"You can sum up the plight of the Mets -- back at .500 again and 8½ games behind the Braves and fading in the wild-card race -- in two words:

Oy Bay.

Another Bay Watch has begun around the Mets, because manager Terry Collins needs to get Scott Hairston's sizzling bat into the lineup and sit Jason Bay for now.

It was bad enough that Collins didn't have Jose Reyes -- rehabbing today in Brooklyn -- Carlos Beltran, David Wright and Ike Davis during an 8-5 loss to the Phillies yesterday.

What infuriated Mets fans at Citi Field was that he didn't have Bay either.

To wit:

Bottom of the first, runners on first and third, two outs against Kyle Kendrick: Bay grounds harmlessly to short for the force at second. Oy Bay.

BOO!

Bottom of the third, runners on first and second, because Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick pitches around Daniel Murphy, two outs. Bay lines one deep down the right-field line but foul. And then grounds harmlessly to short for the force at second. Oy Bay.

BOO!

The good news is Bay had not let his hitting affect his fielding . . . until the top of the eighth, when a lazy fly ball off the bat of Ryan Howard bounced off the top of Bay's glove, igniting a three-run dagger. Oy Bay."