Alex Wolf is 1-0 lifetime at Shea Stadium. I'm 169-131 there, including the post-season, something I don't normally take into account when discussing my Log, but if the 1998 Yankees can claim 125 wins in one year (the regular schedule not nearly expansive enough to contain their self-aggrandizement), then I can stretch my truth just a bit. The point is, Sunday afternoon was my 300th game* that counted inside the big, blue thing. It was a personal statistical milestone for three reasons besides:

1) It was my tenth game of the year (6-4 in '05), marking the ninth straight season I've reached double-digits, eleventh time overall. It's been a rich, full life.

2) This was the first homestand in which I saw the Mets beat three different teams and not suffer a loss at all -- one win apiece against Atlanta, San Diego and Los Angeles. Mr. Piazza homered in all three. And I resuscitated my 1997 ice cream cap for each game. If only all that mattered was lucky headgear...

3) At this moment and for the first time ever, I have a .500 or better record against every single National League opponent...except the loathsome Atlantans (12-20 when counting Game 3 of the 1999 NLCS). I have never held a winning mark versus the Braves; my best was 2-2 after a 4-3 victory on July 22, 1987. Lawdy, I hate them.

Today snapped a four-game losing streak to the Dodgers that I'd been schlepping around since 2001 (a schneid which culminated in another friend's son's far from auspicious debut) and brought me to 9-9 where they're concerned. The other night made it 7-7 against San Diego. So this homestand has been a real threading-the-needle experience in the land of Log.

I'm 12-9 against the American League at Shea -- considering all Interleague foes as one jumble is the least unpleasant option vis-à-vis breaking out the records against each Junior Circuiteer, if you get my drift.

As for Game No. 300, it proved one of the most relaxing in recent memory, even given the exhilirating aftereffect of moving us to within 3-1/2 of first. Get a lead early and let Mr. Benson do the rest. It allowed me to talk Alex and his dad through any and all questions posed. Alex wanted to know what that was out there beyond right field (the Mets' bullpen); if home runs break car windows (not usually); and if that guy batting first for us was indeed the shortstop (he was). His dad was a little vague on the concept of pinch-hitting and how a pitcher gets credit for a win, but we covered that, too. They're both quick studies. Alex's mom told me she once got a pennant autographed by Tug McGraw, Tommie Agee and Cleon Jones at a store-opening. She also inferred the Dodgers were pretty lame today. I think I see where Alex gets his baseball bug from.

*It has come to my attention that the third game I ever attended, on June 28, 1975, was delayed by rain for nearly an hour-and-a-half at its start. I remember leaving, at my sister's behest (she was sure they wouldn't resume playing), during that delay but have always recalled the tarp coming out in the middle of the second inning, meaning I had to have witnessed at least a little of that affair. But what I'm remembering being stopped by the umpires, I now have to admit, was the Old-Timers Game that preceded the "real" game. That's what was interrupted by rain. Apparently I never saw any of the Mets-Phillies action in person that afternoon. The question then becomes, should it still count as part of my Log? In 1999, when you and I attended the twinight doubleheader in which Ventura hit two grand slams, we missed most of the opener. I decided then that as long as I see one pitch of a game, I can say I saw the game. Since that ruling came 24 years after the game I didn't see, I've decided 6/28/75 will remain on the books, grandfathered in prior to the '99 decision, as a game I went to. I did go to it, after all. Thus, today was indeed my 300th game, 169th win and I can continue to say -- now and forever -- that I was at Shea Stadium at least once when Randy Tate started. It's always been a point of pride for me. (I'm not a particularly prideful person.)

SHEA STADIUM -- INTERIOR -- DAY

An OLD SCOUT shuffles to his seat, clipboard in hand, and looks down to find a MONEYBALL GUY with a pocket protector in the seat next to his. The old scout sits down with a theatrical sigh.

OLD SCOUT: Good Lord, it's you. What's it gonna be today, egghead? VORP or OPS? Park factor? Isolated power?

MONEYBALL GUY: Well, if it isn't Rip Van Good Face. Where you been, Phrenology class?

They watch various Mets drop fly balls and commit other misdeeds.

OLD SCOUT: Perfect bunt by that kid Reyes. Perfect. But I forget, you math guys hate bunts.

