The Cardinals swept the Mets in a three game series in St. Louis.  For the Mets, it was much of the same.  Terrible starting pitching and not hitting with men in scoring position.  The Mets left 41 men on base in the three games.  It was a piss poor effort by the Mets and I know we’re just one month into the season but if this is the product the Mets are going to put on the field, this is going to be a long season.  By the way, is now the time to thank Sport Illustratred for jinxing the Mets? 

Game 1: Cardinals 6 Mets 4  Another poor outting by the overpaid Oliver Perez.  Perez pitched 4.2 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits.  He walked five and stuck out four.  I know that Perez has good numbers against the Phillies, Braves and Yankees, and yes, those are big games for the Mets-games the fans really want to win, but if Perez can’t pitch to the teams in between those series, then he is useless to the Mets.  Really though, the Mets had this one and again, scored early and the bats died late.  Also, I’d like to stop hearing how the Mets should have signed Derek Lowe-I really believe that he didn’t want to pitch in New York; the only problem now is that the Mets will have to contend with him in their division-and it seems that Lowe is the only good thing the Braves have going for them at this point in the season.  This is also a game that Daniel Murphy would like to forget; terrible base running and even worse fielding did not really make this one of Dan’s best days.  I know the kid is playing out of position and at the beginning of the season, I felt the Mets were hoping that Castillo would get off to a good start so that they might have the possibility of moving him by or before the trade deadline and actually moving Murphy to second base, there is no indication that the Mets are going to do that it is merely wishful thinking on my part!  You can now point to two games that poor defense by Murphy has cost the Mets a win-I’d like to not have to hold my breath every time a ball is hit in his direction, it has become quite an adventure out there in left these days! 

Game 2: Cardinals 5 Mets 2 Oh look, more of the same.  Putrid pitching by John Maine put the Mets in a hole early, Maine gave up one in the first, two in the third and two in the fourth inning.  Maine walked five while only striking out two.  Again, the Mets left 11 guys on base;  Carlos Beltran continued to swing a hot bat, but David Wright seems to night be able to do anything at the plate when there is a guy on base-if the Mets are going to do anything, Wright has got to pick it up at the plate.

Game 3: Cardinals 12 Mets 8  Guess what happend in this game?  Oh-right, more awful pitching, more guys left on base, 20 to be exact.  Albert Pujols punished mets pitchers by hitting two homers (but what Cardinal didn’t get a hit?).  Not only did Livian struggle but Sean Green, who has been less than impressive stunk too.  The best thing about this game is, it was the last of the three game series which means the Mets return home to start a three game series with the Nationals.  Not that that will be a given for the Mets as they’ve had trouble with the Nats in recent years. 

Mike Pelfrey will return to the rotation on Saturday after resting a strained forearm-I can’t even predict what we’ll see.  There is talk that Mike Pelfrey (and possibly Oliver Perez) could be sent down if they don’t perfom well.  I’m sure it is just talk because what other options do they have? 

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The Mets take 2 of 3 against Milwaukee…start sensing something here? Win 2 of 3 against the Reds, drop 2 of 3 with the Marlins and Pods, now take 2of 3 with the Brewers. Hmmm…I think I may see a pattern. 

Game 1: Mets 5 Brewers 4 Highlighted by Gary Sheffield’s 500^th HR the Mets were able to come from behind to edge the Brewers. Livian Hernandez looked good thru 5 innings but lost it in the 6^th. You could see it coming too. Jerry Manuel left Livian in there a bit too long and he surrendered a 3 run homer to Ryan Braun leaving the Mets on the short side of a 4-3 deficit. Sheffield took care of that with a pinch hit HR to tie it in the 7^th. It was a good AB by Sheff too. Fouled off quite a few pitches before getting one on the inside half that he deposited in the left field stands. The Mets won it in the bottom of the ninth when an infield hit from Castillo scored Carlos Delgado from third. 

Game 2: Mets 1 Brewers 0 This is what is going to be known as a “chalkboard” game from here on out. As in “this is how we draw it up on the chalkboard”. Santana goes 7 strong (more on Johan later), Putz in the 8^th and Frankie Rodriguez in the 9^th for the save. This is how we envisioned it isn’t it? The Mets scored the only run of the game in the 7^th on a walk to Castro, an error by Weeks trying to take the throw at first on a sac bunt by Cora, and a hot shot by Reyes. And I mean a HOT SHOT. After Omir Santos made it to third on the error (he was pinch running for Castro. How often do you see a catcher pinch run? But I could run faster than Castro.) But back to Reyes, he knocked the glove off Villanueva’s hand. Seriously. I’m not kidding. He hit a liner back to the box that ripped the glove of his hand. The Brewers got a force at second but the only run of the game had already scored. Santana has now given up one, that’s right, one earned run in three starts. ERA…0.46. Yet, he’s only 2-1. But when Johan is on the mound its must see T.V.

Game 3: Brewers 4  Mets 2 The Mets were like 2 for a million with runners in scoring position leaving a thousand guys on base. Suppan pitched well enough to win and Todd Coffey got an eight out save. Don’t see that too often anymore. Coffey was able to wiggle out of bases loaded, one out, jams in the 7^th and 8^th. He got double plays both times. Both on hard hit shots by Delgado and Santos. Sometimes you hit ‘em right at ‘em. This leaves the Mets hitting .236 with RISP so far this year. Twelve games is not a lot so far but this seems to be a continuation from last year. Let’s hope not. 

But are twelve games enough to get a read? Let’s see, 6-6. Hitting? Eh. Bullpen? Great, lowest ERA in the majors so far. Starters? Santana and Hernandez are good; Maine, Pelfrey and Ollie are erratic. Didn’t we know that already?

