The 2010 baseball season has been a bizarre one for Phillies fans.  The epidemic injury bug has swarmed through the clubhouse quicker with more wrath than our typical virus goes through preschool kids.  Fifteen different Phillies from the 25-man roster have gone on the disabled list (at the moment I’m writing this, no decision was made one way or the other on Ross Gload, who is day to day after he strained a groin muscle last night).  These weren’t just any Phillies either, these were the superstars: Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard — to name a few — have all missed significant time.

Despite the rash of injuries, the Fightins have somehow remained within three games of the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves and one game behind the revolving door Wild Card leader — currently occupied by the San Francisco Giants.  This is somewhat mind blowing, but also shows what a more complete and overall mindset of the clubhouse vs. others, like the team we are about to discuss.

Last season, the New York Mets were in the midst of their third, of what is now four, straight extremely disappointing seasons after getting bit by the injury bug, taking down Carlos Beltran and David Wright (among many others).  The Mets subsequently finished in fourth place, over 20 games out, somewhere between the Washington Nationals and Tim-Buck-Two.  All the Mets blogs blamed their toilet bowl of a season on injuries.  Not bad play.  Not bad managing.  Just injuries.  I’m sure if you asked what caused apartheid in South Africa, I’m sure the Mets fans would blame injuries.

When the Phils got a head-start on their annual June Swoon in early May this year, I read tons of snags at the team by Mets fans, claiming that the Phils’ injury situation was nowhere near what the Mets faced in 2009.  Come again?  (Of course these are the same Mets that had radio commercials advertising their “first-place Mets” for the two or three days they actually held that spot on WFAN.)

As the injuries for the Phils piled on, I read the blogs by both Mets fans and Braves alike jumping and cheering with glee like giddy school girls chucking water bottles at Justin Bieber.  What comes around goes around I guess.

First came rape and assault allegations towards Mets ace Johan Santana.  Then Francisco Rodriguez apparently beat-up his father-in-law at Citi Field and was incarcerated there. (Remember when we used to get crap for Veterans Stadium having a jail?! Curiously, I do not remember any Phillies players jailed at the Vet.) Remember when Brett Myers was accused of spousal abuse in Boston and we heard nothing but “wife beater” from Mets fans — despite his wife never pressing charges.  Good luck, Mets fans, with two of your main criminals pitchers.

Lastly, I just heard that Chipper Jones tore his ACL and may be forced into retirement.  Forget about his injury. How does a guy named Larry decide that the manliest name that would define him as a baseball player be “Chipper?”  Who does that and who thought it was cool?  Because it isn’t.  Your name is Larry.  I shall remind you of that every time I see the Phils play the Braves.

Now that the Phillies are getting healthier, the Mets are continuing to spiral and the Braves just lost their team leader.  All you Mets and Braves fans that were doing your dance of happiness after the Phillies’ injuries, you are now feeling the wrath of karma.  What goes around comes around.

As a Phillies fan, I should be smiling with the biggest grin in the world looking at this. (Don’t get me wrong, I am, but it has gotten to the point where it is just sad now.) Part of the fun of picking on the Mets and having a rivalry is that both teams need to be good at the same time. That’s why it’s taken so long as it is for our geographically close cities to even develop a baseball rivalry.

I also have to admit, it was quite nice after hating on Ted Turner and those Braves all those years.

But dang, the flippin’ Pirates and Nationals are trotting out more Major League talent than the Mets are now. The injury bug didn’t spread through that clubhouse, it was fired at them with a blasted mini-gun. It’s hard to show sympathy, but really, what the Mets are putting out on the field right now is ridiculous. If I were a Mets fan, boy, would I feel ripped off. I don’t know if it was poor management (probably), poor trainers (possibly), or poor ownership and brass (most likely), but I think more people would’ve survived biting down on an electrified fence while doused in gasoline then sitting in the Mets dugout.

I recall back in the beginning of the season when everyone was on the Mets bandwagon, thinking that they’d reclaim the NL East crown. My how things have changed since then. Even sadder, much of their injured roster is under contract for a few more years. We’ll be seeing this injury bitten club for years to come.

I don’t wish the Mets much luck, so here’s the best I can muster up:

Keep doing what you’re doing, Omar Minaya!

There seems to be a growing trend in New York sports as the teams have been shooting themselves in the leg  both literally and figuratively.

It was just recently announced that the new Yankees Stadium will be slashing their ludicrously high ticket prices to moderately ridiculously high ticket prices. The reasoning? The common New Yorker isn’t dumb enough to pay them and therefore isn’t filling the seats.

First off, I still don’t understand why new Yankees Stadium was built. When I think of classic ballparks with legendary status, I think of Wrigley, Fenway, and of course Yankees Stadium. Apparently there just wasn’t enough box seats to rape people’s wallets with in the old one and that incoming cash flow is vital to keeping the game’s most storied franchise operating. I mean, come on, A-Rod’s diamond-stud, gold-plated steroid syringe isn’t going to pay for itself.

I buy why Citi Field had to be built for the Mets. Shea Stadium was a dump. At least their stadium was built with a sponsorship, as opposed to public funds like Yankees Stadium, right?

Wait, you mean the Citi Group received millions of our tax dollars in federal bailout yet still kept their $400+ million contract with the Mets? Oh well then nevermind.

Anyway, the Yankees haven’t exactly been off to a hot start this season. How many games have we seen with crooked numbers, giving up double-digit runs? How well has the ridiculously high payroll been panning out for the club? You think the fans are going to file into that stadium with a team playing so poorly? Think again.

The Yankees set these high prices on their $1+ billion stadium with a right-field porch that belongs on a little league field. It isn’t uncommon to find seats for the moderate price of $1,500 or even $2,500.

Sounds reasonable, right?

The Yankees set these prices because they think they’re God’s gift to baseball. They think because they’re the Yankees, people will pay those prices.

The Mets are facing a similar situation, but not to such an extent. The Mets’ reasonably priced seats (some less than $25, some more) sell out quickly and there’s far less of them than the expensive ones.

The Yanks just announced that ticket prices will now be slashed by upwards of 50 percent. Yet those who have already bought seats at such high prices won’t get a refund. Instead they’d be compensated with more seats.

So let me get this straight: The plan is to give more seats to people who probably won’t fill them, therefore leaving them empty?

Brilliant. Watch me as I clap sarcastically. I can only imagine how those who have bought tickets are feeling as they flip through the phone books, looking for a good lawyer to file a lawsuit.

This Yankees are learning a valuable lesson the hard way: You don’t screw with New Yorkers and try to rip them off.