One thing is for certain, the Mets never fail to make things interesting, or maybe I should say make things frustrating.  I guess at least last night’s frustration had a happy ending as the Mets won 4-2 in 12 innings.  

Oliver Perez was great yesterday.  He struggled a little in the first inning, but was great there after. He pitched seven shut out innings, allowing just four hits, while walking two and striking out four.  The Mets took a 1-0 lead off a Carlos Beltran’s homerun in the third, and Perez did something that Johan Santana failed to do in Friday’s game-he held the lead and did not give up a run. 

With the exception of Billy Wagner the Mets bullpen did their job.  When the Mets resumed play after the rain delay, I was less than confident that Pedro Feliciano would actually get Ryan Howard out, but he retired Howard on three pitches. Then of course, Aaron Heilman came in with two on and walked Pat Burrell, and I can’t even tell you what I was screaming at the television-but Heartattack Heilman kept it in check as he got Pedro Feliz to hit a weak grounder back to the pitcher to end the Phillies’ threat in the bottom of the eight.   Joe Smith got the win, he came in with two out in the bottom of the 10th and did not allow a run.  The Mets really got what they needed from that group of guys. 

I don’t know what’s up with Billy Wagner, but is it too much to ask him to close out a game, with out drama, just for once?  Seriously, for a guy who tries to be such a hard ass and tough guy, I have never seen such a wuss.  He can’t enter the game in the middle of an inning because of lack of intensity, he can’t come in for two innings, because he doesn’t get the same adrenaline rush-I guess that is why Mariano Rivera is the real “Sandman”.  When Wagner signed with the Mets, I think we all thought, Yes! We finally don’t have to worry about the ninth inning.  After years of watching John Franco, Armando Benitez, and Braden Looper it looked as if the Mets had the ninth wrapped up.  All we know is, when “Enter Sandman” plays at Shea, the only intensity we feel, isn’t excitement, it is almost dread. 

Mets offense was terrible, with runners in scoring position; they left a total of 14 guys on base.  No one was able to get the big hit to drive in some runs early in the game.  Maybe if the Mets offense had done their job we wouldn’t have to have the Wagner discussion today.  David Wright, had two big strikeouts, and stranded three guys on base, Marlon Anderson didn’t even get a hit.  Jose Reyes was 3-6 but none of those hits came with RISP.  Because of great pitching, (with the exception of Wagner, but I guess that goes without saying) it looked like the Mets would only need two runs to win.  Carlos Beltran gave them the lead with his homerun in the top of the third, and added what was thought to be an insurance run in the top of the ninth. 

Ryan Church did not start on Sunday after leaving the game on Saturday with a migraine, so Endy Chavez was in right field and made a great catch in the top of the second.  Fernando Tatis who entered the game as a pinch hitter for in Marlon Anderson in the top of the 8^th, came through big time for the Mets with his game winning hit in the 12th.  It is a big boost when your bench gets it done; you know they are guys you can count on, and when the bench comes through, they feel like they can contribute and make the most of their opportunity to do so.  I like the way that Manual has juggled things, I also think that the way he has played Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro has worked out for the Met, it is good to get Castro’s bat in the line up and I don’t know if it is the rest or watching his playing time diminish but whatever it is, but Schneider got the big hit in Saturday night’s game, and he had another hit yesterday.  Manuals managerial style seems to illicit the competitive nature in these guys. 

Look, all complaining aside, this was a good win for the Mets, they fought hard.  They are in position to take the series from the Phillies and leave town one game over .500, and only 2.5 out, but the Mets have to win tonight to make that happen.  A split here, the Mets are basically just spinning their wheels, they’ll go home having not gained any ground, and again under .500.  Going in, the Mets had to make some headway on this road trip and really had to take control over getting themselves out of this rut to have a chance of finishing over .500 at the all star break and maybe even being in the mix for a pennant race

Pedro Martinez will be on the mound for the Mets and the Phillies with counter with Adam Eaton.  The Mets have a chance to take a step in the right direction tonight, but Pedro had been dreadful and Eaton is 5-0 lifetime against the Mets.  However, if there is one thing we know about this team, it is that anything can happen.  Game time is 7:05 p.m.

Mets Blog

The Mets are the only team in Major League Baseball, when trailing by two runs that has not come back to win the game.  So, when they went down 4-0 in the first inning, it seemed like it was going to be another long night for Mets’ fans. 