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Game 1 Marlins 5 Mets 4. The Mets wasted a great pitching effort by John Maine. Maine who hadn’t pitched since the end of August, was great in his return.  In five innings he allowed two runs on two hits (both homers) walked one and stuck out five, retiring 12 of the last 13 hitters he faced.  In all, the Mets stranded 14 base runners. It was a ninth inning pinch hit single by Jeremy Reed that tied the game at four; when Reed came to the plate, the Mets had gone 0-10 with runners in scoring position.  In all, the Mets would strand 14 runners finishing the game 1-12 with runners in scoring position.  Luis Castillo was a nightmare, at the end of the game, he was hitting .100 and had stranded six runners. While we can say all we want about it being early in the season; this is a problem of not hitting with runners in scoring postion (both for Castillo and the rest of the Mets) dates back to last season. The bullpen didn’t actually hold up their end of the bargain either. Sean Green, Bobby Parnell each allowed a run, and Darren O’Day allowed an inherited run to score (a guy Pedro Felicano left on base). 

Game 2 Mets 8 Marlins 4. This game was closer than it needed to be.  Livan Hernandez made his Mets debut, he looked good. Hernandez pitched six and two thirds innings allowing two runs on six hits, he walked three and struck out four.  Darren O’Day worked a scoreless eight inning but ran into some trouble when David Wright made a throwing error in the bottom of the ninth, O’Day faced one more hitter before Frankie Rodriguez came in to finish out the game.  I don’t know what is up with David Wright; we’ve seen him do some nice work with the glove but for whatever reason he can’t seem to throw to first.  As far as offense goes, Jose Reyes was 2-5 with an RBI double and a two run homer.  What is even more amazing, Luis Castillo was 4-4 with one RBI and three runs scored, he started the night hitting .100 at the end of the game his average went up to .375 (gotta love what the early season can do for the batting average).  Jerry Manual told Castillo that he needs to be more aggressive at the plate and for at least one night that worked.  Oh-David Wright did have an RBI in the game, but it was off the brick that Dan Uggla uses as a glove, and it came when the game was 6-2. 

Game 3 Mets 1 Marlins 2. Not much to tell here.  Johan pitched his ass off; but Josh Johnson pitched better.  Johnson owns the Mets and now has a 5-0 record against the Mets.  The hitters couldn’t get much going; they finally scored a run in the top of the ninth inning but fell short when Ryan Church flied out to end the game.  The bigger part of all of this is that Daniel Murphy dropped a fly ball with two out in the second; one run to scored and then Ronnie Paulino hit a single to drive in the second unearned run.  The New York press is making a big deal because Johan commented after the game that the differences in the game was the error.  There has been a lot of back and forth about what Johan said, personally I read the quotes in the paper and watch the post game interview and my opinion is…his comments weren’t a big deal. 

The Padres come to town for three games and the opening of Citi Field. The Mets will have Pelfrey, Perez and Maine pitching against the Padres.

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Wednesday: Mets 9  Reds 7  Mike Pelfrey got his first win of the season on Wednesday.  Pelfrey was far from good, in five innings of work he allowed four earned runs on five hits, but he made it through five.  Actually, if it wasn’t for the fake to third throw to first Pelfrey probably wouldn’t have made it through five; when does that ever work?  The Mets bullpen made it interesting; even Frankie Rodriguez struggled-he did not have his good stuff walking two in the inning.  However, first base umpire Bill Welke made it a little more difficult for Rodriguez than it needed to be because of a crap call in the ninth inning-Brandon Phillips was on second, Edwin Encarnacion hit a grounder to third, Wright fielded the ball-throwing to first as Brandon Phillips broke for third.  Delgado took the throw at first-his foot clearly ON the bag, threw to third.  And that is where Welke fits into the equation-he called Encarnacion safe at first claiming that Delgado came off the bag too soon.  Replays clearly show that Delgado was on the bag.  Jerry Manual came out of the dugout to have a discussion with Welke but to no avail.  Clearly Welke is a tough guy-and now we know that he is.  Seriously though, who wasn’t on the edge of their seat when Lance Nix hit that ball to the warning track in the bottom of the ninth?    

Thursday: Mets 6 Reds 8  Oliver Perez took the loss, he worked just four and a third, allowing eight earned runs; he walked five and struck out seven.  And here is what I don’t get-really I don’t get it, he looked dominant early, he did strike out seven but then suddenly he just stinks-how does that happen?  And how is it that a guy who is as talented as he is just loses it in the middle of a game?  Every time he pitches like this-we, as Mets fans are going to be thinking about how we dropped the ball (so to speak) with Lowe.  The bullpen really kept the Mets in the game once Ollie was pulled, but the offense just didn’t come back.  The Mets scored first putting a three spot on the board in the third to take the lead and although the Mets didn’t throw in the towel after Ollie gave up eight, scoring one run in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, in the end they fell short. 

There was a Gary Sheffield sighting, he struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of yesterday’s game.  I’m not sure that Ryan Church has a lot to worry about at this point, his defense is outstanding-did you catch that play on Monday?  On top of that Church is hitting .455 with two doubles and two RBI.  I’m rooting for Church!  

Clearly, the Mets rotation is going to be a topic of conversation. They did little in the off season to address that situation. Pelfrey had a tough outing as did Perez. We know that they both have talent, but do they have guts? We’ll see what happens with Maine tonight. Obviously there are no worries with Santana. Hernandez is a work horse and has looked good this spring. Who cares how good the bullpen might be if our starters are going out there and giving up five or six runs a start. 

The Mets will fly east to Miami to start a three game series with the Marlins. John Maine will face off against Anibal Sanchez, game time is 7:10 p.m. 

Our thoughts go out to the family of Nick Adenhart and the Los Angles Angels of Anaheim. 

Mets Blog