MONEYBALL GUY: No, it's the sacrifice bunt that's consistently overrated. Didn't you read Billy Beane's book?

OLD SCOUT: You mean Michael Lewis's book.

MONEYBALL GUY: Just seeing if you were paying attention.

OLD SCOUT: Well, lookit that -- a stolen base for Reyes. And third on the error. What are you clapping for, Poindexter? Aren't stolen bases a tool of the devil? Shouldn't you should have nine Scott Hattebergs out there crawling around the bases?

MONEYBALL GUY: Stolen bases are highly overrated -- kinda like high-school pitchers. This really isn't that hard, but I'll speak slowly anyway: If you look at the run-expectation table, you'll see a caught stealing hurts the offense 2.3 times as much as a successful steal helps. So unless a guy has a success rate of 75% or better, it's not a good move. You could look it up, Perfesser.

OLD SCOUT: So why are you clapping?

MONEYBALL GUY: Well, Reyes has 32 steals and has been caught just seven times. 33 steals now. He makes it often enough that it's a pretty decent gamble.

The two watch various adventures amidst the wind and the high sky for a time.

OLD SCOUT: Here's that kid again -- base hit! Now if Cameron bunts him over, another hit will bring the Mets to within 3-2. Now Baby Einstein, you just let me know if I'm speaking Greek, running down the crazy ideas behind these old-fashioned things we used to value. We called 'em fundamentals.

MONEYBALL GUY: Yeah, you and Cap Anson invented base-ball on Abner Doubleday's lawn. Tell it to your Build-A-Bear, Grandpa. The Mets shouldn't be bunting here -- it's only the third inning, too soon to play for one run. Cripes, now Beltran's bunting....

OLD SCOUT (a minute later): And because he was, Reyes scores on a groundout by Floyd. We used to call that manufacturing a run. Man, that kid can really fly. Remind me what you wannabe nightwatchmen at the baked-beans factory don't like about him?

MONEYBALL GUY: It's not that we don't like Reyes, it's that he's a really undisciplined player. He can't take a walk to save his life. A .302 on-base percentage will just kill a team, no matter how exciting 30% of the at-bats wind up being. And a .697 OPS, yeesh.

OLD SCOUT: OPS, OPS, OPS. Hell, I think we should throw Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth clean out of Cooperstown, since there weren't no OPS when they played.

MONEYBALL GUY: Man, pump your elbow and you'd be Joe Morgan, you sad old fossil. Cobb and Ruth were great players by any statistical measure.

OLD SCOUT: I know, I know. Settle down, kid, no need to run off and blog. I just like watching you get worked up.

Various endeavors transpire, until it's the bottom of the 7th, with the Dodgers up 5-4 and Marlon Anderson leading off for the Mets with a walk.

OLD SCOUT: Oh no, is that Reyes squaring around to bunt? I'll get your EpiPen ready.

MONEYBALL GUY: Yep, runs-expectation index about to go from .9116 to .7125. I don't know how you guys did your figures when you were tapping them out with chisels in the Stone Age, but nowadays .7125 is generally considered less than .9116. Now, if this were a one-run game, it would make a lot more sense....

OLD SCOUT: Jeez, would the kid get the friggin' bunt down already? He's too busy trying to bunt for a hit. His tools are better than that. What's his average in late-and-close situations?

MONEYBALL GUY: Sorry, I don't use bad stats to judge illusory situations. Two strikes. Maybe Willie will come to his senses and take the bunt off.

OLD SCOUT: Whoa! Put a stopwatch on that one! You ain't got nothing against triples, do ya?

MONEYBALL GUY: Of course not. Now you're just being silly. Attaboy, Beltran! Mets lead!

The bottom of the 8th arrives.

OLD SCOUT: You got a stat can explain to me what the hell Minkawhatsits was doing there?

MONEYBALL GUY: Nothing could explain that. Man, with Looper coming in they could really use a two-out hit from Reyes, and some insurance. Let's see if he can work a good count here and --

OLD SCOUT: Base hit!

OLD SCOUT and MONEYBALL GUY: That kid sure is exciting!

MONEYBALL GUY: But of course he should be exciting more than 30.2% of the time.

OLD SCOUT: Oh, can't you just shut up and enjoy it for one afternoon?