Pedro Martinez was awful.  In five innings, he allowed 5 earned runs off 7 hits, two of those hits were homeruns, but he walked only one (so at least the Cardinals had to earn their way on base).  Pedro gave up four runs in the first inning.  Aaron Miles and Skip Schumaker both singled to set the table for the Cardinals, Schumaker would score on Rick Ankiel’s single to center.  Troy Glaus hit his 12^th homerun of the season to make it 4-0.  The 47 minute rain delay that Pedro called a “blessing” might have been just that as when play resumed, Pedro pitched more aggressively and allowed just one more run, a homerun to Rick Ankiel. 

It wasn’t just Martinez that labored on the mound last night.  After a great job by Mets hitters to take the lead 7-5 in the top of the seventh, Aaron Heilman entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and hit a batter, he would leave the game at the point and be replaced by Pedro Feliciano who threw one pitch to Chris Duncan that he sent over the fence in right field to tie the game at 7.  In the bottom of the ninth Carlos Muniz gave up a walk off homer to Troy Glaus, and the Cardinals won 8-7.   

The offense had a much better game on Wednesday.  When they fell behind 4-0 in the first; I figured we’d see them play like they usually do when they fall that far behind that early.  However, the Mets really battled to get some things going offensively.  As a team, the Mets still left 10 guys on base, but they did get 15 hits and everyone in the line up except Endy Chavez and the pitcher had at least one hit.  Jose Reyes was 3-5 David Wright was 3-4 with a walk, and an RIB.  Damion Easley had a great night; he went 3-4 with 3 RBI.  Ryan Church had two more hits last night, but did have some trouble with runners on base as he stranded three.  Carlos Beltran also got a hit last night, but he left four runners on base.

This is what happens; the Mets can’t get everyone on the same page at the same time.  The offense did their part last night, the pitching did not.  And while the effort was there from the offensive and position play standpoint-what happened to the bullpen?  It is just a pathetic display.  You can’t even say it was a better loss for this team-because it wasn’t they were winning at one point. 

On thing is for sure, as much as I hate the Cardinals-and I HATE the Cardinals, they play some good ball.  They run hard, take the extra base, stay in games.  This is something we have not seen from the Mets.  They don’t play hard, they don’t keep their heads in games, and Mets are far from mentally tough.  So, the best the Mets can hope for here is a split.  Which means they would leave St. Luis two games under .500 and in relatively the same place they are now 4.5 games (or so) back. 

The earliest Moise Alou would be back is Monday in Philly but his return is more likely to happen Tuesday when the Mets return to Shea to take on the Giants.  Because of rain in Florida, Alou has not had the opportunity to get in his rehab starts.  The Mets have moved him to Binghamton hoping he will get some play up there before bringing him back to the team. 

First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 p.m.  Mike Plefrey will pitch for the Mets and the Cardinals will counter with Mitchell Boggs. 

Mets Blog

The Mets topped the Cards on Tuesday night 7-4.  A combination of some lineup changes and a spot start by Tony Armas Jr. did the trick for the Mets as they bounced back from the disappointing opening game of this series. 

Armas made his first start in the bigs since September 10^th of last year when he was with the Pirates.  In his six innings of work he allowed four runs on eight hits, while walking just one and striking out three.  He was no where near dominant but did pitch well enough to keep the Mets in the game.  He struggled a bit in the first, giving up a double to Aaron Miles and then a long homerun to Rick Ankiel.  In the second inning, Yadier Molina lead off the inning with a single to center, he would advance to second on a sac bunt by the pitcher, and score on a double by Skip Schumaker.  Armas also struggled some in the sixth inning; Troy Glaus doubled to lead off the inning, and would take third a single to right by Chris Duncan.  Glaus would score on a sac fly by Molina that was caught by Ryan Church in foul territory. 

The Mets finally found some offense last night; Jerry Manual made some changes to the line up, putting Ryan Church in the fifth spot, and dropping Delgado to the sixth hole.  Brian Schneider got a night off as Ramon Castro did the catching.  Damion Easley took Luis Castillo’s spot at second, hitting behind Delgado.  The changes seemed to benefit everyone as Church and Delgado were a combined 5-8.  Church also had an RBI and scored two runs.  David Wright had a great night at the plate too; he was 3-4 with an RBI, a homer and a walk.  Carlos Beltran continues to struggle; he is now in a 3 for 29 slump dating back to the Seattle series. 

Who can figure these guys out?  One thing is for sure though, when you sit down and turn the game on, you never know what you are going to get.  The Mets fell behind early, which usually means they are mentally out of the game and just go through the motions until their nine innings of torture are over.  Last night, that wasn’t the case.  They fought back, and actually chased Todd Wellemeyer out of the game after five, taking advantage of the fact that he wasn’t pitching well.  The Mets still left seven guys on base last night, but they did get two two out RBI hits by both Castro and Wright, and that is something that the Mets have not done with any consistency.  Not that they have done anything with any consistency. 

