Gnome of Defeat tells us that Mets fail to sweep Phillies

Living in Michigan, I’m surrounded by people who might not be able to hear quickly whether the Mets have won or lost.

Oh, there are lots of places they hear about the Tigers. And it’s possible that many of the neighbors care more about the team from Motown instead of our Big Apple-based heroes.

But, well, they should care about the Mets, too.

I like to help my neighbors. They’re nice people, even the one around the corner who never waves back. So since Opening Day I’ve developed a system that allows them to see instantly whether the boys in blue and orange – and only occasionally black – emerged victorious from that day’s contest.

On those days, the mighty Flag of Victory flies proudly outside the Mets Guy home, alerting all that they can rest that night that good things happen and the world is in its rightful orbit.

Then, on the rare days when the Mets are not entirely victorious, the Gnome of Defeat appears. The gnome, a gift from my mother, is not entirely sad. He knows that there is usually another game tomorrow and reminds people to keep their chin up and hope for better things and injuries to the Phillies.

While the flag is anchored to the house, the Gnome of Defeat roams freely and there’s really no telling where he is going to show up. There’s an alternative Flag of Victory, too, that might go mobile.

I’ve been posting photos of the flag or gnome on Facebook after each game, but my colleague Angela suggested that I post them somewhere else with a quick recap. She’s one of those Tigers people and Brandon Inge likes her. She also might not like her Facebook news feed cluttered with flag and gnome photos.

So we’ll start with today’s 8-2 loss to the dreaded Phillies. The Mets had a nice performance from Mike Pelfrey, who held the Phils to just run through six innings. Sadly, there were three more innings, and Terry Collins brought in the bullpen.

Ruben Tejada picked today to do bad things, and wild pitches, bases-loaded walks and bumbled plays by out-of-position outfielders did not help.

But Ike Davis got out of his funk and launched one that darn near landed in Bull’s Barbecue.
So, the flag comes down and the Gnome of Defeat is roaming freely on the lawn.