Sept. 19 -- LUCKY SIX

ST. LOUIS -- Before they played last night in Washington, the Mets held a 40-minute team meeting to help regain their focus and their confidence. Before the Phillies faced the Cardinals last night, they watched Wedding Crashers.

That pretty much sums up the past six days in the NL East.

Last Thursday, the Mets held a seven-game lead over the Phillies with 17 to play. Entering tonight's games, that cushion has been slashed to 1-1/2 games (two in the loss column) with 11 to go. With last night's 14-inning, 7-4 win over the depleted Cardinals, the Phillies got closer to first place than they've been since April 3.

Amazing, isn't it, how the Amazins' lead has evaporated? A Mets collapse would be historic. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no team has ever had a seven-game lead with 17 to play and not made the playoffs.

"They're coming this way, and we're going that way," Charlie Manuel said. "We'll leave it there."

Because last night's game took 5 hours, 4 minutes to play -- and didn't end until 1:14 a.m. in the East -- many of you didn't have a game story in your morning paper. And, even those of you who did, didn't have any quotes from Phillies players. Sorry about that. Deadlines for the 50-center can be a real drag on nights like that. But, luckily, I was able to speak to Manuel, Brett Myers, Jayson Werth, Rod Barajas and others in the Phillies' clubhouse and insert thoughts in the online edition, which you can read by clicking here.

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Manuel thinks the Phillies' nucleus of position players -- Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell -- is better than any group that he's managed or coached. That's high praise, considering his Indians teams in the '90s featured the likes of Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome and Roberto Alomar.

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Cole Hamels wasn't particularly sharp last night in his first start in 32 days. Then again, Hamels warned everyone that may be the case. He wasn't happy with the location of his change-up during his two simulated innings last Saturday in New York, even though bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer thought Hamels was being overly self-critical.

Didn't have a chance to talk with Hamels last night (I'll do that today), but considering he didn't have the luxury of a minor-league rehab start, the rustiness he exhibited last night was to be expected. I'm sure he'll be better in his next start, slated for Sunday in Washington.