Sorry for the brief hiatus, but when Mother Migraine decides she wants to put you on your butt you have no choice but to go down. Slept most of yesterday and awoke to the news we have a new president and the Mets probably won’t make much of a splash in the FA market.

Been trying to catch up on the Hot Stove News and there’s really not much that’s surprising. We know the Yankees are offering money to just about everybody while the Mets figure not to stray far from their $143 million payroll from last year.

Most of the news seems to substantiate what we’ve been talking about here, that the Mets will go after pitching, pitching and somebody to throw the ball to the catcher. They’d like to keep Oliver Perez and sign Derek Lowe, and they’ve targeted Brian Fuentes as their closer.

Nothing shocking there.

The Mets don’t figure to go after a big bat because they don’t believe that’s why they lost. Their problems hitting with runners in scoring position were brought into greater focus because of the 29 blown saves. Cut that in half, they figure, and the NL East would have been theirs for the taking.

Actually, that was their same philosophy each of the last two winters. After 2006, there was the belief of entitlement, that after coming so close they would naturally take the next step. After 2007, there was a feeling the collapse was an aberration and they were still the team to beat.

Not so then, and maybe not so now.

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Retiring Phillies general manager Pat Gillick told Bill Madden of The New York Daily News at the World Series his team’s hatred for the Mets, coupled with the disdain other teams in the NL East had for the Mets, acted as inspiration. Teams just didn’t like the celebrations and their swagger, perhaps sense of entitlement, they’ve had since 2006.

Said Gillick: “If you want to know the best thing we had going for us this year, it was the fact that all the other teams in our division hated the Mets’ guts. It started with Atlanta and all the hostility they had with the Mets through the years. Then Fredi Gonzalez left Bobby Cox to manage the Marlins and he didn’t forget everything that went on between the Braves and Mets. Look what Florida did for us the past two years (beating the Mets two out of the three in each of the last series of the season to prevent them from making the postseason). Washington doesn’t like them very much either, and all those teams seemed to really get up for the Mets.”

Both Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado took the celebrations outside the dugout, but each said they weren’t hurting anybody. In the end, they may have just been hurting themselves.

Hey, it’s not a shot at Reyes, but when an executive of your bitterest rival says the perception of your team is poor, you’d better listen. If the Mets are listening, they should realize Gillick is doing them a favor.

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If the Mets continue their fast fade in the NL East for the second straight season, should Jerry Manuel be brought back as manager?

That’s the question the Mets are wrestling with, but in the wake of news general manager Omar Minaya will get a four-year extension, how can they not extend Manuel as well? Afterall, part of bringing back Minaya was his decision to ax Willie Randolph and how the team responded.

The Mets were sinking when Randolph was replaced by Manuel, but they’ve rebounded and are tied for the wild card. They still control their destiny despite last night’s miserable showing.

The players responded to Manuel. He has their attention and respect. They play hard for him. The bullpen is awful, but players are trying. Nobody is dogging it.

Manuel has shown he can manage this team and he should get the opportunity to continue with better pitchers.

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With Milwaukee winning last night in the ninth to keep the pressure on, the Mets are faced with another must-win game tonight. Oliver Perez, who has pitched well in big games before for the Mets, will start against a team he hasn’t faced in over three years.

The NL East is still within their grasp, and far preferable to the wild-card. Remember, if it comes down to just Mets and Phillies for the division, the Mets win based on head-to-head. However, for that scenario to apply, the Brewers must fall completely out of wild-card contention.

Do you remember how horrible David Wright looked last week in Washington? He’s turned it around. His two-run hit last night might be one of the most important of the season.

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Jerry Manuel doesn’t care whether it is by winning the NL East or as a wild card. The important thing is just getting to play beyond Sunday.

Said Manuel about last year’s collapse and the playoffs: “The burden … the cloud … the demons … whatever you want to name it. I think we’re gonna be fine. If someone scraps and claws their way in, those teams seem to fare very well in the playoffs. That’s my hope. That we fight our way in and we fight our way through.”

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Johan Santana will be going for his eighth straight decision tonight. He’s also pitching to keep the Mets from falling all but out of the NL East race and to keep an edge over Milwaukee.

It will be all but impossible for the Mets to overtake the Phillies, especially if they lose and Philly wins. A Mets’ loss and Milwaukee win makes the wild card tight.

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The Mets lost a coin flip today against Philadelphia. If the teams haven’t both clinched at least the wild card and tied for first at the end of 162 games, the one-game tiebreaker will be in Philly. If they’ve both clinched a playoff spot, the Mets would win the NL East because they took the season series.

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How many times must it be said? The Washington Nationals trail the Mets by 25 1/2 games in the NL East. There’s a reason for that. They aren’t good. The Mets had their hands full last night because Oliver Perez couldn’t put them away.

The Mets can’t count on two homers from Carlos Delgado and ten runs every night. This division will be won by pitching and Mike Pelfrey is the story tonight. Then again, that’s not a bulletin.

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Mets manager Jerry Manuel said Oliver Perez has pitched so well lately that he’ll let this one slide. He can afford to because Carlos Delgado is playing up to the MVP chants.

It wasn’t a good night for Perez, but Delgado hit two more homers and has 24 in his last 66 games to lead the majors.

For awhile tonight it appeared as if Perez would kick this one away, but Delgado’s two homers and one by Carlos Beltran carried the Mets to a 10-8 victory over the Nationals to increase their lead over Philly to 2 1/2 games.

Kudos also to the bullpen. It has been hot in September, but tell the truth, aren’t you holding your breath?

For those who were with me tonight, many thanks. The Room is open all night.-JD

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Do you remember, their lead last year that disappeared in two weeks?

Of course, you do. Let’s hope the Mets remember, too. Willie Randolph said in spring training that the collapse was behind them, but when he took over Jerry Manuel said if he were manager he would have hammered the collapse home as a motivator.

If nothing else, the Mets should have learned about fragility. And, that’s not just in the late innings when the bullpen has the game. It is advancing runners and hitting with runners in scoring position from the first inning on. They’ve played well lately, but this remains a concern.

What the Mets should have learned from last year is the development of the killer instinct. No matter what happens this weekend, the Mets will not win or lose the NL East. But, winning two of three, at least, gives them the hammer.

Let’s hope this time, they don’t drop it on their foot.

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