquis

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by LOUtheMETSfan; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.