"They were cheerleading in the dugout like a bunch of softball girls," the beleaguered Mets right-hander said after getting stomped in a 10-4 loss to the Nationals last night. "If that's what a last-place team needs to do to fire themselves up, so be it. They need to show a little more class and professionalism."

Lastings Milledge, the former Met who was vilified for such exuberant behavior during his two seasons here, had another take.

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Milledge said. "We're not going to cater to him or anybody else, so whatever. If you don't like it, you've just got to deal with it."

Though Milledge wasn't singled out by Figueroa, the Shea faithful now have one more reason to boo him for the remainder of this four-game series. And the Mets would appear to have a National enemy.

"They won tonight, but in the long run they are still who they are," Figueroa said. "Even for the manager and the coaching staff to let that stuff carry on, it's truly unprofessional."

Milledge admitted to making hand gestures on second base after pounding a two-run double in the sixth inning against Jorge Sosa. It's believed that Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes was among the chief instigators from the dugout.

Of course, if Figueroa could have gotten a few people out last night, he might not have heard a peep from the "softball girls."

Figueroa was the Mets' Cinderella story in April, but don't look now: The clock may have struck midnight.

Actually, if Figueroa were allowed to keep going last night, the game might have lasted until midnight.

Washington Nationals News News » Mets righty calls Nats "softball girls" after loss
Mets righty calls Nats "softball girls" after loss
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