It is great to have Ryan Church back in the line up.  I think it is a boost that the Mets really need.  He has picked up right where he left off, in the three games since his return, he is 5 for 12.  The Mets have really missed his bat.  I am getting giddy thinking about the return of Moises Alou though.  If the Mets heat up and play well the rest of this series and play well in Philly, they could come home in first place.  Gee-I sound almost optimistic.  I know, I’ll probably have to eat my words tomorrow. 

Pedro Martinez is scheduled to pitch for the Mets.  We are hopping to see a better Pedro tonight as he has determined that the problem in his last two starts (or there about) is that he has been tipping his pitches.  The Cardinals will have Joel Pineiro on the hill; Pineiro is 2-4 with a 4.33 era.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m.

Mets Blog

The Mets were awful against the Cardinals on Monday night.  They got terrible pitching, awful defense, no offense.  As this road trip begins there is a lot of talk about what the Mets would do, and the ground they could gain.  Well if this first game against the Cardinals is any indication of what is to come, I’m not sure I can watch much more of it. 

John Maine never got in a groove; he gave up a run before he got an out.  In his four innings of work he gave up five runs-three earned, three walks (one intentional), and one strikeout, that strikeout was to the pitcher who fouled out on a bunt attempt.  Of course, it wasn’t just that Maine didn’t have his good stuff, the Mets made three errors.  The first error came on a groundball that took a bad hop and went through Luis Castillo’s legs, that would have ended the inning; instead, on the next play John Maine threw the ball away on a pickoff move, allowing the runner on third to score and the runner on first to advance to third.  The final error was by David Wright who made a good play on a ball hit to third, he no chance to get the runner at first, his throw sailed way over the head of Carlos Delgado, and the runner to advance to second; that runner would score.

The Cardinals scored in each of the first five innings, the Mets scored once, in the fifth inning.  Andy Phillips, pinch hitting for Maine hit a single to left; he would come around to score on a single by Luis Castillo.  As a team the Mets left 9 guys on base last night.  Ryan Church (1-3) and Carlos Delgado both grounded into double plays.  Delgado, David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Brian Schneider all had 0-for’s last night. 

You knew right away that it was going to be a long night.  In the first inning, when John Maine could not get an out, I knew the Mets were not going to bounce back, because they never do.  Their demeanor says it all.  They fall behind, you might as well call the game there.  They just don’t have the intestinal fortitude to keep going.  They are at their statistical half way point, and they are still under .500.  This is where the team is going to be.  How many times have we heard-or worse yet-said, this win could be just what the Mets need, only to watch them follow it up with a garbage performance like last night.

There is something missing from this team, and I’m not talking about Moises Alou, although I do think that has been a part of it.  The Mets have had a weak line up because they are relying on bench players and it has showed.  Everyone is pressing and no one has been able to step it up and be the guy for the team.  I know there is a lot of pressure to win; you want to stop the booing, the losing, and the embarrassment!  These guys need to suck it up and play, show some fight, show some desire.  Show us something!

What the Mets are really missing is leadership.  Jerry Manual said as much last night when he was talking about Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes.  Much has been said about Reyes and how he was really learning the game and understanding how to conduct himself when Jose Valentin was with the team, and Manual said that the Mets were hoping they would get Castillo to kind of take a more active role with Reyes, but have yet to see it.  They had to know that going in though, there was a lot of talk last year at the end of the season about the negative affect that Castillo had on Reyes, but the Mets signed Castillo anyway.  What is even more telling to me, when the Mets had that players only meeting before Randolph was fired sometime in May, the one guy who tried to rally them, was Marlon Anderson.  I give props to Anderson, but how is it he is the only guy trying to take on leadership role?  It is kind of hard to take that responsibility when you are a bench player.  And while I am on the subject, I sincerely think that Carlos Delgado is a problem.  Listen, I am not a beat writer, I don’t spend time around the clubhouse, but just watching these guys together on the bench, it certainly seems like there is discord in the clubhouse. 

The Mets and the Cardinals play the second of four tonight.  Tony Armas will start for the Mets, he has been recalled from Triple-A New Orleans, to make room for him on the roster, they designated Andy Phillips for assignment.  The Cardinals will have Todd Wellemeyer on the hill.  Game time is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. 

Mets Blog